Altair > Case Studies > Optimizing Heavy Hauler Manufacturing with IoT: A Case Study on Hitachi Truck Manufacturing

Optimizing Heavy Hauler Manufacturing with IoT: A Case Study on Hitachi Truck Manufacturing

Technology Category

Cybersecurity & Privacy - Intrusion Detection
Functional Applications - Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES)

Applicable Industries

Automotive
Mining

Applicable Functions

Product Research & Development

Use Cases

Additive Manufacturing
Manufacturing Process Simulation

Services

System Integration

About The Customer

Hitachi Truck Manufacturing is a company that designs and builds large, rigid-body mining trucks. These trucks are used for surface mining in various parts of the world, including China, Colombia, and Indonesia. The trucks are massive, with some being up to 30 feet wide and capable of carrying a payload of 316 tons. Given their size, these trucks must be shipped in sections and assembled on site. The company is part of a family of heavy equipment manufacturers, producing everything from excavators to boring machines. The company's main challenge was to reduce material costs while adhering to standard specifications and maintaining payload performance.

The Challenge

Hitachi Truck Manufacturing was faced with the challenge of reducing material costs for their large mining trucks while adhering to standard specifications. The trucks, designed and built at their Guelph, Ontario plant, are massive rigid-body vehicles used for surface mining in various parts of the world. These trucks can be up to 30 feet wide and carry a payload of 316 tons. Given their size, they must be shipped in sections and assembled on site. The design engineers at Hitachi Truck Manufacturing (HTM) were tasked with reducing materials costs, meeting ISO specifications, and maintaining payload performance. The main challenge was predicting the behavior of the truck's structure, particularly the welded steel cab structure, to ensure it met ISO 3471 ROPS (rollover protection system) and FOPS (falling object protection system) specifications.

The Solution

The solution to HTM's challenge came in the form of HyperWorks, a comprehensive open-architecture simulation platform. Harry Tempelman, a HyperWorks expert, joined HTM as technical analysis manager in 2005 and introduced the use of HyperWorks. His focus was on reducing the mass of the welded steel cab structure while still meeting ISO specifications. Tempelman used HyperWorks to design the structure and run a finite-element analysis (FEA) to verify that it would meet ISO 3471 specification. After a few days and multiple iterations, HTM had a structure that exceeded the ISO specification in calculation. The required physical tests on the prototype confirmed that all the nonlinear behaviors of the structure had been correctly predicted using HyperWorks tools. HTM also used Altair HyperView, a visualization environment for simulation and test data, to share analysis results with managers. Altair MotionView and MotionSolve were used for multibody analysis of the entire truck.

Operational Impact

The implementation of HyperWorks at Hitachi Truck Manufacturing led to significant operational improvements. The company was able to reduce the mass of the truck, thereby reducing steel costs and using tire loading more efficiently. The use of HyperWorks also allowed for more accurate prediction of the truck's structure behavior, ensuring that it met ISO specifications. The visualization capabilities of Altair HyperView made it easier to share analysis results with managers, improving communication and decision-making processes. The use of Altair MotionView and MotionSolve for multibody analysis of the entire truck provided the loads needed to run detailed FEA analysis with excellent results. Overall, the use of HyperWorks has become an integral part of the design process at Hitachi, leading to cost savings and improved product performance.

Quantitative Benefit

Reduced the mass of the welded steel cab structure while still meeting ISO specifications.
Exceeded the ISO specification in calculation after a few days and multiple iterations.
Reduced the time required for traditional FEA and prototyping.