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44 www.coalage.com April 2018 product news Trapper Mine Commissions Mining Excavator With a Tier 4 Final Engine Liebherr delivered the backhoe version of its R 9400 mining excavator to Trapper Mining in Colorado. It is the first diesel- powered engine that complies with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Tier 4 final exhaust emission limits and has a rated output of 1,675 hp/1,250 kW. With a 37-yd 3 innovative bucket optimized for Trapper Mining's material and oper- ations, the R 9400 is compatible with the mine's current 240-ton haul truck fleet. "The acquisition of this excavator is significant for Trapper mine," said Michael W. Morriss, president and general manager for Trapper Mining. "We expect to realize significant productivity improvements over our previous equipment mix. Our employ- ees are top-notch and excited about the benefits this will bring to our operation and providing economic coal to Craig Station in the future as well as the excellent business partnership with Liebherr Mining." The R 9400 follows the Liebherr design philosophy of maximizing the machines performance by improving the efficiency of all individual subsystems. Engineered for optimum serviceability, the machine is designed to ensure maximum uptime. Designed for rough application, the R 9400's heavy-duty three-piece fatigue- resistant undercarriage provides efficient superstructure weight distribution and re- duces ground-bearing pressure enabling the necessary stability and reliability. The latest R 9400 commissioned for Trapper Mining is a backhoe configura- tion, well-known for its proven technology and its excellent productivity. The produc- tion-tailored attachment kinematics com- bined with a mining-optimized bucket shape ensure the highest crowd and break- out forces. Even under tough conditions, the R 9400's high digging force allows easy bucket penetration and maximum bucket fill factors to achieve high productivity. www.liebherr.us AFC Drive System Caterpillar released the HTD4100 High Torque Drive System for longwall armored face conveyors (AFCs), which provides a higher level of automation for enhanced speed and torque control and real-time monitor- ing, the company report- ed. The system's modular design simplifies instal- lation and maintenance. It offers fast response and precise control to reduce conveyor chain wear and failures, and the high- torque motors deliver maximum torque, inde- pendent of speed, to optimize production while minimizing wear, Cat reported. A medium-voltage converter-con- trolled torque motor replaces the AC in- duction motor. The control principle of the drive is Direct Torque Control — the most advanced AC-drive control technology available, Cat reported. The motor operates at low speeds, between 0 and 300 rpm ver- sus 1,500 rpm for induction motors. Lower speed reduces inertia acting on the output shaft by a factor of eight and enables the system to react quickly, which translates to little or no damage to the gearbox and chain in the event of a conveyor blockage. The installed motor power of the mod- ular drive system is 1250 kW (1,900 hp) with maximum torque of 650,000 newton meters (480,000 foot-pounds). The torque motor design reduces the need for as many gear stages, which enables the en- tire system to be simplified. This, in turn, allows smaller dimensions while retaining the same torque capabilities as systems that are as much as 20% larger. The system also is about 5% more efficient than con- ventional drives, the company reported. www.cat.com Primary Belt Cleaner ASGCO introduced the Pit-Skalper, a primary belt cleaner. The technology is based on the Skalper, which is used throughout the world in the harshest envi- ronments, the company reported. The Pit-Skalper is designed to handle the needs of portable crushing and screen- ing plants while while removing carryback