Cat® Product Information

Salesgram
October 2023

Cat® Road Analysis Control (RAC) for Cat 777 (05) Off-Highway Trucks
Caterpillar is pleased to offer the Cat® Road Analysis Control (RAC) system for Cat 777 (05) Off-Highway Trucks to help
mine managers effectively manage haul roads and increase truck life.

With today’s advancements in design and manufacturing, off-highway trucks are so comfortable that operators may
not experience sufficient road-feel, to enable them to detect damaging road conditions that can impact cost and
productivity, and reduce truck life as a result of damage to frames, tires, rims, and power train components. Road
Analysis Control (RAC), a haul road management tool, provides feedback to the operator about road conditions,
quantifies the severity of the condition, and allows management to make more informed haul road maintenance
decisions to reduce overall costs.

For Dealer Sales Personnel

 What Is RAC?

Road Analysis Control (RAC) is an on-board information technology product designed to measure and benchmark
haul road quality. Integrated with the Vital Information Management System (VIMS™), RAC measures component
loading and impact shock, communicates that data to the operator, and to the mine office in real time via a radio
network. For trucks equipped with GPS technology, coordinates can be identified and broadcast to other trucks,
support equipment, and maintenance vehicles via radio. Through Technician toolbox, RAC provides data and
reports, which enable mine managers to quantify, monitor and manage haul road severity to increase truck life
and reduce cost per ton of material moved.

The Road Analysis Control system consists of:

» Telematics Device (a separate A5N2 ECM; the same ECM that runs TPMS and TKPH/TMPH)
» Telematics device (PLE) Software/configuration
» Technician Toolbox

Benefits of RAC
When used properly, the benefits of using RAC are significant in the management of haul roads. Integrated with
VIMS and Technician Toolbox, RAC can:
» Encourage safer operation and reduce operator fatigue.
» Identify haul road problem areas to avoid and correct.
» Help achieve intended component life cycle.
» Contribute to longer tire and rim life.
» Help achieve faster cycle times and higher productivity.
» Improve repair before failure processes.
» Lower operating costs.
» Less stress on drive components, frame, and suspension.
» Less fuel consumption.
» Provide component life and repair indicator information.
» Extend the benefits of smoother haul roads for trucks to the entire mobile fleet.
» Be adjusted to drive continuous haul road improvements and cost savings.

2 ROAD ANALYSIS CONTROL (RAC) SYSTEM

 How Does It Work?

RAC collects each strut’s sensor pressure data (also used to determine payload weight and cycle times) at regular
intervals to measure frame rack, pitch, and bias. The sensors measure the differences between front and rear axle
wheel strut pressures for pitch, diagonal strut pressures for rack and left versus right for bias.

RAC identifies areas of the haul road that produce impacts sufficient to cause damage to the truck, either in the
short term or when repeated over time. These impacts are identified as events. Factory settings can be adjusted to
three different levels of severity (RAC1, RAC2, RAC3) to accommodate different mine site conditions.

Haul roads that produce a high number of RAC events are potential detrimental to :
» Machine performance
» Component and frame life
» Tire and rim life
» Availability
» Operator, comfort and driving techniques.
» Utilization of support equipment

Measurements from RAC are translated to meaningful feedback to the operator and/or the mine management team.

RAC Reading from VIMS Data Logger

Integrated with VIMS, RAC can:

» Indicate the number of events.
» Measure the severity of events.
» Display event severity, number, and location (if GPS installed) of events on screen.
» Take sample values at regular intervals and send them to the on-board VIMS module that records events at one
measure per second to establish trends and events.

3 ROAD ANALYSIS CONTROL (RAC) SYSTEM

 How Does It Work?

RAC uses Fatigue Equivalent Load Analysis (FELA) to store and calculate data points collected during load, travel
loaded and dump segments of the cycle. FELA calculates a cycle average for rack and pitch, producing an index
that is used to establish the relative severity of each cycle. Bias does not have FELA values like rack and pitch.

