Philippi-Hagenbuch unveils hauling tech for underground

By Kevin Yanik| October 31, 2023

According to Philippi-Hagenbuch, it custom engineers a haul truck body that maximizes hauling capacity while allowing for safer, more efficient loading to account for mining environment constraints such as clearance and visibility. Photo: Philippi-Hagenbuch

Philippi-Hagenbuch expanded its custom engineering portfolio of HiVol hard rock bodies to include asymmetrical bodies that are optimized for underground environments.

According to Philippi-Hagenbuch, it manufactured and delivered the first four bodies for articulated John Deere 260E haul trucks working in an underground limestone mine in Kansas City, Missouri.

The design of the asymmetrical bodies maximizes each truck’s hauling capacity, the company adds, while allowing for safer, more efficient loading to account for environmental constraints like clearance and visibility.

“We recognize that every mine is different, so it’s always been a focus to address our clients’ needs with custom-engineered and manufactured solutions,” says Josh Swank, vice president of sales and marketing at Philippi-Hagenbuch. “In a dark underground space, these custom-engineered bodies make a significant difference in terms of increasing the safety and efficiency of the loading process.”

As the company describes, each hard rock body delivered to the underground limestone mine has a total volumetric capacity of 23.9 cu. yd. – an increase over the 19.6-cu.-yd. OEM body capacity. The custom design features a hoisted, low-side body, with the passenger side taller than the driver side to factor in conditions such as the loader, mine height, loading direction and cycle time.

Philippi-Hagenbuch says the asymmetry gives clearance for the loader on the driver’s side and allows the passenger side to act as a backboard to catch material as it is loaded.

Also, to ensure an equal distribution of weight and improve stability, Philippi-Hagenbuch engineered the bodies with a floor that is elongated on the driver’s side and shortened on the passenger’s side. Widening the body lowers the center of gravity, the company says, and makes the truck more stable while increasing operator safety.

Additionally, Philippi-Hagenbuch says engineers addressed the unique size of the offset body by customizing a cylinder mount with shortened OEM cylinders to meet clearance specifications and ensure the body of the truck did not hit the ceiling in the underground mine when dumping.

“Although the cylinder mount required engineering, we did not have to design a brand-new cylinder for it,” Swank says. “Our philosophy at Philippi-Hagenbuch is to use as many OEM body-mounting components as possible so that it’s easier for clients to replace wear parts, minimizing maintenance and downtime.”

The design, while engineered for a specific mining operation, offers potential benefits for a range of operations utilizing underground haul trucks, according to Philippi-Hagenbuch.