AMM profile Hitachi Construction Machinery April 2023

Greener, safer, fuel-efficient Hitachi EX2000-7 arrives in Australia

HITACHI Construction Machinery's site and office in the Perth suburb of Forrestdale is where the much-anticipated entry of a new excavator is being introduced to Australia.

Hitachi officially launched the EX2000-7 at MINExpo in the United States in September 2021, but due to popularity Australia has had to wait.

Kris Herrmann, who is Hitachi Construction Machinery's Western Region Manager for Mining, takes up the story.

 

"We are very excited to have the first EX2000-7 in Australia, which is being built at our new purpose built mining assembly centre in Forrestdale, Perth and will be deployed to a customer's site in the Pilbara in May this year.

"We've introduced vast improvements on its very popular forerunner, the EX1900-6. The machine is a completely new design, and being in the mining industry, safety is of the utmost importance. These EX2000-7 machines are among the safest in the market, with features such as an on-board inclinometer, improved machine access and ease of maintenance being the most crucial," Herrmann said.

It has a 360 aerial angle perimeter monitoring camera system which is similar to that of a car, with warning alarms and a green-to-orange-to-red signalling as objects approach.

Herrmann says the biggest improvement in this model is the new engine, which is a new Cummins QST30-C to help operations minimize costs and go greener without sacrificing performance.

"The EX2000-7 features far lower fuel consumption to its predecessor with units around the globe indicating a saving of 20% lowering environmental impact.  To this point Hitachi also offers a Tier 4 Final capability in their mining excavator range for customers in Australia who not only want to reduce their carbon footprint due to fuel burn but reduce the particulate matter of their excavators"

Herrmann goes on to explain how the fuel saving is achieved. "Through the addition of main pump electronic regulators, higher hydraulic efficiency regeneration and cooling package, which work together to reduce fuel consumption compared to the previous EX1900-6."

The hydraulic system on the EX2000-7 also conserves energy with individual control valves which adjust exactly to the amount of pressure required at each cylinder and swing motors from all the pumps. The results in lower fuel consumption and longer pump life.

A larger hydraulic oil cooler is kept separate from the radiator to effectively reduce the hydraulic oil temperatures and this in turn increases hydraulic service life and improves the maintainability of the machine.

"With all -7 machines, the front attachment hoses have been rearranged from a traditional arch-style to a under slung configuration and this removes the need for clamping and also has a newly designed heavy-duty guard on the hoses and accumulators," Herrmann said.

In terms of durability, the EX2000-7 features a stronger, more durable mainframe. Stress on the machine is now more evenly dispersed across the improved frame shape, increasing machine durability and reducing downtime. The connection between the EX2000-7 arm and boom has been upgraded from one connecting pin to two connecting pins similar to the larger Hitachi mining excavator range, increasing front attachment durability.

The EX2000-7 has contamination sensors on all hydraulic pumps, travel motors and swing motors to detect any contaminants that may cause damage to the hydraulic system. These sensors alert the operator of potential contaminants and record the fault code in the Data Logging Unit (DLU) and have the capability to remotely advise maintenance personnel.

For more information about the new dash 7 mining range of excavators, you can visit the product section on their website www.hitachicm.com.au