Just above Milan, Italy, on the first hill beyond the Padana Plain is the Colle Pedrino limestone quarry. Operated by Italcementi, the world’s fifth largest cement producer, the quarry in the commune of Palazzago, Bergamo, has been active since 1947 and supplies raw material to one of the largest concrete factories in Italy, Calusco d’Adda. As a critical industrial supplier with a major geographical presence, environmental recovery at the quarry has always been a priority.
In order to reduce the inevitable impact of mining activity to an absolute minimum, cultivation of the limestone deposit is based on the use of only three holes, with a crushing plant feeding an underground conveyor belt at the base. The belt is 9.6km long and conveys 600tonnes/hour of limestone and rock to Calusco d’Adda, passing the Monte Giglio Quarry at 9km/hour.
Constructed six years ago, the system is estimated to have eliminated the environmental strain of 10,000 trucks undergoing heavy-duty pick-up and delivery cycles each year. In an already heavily industrialised area, this has made a significant contribution to protecting the natural landscape.
The quarry team is made up of ten operators, several earthmoving machines and four
The Perlini trucks transport loads of about 55tonnes over a complete duty cycle of 1km. The continuous transport of such heavy weights puts the vehicle and its driveline under constant stress.
It was because of these demanding conditions that
“Allison automatics preserve the driveline from overload shocks, improper use and unnecessary stress in tough situations,” says Simona Pilone, OEM relations manager for
Angelo Magni, Italcementi’s quarry manager, says: “In the quarry, the vehicle has to be reliable and productive. Perlini dumpers are used not only to feed the crushing plant, but also for every other task inside the quarry, including cultivating the land. Within our production cycles, we just cannot afford unexpected downtime.”
The two new Perlini model 705 dump trucks are designed to handle a maximum payload of 65tonnes while the body capacity is 43m3. They are fitted with Detroit Diesel MTU engines (12V-2000, 567kW) and Allison H6620A transmissions with six forward and two reverse gears.
The other two Perlini dumpers belong to the 655 range, and offer a payload of 53tonnes and a bed capacity of 35m3. Both are also powered by Detroit Diesel engines and Allison transmissions.
While a bit older than the other trucks, these vehicles have been working the quarry since 1989 and 1992 respectively, and the owners say neither has had a maintenance issue.
“It’s very important to us that the dumpers stop only for programmed maintenance and checks,” says Magni.
“With these vehicles, we succeed in hitting our targets. We typically run these trucks for up to 6,000 hours before conducting preventative maintenance.”
Automatic transmissions enable operators to improve vehicle reliability and reduce driveline component wear.
“Automatic transmissions require less maintenance, granting a longer service life than manual and semi-automatic transmissions,” claims Magni
At 1,300m above sea level, the quarry’s height provides additional operational hazards.
“Fog and snow in the winter months are quite normal at this altitude, often reducing visibility. But our drivers don’t have to worry about gear changes, which results in increased concentration on the road during repetitive loading and unloading operations.
“The transmission and the vehicle must provide safety and reliability. The brakes, the steering wheel, the cab and driving comfort, all must make the driver feel safe and at ease. The Perlini-Allison match is perfect for us,” Magni concluded.
Drivers work with the Perlini dumpers for eight hours each day.
The partnership between Perlini and Allison is further established by the specification of Allison transmissions in the company’s new dumpers created for the Brazilian market by a joint venture between Perlini and the Brazilian OEM, Randon.
“We have a long-standing partnership with Perlini in Italy and Randon in Brazil. This experience allows our companies to work together to supply a vehicle especially designed for the rigors of South American mining and heavy construction sites,” says Clóvis Kitahara, marketing manager for Allison in South America.
The new RDP 470 model, developed by Randon and Perlini, belongs to an array of off-road trucks able to transport between 30-100tonnes of payload.
