Normet took a huge step forward in safety in underground transportation of personnel with the new Utimec MF 205 PER SD, which sets a new standard for safety, comfort and ergonomics. People working underground spend hundreds of hours annually in transportation vehicles, with safety and ergonomics standards not always at desirable levels.
With this in mind, Normet developed an exceptionally safe new fully FOPS and ROPS approved personnel carrier, the Utimec MF 205 PER SD with Normet SmartDrive architecture. FOPS and ROPS means that the structures are mechanically robust, and officially tested against external threats. The new Utimec 205 PER SD has room for the driver and two passengers in the cabin and for 20 people in the personnel compartment. The new front cabin has great visibility, and many driver assisting functions to ensure that the vehicle is always under control.
Normet SmartDrive® architecture includes the latest Li-ion battery technology with fast-charging capability. High-torque electric motors provide instant torque and efficient operation without any local emissions. The fully reversible 4WD ensures safe and sure movement in difficult underground conditions. Normet SmartDrive® equipment enable higher productivity, lower operating costs and most importantly – zero local emissions. In addition, it generates significantly less noise and heat compared to diesel equivalents, which further improves the operators’ health and safety underground.
SmartDrive architecture’s benefits combined with modern suspension and comfortable seats, which reduce vibrations, provide the most pleasant ride for of the long hours people need to spend during transportation.
During the past few years, Normet has been investing strongly in the development of new technologies and equipment. Normet launched their SmartDrive battery electric equipment offering in 2019, and since then they have been developing new applications for their SmartDrive product offering. Normet’s SmartDrive offering consist of applications for underground logistics and transportation, explosives charging, lifting and installations and concrete spraying. Normet has gained comprehensive experience in battery-electric technology through field tests and their extensive global Normet SmartDrive® customer network.
Normet’s latest technologies also include Normet SmartScan®, a system for convenient determination and monitoring of applied sprayed concrete layer thickness. It uses state-of-the-art scanning technology and is designed for the harsh underground environment in tunnel construction sites and mining operations.
The 3D LiDAR technology eliminates unsafe methods of manual probing of the layer thickness while exposed to fresh concrete, improves the efficiency of the concrete spraying process and the safety of underground personnel. The required concrete layer thickness is achieved quickly and before the concrete spraying machine is moved, thus preventing the need to come back and re-spray the area. This increases efficiency massively while maintaining quality and at the same time reducing the waste of material.
The additional feature, SmartScan Align allows the migration of the profile data from the SmartScan’s local coordinate system into any coordinate system used in surveying. The georeferenced profile data allows data exchange with other equipment and systems, even after the concrete sprayer has been moved.
SmartScan and SmartScan Align reduce costly overspraying and ensure efficient and easy data capturing. Both systems are available for all new Normet sprayers and as retrofit kits for existing sprayer fleets.
Normet’s latest innovation in sprayed concrete technologies include the Normet SmartSpray® automatic spray boom control system. As talented operators are becoming increasingly difficult to find, and the quality of the sprayed concrete can vary vastly between operators, Normet developed the SmartSpray system to ease the operator’s work and decrease the ergonomic strain, whilst increasing the productivity of the spraying process. Normet offers three different versions of SmartSpray with different automation levels. With SmartSpray Lite, instead of controlling all the spraying boom joints individually, the operator guides the spray nozzle with only one joystick. The SmartSpray Pro version includes automatic sequences, such as point-to-point spraying, which makes some standard spraying tasks even easier and more ergonomic. The SmartSpray ProPlus version includes automatic sequences, such as automatic spraying of a defined area, which is the first step towards fully automated concrete spraying.
For more information on these exciting technologies, contact your local Normet representative on +27 11 823 8100.
