Komatsu and Cummins are partnering to monitor their maintenance needs in mines. The companies have announced a joint means of remotely monitoring equipment, and the partnership is designed to lessen the frequency of unplanned downtime in mines, which can contribute to costly stoppages. The effort is also meant to accelerate maintenance execution and extend component life and maintenance intervals.

According to a press release from Komatsu, by sharing equipment health and performance data over a common infrastructure and collaborating on health analytics, both companies can access the same secure data and develop joint analytics and insights. Data is collected on a single device and all actions are managed in a shared case management system, allowing experts from both teams to work remotely with a customer’s maintenance staff.

In the past, equipment and engine data collection and generation involved multiple data logging devices, each with their own remote data connection. Customers typically had separate devices, which created separate data silos for subsystems on a single haul truck.

Now, a single piece of hardware can simplify data flow and may also enhance cybersecurity.

By removing the need for duplicative communication infrastructure and multiple points of connection, the Cummins and Komatsu solution can offer new insights to help mining managers make better decisions faster. Less hardware also reduces maintenance time and machine downtime because there is less hardware to install, and there are fewer components to maintain.

Simplified and improved analytics

The solution is designed to improve asset protection and reduce harm to fleets, to give customers a simplified and improved experience for asset health case management, onboarding and analytics. Instead of subscribing to separate solutions from Komatsu and Cummins, this new solution offers mines a more cost-effective approach to monitoring.

“With this partnership, we are tying two high-value services together,” said Greg Lanz, general manager, technology interoperability for Komatsu. “By combining data analytics from both Komatsu and Cummins, we can collaborate to help our customers maximize total asset performance and health.”

“Our aim with this integrated solution is to deliver a robust best-in-class solution to help our customers succeed,” said Dana Miller, director of digital and service solutions for Cummins.

“The collaboration between Cummins and Komatsu on broader data sets opens opportunities for us to build more complex analytics and insights,” said Lanz. “The secret sauce is combining the expertise of both teams.”

Cummins Inc., a global power technology leader, is a corporation of complementary business segments that design, manufacture, distribute and service a broad portfolio of power solutions. The company’s products range from internal combustion, electric and hybrid integrated power solutions and components including filtration, after treatment, turbochargers, fuel systems, controls systems, air handling systems, automated transmissions, electric power generation systems, microgrid controls, batteries, electrolyzers and fuel cell products. Headquartered in Columbus, Indiana (U.S.), since its founding in 1919, Cummins employs approximately 59,900 people. Learn more at cummins.com.

Komatsu develops and supplies technologies, equipment and services for the construction, mining, forklift, industrial and forestry markets. For a century, the company has been creating value for its customers through manufacturing and technology innovation, partnering with others to empower a sustainable future where people, business and the planet thrive together. Front-line industries worldwide use Komatsu solutions to develop modern infrastructure, extract fundamental minerals, maintain forests and create consumer products. The company's global service and distributor networks support customer operations to enhance safety and productivity while optimizing performance. To learn more, visit www.komatsu.com.

Photo courtesy of Komatsu.