The Challenge
Dragline operator consoles are at the heart of one of the most demanding jobs in Australian mining. Operators spend 12-hour shifts at the controls of machines running 365 days a year, with console adjustments required every two hours across four rotating crews. When those consoles are outdated, poorly adjustable, or no longer supported by the original manufacturer, the consequences reach beyond operator comfort, they affect safety, productivity, and the ability to maintain the machine.
That was the situation at Anglo American’s Capcoal operation, where Dragline 105’s operator console had reached the end of its serviceable life. The brief was clear:
- Replace the existing console with a fully integrated modern solution — no on-site add-ons, no field workarounds
- Deliver meaningful improvements to operator ergonomics, efficiency, reliability and day-to-day serviceability
- Ensure spares are readily available so a breakdown never becomes an extended outage
- Deliver and install within the planned shutdown window — the schedule could not move.
The Solution: Spohn+Burkhardt SV1C
selected the Spohn + Burkhardt SV1C as the platform for all three projects. The SV1C is a purpose-built operator console specifically engineered for Australian conditions, with electric memory adjustment and a configuration developed here for dragline applications on the Bucyrus/Cat platform.
For each machine, Leveltec worked directly with the customer’s engineering team, building the console configuration around the existing control system schematics and incorporating every site-specific request. The result in each case was a fully integrated console that arrived on time and required nothing extra on site.
The first unit — DRE27 at South Walker Creek — served as the proving ground for the platform. Spohn + Burkhardt engineers travelled to Australia to inspect the installation in the field, validating the design before DL102 and DL105 went into production. The Anglo American units were slightly more complex in scope, but built on the confidence and learnings carried forward from DRE27.
Key Features
Spohn+Burkhardt
- SV1C console with electric adjustment on both arms and seat positions
- Operator positions saved and recalled via the MySpobu Bluetooth app — no re-adjusting at every shift change
- 135° rotation with manual rotation lock
- Large electrical enclosure providing ease of access on site
- Brushed stainless steel hand rests, ergonomic arm rests, twin cup holders
- Joysticks with direction contacts and encoder outputs.Â
SIH
- Swing pedals with fully manual adjustment.Â
Integrated by Leveltec
Every component below was customer-specified. Leveltec’s role was to take that brief and engineer a solution where everything worked together seamlessly — meeting the operator comfort and ergonomic safety requirements without compromise.
- Custom Seat with air suspension, heat and massage function, and manual adjustment of seat tilt and extended forward/backward movement
- Respa Advisor+ 2.0 air quality and cabin pressure monitoring
- CCTV control station with custom mounting bracket
- Dual radios with boom microphone and push-to-talk integrated into the joysticks
- Pioneer head unit matched to site-held spares
- 2 × Garmin Fusion 6″ speakers with provision for 2 additional external cabin speakers
- Buttons and controls matched to site spares
- Monitor mounting via RAM mounts
- USB charging.Â
All three consoles were delivered and installed on time, within their respective shutdown windows. The outcomes across all three machines were consistent:
- Operators can recall their saved seat and console positions instantly at every shift change — reducing changeover time from minutes to seconds
- Console-related repetitive strain injury risk has been removed from the daily operating environment
- Each machine now has a fully supported product with readily available spares and a defined maintenance strategy
- The large electrical enclosure provides full internal access for maintenance crews on site
The project has established Leveltec as a proven retrofit supplier for dragline operator consoles in Australia and New Zealand, with ongoing maintenance, parts supply and service agreements now in place across the fleet.