A Hyster H16XM-6 truck featuring an IMT TH15K160 tyre-handling attachment is servicing an Austrian iron ore mine.

VA Erzberg GmbH has selected the latest Hyster tyre-handling truck to help change the large tyres on heavy-duty mining trucks at an iron ore mine in Austria.

The mine, which is one of the largest iron ore mines in Central Europe, sees 7.2 million T of rock containing ore mined and transported yearly by a fleet of mining vehicles.

Peter Aflenzer and Florian Wabra, who are responsible for the maintenance of mining equipment at VA Erzberg GmbH, saw a Hyster tyre-handling truck displayed at the BAUMA 2013 exhibition in Munich, Germany and decided to visit the Hyster Big Truck factory in Nijmegen, the Netherlands.

Norbert Brünell, senior product manager for Hyster heavy-duty forklifts and container handlers, says the challenge was to "develop a single solution that could be used to repair and change the tyres, as well as to handle the heavy mining vehicle components such as engines, gearboxes and axles".

During the servicing and maintenance of the VA Erzberg truck fleet, the gigantic mining truck tyres must be changed quickly and cost effectively and protection for the mechanic must also be ensured.

To service the ore mines, a Hyster H16XM-6 featuring an IMT TH15K160 tyre-handling attachment with nominal capacity of 6.8 T was selected.

To switch from a tyre handler to a forklift quickly, the side-shift carriage is equipped with a changing device that carries either the forks or tyre attachment.

The H16XM-6 truck now handles tyres up to 5.820 kg (12.8 lb.) and is suitable for servicing the fleet, which includes 12 Komatsu HD 785-7 and HD 985-5 heavy-duty trucks, 4 Komatsu WA 800-3 wheel loaders and a Komatsu PC-1250 excavator, designed for construction and mining applications.

The TH15K160 clamp attachment has a 132-343 cm (52-135 in.) span for the tyres and there is a hydraulically powered fall-back arm protection to ensure maximum protection for the mechanic working in front of the tyre. The front pads hold the tyre in the required position and are also able to disassemble the rim parts and rim from the tyre itself.