FLEET MANAGEMENT
OEM-provided truck load weights, the mine
experienced dramatic improvement in loading
accuracy and consistency. Productivity was
maximised by trucks being consistently loaded to
their full capacity while overload exceptions were
minimised, thus reducing the need for truck
operators to tip and reload to comply with stated
tolerances. The mine greatly reduced underloads
and overloads with greater than 10% variance
from the target weight.
Modular concludes: “Across the board, the
real-time mine management capabilities of the
DISPATCH system can help mines of all type and
size become more efficient and productive; and
realise a higher rate of return on their human,
equipment, and technology, investments.”
Wenco launches Mine Performance
Suite 6
Wenco International Mining Systems has recently
announced the release of Wenco Mine
Performance Suite 6. The culmination of several
years of research and development, the sixth
version of the Wenco Mine Performance Suite
pushes the boundaries of mine software. It
moves Wenco beyond traditional dispatch
systems, incorporating user interface
enhancements and across-the-suite integration
for improved insights, safety and performance.
System 6 builds on Wenco’s 30-year history in
mining systems with several step-changes to its
suite of solutions. This version includes a
complete reimagining of flagship Wencomine
Fleet Management System that enable customers
to gain even more performance from every shift.
Expanded data exchange and interoperability
across the Wenco suite – including machine
guidance, collision avoidance, maintenance, and
business intelligence offerings – empower
customers to leverage their data to extract even
more value from their mines.
Revolutionary changes in the user interface –
such as tight integration of the maps and
dispatch interfaces and a complete redesign for
the automated dispatch configuration – provide
dispatchers a more efficient and intuitive way to
monitor and interact with their mobile fleet. “We
have received great feedback from our beta site
users which indicated this was a major step
forward towards improving efficiency and
reducing pressure on dispatchers,” said Andrea
Blazenko, Product Manager, Wencomine Fleet.
Taking Wenco’s pioneering innovations in
dispatch automation a step further, the
Wencomine Dynamic Dispatch algorithm now
completely automates routine activities, such as
shift changes, breaks, and fuelling. These
advances further reduce the demand on dispatch
and optimise truck activity for efficiency.
Wenco has focused extensive effort on offering
mines more value and insight from data. System
6 helps dispatchers and managers gather more
insights in real-time – and over the life of the
mine – with improved dashboards, data
cleansing, and business intelligence support.
New Wenco dashboards deliver real-time
insights, displaying payload compliance
percentage, wait times, bucket-by-bucket
loading, hourly progress to production target,
and more. These dashboards make it easy to
identify and assist underperforming production
before the shift is complete.
Extensive upgrades to haul cycle analytics give
users and managers the confidence of knowing
precisely how dispatch automation is performing
independent of other factors, encouraging
greater insight, confidence, and user adoption.
Advanced data cleansing prepares data for
storage, ensuring simplicity and clarity when
building reports or connecting to business
intelligence applications to extract broader
insight.
Leveraging its interoperability enhancements,
the Wenco Mine Performance Suite 6 introduces
two highly anticipated solutions:
n Avoca BI — a powerful data warehousing and
mine intelligence application
n ReadyLine — a predictive maintenance
planning and condition monitoring solution
“Our customers are starting to look closer at
how to unlock hidden value in data collected
across their operations. There is also a
tremendous opportunity with predictive
maintenance solutions to significantly increase
component life and prevent catastrophic failures
for more predictable availability,” said David
Noble, Vice President, Research and
Development.
Caterpillar Fleet 5.0 has expanded
capability
Cat ® Fleet tracks data across the entire mine site
and automatically handles scheduling and
assignment tasks, including refuelling scheduling
and shift changes. A capability set within Cat
MineStar™, Fleet automatically provides reports
and alerts in near real-time to pit managers for
immediate response. Fleet works with all
machines (regardless of manufacturer) and
systems to measure, manage and maximise
equipment operation and material movement.
Use of cloud-based computing technology and
Wi-Fi connectivity offers an affordable and easy
entry point for new Fleet users. Caterpillar
introduced a major upgrade, Fleet 5.0, in late
2017. The new version offers a number of
expanded capabilities including Blending to
Destination and Store and Forward for data
handling during communications outages.
While Cat MineStar has always had a blending
element, the new Blending to Destination feature
expands blending capabilities to include wheel
loaders and load-haul-dump scenarios. The new
capabilities are designed to help blending
operations run as smoothly and efficiently as
possible.
The new Suite 6 from Wenco includes a complete reimagining of the flagship Wencomine Fleet
Management System that includes expanded data exchange and interoperability across the Wenco
suite – including machine guidance, collision avoidance, maintenance, and business intelligence
offerings
44 International Mining | MAY 2018
Blending to Destination involves controlling
the rates, grades and percentages of material to
the crusher, stockpile or dump. This is done while
simultaneously making the most effective use of
mobile equipment given operational constraints
(by assignment). Blending to Destination assists
in delivering material as specified to the
processing plant, maintaining acceptable grade
and material homogeneity in stockpiles, and
ensuring dump material conforms to design and
regulatory bounds.