Electric drive technology is at the forefront of innovation in Longview, Texas
When we think back over the course of our lives, most of us can remember an invention, a product or an improvement that changed the way we did things. It’s strange to think that one day something just appeared, and as a result, nothing was the same. Although it may seem like these breakthroughs came out of nowhere, they certainly did not. They are born out of years of hard work and they happen in places like Komatsu’s new Electric Drive Innovation Center located in Longview, Texas, U.S.
A legacy in electric drive technology
Komatsu has decades of experience when it comes to developing SR (switched reluctance) technology. That’s no small feat and it is something that should not go unnoticed. Earthmoving industry pioneer R.G LeTourneau Inc., acquired by Komatsu, led the way in development of diesel-electric design. This progressive tradition inspired our Longview team to introduce SR technology on wheel loaders in the mid-90s.
A unique feature of our SR technology system is its capability to handle bidirectional power flow. Incoming voltage from the energy source is converted to power the motors. Bidirectional power flow means the system also manages the power when it goes into braking mode and that energy is directed back to the generator.
The decades of experience possessed by the SR team are invaluable when it comes to perfecting current products and innovating future ones.
As the applications of SR technology continue to grow, so did our team and its needs. For the past 70 years, our innovations in electric drive have taken place at the same location ― the Longview facility.
The Electric Drive Innovation Center
The new state-of-the-art research and development facility is an engineering hub focused on ushering the mining industry into a new era of efficiency and productivity. It was purpose built, with a design tailored to accommodate the pursuit of new innovations in electric drive technology.
“The new Electric Drive Innovation Center is representative of our desire to push the boundaries of what is possible,” said Mark Barr, director of Engineering at Komatsu. “We’re taking our 100 years of experience in working with SR technology and we’re really ratcheting up the scope of the work we are doing.”
Space was a huge factor in the decision to build this lab and rest assured, there is plenty. The structure is nearly 25,000 square feet and the center includes an additional 6,000-square-foot covered area outdoors. The unique facility provides the team with multiple electric drive train cells, as well as the capability for full drive line testing for mining vehicles of all sizes. There are also bench test rooms, where engineers can examine how these machines will fair in simulated conditions by utilizing humidity chambers and freezers to ensure production in the harshest of climates.
“We want to have everything we need to help our customers,” said Barr. “The goal has always been to improve cost per hour and cost per ton and we’re addressing that issue for operations around the world. This facility shows that we have a dedication to providing them with the things that matter most to them.”