Rise of the Machines — Season 1, Episode 5: 800 Ton Digger
Documentary • 60 min • 3 seasons, 30 episodes • ★ 7.9/10
Episode synopsis
Stunning CGI animation explodes open one of the world's largest diggers–the Komatsu PC8000–to reveal the extraordinary technology that it depends on to shovel 27,000 tons of copper ore in less than four days. The pressure is on at Copper Mountain Mine, British Columbia. Every month the mine must produce $18 million of powdered copper to fill a shipment bound for Japan. The miners must continually blast the rock to undercover pockets of copper ore and scoop it up to feed the mine's mill. At the heart of this operation is the Komatsu PC8000. Its mission: scoop rock 24/7, 365 days a year using a giant bucket that could hold a Hummer. At the PC8000's controls is mining veteran, Pete Hartinger. Over his four-day shift, Pete must contend with potentially lethal boulders smashing into his Mega Digger, collisions with giant haul trucks, and lengthy delays caused by maintenance.
About Rise of the Machines
It is 2014 and the machines have not taken over…yet. The newest, most technologically advanced series from H2™, Rise of the Machines, reveals how the inventions behind the world’s most extreme machines have enabled them to evolve beyond humanity’s wildest imagination. This visually stunning series uses mind-blowing CGI animations to reveal the extraordinary engineering at the heart of the world’s most extreme machines. From the world’s biggest mega truck to the world’s fastest train to a revolutionary heavy lift ship, ground breaking CGI animation explodes the machines apart to reveal the ingenious inventions hidden under their skin that enables the teams who drive, fly and sail them to be at the top of their game. This series takes us inside these machines in close up detail and explores what helps these elite ships, trucks, trains and aircrafts rise above all others.