DIGITALISATION
Task Management, as well as other mining and maintenance systems. The Sandvik proprietary predictive models make process optimisation easy. OptiMine Analytics processes source data from many mining management systems and equipment as well as from the global Sandvik connected equipment fleet. With the combined equipment and application data, OptiMine ® Analytics automatically analyses patterns in the information and enables development of mining process efficiency improvements. Always having up-to-date equipment health information enables safer fleet usage, thus reducing potential risks.
OptiMine Analytics can be enhanced with 365 OptiMine Services for mining process optimisation. Together with the mining experts, Sandvik data scientists will assist mining customers to find critical points in their mining process and turn findings into actions. This comprehensive analytics solution is developed in cooperation by both miners and contractors in their hard rock underground mining operations.
The underlying technology platform is a result of the close technology partnership between Sandvik and IBM.
“ Analysing the data from mine operations and embedding the created descriptive and predictive insights into process optimisation solutions transform managing a mine into a fact-based, data-driven operation,” explains Pulli.“ This unlocks the full potential of production and reveals the bottlenecks currently hiding in the data. Taking the discovered potential and applying it into action, together with our mining application experts, ensures that the opportunities are realised to improve and optimise mining processes and productivity. Over the development process, we have identified the value of this unique combination of engineering knowledge and Sandvik global fleet data to produce predictive models that are at least 40 % more precise than models built without these assets.”
In summary, OptiMine Analytics helps: n ✔Improve safety and efficiency through visibility of underground mine operations n ✔Translate insights into actions jointly with
Sandvik mining optimisation experts n ✔Gain incremental improvement in Overall Equipment Efficiency and get additional productive hours and subsequently more tonnes o Predicting breakdowns and monitoring
Miika Kaski, who works in research and technology development at Sandvik:“ We are seeing a digitalisation wave sweeping across a traditional machine-building industry. Suddenly, computer-game developers become highly relevant to us. They can, for example, create user-friendly interfaces for certain functionalities. This is a competence we need going forward.”
maintenance compliance & performance enables higher fleet lifecycle efficiency o In-shift utilisation increase through insight into recurring bottlenecks o Operator competence development can enhance production quality. n ✔Utilise predictive maintenance practices to reduce the value of lost production n ✔Digitalise the mine’ s way of working, supported by Sandvik change management experts. The solution has been developed and proven in use with the cooperation of global mining customers.
Commercial agreements for OptiMine Analytics are already in place with Petra Diamonds’ Finsch mine in South Africa and Barminco in Australia.
“ We embarked on this project with Sandvik as a trusted partner,” says Alex Holder, Group Technical Service Manager at Petra Diamonds.“ They understand the mine’ s challenges and were willing to put skin in the game to develop the solution. The major impact at Finsch has been to allow us to track performance of both machines and operators, track the completion of various tasks, minimise potential delays and then reassign resources during the shift. We now have the ability to change to Plan B on the fly. Predictive maintenance and other predictive algorithms will in the future reduce the need for implementing a Plan B.”
“ Leveraging data is becoming increasingly valuable across the mining sector,” notes Paul Muller, CEO Barminco.“ Through analytics,
machine learning and AI, we are seeing new possibilities for increased operational efficiency. Barminco is working to maximise these efficiencies and utilise actionable insights that the data analytics will produce across our international operations. Our partnership with OptiMine Analytics allows us to fast-track our efforts, leveraging Sandvik’ s whole-of-fleet data and innate machine knowledge.”
The future
Robotics and autonomy are rapidly being adopted in the industry. Sandvik notes that“ digitalisation, machine learning and artificial intelligence are fast-forwarding advancements and opportunities.” The experts from Sandvik Mining and Rock Technology have some interesting comments.
Jani Vilenius, Director, Technology Development, says“ robotics will continue to accelerate innovation, thus disrupting and changing the paradigm of business operations in many industries. Collaborative robots( cobots) can be the next big thing. Many industrial robots operate regardless of their surroundings. Human passers by are well advised to keep a safe distance. Cobots on the other hand, must be‘ inherently safe.’ They have sensors to slow them down or immediately stop them if they realise that humans are too close.”
Tuomo Kivelä, Principal New Technologies Researcher, says the great attention received by robotics and automation“ enables researchers and experts to further develop these topics. I am convinced that in the near future we will see assisting systems turn into more autonomous systems.”
Jussi Puura, Automation, Technology Specialist, concludes that mining robotics face the same trends that are currently visible in factory robotics and in the automotive industry. There are two main trends. First is the safe operation of a robot near or together with a human. In factories, industrial robots are coming out of the cages, working safely alongside people. In the automotive industry, autonomous cars will be driving on the same roads as humanoperated cars and pedestrians.
“ The other trend is autonomy. The machines plan how to execute a specific task and then execute it, simultaneously re-planning and changing the plan if problems arise. Both trends will become a reality with mining robots as well as with heavy mining machinery working in changing environments in the middle of people and manually operated equipment.” IM
12 International Mining | MAY 2018