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