100th Anniversary Commemorative Activities: Achieving continuous discharge of soil to the mobile soil recycler by improving automatic loading control as well as switching to remote control of a multiple number of construction equipment, both for the first time.

May 13, 2021

On its 100th anniversary on May 13, Komatsu Ltd. (President and CEO: Hiroyuki Ogawa) (hereafter 'Komatsu') announced that it made successful progress towards commercialization of automation and remote-control technologies of construction and mining equipment. Specifically, Komatsu succeeded in the verification tests of automation technology that achieved the continuous discharge of soil to the mobile soil recycler by means of automatic loading control as well as remote control technology that enabled remotely switching to multiple units in operation via 5G network service provided by NTT DOCOMO, INC.

Verification tests of automatic loading and remote control of multiple units of construction equipment by our Field Test Department in Oita Prefecture

Under its mid-term management plan, Komatsu has been working on automation, autonomous operation, electrification, and remote control of construction, mining, and utility equipment as an effort of focus in value creation by means of innovation, one of three pillars of the growth strategies. Together with customers, at the same time, Komatsu has also been working to realize safe, highly productive, smart, and clean workplaces of the future by digitally transforming both products (automation and autonomation operation) and processes (optimization of construction operation).

Typically, loading by hydraulic excavators requires veteran operators, because they can adjust the ways of discharging excavated soil according to soil characteristics, such as clay and sand, to prevent soil from spilling from the bucket. For its verification tests, Komatsu improved automatic loading control of the PC200i-10 hydraulic excavator in relation to automation technologies and achieved continuous discharge of excavated soil into small intakes, such as the hopper of the BZ210-3 mobile soil recycler without the work equipment of the excavator interfering with the soil recycler or spilling soil around the hopper. When discharging soil multiple times on a dump truck, Komatsu's automatic loading control changes the loading spot in the vessel. Concerning remote control, Komatsu's operator sits inside the remote-control pod, installed at Komatsu-no-mori in Ishikawa Prefecture, and manipulates multiple units of construction equipment, such as the D65PXi-18 bulldozer and the PC200i-11 hydraulic excavator, in the test field in Oita Prefecture, as he changes the operating unit while watching real-time camera images sent from the equipment via 5G network service which features high speed, massive volume, and low latency. To ensure on-site safety while the equipment is remotely controlled, Komatsu has also developed technologies that enable the operator to check the surrounding conditions. Specifically, AI detects people in the images taken by the cameras installed on the equipment, and their distance from the equipment is displayed in different colors on the monitor.

Automatic loading of excavated soil by the PC200i-10 hydraulic excavator into the BZ210-3 mobile soil recycler

Remote control of the PC200i-11 hydraulic excavator from the remote-control pod

The successful verification tests demonstrate that Komatsu has made steady progress towards commercialization of automation and remote control of construction and mining equipment. Komatsu is also working on remote control of the PC7000 super-large hydraulic excavator with an eye to achieving it in the first half period of FY2021. Furthermore, Komatsu can expect substantial benefits of safety and productivity of customers' operations when this excavator collaborates with the Autonomous Haulage System (AHS) which Komatsu commercialized in 2008 for the first time in the world. With respect to large mining bulldozers, Komatsu has already completed the development of the remote-control system and is now working to develop their automation and start verification tests at customers' mines.

Looking into the next 100 years, Komatsu will continue to move forward with its stakeholders as it creates value through manufacturing and technology innovation to empower a sustainable future where people, businesses and our planet thrive together.

• The information described is at the time of presentation and may be subject to advance notice.