The PMC-R is the successor to the company’s PM 4 shield control unit and is primarily intended for control of roof supports in longwall mining. The controller is designed to meet future longwall mining needs as well as to act as a stand-alone controller for underground mining applications. (PMC stands for Programmable Mining Control and is the generic term for all controllers with which DBT automates its underground products).

DBT Maschinenfabrik Scharf is presenting its latest product, the DZ 1500 monorail, a special solution for heavy underground transport over medium and long distances – like moving an entire longwall with all its shields. It fills the gap between winches and haulers and the more powerful DZ 2000 monorail system.

With a capacity up to 25 tonnes, this versatile electrohydraulic monorail allows non-stop transport of material, equipment and personnel. Developing traction of 80kN and with six failsafe brakes offering a maximum braking force of 96kN, DBT said the DZ 1500 was ideal for heavy transport in mines with gradients up to 30 grad. Integrated lifting gear allows efficient longwall moves, while variable configuration allows material and personnel to be carried safely at speeds of up to 2.6m per second. Simple joystick control offers a short learning curve and ATEX certification allows use in explosion-hazard areas.

The DBT plow exhibit features three roof supports, three line pans and a GH 38 Gleithobel plow designed for exploitation of very thin seams ranging 0.6-2.2m – regardless of seam inclination or coal hardness.

Moving at speeds of up to 3.6m/s, or 720ft per minute, and with an adjustable cutting depth up to 250mm (nearly 10in), plows achieve extraction and loading rates of up to 3000 tonnes of coal per hour even in low coal. The low profile of the plow system means adjacent rock does not need to be cut for machine clearance, resulting in minimum dust load, reduced wear and lower cost per tonne.

The plow body can be quickly adapted to smaller variations in seam height by infinite height adjustment of up to 300mm by means of a “bit turret”, which carries the top bits.

Maintenance during the mining process – if required – is quick and easy as the plow is accessible along the whole length of the face: a mid-face breakdown does not result in long downtimes during the production shift. The Gleithobel guide is welded to the face side of the armoured face conveyor and permits the use of plow chains up to 42mm in diameter and allows installation of up to 2 x 800kW.

DBT is also showing its EL 43 shearer ranging arm – described as the most powerful ranging arm currently available. Installed cutting power measures up to 850kW per arm and is designed to operate on the EL 3000 shearer.

Specially developed for markets in Eastern Europe, the MR-25/30 drive frame has a power rating of 2 x 500kW. The narrow frame design allows shearer traverse without the need for special line pans, while the lateral symmetry allows the frame to be mounted on the left or the right of the main drive without major conversion.

Rapid dismantling and assembly at the front of the frame minimise downtime in the event of repair, and standardised drive components reduce inventories.

Also on display is DBT’s top-of-the-line PF6 line pan. Developed in an international cooperative effort, the design combines the benefits of cast and fabricated pans, making it particularly suitable for use in extensive longwalls and working fields with coal reserves of 20 million tonnes and up.