While big mine trucks may grab many headlines, innovations further down the payload scale may have more of an impact on the mining industry as a whole. This is particularly true of the 216 tonne/240 short ton payload truck class but can also be seen in wheeled loader and excavator markets. As predicted by WME in early 2004, this hauler size range is seeing notable developments with the introduction of Caterpillar's 793D due later this year and Komatsu's 830E-AC, while Terex's TMT260-AC/MT4400AC is already available. This truck category is extremely well proven and has been a popular choice with customers since the early 1990s, when Cat's 793 and the Haulpak 830E joined Wiseda's KL-2450 (now Liebherr's T262) on the market. Although the Ultra haulers have since topped the range in terms of capacity, reaching as high as 360 tonnes, the 216 tonne/240 short ton machines still dominate in terms of sales volumes. And these trucks have also been able to benefit from technology developed for the larger machines, such as the beefed-up mechanical drives in Caterpillar's 793D or the AC drives in Komatsu's latest 830E or Terex's MT4400AC.
NSTL
