The diversified offerings we have for the mining sector include numerous products which include the Motor grader- CASE 865B & Crawler dozer 2050M, CHEX Excavator and CX 220 LC says Puneet Vidyarthi, Brand Leader, Case India.

What are the opportunities you see in Indian mining sector today?
The mining industry provides an important support to the economy and is of strategic importance to the country. The mining sector in India has reached a high level of development but it still has a lot of unrealised potential. Even though the union budget didn’t provide much opportunity for the sector, the Government of India has made some announcements to make the rules of commercial auction easy, as well as on the simultaneous issue of prospecting the mining licenses, to make them more attractive for bidders and investors. We are hopeful that the government will take more steps to boost the productivity of the mining sector.

What kind of innovations are designed by you for sustainable growth in mining operations?
To ensure a sustainable growth in mining operations Case India has a strong portfolio consisting of Motor grader- CASE 865B & Crawler dozer 2050M and CHEX Excavator customised for tough mining conditions.

Case India’s 865B Motor Grader, fitted with electronic FPT engine is ideal for mining applications. It comes with unique ‘Multi radius moldboard design’ that provides mixing effect which does not only push the material on ground but also rolls it. CASE 865B Grader is also equipped with hydraulic pitch control feature which helps operator to control moldboard pitch adjustment from cabin itself which results in high productivity. It also has closed HVAC (Air conditioning and heating) with ROPS/FOPS features to ensure operator safety which is essential in tough applications like mining. Whereas, Case India’s crawler dozers are powered with FPT Industrial 6.7 litre six cylinder engine and are equipped with hydrostatic transmission to provide best in class draw bar pull capacity.

The 2050M dozer also features an automatic blade function which further increases the operator’s efficiency. The cab can be tilted to provide full access to all main power train components. The operator can customize all the working parameters of the machine to achieve excellent controllability and faster cycle times.

Also, we have recently launched our first ever excavator CX 220 LC at the biggest construction equipment event Excon in December 2019. The Case CX 220 LC is a 22-ton excavator that is specially designed for the Indian terrain and delivers faster cycle times, higher productivity and fuel savings. Our CHEX Excavator comes with a boom and arm plate with 30 per cent increased thickness and a superstructure which strengthens the stressed areas to increase the overall durability with a strong undercarriage system. Case India Excavator is also equipped with a closed HVAC cabin with rollover protective structure (ROPS) & falling object protection system (FOPS). Additionally our excavators are also equipped with FPT Industrial engines which ensures fuel efficiency.

How digitalisation and smart solutions are impacting Indian mining?
As the time is changing so is the need of machines to perform faster and better. These solutions not only help in making the process easy but also ensure the onsite safety of the operator, which is paramount in this sector.

Case India’s telematics solution helps you in collecting the data and location of the machine, ensuring the safety by checking every part of the equipment internally and share the analysis through its SMS alert system. The cabin is loaded with advanced features like an ergonomically designed seat which provides a better lever position to assure the safety of the operators.

Case India’s R&D team puts special focus on providing outstanding visibility for the operators through its wide glazed windows present in the equipment and a flexible roof window which can be opened. Our ROPs & FOPs system help in protecting the operator from dangerous terrain. ROPS & FOPS are designed to protect equipment operators from injuries that are caused due to machinery overturns/rollovers or from objects which can fall on the operator from above.

What are the criterias to select an appropriate mining equipment/solution?
The appropriate equipment depends on the type of mining activity or site where it is taking place. For example, for surface mining, the equipment is focused on the extraction process and moving material. An excavator or dozer could be used in such a process. Underground mining needs equipment that can move material in limited headroom, where our Skid Steer Loader is useful.

Case India’s Excavator is highly suitable for stone quarry, road works, general construction and earthwork. Robust design with increased plate thickness on structures and attachments improves the durability of the excavator and works on the roughest of terrain. It comes with an Intelligent Hydraulic System (CIHS) that provides remarkable machine control with unmatched energy and fuel savings in all cycle time phases. It has the fuel efficient FPT (Fiat Power Train) Engine which boosts the machine performance and optimizes fuel economy with a strong undercarriage system for constant use.

Do you think autonomous systems will reduce human risk in mining environment?
We’ve seen success stories for autonomous systems abroad. However, in India, we’re a long way from implementing this. The availability of skilled labour to operate machines autonomously is a big hurdle. There are also significant strides to be made in understanding the nature of the work to apply an autonomous solution. These solutions surely minimize human risk, but in situations where the risks are not fully assessed or the labour is incompetent, they can spell disaster.

In the current scenario, Case India’s equipment range is furnished with advanced in-built safety features – These are not autonomous, but they are intelligent! Case India Crawler Dozers, Backhoe loaders, Skid steers and Excavators are equipped with a closed HVAC cabin with rollover protective structure (ROPS) & falling object protection system (FOPS). ROPS & FOPS are designed to protect equipment operators from injuries that are caused due to machinery overturns/ rollovers or from objects which can fall on the operator from above. The cabin includes an ergonomically designed seat which provides a better lever position to assure the safety of the operators. Additionally Case India, also provides smart features like Eagle Eye Telematics solution, which provide information and alerts regarding the equipment and comes with a Geo-fencing feature to control and monitor movement of the machine.