United Tractors Invests in Komatsu Workforce Training and Optimisation with CYBERMINE

SEPTEMBER 2016

United Tractors (UT), Indonesia’s largest heavy equipment distributor of renowned brands such as Komatsu, Scania and UD Trucks, is investing in workforce training and optimisation. The company will soon be receiving a high-fidelity CYBERMINE Full Mission Simulator from ThoroughTec Simulation for the training of Komatsu PC3000 shovel operators, after a competitive selection process.

“This is the latest in a string of sales for ThoroughTec in Indonesia, signalling the company’s ever-growing presence in the region,” says Larin Allison, Regional Vice President of Asia Pacific. “So much so that ThoroughTec has now established a permanent representative presence in-country.”

This latest generation simulator will be put into operation at the Tanjung Enim coal mine in South Sumatra, owned by PT Bukit Asam (PTBA). The United Tractors School (UTS), part of the UT Group, is providing a total solution in terms of personnel development for PT Bukit Asam, covering both Operations and Maintenance.

“UTS will be implementing a development programme, covering recruitment of personnel, classroom training, on-the-job training and certification of shovel operators,” says Ferdinand Widjaja, Head of Strategic Business Service at UT. “This advanced simulator will form part of classroom training sessions and will be used to increase PTBA operator competence. Over 70 operators from all over Indonesia will be training on this simulator.”

“We’re confident that every operator will realise maximum benefit from this simulator with a notable increase in safety and productivity levels,” says Allison, “similar to results we’ve seen in other regions internationally.”

“This high-tech training tool allows real-world training in a safe, controlled environment and helps operators gain more experience”

The CYBERMINE Full Mission Simulator is an ideal way to bridge the gap between classroom and on-the-job training. “This high-tech training tool allows real-world training in a safe, controlled environment and helps operators gain more experience,” says Widjaja. “We will be able to simulate all kinds of operating conditions and scenarios as well as a number of emergency situations.”

“ThoroughTec is proud of its long-term association with Komatsu,” says Allison. “We have now simulated over 20 of their machine models.” This latest CYBERMINE Komatsu PC3000 simulator features ThoroughTec’s innovative CYBERMINE Operator Motion Tracking system which tracks the student’s head position, without the need for wearing any special appendages, and adjusts the 3D graphics to the correct field of view, improving depth perception and allowing the operator to look down or up and have the graphics adjust accordingly.

“In addition to the simulator, we have developed an interactive Pre-Trip Inspection module interface for the PC3000,” notes Allison. “This will ensure that every shovel operator will know exactly how and what to check on the shovel before setting off.” ThoroughTec provides complete training solutions, including e-Learning, Operator Familiarisation Trainers and Full Mission Simulators all of which can be integrated with and controlled by their new Workforce Excellence (WX) platform. WX (pronounced WeX) also collects large amounts of real-world data from the field in order to assess operator performance using its AI engine and to schedule tailored training interventions per operator.

ThoroughTec offers the widest training simulator range in the industry and has already commissioned a number of high-fidelity systems for the training of Komatsu PC3000 shovel operators worldwide. “There were a number of factors that saw us selecting ThoroughTec,” says Widjaja. “This included their solution, design and technology, total cost of ownership including the outright purchase price, ongoing after-sales support and low maintenance costs that they offer.”