ThoroughTec Launches 4th Gen Haul Truck Simulator

MINING.COM – JULY 2012

ThoroughTec Simulation has been building military simulators for over 20 years, earning its stripes engineering armoured vehicle, tank and aerospace simulators. Its engineering processes are military standard (MIL-STD) compliant and its quality management system is ISO 9001:2008 accredited, and ThoroughTec is independently audited by its regular blue-chip military clients.

For the past 15 years, ThoroughTec has been applying these uncompromising standards of engineering and production quality to the design and manufacture of simulators for the mining industry.

This expertise has culminated in the industry leading, fourth-generation mining simulator system, CYBERMINE. Examples of the latest range of ThoroughTec’s underground and surface simulator cabs, including a Komatsu 960E Haul Truck, will be available for test drives at MINExpo 2012. ThoroughTec’s unique 3 Degree Of Freedom (3DOF) motion platform and adaptor plate will be used for these displays, exhibiting how 6DOF surface cabs can be effectively used on a 3DOF motion base fitted with the adaptor plate. This allows a single simulator to replicate the entire working fleet of a mine, reducing costs and maximising return on investment.

“Our new fourth generation mine truck simulators have redefined the technology benchmark.”

All ThoroughTec simulator cabs use CYBERMINE technology to create the realistic sensation of driving the actual vehicle in an actual mine, with all the correct visual, auditory and tactile feedback. Instructors can configure training scenarios to specific training objectives – not just generic scenarios, but those specifically faced on their mine site. According to ThoroughTec’s CEO, Rob Letschert, “Our new fourth generation mine truck simulators have redefined the technology benchmark. We now provide an enhanced scoring system, a mission planner for simulating dispatch systems, simulated reversing aids and a replicated two-way radio”. Hands-on demonstrations will be available for visitors to the ThoroughTec stand (Central Hall 1, Booth 4273).

Modern mining companies understand the value of integrating simulators into their business improvement programmes. It is an effective means to dramatically enhance operator competency. This in turn improves not only safety and productivity in mining operations, but also lowers operator machine abuse, machine maintenance costs and the environmental impact of operations, all of which contributing significantly to the ultimate goal of achieving true sustainability of the mine site.

ThoroughTec is able to simulate any machine from any OEM in the industry, surface or underground, and has the largest development pipeline by far, so is able to customise on every build it does, going beyond OEM spec to deliver the exact operating procedure the customer wants and needs. ThoroughTec currently simulates over 73 different mining machines, covering both underground and surface machines, from drills and bolters to draglines and haul trucks.

Based in Durban, South Africa, ThoroughTec is now a dominant global player and has won 90% of bids it has participated in worldwide. It is number one worldwide in underground mining and fast closing in on the top position for surface mining simulation, despite expanding its global presence relatively late.

As part of its global expansion drive, ThoroughTec also expanded its offices, business development and support staff in Perth and Brisbane, Australia, for the Australasian region; Durban, South Africa, for the EMEA region; Toronto, Canada, for its North American region, and most recently established a new office in Santiago, Chile, to service the Latin American region.

In Asia Pacific, ThoroughTec has captured several Rio Tinto sites in Mongolia and Australia, as well as Wesfarmers in Queensland and FMI in Papua, Indonesia. In North America, ThoroughTec recently won key customers Anglo American, GoldCorp, Vale and Newmont. In South America, it has captured Quadra, Anglo American, Newgold and GoldCorp. In Africa, ThoroughTec’s key customers include BHP, Assmang and Anglo American, while it recently won the largest two simulator contracts in mining history (Khutala and Sishen). Several prestigious academic and training institutions have also evaluated ThoroughTec and decided to partner with them, including the University of Alaska, Yukon Mine Training Association, the New Mining Academy in Manitoba, Aurora College, the Indonesian underground school and the West Australian School of Mines.

ThoroughTec’s simulators are used around the world by Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), mine sites and training/recruitment schools for screening employees, recruitment, induction training, emergency procedure familiarisation, refresher training and up-skilling of experienced operators. If meeting and maintaining the above standards of engineering and support is important to your business, then drop in at the ThoroughTec stand to experience it for yourself.