Not long ago, Bis engineers built an innovative off-road truck Rexx at their plant in Western Australia. As you can see in the pictures, the road train really has 20 standard tires instead of the usual four super-large tires typical of other quarry dump trucks. According to the manufacturer, thanks to this, Rexx loaded up to 160 tons is able to move at a speed of 60 km / h 4 times further (35-40 km) than conventional dump trucks. Why? Because the dump trucks we are used to are limited in this very "range" - their tires simply overheat and fail. But for the standard tires that Rexx uses, heating is not at all critical. In addition, in the event of a puncture of one or even several wheels, you can safely continue moving. The unique multi-axle design also provides a more uniform load distribution across 5 axles and 20 tires - this allows the dump truck to work in the harshest operating conditions. Surprisingly, the turning circle of such an unusual truck is only 13.6 meters, so it is reasonable to talk about its maneuverability in confined work spaces. At the same time, Bis claims that Rexx has half the fuel consumption of conventional dump trucks, which, they say, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, which is an important component in the sale of products in many markets around the world. According to the company, this product will form part of Bis’s suite of customized solutions for loading and transport, which also includes two-seater road trains, providing a highly competitive integrated solution for mining transportation. Speaking at the product launch in Perth, Bis CEO Brad Rogers said Rexx was a game-changer for mines, incorporating the best features of long-haul road trains and short-range dump trucks. “The robust and simple design of Rexx leverages our existing knowledge and resources. This means we have been able to keep our production costs low, allowing Bis to pass on savings to customers through our service delivery model,” he said. The Rexx has been designed to operate on narrower, lower-quality roads. According to Bis, the design provides a smoother ride and better visibility for operators, and significantly improves tire management. The dump truck has also been designed for ease of maintenance. Designed to meet the highest safety requirements, the Rexx is equipped with the Bis Fatigue Management System, as well as 360-degree cameras and rear-view cameras for more effective risk management. The problem of the payload capacity of mining dump trucks is as acute as it was 50 years ago. There are two solutions - either make increasingly powerful dump trucks (like the legendary BelAZ-75710), or build modular trains. The most unusual concept of this kind is offered by the Slovenian company ITIEF. Let us note right away that at the moment there is only one experimental model of ITIEF - the company is young, and its concept is still only in computer sketches. But the idea is clearly feasible, plus ITIEF has big plans and a large range of solutions, so perhaps in a couple of years they will enter the market and take a leading position there. The main module is a 20-wheel ITIEF Truck truck with 5 leading (!) axles. And not just leading, but also controlled. Modularity lies in the fact that in a time not exceeding 15 minutes, the block cabin can be dismantled from the truck, turning it into a trailer, or the base can be shortened by "unhooking" several block axles. In other words, the entire truck is a construction set. It is assumed that from a standard set of block axles, block bodies, block cabins, it is possible to assemble at least 6 different modifications: two axles with a load capacity of 180 tons, three axles for 284 tons, four axles for 380 tons, five axles for 484 tons, six axles for 570 tons and 8 axles for 774 tons! Moreover, the last two configurations will be record-breaking among quarry trucks, leaving even BelAZ behind. The wheels and tires for the trucks are non-standard and were also developed by ITIEF. They are designed for excessive loads that standard wheels for quarry dump trucks cannot withstand. On the other hand, the "multi-wheel" allows for proper load distribution. But at first glance at this road train, especially from sixteen-axle models, a logical question arises: how will all this stuff be unloaded?