Hitachi EX2000-7 coming next year
New fuel-efficient 194-tonne ultra-large hydraulic excavator due to be launched in October 2021
HITACHI Construction Machinery have announced details of their new Hitachi EX2000-7 ultra-large hydraulic excavator, which will be launched in October 2021. Available in backhoe and loading shovel configurations, the machine has been remodelled from the current EX1900-6 and is said to consume up to 19% less fuel while maintaining the same productivity.
With an operating weight of 194 tonnes, the EX2000-7 is at the smaller end of Hitachi’s EX-7 ultra-large excavator range and is expected to appeal to small-to-medium-sized mining operations and larger quarry sites, for whom fuel efficiency is critically important.
The EX2000-7’s 19% fuel saving has been achieved through a range of newly designed, energy-efficient features that have made the engine more compact, whilst retaining productivity levels. Moreover, compared with its predecessor, the EX2000-7 will save as much as 460 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year.
Hydraulic oil flow on the EX2000-7 is controlled according to the operating pattern and front-end attachment geometry, thanks to an all-new hydraulic control system that has been employed for the first time on Hitachi’s ultra-large hydraulic excavators. This will allow more precise management of the hydraulic oil flow in each control valve throughout the digging and loading cycle.
In the new hydraulic circuit, the oil flow rate to each cylinder (boom, arm, bucket etc) and swing motor is independently and finely controlled for each operational pattern, such as excavation, swinging or dumping, and the load to the front-end attachment, to optimize energy efficiency of the system and reduce fuel consumption.
Moreover, a new mode selection feature on the EX2000-7 allows the operator to select one of three working modes – High Power (HP) mode, Power (PWR) mode or Economy (ECO) mode – to further optimize productivity and fuel efficiency for different types of operation.
HP mode is designed for heavy-duty operations such as bedrock excavation and achieves the highest-possible productivity from the excavator. PWR mode is suitable for most general operations and has 10% lower fuel consumption and production cycle time than HP mode. ECO mode is designed for light operations and delivers a further 20% reduction in fuel consumption compared with the PWR mode.
The EX2000-7’s boom-arm joint area and main frame are now designed in line with Hitachi’s larger (250 tonnes and above) mining machines. The single-pin connection between the boom and arm has been changed to a double pin, making the boom and arm stronger and much lighter, and allowing for safer and easier pin replacement, whilst the main frame has been redesigned to disperse stress as evenly as possible during operation, increasing the durability of the machine.
ConSite Mine (scheduled for release in 2021) will utilize the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies help resolve any problems with the EX2000-7, minimize machine downtime and improve mine site efficiency.
In addition, the EX2000-7 will come ready equipped for the integration of a remote operation system, operation support system and autonomous operation function, all of which are scheduled to begin testing during fiscal year 2021. In the future, Hitachi Construction Machinery aim to realize autonomous operations by co-ordinating hydraulic excavators and autonomous haulage systems (AHS), to enhance safety and drive productivity to new levels.
