Off-road trucks have advantages like system flexibility, ability to adapt to different materials, and requiring a relatively simple infrastructure. However, they also have high operating costs. The main components of a truck include engines, transmission, frame, suspension, brakes, steering, hydraulic and tire systems. Larger mining trucks have electric transmissions, cost $3.5-5 million, and require specialized labor to operate. Proper ramp design, safety berms, and load placement are important for safe transport and unloading of material. Autonomous trucks can now operate without drivers to reduce costs and improve safety.

2. OFF ROAD TRUCKS
• Advantages.
• System flexibility (100 and 3000 meters).
 Ability to adapt to all kinds of materials.
 They require a relatively simple and inexpensive infrastructure.
 There are a wide variety of models, which allows us to use the one that is most widely adopted.
 the conditions in which the operation must be carried out.
 Lower initial investment than other transportation systems.

3. OFF ROAD TRUCKS
• Disadvantages.
 High operating costs, which together with loading can reach 60% of the cost total exploitation.
 Its performance decreases when the transport distance increases.
 They require specialized labor for operation and maintenance.

4. Main components of a truck
• Engines.
• Truck engines are diesel, turbo-laminated and with aftercooler

5. Main components of a truck
• Transmission.
• This is directly related to the load capacity, which can be mechanical or electrical transmission.
• High tonnage trucks have mainly electric transmission system.

6. Main components of a truck
• Transmission.
• Advantages of electric transmission:
- Maximum use of engine power in the entire speed range.
- Dynamic braking.
- Simplification of the operation.
- Greater reliability.

7. Main components of a truck
• Frame.
• The frame or chassis is the backbone of the truck. It is made up of steel elements, capable of withstanding
significant stresses, bending and impacts.
• They acquire a large amount of specialized labor for operation and maintenance

8. Main components of a truck
• Suspension.
• The suspension system must be able to absorb oscillations and vibrations caused by uneven terrain, cushion
shocks during loading and distribute the load weight on the tires and provide vehicle stability and driver
comfort.

9. Main components of a truck
• Brakes.
• It must withstand prolonged braking, such as that which occurs when going downhill while fully loaded.
Brake systems are made up of:
• Service brakes
• Emergency brakes
• Parking brakes
• retarder
• Regarding the design of the brakes, these can be: multiple discs, shoe and single disc.

10. Main components of a truck
• Steering and Hydraulic Systems.
• The steering of a mining truck is fully hydraulic, and is operated by the work of two independent twin
double-acting hydraulic cylinders.
• The hydraulic system is activated by means of one or two pumps in parallel, which are always working, both
to turn the direction and to lift the box. As there are two pumps, if there was a fault in either one, the other
could always power the steering, but it would not lift the box.

11. Main components of a truck
• Tires.
• The tires represent the last link in the transmission and, therefore, the torque is converted into traction
forces on the ground in contact with the tire. The smaller the diameter of the wheels, the greater the
traction force.
• In general, open-air truck tires are almost 4 meters high and the one that is designed to support
approximately 600 tons. Its price is approximately US$24,000, but that will depend on its characteristics,
brand, and model to use. There are also tires whose prices are US$30,000, US$40,000, US$100,000. Each
truck uses 6 tires.
• Approximately 80% of all large tires fail before they wear out, as the chart below shows.

12. Main components of a truck
• Hoppers.
• The hoppers are made of steel plates with a high elastic limit (1300 mpa), which provides high resistance to impacts and wear. The stress
beams are hollow, rectangular in section, through which the exhaust gases circulate to heat the box and thus prevent the material from
sticking when it is wet or clayey.
• The bottom of the box and the longitudinal section are V-shaped, so that the center of gravity of the load is as low as possible to increase
stability. The forward slope provides excellent load retention, even when climbing grades, while the slopes from the bottom of the body to
the side walls divert impact load forces, center material in the body and lower the center serious.
• As for the tipping system, this is usually the conventional one, with rear tipping by means of lifting with hydraulic cylinders, which are
generally two. These are then, the main requirements for a Hopper:
• • Robust structure.
• • Resistance to abrasion in exposed areas.
• Even so, today the main problem is the limit imposed by the welded joints, where we must remember that due to the large volume of these
components, they are even assembled in the same mine at the time of the acquisition of the Truck. This is because the maximum
resistances supported by the welds are below those achieved in modern steels. Therefore, the component welding process is of vital
importance.

13. Autonomous truck
• The autonomous truck is the technology that is at the forefront of global mining transport. This is a technological system developed by
Komatsu, which is adapted to a mining extraction truck and which uses a GPS signal, along with other ground support signals, such as
location and navigation systems, which allows it to move and transport loads of independently, without the need for operators or a remote
command.
• The autonomous truck project was born from Komatsu as a response to the need of mining companies to have a technological means that
allows the mass transport of materials in the mines exploited by the open pit method, without exposing the truck operators. to the risk
conditions inherent to this operation and to the conditions that could be unfavorable to human nature, and as a response to the need to
have an economic means of transportation for those marginal mining projects, in terms of their economic viability.
• A fleet made up of five Komatsu 930E-3AHT trucks, equipped with autonomous technology, worked for almost six months in a test area in
Radomiro Tomic with optimal results. Today, a fleet of 17 Komatsu 930E4 AHT autonomous trucks is operating at Minera Gaby, in the II
region of Chile.
• The autonomous truck is designed to operate 24 hours a day, navigate predefined routes and at a predetermined speed, wait and position
itself in loading areas, as well as report location status, among other qualities. The truck is the only one on the market that allows
autonomous operation and, in addition, can be operated manually. Its engine, hydraulic system and electrical system allow low fuel
consumption.
• All these characteristics give the autonomous system greater security, unmatched operational continuity that ultimately results in cost
reduction.

