PRODUCT & TECH
Rugged smart devices in mining
Mining applications require sturdy
technology for tasks related to equipment maintenance , GIS mapping and geotagging , machine guidance , data collection , compliance and reporting , and asset management . Where consumer devices fail , rugged mobile computers stand up to the most challenging environments miners encounter — such as constantly vibrating vehicles , airborne dust and mineral particles , variable weather conditions , hard surfaces and humidity , to reduce worker and equipment downtime and improve safety and productivity .
Data collection and analytics Mines using wireless equipment monitoring technology benefit from taking a proactive approach to maintenance , saving time and improving worker safety . Rugged handhelds running predictive maintenance software collect and analyze equipment data to identify maintenance needs and recurring trends , as well as to inform mine operators about use . Wireless sensors placed on equipment report maintenance data such as temperatures , load weight , speed , air quality , fuel consumption and hours in operation directly to workers ’ tablets or PDAs , allowing them to schedule maintenance tasks and repair components before equipment fails .
Mining asset management Mobile computers running asset tracking and production control software are an indispensable part of mining asset management . Secure vehicle ports , fast processing , built-in data capture tools , easy data entry options and connectivity capabilities allow miners to reliably track assets and manage resources and materials while saving significant amounts of time . Mining fieldworkers use rugged handhelds to track equipment status using barcodes or RFID , or by quickly entering details into digital forms . They can also easily schedule predictive maintenance and keep detailed inspection and maintenance histories .
Safety and compliance Mine operators perform site inspections of surface mines and underground mines multiple times per year to identify health , safety and environmental ( HSE ) risks — both according to their corporate regulatory standards and to stay compliant with Mining Safety and Health Administration ( MSHA ) regulations . Inspectors require reliable and fully portable mobile devices to perform compliance checks safely and accurately . Rugged tablets and PDAs can be securely docked in a mining vehicle and used to navigate to sites , then undocked and carried to perform inspections .
Miners can hold a lightweight rugged computer and , in many cases , enter data into inspection forms in mining industry inspection software all with one hand , thanks to compact and ergonomic design , easy-to-navigate menus and programmable physical buttons . Data is entered safely , quickly and with a high degree of accuracy . Non-compliance issues can be communicated in real-time and addressed quickly . This process also eliminates the need to re-enter data into an office computer , as data can be stored , transmitted and reported directly from the handheld device .
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