CANADIAN TECHNOLOGY
Marketing, Maestro Digital Mine, said: “Instead
of purchasing an expensive PLC, rack, rugged
enclosure, adding power supplies, loop isolation
of accessing, integrating and transporting
machine and other mine operational data can
deliver a rapid change in solving the problems of
integration and interoperability, where single
Chidliak is located on Baffin
Island, Canada, which runs
100% on diesel power
and wiring, the EthernetI/O is a comprehensive
solution that can be rolled out and configured
using a simple web interface.
“No additional power supply, enclosure or
OEM offerings fail to deliver,” 3D-P said.
In order to overcome these challenges, 3D-P
said mining companies should compile a clearly
defined three- to five-year business roadmap
including current and planned mobile
applications. This will “ensure selection of the
wiring. No more programming. No more
expensive and complicated PLC solutions. No
more software licensing models and renewals.
Mine hardened and ready for deployment out of
the box.”
EthernetI/O is available in two versions,
according to the company; one for analogue and
discrete devices (model AD4) and a second
(model RTD12) with RTD inputs.
Applications for the EthernetI/O range include:
n Level entry monitoring of utilities such as
water, compressed air, diesel fuel and
paste/backfill;
n Level entry control of compressed air shut-off
valves for energy programmes;
n Level entry control of water pressure
regulation;
n Monitoring of fan/motor bearings and motor
the need for additional productivity
enhancements through digitalisation.
“This digitalisation is evidenced through the
deployment of a variety of applications on-board
heavy mobile equipment. Real-time access to the
data generated on-board this equipment
becomes critical, however most miners continue
to face a number of challenges slowing them
down, even sometimes blocking them, on their
path to the digital mine.”
The company highlighted four main challenges
to data access in its paper:
n Risk management associated with the
n Digitalisation has typically excluded smaller
mines;
n Leveraging OEM applications and analytics can
n Monitoring and control of level air regulators;
n Gate control and monitoring;
n Dewatering pump monitoring and control, be limiting, and;
n Digitalisation is not always an option when
running a mixed fleet.
Modbus TCP/IP or EtherNet/IP™ industrial
protocols making integration into both current
and legacy systems simple, according to the
company.
Maestro has deployed this solution at
operations owned by some of the largest global
mining companies, including Rio Tinto, BHP and
Vale.
“Maestro products are made exclusively for
the underground mine automation, IT and
ventilation sectors, delivering energy savings and
productivity improvements while meeting the
highest health and safety standards,” the
company said.
Calgary, Alberta-based 3D-P recently issued a
paper looking at the main challenges mining
companies face on their path to “the digital
mine”.
The company, whose wireless communications
solutions deliver access to critical data in
network capabilities.”
A Smart IoT solution relies on the appropriate
rugged computing and networking hardware, the
applications designed with a Smart IoT
philosophy; which enable some computing at the
edge; and the hardware, software and technical
resources to develop, customise, deploy and
maintain those solutions as a company’s needs
evolve, according to 3D-P.
digitalisation process can be high;
stator temperatures;
n Monitoring of ore pass and bin levels;
n Monitoring and control of automated doors;
and;
n Remote fuel station level monitoring; and
monitoring of shaft bottom level.
EthernetI/O supports communication over
most appropriate and cost-effective on-board
technology”, it said.
“Moving beyond a traditional digital mine,
deployment of a Smart IoT solution can help
mining operations further improve their return on
investment through optimisation of their wireless
Oil sands
Hatch recently completed the formation of a
Strategic Technical Alliance with Red Leaf that
solidifies more than a decade of collaboration
between the two companies.
3D-P said:
“Deployment of an open
data access solution
system can help
address the four
challenges discussed
UNDERGROUND MINING
EQUIPMENT WORLDWIDE
above and provide
miners with ownership
of all their heavy mobile
equipment data.”
This solution provides
miners with the
computing capabilities
to host their choice of
third-party applications
on a single piece of
hardware, according to
3D-P, enabling smaller
operations to deploy
more affordable
applications and larger
companies with a way
to access and own all
challenging environments around the world,
said: “Increased safety and industry
competitiveness have been key drivers for their own data.
“Partnering with a
third-party systems
integration and wireless
digitalisation in mining. Additionally, miners
continue to feel added scrutiny from investors as
they desire a maximised bottom line, resulting in communication
company that
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(+1) 450 581-8341
I
sales@duxmachinery.com
APRIL 2019 | International Mining 81