FLEET MANAGEMENT
The Store and Forward capability manages
data handling during communications outages,
whether it’s due to an area of the mine lacking
adequate network coverage or a wider network
communications outage. A communications
outage can prevent collecting data needed to
optimise fleet performance, but with Fleet,
machines can store the communications they
would normally send over the network and
forward them when a network connection is re-
established. The system enables gathering data
during a network outage, even one that lasts a
full shift, and using that information to review
and optimise operations.
“While the Store and Forward feature does not
replace a well-maintained radio network, it helps
ensure that minimum data requirements are met
to enable the creation of cycle data in MineStar.
Fleet 5.0 also includes a number of
improvements that make normal work routines
faster and easier. These capabilities all come
together to help mining operations reduce cost
per tonne, enhance productivity and boost
overall site profitability.”
Hexagon and creating scalable IoT
platforms
As FMS systems converge with autonomy and
other areas, the levels of data analysis keep
increasing. Carl Brackpool, Hexagon Mining
Product Manager, Operations told IM: “Mining is
still reeling to understand how a prior costly
spend to migrate data to expensive cloud
architectures, over the last five years, has yet to
provide actionable information that’s better than
real-world expertise at the mine manager level.
Digitizing our industry, away from spreadsheets
and decades-old, highly predictable, processes,
is complicated. Adding a buzzword like ‘IoT’ is
already colliding with skepticism. Hexagon
believes that true integration starts with scaling
what you already have, to prevent costly regrets
later. Our IoT message is simple: you don’t need
a complete overhaul to be savvy and competitive.
Customers already have an IoT platform and it’s
called ‘process automation,’ a complex system of
end-point sensors and machines producing data
across the legacy networks.”
Heavy equipment OEMs would historically
instrument more components of the working
mine flee