Our highly-skilled professionals drive Komatsu giant haul trucks in the pits operating by Polyus. However, even they have room for developing their skills in operating such complex mining machinery.
Polyus has acquired a unique training complex, a virtual reality simulator, simulating the Komatsu 730E cabin, the largest haul truck operating at the deposit.
The new simulator will be used to test all drivers who operate the Komatsu 730E over the course of a month. Equipped with electromechanical transmission, the simulator can determine a driver’s level of knowledge, skills, and potential operating faults.
Andrey Polyakov, Truck Shop Supervisor, commented:“Mining equipment and machinery is constantly evolving and improving, therefore our drivers have long-life learning. The best results are achieved when drivers practice their skills until they become second nature. The virtual reality simulator created by the haul truck manufacturer helps us to understand any gaps in their skills. It factors in all the features of operating a truck.”
The Modern Machinery training centre plans to analyze the data and provide recommendations for every driver based on their test using the virtual reality simulator. At Polyus, we consider that driver training should be ongoing. The specialists who are engaged in manufacturing machinery and their authorized partners are best placed to show others how to combine occupational skills and vehicle operating features.
Sergey Sidorov, head of the training centre commented:“Simulators are a vital component for educating drivers. We have introduced an extensive professional development programme for staff at our Road Transport Shop. It was launched in cooperation with Modern Machinery Far East training centre last year. So far, the programme has proven highly effective and productive.”
Pavel Vorsin, Managing Director at Polyus Magadan, commented:“It is the dream of any operations professional to have simulators like this in place at their production site. Virtual reality simulators are a technology element for learning for the future as well as modeling work for the future of mining, when production will mainly rely on remotely controlled autonomous machinery.”