Demonstrating efficiency gains from installing truck turntables at crushers

TL;DR

This paper evaluates the efficiency, safety, and cost benefits of installing truck turntables at crushers, supported by software that models optimal truck paths with and without turntables.

Contribution

It introduces software for designing and comparing truck path layouts to quantify the benefits of installing turntables at crushers.

Findings

Turntables reduce truck turnaround time and fuel consumption.

Installation of turntables enhances safety and reduces manoeuvring space.

Software enables easy assessment of turntable benefits for mining sites.

Abstract

The installation of truck turntables at above-ground crushers has the potential to yield gains in efficiency and productivity by eliminating the need for the trucks to turn around and reverse up to the crusher to dump their loads. The benefits include savings in time, fuel consumption and tyre wear. In addition, having a smaller area near the crushers dedicated to manoeuvring the trucks can be a significant benefit at some sites. Safety is also enhanced using turntables. This paper describes a project with the Australian Turntable Company (ATC) to develop software that generates near-optimal layouts for the paths taken by the trucks in the vicinity of the crushers when turntables are present or absent. The geometry of the paths is constrained by the turning radius of the trucks and by the boundary of the manoeuvring area. The software quantifies the benefit of installing turntables by generating a design for paths with turntables and comparing it with the layout in current or planned use by the mining company. Through the use of this software tool, a mining company can readily assess the benefits of using turntables at their site.