The new D475A-8 is now working at operations across Australia and New Zealand in various applications including general dozing duties, coal stockpile, civil construction, bulk push production dozing and heavy ripping.
Michael Hall, Komatsu Australia’s Mining Product Manager, says interest in the dozer since its launch 18 months ago has been strong, with feedback centred on efficiency, productivity and operator comfort.
The D475A-8 Dozer has an operating weight of 114.6 tonnes and is powered by a Tier 4 Final low-emission engine, providing more reversing power for higher productivity.
“Our footprint with this machine is continuing to grow, with plenty of interest from customers in iron ore, coal, bauxite, gold and mineral sands. The feedback we’ve heard is that the power of the machine and its reliability are the real standouts – its ability to push, rip and move materials has really impressed,” Michael says.
“Along with power, the comfort has been a big talking point. It’s something Komatsu has worked on to improve from the previous models, and now we’re hearing from operators that they prefer to operate these dozers purely because of the in-cab comfort.”
Upgraded features to maximise operator comfort include an equaliser bar shoulder pad, new cab damper mounts, newly designed operator seat and renewed steering and work equipment lever with improved layout.
“As a result of these changes, this Dash 8 generation of Komatsu mining dozers are among the most comfortable on the market,” Michael says.
Similar to earlier Komatsu dozer models, the D475A-8 integrates Komatsu’s exclusive automatic transmission with lockup torque converter, which has reduced fuel consumption by up to 10%, along with greater powertrain efficiency compared with manual gearshift modes.
“All of these contribute to significantly lower operating costs, making it a popular choice for customers.”
Technology development has been key in the new design, including the recent release of a teleoperation module for the D475A-8. This can incorporate Komatsu’s intelligent Machine Control (iMC) system for dozers.
“There is an increasing demand from customers for remote dozer operation. This functionality, in conjunction with iMC features, will ensure not only improved safety for the operator but highly productive performance across multiple application scenarios,” Michael says.
“Komatsu dozers have long been recognised for their high performance pushing and ripping capability, and overall, we expect to see continued interest in these models, and the wider Komatsu mining range.”
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