{"id":11815,"date":"2026-02-04T13:58:33","date_gmt":"2026-02-04T13:58:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/northamericanmining.com\/?p=11815"},"modified":"2026-02-04T13:58:43","modified_gmt":"2026-02-04T13:58:43","slug":"drive-systems-beyond-the-hardware","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/northamericanmining.com\/index.php\/2026\/02\/04\/drive-systems-beyond-the-hardware\/","title":{"rendered":"DRIVE SYSTEMS: BEYOND THE HARDWARE"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Maintenance, safety, reliability: we know already that these are three crucial elements to the success of drive systems at the mine site. <\/em>NAM digs down to the details with H\u00e4gglunds on how to keep a system at the top of its operational game \u2013 and it starts with an industry staying out of its own way.<\/em><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

by Donna Schmidt<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n

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Drive systems are themselves driven by optimal uptime, high reliability levels and a successful plan to keep the hardware \u2013 and the relationship between the mining operation and the system support technician \u2013 solid. However, there is more to these systems continuously operating at peak productivity and uptime \u2013 sometimes it comes down to helping mines evolve and adapt in preparation to work better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To find out how evolving technology is shaping mining\u2019s opinions of change, and the challenges to making technologies a part of the \u201cnew\u201d way of doing business, we spoke to Ashok Amin, H\u00e4gglunds HD sales market segment manager.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Minimum effort, minimum return<\/strong>
Amin said that many mines get so caught up and busy with their everyday maintenance ad production that they just keep running the same plans. The problem becomes when those plans only provide the bare minimum for the site. Forget going online and looking for training or ideas for increasing efficiency, he noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSomebody needs to guide them right, because they don\u2019t have a whole lot of time? The websites are flooded with information overload, so they kind of get lost and then they give up, saying, \u2018I don\u2019t want to go through this!\u2019 after digging through the information to find what they need in order to do better. So, they just continue to do what they\u2019re doing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said that the company has worked to combat that with mor formal events with its reliability group; in fact, he added, he will be hosting the Army Corps of Engineers in 2026 to aid its staff in learning more about the technology that has been in place for their locks and dams for more than four decades. His group, through the training, can examine motors in the shop environment, train technicians and share what\u2019s available in today\u2019s technology to solve operational issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe do what we can do together to move forward,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Evolution of AI, digital technology<\/strong>
While Amin admitted that artificial intelligence is still in its infancy as it relates to his sector of the industry, its influence will evolve and change how mining is done. While it is not a core consideration now, there is a focus on it and its potential impact. Some want to practically apply these technologies, but as Amin noted, it is possible to \u201coverdo things\u201d at the plant level. What does that lead to? A mine team that gets scared and skeptical, he said. As with many other areas of industry, with mining no exception, the implementation of AI can still mentally equate to many with being replaced by a computer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPeople think they\u2019ll lose their jobs, so they don\u2019t want to allow these kinds of opportunities because they [fear for] job security. So, it\u2019s a little bit of psychological, too,\u201d he said. Really, while it\u2019s no different than the emergence of computers 30 years ago to an environment today where they are normal and part of every single day, he pointed out, adjustments will take time as well with technologies like artificial intelligence and \u201cit\u2019s going to take some time\u2026there\u2019s skepticism.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Getting past the skepticism<\/strong>
Amin said that overcoming what is, at least, hesitation and skepticism as the industry evolves, crossing that hurdle to acceptance is becoming an art of sorts. In some scenarios, less than 10% of the people that need to adapt to the change will approach it with open arms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mining, known more for its reluctance to change at times versus its capacity to embrace it, has opportunities to gain this new knowledge, but as he noted, much of it \u2013 such as conferences \u2013 can be cost-prohibitive, never mind the time away from a site that would be needed to be present for such an event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What suppliers such as H\u00e4gglunds can do is share with its customers what needs to be done technologically to improve performance, optimize reliability by sharing its ideas and launching new solutions to expand their product portfolio to meet a broadening need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThirty years ago, we had a large motor that could produce 200,000 foot-pounds of torque; now, we have a 2-million-foot-pound torque product,\u201d he said, noting that the systems are in demand more than ever because hardware like haul trucks are getting bigger. What was huge 50 years ago, a 60-ton truck, is now self-driving with a 400-ton capacity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One factor that must play into the evolution of any technology in mining is the greater challenges of mining itself, as the \u201clow-hanging fruit,\u201d as Amin called it, has been extracted and left the industry with new challenges, new demands and a need to do things in a new way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNow we mine in [more] difficult places, [more] difficult weather conditions,\u201d he noted, and that\u2019s not to mention the new obstacles the industry is now taking on such as seabed mining.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not that there are no minerals; they\u2019re not going to run out. They just have to figure out how to mine it.\u201d Of course, the economics are certainly there, as mineral prices are increasing and supply continues to be limited, so demand is stronger than ever. \u201cWe have to explore more and more ways to get it,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another tactic will be relying on word of mouth when that word comes from experienced customers. Those who have seen the features of a system and its benefits, and have accepted the risk and tried out a newer technology, serve as a great megaphone for suppliers and mines alike. A mine who has never heard of a technology is more apt to give it a chance, try it out, or give it more thought when the \u201cpeer pressure\u201d of sorts is present.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amin pointed to a global customer that put a gearless hydraulic drive system to work at the largest iron ore mine in Europe and, with that risk, was able to find more and more applications for it. They continue to grow their use of the systems, and other companies have taken notice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c[They] respect that, and then they adopt it,\u201d he said. \u201cThe references work. You present these success stories, that builds the confidence and remove the skepticism.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pushing forward<\/strong>
The success of technologies moving into the future, and mining\u2019s willingness to adapt, is very customer-specific, Amin said. What the technology change is, how the information is shared, and how it applies to their specific scenario, are all facets that must be considered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Consider this: some mining operator CEOs push for reliability. Some push for profitability. Others still push for environmentally better methods to do business. The message is carried and pushed, flowing down through an entire team. The approach used is different for every company, so what will be present technologically down the road for one miner might not catch on for another. \u201cOne size does not fit all,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What it all means<\/strong>
What does that mean for companies like H\u00e4gglunds and their products? It means, he said, that they continue to solve the challenges of the industry while also solving the challenges of design. For example, he noted, a hydraulic motor today in some cases is one-fourth what it was a few decades ago, and what was an 8,000-pound motor now weighs 2,000 lbs. or even less \u2013 and does better work, greater output and with a longer lifespan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn mining, this equipment costs so much money, and you can\u2019t maintain a 30-, 40-year-old machine. You have to replace them with what is more efficient,\u201d he stressed. What\u2019s more, pairing the right manufacturer with the right machine or application is sometimes what makes or breaks companies, so they must keep up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe have our R&D team constantly working, year-round, doing different things and putting out research [to] do things that will help us all in future \u2013 all being done behind the scenes,\u201d Amin said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe problem is how to show it to the world, or even just one customer, who both need to know that something is coming. R&D is important [and is] what keeps our company up to date.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Maintenance, safety, reliability: we know already that these are three crucial elements to the success of drive systems at the mine site. NAM digs down to the details with H\u00e4gglunds on how to keep a system at the top of its operational game \u2013 and it starts with an industry staying out of its own way. by Donna Schmidt Drive…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":11817,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_themeisle_gutenberg_block_has_review":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[4],"tags":[3836,4313,614,1542],"coauthors":[1632],"class_list":["post-11815","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-features","tag-army-corps-of-engineers","tag-hagglunds","tag-mining-operations","tag-mining-operators"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t