Almazovo out on the track

Presented by Tonar-707079 is the first Russian conventional career tractor...

Diamonds is one of the main riches of Russia. Crystalline form of carbon is not only the sparkling diamonds, but the diamond cutting tool used in all industries. Unfortunately, along with the other resources – oil and gas, diamond mines are located in remote areas in the North and East of the country, where the conditions of the work equipment close to the extreme.

Diamond problem

Recently the diamond miners have another problem: old fields GOK Udachny in Yakutia is depleted, and new explored the "tube" is a hundred miles from a mining and processing plant. Diamond-bearing rock, as you know, rises from the quarry by truck giants, which therefore are called career. However, to transport it on the same trucks at such distances is unprofitable, excess capacity engines, road maintenance, bike tyre wear and fuel consumption. Use the same normal road trucks too unprofitable, their capacity is insufficient and such cars will need too much. Company ALROSA, which produces a quarter of all diamonds in the world, not only in Russia, acted as the project owner of the car, which could carry more than 100 tons of rock for "far shoulder" on technological roads and with minimal costs.

It took a factory near Moscow TONAR, known primarily for its trucks and trailers of various applications. There are in its production range and trucks, and even dump truck. But this job has never been before, and it was very difficult. The eyes of designers tonara turned... to the distant Green continent called Australia.

Famous automotive humorist Jeremy Clarkson from Top Gear (now host of Grand Tour) once joked that Australia gave the world only three things: kangaroos, the boomerang and the catamaran. But this is clearly an incomplete list. Australians can be proud of even super-heavy and very long trains. The cause of such strange objects great distances between mines, mines and cattle ranches on one side and large cities, factories and ports, that is, consumers on the other. Railways to build proved to be unprofitable, not the volume of traffic, and the population is small relative to its area.

By the way, in the "land of kangaroos and koalas" adjoin three (!) the size of the railway track, which also contributes to the development of this mode of transport. But the topography of Australia – it's completely flat, so a relatively small truck can tow a long trailer. On the roads there permitted the movement of road trains up to 36 meters long, but at night or on special tracks can drive and giants of up to 53.5 m off-road use of vehicles and does not restrict its mass and length. Today in the wilderness of this continent can meet supertyazhelovesa, climbing 500 to 700 tons of ore!

In General, the tasks were similar. But "small" difference of Yakutia from Australia – air temperature. Approximately 80 degrees centigrade we can sometimes be below... And the roads, of course, difficult, especially in winter. Therefore, the only visit to Australia specialists tonara was not limited. In General, the whole project is designed in close cooperation with the customer – the representatives of ALROSA.

Work on the new project began in early 2015, when representatives of ALROSA suggested Tanaro to create a new dump truck high load capacity. However, the experts of both parties had to form special requirements for the future heavy truck. The task was made easier by the experience of the Australian carriers who have long and successfully operated a multi-hop type road train "Road train" for transportation of mineral materials. It is important that it started out of nowhere, and their own capabilities was worth a lot. Take the truck TONAR-9540 carrying capacity of 95.7 t, trial operation which showed its adaptability to work in harsh conditions of the North.

Bet on progress

It was decided to focus on a variant of the two semi-trailers with fifth-wheel mining truck (TONAR-45252) bonnet layout or, in other words, the tractor of an articulated two-tier trailer (TONAR -95405) with lateral unloading and a total volume of 70 cubic meters. It merges sections of the trailer in the same fifth-wheel device on the tractor. Saddle designed for Tonare, however it is for experience in the creation of this unit and traveled our engineers in Australia. In addition, we have designed the cabin, the body and sloping step frame, which is welded from cold-resistant silico-manganese steel 09G2S.

Cabin - aluminum, double, It is equipped with a microwave, refrigerator, air cleaner, auxiliary heating, double glazing, heated mirrors. Then the designers proceeded from the fact that any serial (especially cabover) cab is not very suitable Northern car, where the driver lives virtually the entire shift. He should be able to straighten up to his full height and width of person does not need to be "trapped." In addition, this design is simpler hoodless and servicing the engine easier, especially in the field. And at a slightly greater length in this case is certainly not to pay attention.

Choosing the engine, stopped on the model of Cummins QSK19-C600, series six-cylinder diesel, turbocharged, with a volume of 19 l and rated at 600 HP at 1800 rpm (100 forces on the cylinder!). The engine is equipped with a system MCRS (Modular Common Rail System), which ensures a stable injection pressure up to 2500 bar, not depending on revs and load, steel compound-piston, two-stage treatment of oil and built-in self test. The neutralizing system is absent, allowing fearlessly use local fuel, but in the norms of Euro-2 motor fit.

The engine drives two rear axle of the tractor via the seven-speed hydromechanical transmission Allison 4700 with retarder. The working speed of loaded machine is 50 km/h and Has a PTO.

Bridges put Chinese HANDE, size of tires wheels with double busbars – 14.00 R25; load index 170. The front suspension of the tractor pivot with pneumatic elements and torque rods, and affiliated with the elastic members and the torque rods at the middle and rear axles. Notice, no springs, and therefore will not and their breakdowns in the cold. But suspension in General is harsh, so the cabin and seats it is additionally suspended on the pneumocylinders. The steering mechanism "the screw-ball nut-rack-sector", with power steering.

Hydraulic equipment firm Penta (Italy) easily tilts sideways two body with a volume of 35 cubic meters. From sticking rocks every body is lined with a layer of polyethylene of low pressure. This made it possible not to heat the body system, classic exhaust, that would be to implement, to put it mildly, not easy, especially on the rear section.

Maximum trailer weight – 167 tons, gross weight of the tractor is 63, so the trailer lengths – 28.5 m, and in width it will occupy a ten-foot strip.   

And here is the result: TONAR introduced a new, unparalleled in Russia, a giant truck capable of carrying over 130 tonnes of cargo on technological roads. To Successful machine will be delivered to Tralee. Of course, will be made at least a few dozen of these, not afraid of the word "complex".  And this despite the fact that the final harmonization of technical specifications for the manufacture and supply of trains was signed in may of this year. That is, the time from final approval of the project to the finished products – amounted to four months. Should learn to work with professionals from Gubino!

The most serious test pilot train is waiting in Yakutia. During operational tests in Tonara expect to identify all the "bottlenecks" of her first child, if necessary, modify the following sample. But now the builders are planning to make some changes to the design of the front part of the frame and the driven axle, I-beam which will produce at home, and the hub nodes to purchase from the Handle Axle. The plans of the plant - the development of the new cabin, including its color. The necessary equipment has already been purchased, now we are talking about training. The cab I want to install on the 45-ton dump truck TONAR-4525 and more powerful model with a lifting capacity of 60 tons, which is likely to appear within a year.

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