Sandvik announces Stage V compliant underground loaders

These loaders come from after more than 10,000 hours of LHD testing underground on multiple customer sites in Europe, and with millions of hours of on-highway experience from Volvo. The base engine and the Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) purifier are proven Volvo technology, enhanced now with a ceramic Diesel Particle Filter (DPF).

The advantages of Stage V compliant loaders include reduced amount of particles in the diesel exhaust, helping the mines to improve air quality underground. Additionally, the Stage V loaders are capable of operating with up to 3% reduced fuel consumption compared to the lower Stages.

Another key enabler for the equipment availability is the passive regeneration of the diesel particulate filter; the soot accumulated in the filter is burned off during equipment normal operation, without the need for frequent stand still regeneration.

A new feature in the Stage V engine is the modulating engine brake, which enables the operator to adjust the engine braking power, allows better control of vehicle speed downhill, and minimizes brake and transmission overheating and brake wear. Both the modulating engine brake and the passive regeneration contribute to the equipment high uptime.

Added benefits of the Stage V engines include high altitude operating capability, reaching as high as up to +3500m above the sea level, and lower noise levels compared to previous Stages.

The Stage V engines will be globally available as options but requiring ultra-low Sulphur fuel and low-ash engine oil to operate.