KUKA
Tagged in 1 story
Stories tagged KUKA
Fortescue deploys KUKA welding robots to handle 6 MW charging cables for 240 tonne electric haul trucks
Fortescue is using modified KUKA automotive assembly line robots to manage the heavy, liquid cooled copper cables required to deliver 6 MW of power to its Liebherr T264E electric haul trucks operating in Australia's Pilbara region. The company, working with Liebherr since 2024, has adapted industrial welding robots because the cables are too large and dangerous for human handling, and no off the shelf components exist for 6 MW charging systems. A new video released this month details the process for charging the 240 tonne (264 short ton) mining vehicles.
Why it matters
The project demonstrates the emerging market for ultra high power charging infrastructure beyond passenger vehicles, requiring bespoke robotics and component sourcing from multiple industries. Fortescue's approach to adapting existing industrial automation for 6 MW systems may inform future procurement strategies for heavy duty electrification projects in mining and other sectors.