The Japanese original equipment maker says the ADT comes with a number of improvements to increase productivity, including an advanced traction and transmission system and higher dump body capacity.

The HM400-3M0 is powered by a Komatsu SAA6D140E-6 engine rated at 350 kilowatts, allowing it to carry a full load at speeds up to 55.9 kilometres per hour.

Komatsu Australia national quarries business manager Richard Feehely said the truck’s improvements over its predecessor the HM400-2 included significantly higher payload capacity, better operating performance, lower fuel consumption, increased operator comfort and improved serviceability.

“The HM400-3M0 incorporates a number of groundbreaking improvements in articulated dump truck technology, leveraging on our many years of experience in traction control and transmission systems with our dozers and large mining rigid dump trucks,” he said.

“As a result we have developed an ADT that offers unprecedented levels of control and efficiency when operating in the most challenging underfoot conditions, while delivering the highest levels of reliability and efficiency.”

Feehely said an optimised body design on the HM400-3M0 had led to a significant increase in payload and body capacity.

“The HM400-3M0 is now a true 40 metric tonne capacity truck, with its payload increasing by 3.5t compared with the previous HM400-2,” he said.

A major feature of the HM400-3M0 is the Komatsu traction control system, which automatically provides optimum traction when operating in soft ground conditions.

As ground conditions worsen, speed sensors located on four wheels detect tyre slippage and the inter-axle differential lock is automatically applied.

If the tyres continue to slip, any of the four independently operated brakes can be applied to the slipping wheels to regain traction.

“This technology behind our K-TCS, which is unique to ADTs, comes directly from our experience in optimising traction control with our dozers and rigid mining trucks,” Feehely said.

The truck also incorporates the Komatsu advanced transmission with optimum modulation control system, or K-ATOMiCS for short, which has long been a feature of Komatsu’s large mining trucks.

It is a six-speed fully automatic transmission that uses an electronic system to eliminate shift shock and torque cut-off to improve operator and engine efficiency and maximise power train life.

“The electronic system automatically selects the ideal gear based on vehicle speed, engine speed and the shift position chosen, resulting in powerful acceleration, smooth down-shifting and synchronised engine speed when climbing slopes,” Feehely said.

A 510kW capacity retarder fitted to the HM400-3M0 allows the operator to choose the ideal operating speed for downhill travel and fully loaded hauls.

It eliminates the acceleration generated by the grade of the slope and minimised wear and tear on the braking system.

The HM400-3M0’s loading height of 3164mm allows it to be easily matched with 36-55t excavators or 4.2 cubic metre to 5.7cu.m wheel loaders.

It also comes fitted with a payload meter, allowing production volume and working conditions of the dump truck to be analysed directly via a personal computer.

The truck’s payload is also displayed on a 175mm liquid crystal display in the cab while an external display signals to the loading tool as the truck reaches payload capacity.

The payload meter data can be downloaded directly to a PC via a payload meter cable and is also transmitted via KOMTRAX, Komatsu’s remote monitoring system.

This allows a wide range of payload data, including carried load, cycle count and overload count to be monitored and filtered for daily, weekly or monthly reports and analyses.

Komatsu has been working on the cab design. It improved noise levels to 72 decibels and put in a high-back heated air-ride seat with a three-point safety belt.

“We have now located the operator’s seat right in the centre of the cab,” Feehely said.

“This, combined with a short nose design and rounded engine hood, significantly improves visibility out the front, while a colour rear-view camera, linked with its own 175mm monitor, ensures greater safety when operating around other equipment and personnel.”

The cab is certified to rollover protection system/falling object protection system level 2 and has a rounded front dash panel.

A high resolution 175mm LCD monitor gives the operator a detailed information display.

Feehely said it allowed the operator to easily modify settings for a wide range of items such as auto idle shutdown or the auto-reversing fan and to check operational records such as driving history or fuel consumption and to see when the next maintenance interval was due.

The monitor also offers the operator the option to use Komatsu’s ECO guidance function, which provides operational tips to reduce fuel consumption.

Feehely said Komatsu also worked to minimise the time required for daily checks and service access.

“This includes such features as a newly designed engine hood for easy access, increased cooling capacity and two standard hydraulically driven auto-reversing fans to keep the radiator and charge air cooler clean,” he said.

The HM400-3M0 is fitted with Komatsu’s equipment management monitoring system, which has diagnostic features that give the operator and technicians greater monitoring and troubleshooting capabilities.