Papercraft model of a Komatsu mining truck, one of the largest off-road haul vehicles used in open-pit mining.
| Manufacturer | Komatsu |
|---|---|
| Season | (actual) |
| Category | Other |
| Scale | 1:50 (aprox.) |
| Difficulty | High |
| Estimated time | 5-6 hours |
| Print format | 5 A4 sheets |
| Source | Canon Creative Park |
What you'll need: 200-250 gsm paper or cardstock, scissors or a craft knife, a ruler and glue stick.
These giant trucks can haul hundreds of tons of material per trip, and are a key piece of large-scale mining operations around the world.
Komatsu is a Japanese company founded in 1921 that grew over the decades into one of the world's largest manufacturers of heavy machinery, alongside rivals like Caterpillar. Within its lineup of open-pit mining equipment, its so-called "ultra-class" haul trucks stand out: vehicles of enormous scale, with wheels taller than a person, built specifically to carry ore and waste rock from the mine face to processing plants or stockpiles, running short but constant round-the-clock cycles.
One of the defining technical features of these trucks is their diesel-electric drivetrain: the diesel engine doesn't turn the wheels directly, but instead powers a generator that feeds electric motors mounted in each rear wheel, a setup that makes it easier to control such heavy loads and improves traction. The tyres they run on, several metres across, are purpose-built for this use and carry a very high price tag apiece. These trucks have become regular subjects of documentaries about major copper, iron and coal mines in countries such as Chile, Australia and the United States, where their sheer scale stands out dramatically next to ordinary vehicles.