Top Cat at CES 2023

Photo credit: Caterpillar Inc

This article was published by Eva McKee on 7 February, 2023

Post the devastation that was COVID, expos are well and truly back underway, providing attendees with the opportunity to view the latest tech and gain insight into what is happening in the industry.

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES), owned and produced by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), features every aspect of the tech sector and is the Global Stage for Innovation. Check it out here: CES - The Most Influential Tech Event in the World. Typically populated with drones and iPads, mining equipment is the last thing visitors would expect to see.

In January, CES 2023 attendees had the pleasure of laying their eyes on Caterpillar Inc's new 100-ton monster of a mining truck. A new addition to the automotive technology section, the Cat 777 off-highway truck was hard to miss.

You might be wondering why an equipment manufacturer like Cat participated in CES. Denise Johnson, group president of Caterpillar Resources Industries, explained that Cat does so much more than make machines; they innovate, develop, build and deliver game-changing technologies, just like the other tech leaders who participated in the show.

"CES, the proving group for breakthrough technologies and global innovators, is the ideal place for us to showcase our high-tech leadership. People have seen us as an equipment company for more than a century, and they are now realising that we are a high-tech company as well," commented Denise.

Cat's MineStar Command for hauling technology was another star of their 2023 showcase, which highlighted technology, autonomy and sustainability. The MineStar Command technology was displayed alongside the 777 and represents over 560 autonomous trucks that travel a distance comparable to double the Earth's circumference daily, minus an operator – no mean feat when one considers the absence of safety incidents.

These trucks have hauled over five billion tonnes of material over the last nine years, and they currently make up the largest fleet of autonomous vehicles operating at one location.

In addition to autonomous haulage, Cat showcased construction and mine safety, equipment health options, material tracking solutions, fleet management technologies and high-precision guidance technologies. CES attendees even had the opportunity to learn how Cat technologies are transforming the industry regarding autonomy and sustainability – all while standing in the truck's bed.

Tony Fassino, group president of Caterpillar Inc, said, "Our technologies are changing the world by advancing autonomy, finding new ways to keep people safe, improving fleet productivity and building solutions that manage every aspect of an operation. In addition to the fully autonomous mining trucks, we offer solutions that automate and provide remote operation of dozers, wheel loaders, excavators, and skid steer and compact track loaders. Along with the productivity and safety benefits, automation is another way we can contribute to helping our customers build a better, more sustainable world."

With the tough restrictions regarding COVID almost behind us, we expect to see many more mining and innovation expos this year. So, if you missed CES, keep an eye out for upcoming events like Conexpo in Las Vegas or PDAC in Toronto.

If you'd like to know more about future events, go to: https://conferenceindex.org/conferences/mining & https://www.globalminingreview.com/events/

This article was originally published by the ComponentsONLY team in the February 2023 issue of "@ The Coal Face" magazine.