A “Life Cycle Curve” takes the number after each cycle and stores it into VIMS under “Trends.” VIMS produces
trend data, which can then be entered on the curve to provide an indication of relative measures of rack and pitch
of the intended design life cycle. The purpose of using the Life Cycle Curve is to provide a plot that will enable
site management to establish and track, monthly, whether haul road severity is worsening or improving. The data
quantifies haul road severity.

Life Cycle Curve

For example, FELA for Rack (1879) and Pitch (1326) can be plotted against the Y-axis to provide an indication of
their impact on component design life. If these readings continued, components affected by rack or pitch could be
expected to have a relatively short life.

4 ROAD ANALYSIS CONTROL (RAC) SYSTEM

 When there is a rack, pitch or bias event, RAC provides visual feedback to the operator in the cab via an instant
message displayed on the screen. The warning can be broadcast via a radio network to advise other truck
operators of adverse conditions. If the truck is GPS equipped, coordinates can be sent to the management team
to indicate the point(s) on the haul road that need attention.

Through VIMS on-board, RAC delivers two levels of information advising of rack and pitch events:

» Level 1 – VIMS alert message and light advises that the maximum pitch or rack limits have been measured and the
operator should reduce speed. This indicates that an event has occurred which has the potential to cause damage
over time.

» Level 2 – VIMS alert message and light advises that the maximum pitch or rack measurements are too high, and
the operator should slow down or avoid the area. This indicates a potentially damaging event has occurred that
may be compromising the health of the truck.

To accommodate different mine conditions, RAC has the flexibility to be set at any one of three different levels.
RAC1 is the factory setting to which VIMS is matched. If events are being recorded too frequently, there are
two additional levels, RAC2, and RAC3. RAC2 events are set between 122% and 135% and RAC3 events are
set between 148% and 161% of factory settings, respectively. Factory settings are based on predetermined
acceptable design limits.

RAC is integrated with VIMS on-board and Technician Toolbox to enable mine management to:
» Track and benchmark haul road conditions, cycle-by-cycle.
» Tabulate and analyze total rack and pitch data.
» Monitor haul road severity changes over time.
» Manage haul roads to maximize life cycle of truck.
» Correlate trend information to repair records and failure data.
» Improve productivity, performance, and safety.

RAC develops a relative severity index for each cycle. Averages of recorded rack and pitch events are used by
VIMS to develop trend data that is quick and easy to use. Reports can be produced using Technician Toolbox.

RAC can be used to monitor the number of recorded events for each truck on the same haul road. Operators and
trucks can be compared to help identify both operator abuse and mechanical problems. RAC can contribute an
objective measurement and assessment of operator performance to identify opportunities for additional training.
This improves safety as operators learn to refine their driving habits. By empowering operators with information
about adverse conditions on a haul cycle, they can use the information to control their actions, modify their
driving, and alert management to road repair and redesign needs.

RAC enables mine management to quantify return on investment in haul roads and measure the effectiveness of
repairs. Rack, pitch, and bias trends can be measured and plotted prior to investing in haul road upgrades and
subsequent measurements will indicate any improvement.

The Haul Road Management Benchmark Graph can be used to determine the impact on life cycle of components
and a cost/ benefit analysis can be used to guide expenditure decisions. RAC can contribute directly to managing
tire costs by identifying road hazards. By adopting an aggressive approach to use of RAC a mine can reduce tire
and rim costs, depending on site conditions.

5 ROAD ANALYSIS CONTROL (RAC) SYSTEM

Availability

RAC is available as an optional attachment on 777 Off-highway Trucks, RAC is compatible with MineStar™.
RAC works with VIMS and Payload option for 777 (05) and works with Advanced Health and truck production
management or Payload option 777 (07). Please refer to respective machine pricelist for more details.

More Information

For more information, contact your Regional Product Application Specialist.

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