1980
More and more innovative technologies were applied to products with a heavy focus on hydraulic shovels. Using mechatronics for engine control was one of the examples of Japan's advanced electronics technology that surpassed the world standards.
The main Dump truck used at mines back then was electric driven with a loading capacity of 154 tons. HD1600M, a mechanical driven Dump truck with 160-ton load capacity was developed to take over the position of this dominant model in the market. It was one of the products Komatsu exhibited at the world's largest construction equipment exhibition, "CONEXPO", for the first time in 1981.
Both large mechanical and electric driven Dump trucks have pros and cons, however, the trend was leaning more toward "mechatronics" back then, so Komatsu continued to work on mechanical driven dumps aggressively.
Load capacity: 160,000
Dump truck
The history of the dump truck as a transporting vehicle is also the history of increasing the amount of loading to improve productivity at construction sites. At mines especially, new technology is being introduced consistently even today. Enlarging the size by mechanical and electrical formulas, and adding the GPS control system are some of the examples.
