In his presentation “Mining Machinery Development and Contribution to Mine Safety”, Chizmar said the manufacturing giant continues to concentrate on safety at the research and design stage and is “taking it to the next level”.

To do that, it is utilising the Joy Solutions Model that includes a focus on customer problems and feedback.

Even with the challenges of environmental issues and the unpredictability of the regulatory environment, Joy has produced three notable units that respond directly to customer concerns and potential safety issues.

The first is the Joy Wethead, which reduces combustion potential and dust exposure by stopping dust at the source as it cuts into a coal seam. It also potentially reduces the size of scrubber required, enhances visibility for the crew and CM operator, and doubles pick life.

Another development that helps keep operators away from dust is the Joy Memory Cut, which also works to reduce exposure by those on the longwall.

Lastly, boasting smooth starts and regenerative braking is Joy’s Optidrive. The braking feature helps with faster speeds, which in turn provides a triple advantage: more productivity, reduced fatigue and improved control.

While many of the ideas on the drawing table at Joy’s research and design department are still under wraps, Chizmar did note that remote control capabilities for its future units are a high priority, as is the use of cameras on machines.

As always, Chizmar said the OEM will continue to concentrate on the reduction of dust, noise and need for extra personnel underground.