Komatsu recently offered journalists a peek at its new motor grader for haul roads used by truck fleets 100 tons and higher.
The Komatsu 426-horsepower GD955-7 grader features an 18-foot moldboard (with 20 feet as an option) and a new circle bearing that eliminates the need for circle guide and wear plate adjustments, reducing downtime for maintenance.
It also has a long wheelbase and high operating weight of 104,323 pounds, increasing its blade-down force pressure for penetrating hard-packed road surfaces by up to 20%, the company says.
"The grader can execute tight U-turns on a standard 100-ton-class haul road without the need to fully cut the wheels or course correct," says Sebastian Witkowski, product manager, Komatsu mining support equipment.
Performance-wise, the GD955-7 has notable increases over its predecessor, including 32% higher engine output for up to 19% higher working travel speeds; a 33% increase in productivity with the 18-foot moldboard; and a 21% reduction in total maintenance time with the circle bearing system.
The grader is scheduled to be available this quarter, according to Witkowski.
About the Author
Frank Raczon
Frank Raczon has covered and influenced the equipment industry for 35 years, including 15 years as senior editor of Construction Equipment, and marketing, advertising, and public relations work with the industry's top manufacturers. In addition to authoring "Caterpillar: Modern Earthmoving Marvels" (Motorbooks, 2015), he has won numerous awards in his career, highlighted by nods from the Construction Writers Association, the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, the Business Marketing Association, and BtoB magazine. Raczon has also won a number of awards from publishing peer groups such as ASBPE and TABPI.