14. Autonomous truck
• Characteristics of the autonomous system
• They accelerate and brake precisely. They do not deviate a millimeter from the programmed route, they
have the ability to recognize obstacles and if a person crosses it, it will automatically improve. And all of the
above, without a driver behind the wheel.
• Modern trucks are not remotely operational, but work like a robot. Their tasks are programmed and
executed to perfection: they accelerate and brake precisely, which affects fuel efficiency and tire life, among
other components.

15. Dispatch System
• The DISPATCH system is a large-scale mine management system that uses the latest computer and data
communication systems, such as GPS, to provide optimal truck-to-shovel assignments automatically,
maximizing the utilization of time and minimizing its losses, in real time.
• The system records the key times of each carry cycle, instantaneous data transmission and subsequent
decryption, using the information that operators record on their panel. It manages to record, save and
process a large amount of information to deliver improved productivity and increased efficiency to the mine
through a fleet optimization test.

16. Operating costs
• Loading and hauling represents a significant part of a mine's total operating, staffing and management cost.
An important effort is directed to the analysis and selection of the appropriate relationship between the
loading equipment and the truck fleet. As transportation represents about 40% to 50% of the total cost of
extraction, additional work is required to optimize extraction. Such optimization can help provide increased
benefits to cost per unit of production, safety, and truck performance.

17. Operating costs
• Cost of Acquisition of a Truck
• A high-tonnage mining truck has an economic value of approximately US$3.5 to US$5 million, depending on
its models and brand. It is assembled near the mining site where it will be used, in an estimated time of 3
weeks for its assembly.

18. Transport and unloading work procedure
• Transport and unloading work procedure
• There are various activities that must be carried out both before the start-up of the transport machinery, as well as during its operation and its
stoppage, this given the characteristics that this equipment presents and the risk that its operation represents for both the operator and the operator.
for third parties at the site.
• Once the loading is complete, the truck must deactivate the loading brakes and move forward, leaving the loading zone with caution, following the
defined routes and in the previously established direction according to the load it carries. If the charge is mineral, it will go to the crushing plant; if it is
low-grade stock or if it is sterile, it will go to the indicated dump. During transportation, it is important that everything is done taking care not to dump
cargo on the road, especially on sloping routes. If there are foreign elements on the route, for example, rocks, it should be reported immediately to
clean the road. In the same way, we proceed in the case of finding cracks on the road.
• The unloading of materials corresponds to the emptying of trucks at different points, which may correspond to primary crushing, dumps and stock.
Maneuver the truck to the dump position, when reversing the truck to dump position, just use the foot brake to stop and hold the truck.
• While in the dump position, place the transmission gear selector in the "Neutral" position and engage the parking brake lever/switch. Before starting
the unloading operation, check that there are no people or objects behind the machine. Stop the machine in the correct position and check again that
there are no people or objects behind the machine. Give the agreed signal and slowly operate the truck bed. If necessary, use wheel blocks or place a
flagman. When carrying out unloading operations on slopes, the stability of the machine will be poor and there is a danger that it may tip over. Always
perform such operations with extreme care. Dumping large rocks (10% or more of the payload), or sticky materials (loads that do not flow freely out
of the box), the material can be dumped too quickly and cause the box to move quickly and suddenly. This movement could violently shake the truck
and cause injury to the operator and/or damage to the lift cylinders, frame and/or truck body hinge pins, so the procedure should be very slow. To
avoid poor unloading practices, it is recommended not to use the box (hopper) to move soil, not to unload on an existing pile and not to lower the
box before moving forward.

19. Transport and unloading work procedure
• Before the operation
 At the beginning of each shift, the status of lights must be checked (especially in night shifts).
 Verify the correct operation of the radio equipment and its radio frequency, to ensure fluid communication.
 Verify the operation of all the auxiliary equipment that works on the loading front.
 Verify the operation of cargo trucks
 Each of the operators of the different equipment must always ensure good visibility. For this, it is necessary
to check the windshield wiper system and the state of the mirrors.

20. Transport and unloading work procedure
• During the operation
 Truck operators must never leave the cab during loading.
 The truck must always be stopped to start loading. If you are in movement, there is a risk of damaging the
hopper and the damping system of the equipment.
 During the exit from the loading front you must always be attentive to the traffic conditions, as well as the
personnel who are working In the area.
 During transport, special care must be taken when going uphill with a loaded truck, in order to avoid
possible spillage of material on the route.
 In transport during night shifts, high beams must be lowered at a distance of approximately 200 meters
from other vehicles, in order to avoid "dazzling" with other operators.
 At all times the operator's cabin must be closed.

21. Transport and unloading work procedure
• Load placement on trucks.
• To study the correct placement of the load in the truck, 3 items must be considered:
• -Lateral: input load on the lifting cylinders or on the shaft of the box
• -Longitudinal: load centered in the central part of the box
• -General: without a significant amount of material in the header
• There must be enough free edge to minimize spillage from the sides through corners and to the rear of the
box on ramps. It is important to split the payload 33% and 66% on the front and rear axle respectively.

22. Uniform and constant ramps
• Grades less than 10% are recommended to maximize tire life, minimize transmission shifting, maintain a
higher average speed, and allow for more consistent braking effort on returns.

23. Ramp drain
• The slope must adequately displace the expected maximum rainfall, with minimal formation of puddles,
potholes, or ingress of water to the sub-base of the road.

24. Safety berm
• Recommended shoulder height is 1/2 wheel height minimum. These should be used along the edge of the
truck unloading area and along the edges of the haul road.

25. Articulated truck
• Mainly used for quarrying and industrial minerals. It consists of a hopper joined by a joint system to the
truck cabin, this allows it to move in smaller spaces compared to a common mining truck.