Caterpillar China manufactures first complete longwall armored face conveyor

Caterpillar (Langfang) Mining Equipment Co. has announced the completion of its first full armored face conveyor (AFC) system for longwall mining. The achievement is a "milestone in the facility’s evolution as a key mining equipment manufacturing plant for Caterpillar and the region”, which had previously only manufactured line pans for AFC systems. 

Langfang premium longwall products will now serve mining companies worldwide. 

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“The LTCC mining method enables recovering thick seams economically by cutting the lower portion of the seam as is normally done and then recovering coal that caves as the face moves forward,” Caterpillar said in a statement.

The new system is designed for longwall top coal caving (LTCC) to mine a coal seam as thick as 8 m; Face length will be 260 m.

The premium face conveyor, composed of Cat PF6 line pans, includes an innovative modular design that separates wear-resistant hardened steel parts and the substructure made of high-strength steel. The front AFC has transport capacity of 2,500 tons per hour, and the rear AFC has capacity of 3,000 tons per hour. Each of the conveyors has a total installed power of 2 x 1050 kW. The beam stage loader, which is a CAT BSLPF6, has capacity of 3,5000 tons per hour and 600 kW installed capacity.

The new Cat® AFC system has been delivered to the Datong Coal Mine Group (Tongmei) and will be used in the Dongzhouyao mine in Shanxi Province. The new AFC system marks the 39th delivered to Chinese mines by Caterpillar and its predecessors in the longwall equipment line.

WesTrac China, the Cat dealer in northern and northeastern China, delivered the system and will provide service and support through its facilities and personnel based in the region.

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