The WCB-100JSY three-section articulated roadheader transport vehicle, independently developed by China Shenhua’s Shendong Coal, has recently been delivered and put into service. This heavy-load vehicle, purpose-built for the mining area, filled the technical gap in underground roadheader equipment transfer and supports the safety, quality, and efficiency enhancement of intelligent auxiliary mining transportation through core proprietary technologies.
Shendong Coal currently operates 68 roadheader crews, with an average annual equipment transfer demand of approximately 200 vehicle movements. The previous transfer model was plagued by multiple problems: older vehicles frequently exceeded roadway clearance limits; coordinated two-vehicle transfers were operationally complex and carried significant safety risks; and equipment relocation procedures were cumbersome and labor-intensive. To overcome these challenges in the complex underground environment, the R&D team completed a comprehensive in-house design of the vehicle structure, hydraulic power system, and intelligent safety systems over a 16-month period. The innovative three-section articulated design delivers a rated load capacity of 100 tonnes.
The vehicle incorporates a range of core proprietary technologies. Its load-carrying platform has a minimum thickness of just 300 mm and features flexible height adjustment, making it suitable for 2.4-meter thin-seam roadways and capable of serving 45 roadheader-bolter crews for direct crosscut transport operations. The vehicle is constructed with high-strength base materials and alloy-steel critical components, paired with dual explosion-proof diesel engines and a 24-wheel all-wheel-drive and all-wheel-brake system, enabling reliable operation in challenging conditions such as steep inclines and narrow underground passages. It also integrates intelligent safety features including 360-degree panoramic monitoring, UWB-based personnel proximity warning, 5G data transmission, and automatic fire suppression, supplemented by multiple explosion-proof interlock devices, all fully compliant with coal mine safety regulations.
Once fully operational, the new vehicle will completely replace inefficient and high-risk practices such as multi-vehicle relay transport and self-propelled equipment movement. It will significantly reduce labor requirements, streamline operational workflows, and lower maintenance costs, providing robust equipment support for the intelligent and domestically developed upgrade of underground auxiliary transportation systems.
