IM 2020 May 20 | Page 22

FLEET MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS Paul Moore spoke to Benjamin Gow, CR Digital Sales & Product Strategy Manager, about its highly successful Titan 3330™ Load Haul Optimization system. CR Digital is the division of CQMS Razer that specialises in the development of mining digital technology Q What can a user expect when operating a Titan 3330™ Load Haul Optimization system for the first time? A The Titan 3330™ Load Haul Optimization system is mining tested, proven and ready to be installed at the mine site. The system provides real-time payload monitoring that increases average payloads while reducing overloads to deliver improved production across entire haul fleets. For example, one customer experienced a 15.5% increase in instantaneous productivity after installing and utilising the Titan 3330™ by reducing their major overloads by 1.2% and underloads by 23%. We aim to tailor our product to the mine site requirements and optimise a customer’s operation to peak performance. The Titan 3330™ can also be fitted to any hydraulic excavator or shovel as it lies independently of all OEMs. Q How does the Titan 3330™ Load Haul Optimization system add value to information already being submitted by the shovel as part of the mine-wide fleet management system? A The main issue the Titan 3330™ combats is the underloading and overloading of trucks by using real-time data that is not available with traditional weighing systems when the truck is stationary at the loading unit. By calculating the payload in real-time on the excavator with the Titan 3330™, the operator is provided both real- time data alongside the truck target information. With this information, the operator can load the truck accurately every time with minimal overloads. Users of the Titan 3330™ see payload spreads of less than 5% from the target for entire shifts. Together with real-time data, the system also collects information about the hydraulic circuits on the excavator that are not captured by the OEM. Q Can you give some insight on how the concept was developed initially? A The solution was originally developed from technology designed to monitor structural fatigue on dragline buckets. The technology was then adapted to hydraulic machines and later the payload algorithm was applied which has accelerated the solution to be the leading excavator payload system in the market today with CR Digital technology fitted to more than 200 machines around the world. Q Has it yet been used on any shovels loading autonomous truck fleets and will it still add value in these applications? A Yes, the system is supporting several 20 International Mining | MAY 2020 autonomous truck fleets in Australia. Accurate loading is even more important in an autonomous truck fleet as the truck algorithms are not flexible, and an overloaded truck can disrupt an entire load haul circuit creating significant production losses. We’ve witnessed an inclination for operators to underload those fleets, but with Titan 3330 installed, operator confidence is increased, and tighter load spreads enable higher payload targets to be achieved – without overloading the AHS trucks. Q You recently brought out a new version of the Titan 3330™ Load Haul Optimization system, can you describe what new functionalities it has? A The new generation Titan 3330™ Load Haul Optimization system combines six years of learnings, built with the latest generation edge computing, security and performance to provide a more robust solution for our customers. Our engineering team achieved a 58% reduced hardware footprint for improved installation flexibility, a tough construction (IEC and ISO certified) and the new platform offers total protection against dust and high-pressure water, extreme operating temperatures, shock and machine vibration. Q Does it have a screen in the operator cab as well as in the mine dispatch centre? A The operator can view the information via a rugged 10 in screen fitted in the cab, while the mine dispatch centre can utilise the reporting and Short Interval Control dashboards via the web interface. The Titan system does not require any site-based servers or infrastructure allowing rapid deployment of the systems to mine sites globally. Q Is it currently mainly used in Australia or now going global; is there a recent case study that highlights its effect on productivity that you can describe? A The Titan 3330™ Load Haul Optimization system has grown from its Australian origins to be fitted in machines around the world including Chile, Colombia and Peru, with a new fleet being deployed at a copper mine in Arizona during May 2020. We have personnel employed in Australia, USA and South America as well as an established dealer network in Canada and LATAM. Q Can you give a case example that highlights the system's upside for a mining operation? A An Australian mining operation saw a 26% increase in instantaneous productivity and a 19 t increase in the median truck payload (8% increase on base period) when using the Titan 3330™ Load Haul Optimization system. The challenge was placed to CR Digital to ensure that this new asset was promptly producing as much value as possible. The customer could not rely on the under-shovel weights provided by truck payload systems to guarantee optimised truck loading efficiency. Due to the design of truck payload systems, the feedback can be unreliable. CR Digital’s experienced field technicians worked with the miner to install the Titan 3330™ Load Haul Optimization system on a Hitachi EX5600- 6 backhoe. The production optimisation system is specifically designed to maximise the productivity of surface dig units by providing accurate, real-time, pass-by-pass feedback to operators on truck payload, production rates, truck fill times, and a suite of other production metrics. Sensors fitted on the excavator identify and track trucks filled, aiding in overall site productivity. Q Are you mainly being asked to fit the system to older shovels or is it also being deployed on new machines? What software and hardware comes with a Titan 3330™ package? A The short answer is both, the system can be retrofitted to any hydraulic excavator or shovel. For most of our customers Titan 3330™ Load continued on page 22 CR Digital's Titan 3330™ system can be fitted to any hydraulic excavator or shovel and is completely OEM agnostic