The Lokotrack EC is Metso’s newest equipment range. Image: Tutt Bryant
Metso is set to hold its fourth-ever Lokolaunch when it debuts the new EC range in Finland. Quarry looks at the potential of this electric-driven equipment.
Metso will unveil the result of extensive research and development when it debuts the Lokotrack EC range later this year in Finland.
The newest addition to Metso, which marks a major shift in development for the manufacturer, will be revealed to a select group of its biggest dealers and customers in mid-May.
“It is very significant; it is a significant step change for the company,” Tutt Bryant, national business manager of crushing and screening Paul Doran, told Quarry.
“(Metso) has always been at the forefront, but this is a big step for them; it has been three years in the making.
“A company like that doesn’t sink the time and money into a project unless they think there are long-term benefits for their customers.”
The fundamental upgrade in the new Lokotrack EC range is the diesel-electric powerline.
Metso has designed the range to have all several functions powered electrically and automated to perform at optimal levels.
The 60-tonne crushing and screening range will feature a diesel engine running a generator, which will power process functions, including the belts, screens and crushing.
Metso has designed all the parts, including the wear parts, to handle 20,000 hours of maximum uptime to ensure the Lokotrack EC range stands up in all conditions.
Operators can run the machines if they have the capacity, off mainframe power, which is one of the cheapest forms of energy contractors and quarries can access.
The Lokotrack EC cone crusher has been designed to have the screen plugged into it. This enables quarries to run both units off one engine generator to improve sustainability.
“It is a lot more sustainable and better for the environment and all of those good things because the electricity has already been produced,” Doran said.
“People are starting to think about their CO2 emissions and those sorts of things and making their equipment more sustainable.
“It will make Metso Lokotrak EC owners more competitive because their sites will run at a lower cost-per-tonne than someone running a fleet of diesel-hydraulic machines.”
The equipment is part of Metso’s broader sustainability strategy, known as Planet Positive, which includes ambitious climate targets.
According to Metso, the range will meet the “evolving needs of the industry”, which is continually pushing towards greater sustainability targets and initiatives.
Tutt Byrant, the exclusive Metso dealer for Australia, will be attending the launch of the new Lokotrack EC range. The fourth iteration of the event will be hosted at the Nokia Arena in Tampere, Finland.
Doran expects Metso, via Tutt Bryant, to bring the range to the Australian market later this year.
“I think once we start getting them in and installed and people see the value and how efficient and competitive it makes them, I think the adoption rate will go up,” he said.
“Having electric crushers and conveyors running on-site means there is less things to maintain and more time to crush.
“It means you’ll be able to put out more tonnes per day, which contractors particularly need to aim for.”
Metso will unveil the range at the Lokolaunch in May. Image: Tutt Bryant
FORWARD-THINKING
The new Lokotrak EC range is part of Metso’s strategy to bring future-focused technology to the worldwide aggregates sector.
Metso has built two key digital offerings for operators in its Metso Metrics platform and the Metso Remote IC app.
The advanced process control system in the Metso Remote IC app provides operators and quarry managers with real-time data via a dashboard and the ability to troubleshoot through any web-enabled device.
“Metso Metrics has evolved so customers can get an amazing amount of detail, including how much they’re crushing each day and how much fuel they’re using, which enables them to refine their costing process,” Doran said.
“It will make them more competitive because they’ll have a real good handle on their outputs and costings.”
The Metso IC process control can instantly stop a feeder to prevent overloading, and the app can alert the operator instantly.
While one individual operates the process control, the app is designed so everyone on the site can see how the Lokotrack train is performing and receive alerts in case of an incident.
“For a lot of other machines, you need to wait for the feeder to run empty, stop the machine, walk out to it and make the changes you need to make,” Doran said.
“Metso’s intelligent controller app allows operators to do it all from their air-conditioned cabin without getting into the dust.”
As an authorised Metso dealer, Tutt Bryant’s team can service all of the brand’s equipment, including the new EC range, after it launches in May.
Doran said the servicing training for the new machine would be part of Metso’s product launch to ensure the customers receive after-sales support.
“There’s an ethos there for this machine that if you buy it, you are going to get an exceptional, serviceable life out of the machine,” he said.
“As part of the roll-out for this range, Metso will provide service and maintenance training on those machines.
“In time, we’ll have our own staff trained to manage the electrical side of machinery.” •
For more information, visit tuttbryant.com.au
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