TRAINING & SIMS
Ready for anything
Paul Moore gives the most detailed review yet of training for shovel operators working with AHS trucks , plus how COVID-19 has changed approaches to training in the wider mining industry
New autonomous mining truck trials seem to
pop up on an almost monthly basis , and not just new “ autonomous ” machines . Fleet retrofits of older models are cropping up , as are mixed AHS fleets ( both in terms of truck brands and types but also mixed AHS and conventional truck fleets ) and solutions from other players beyond just Caterpillar and Komatsu , including ASI / Epiroc , Hitachi and leading Chinese retrofit players like TAGE IDriver working with their Chinese mining truck OEM partners like XCMG and NHL . Plus the focus is no longer just on the Pilbara – from Imperial Oil and Suncor in the oil sands to Teck Resources coal and copper mines , copper in Chile and Peru , Australian and US gold operations , plus major investments in China – AHS is really beginning to take off as the benefits are proven again and again .
But little is ever said about how people are trained to work with these machines , and at the centre of it all is the loading machine operator who is loading the robotic trucks . IM spoke at length to Ravitha Sukumaran , Immersive Technologies ’ Product Manager who specialises in training solutions for these operators . And in this autonomous mining training arena , Immersive is at the top of the pile in terms of experience & training systems .
“ At first glance many assume there is an obvious reduction in training effort at autonomous versus . manned sites , while it is true the volume of operator trainees is lower , the criticality of some roles has heightened the importance of advanced skills training . Mainly an increased importance is placed on the loading unit operator as well as other ancillary manned machines . In an autonomous environment these roles have more responsibility and mistakes or poor performance have potential for larger impact on the effectiveness of the operation . Due to these risks , we are seeing a more considered approach to workforce development where learning
pathways from candidate screening right through to skills optimisation are being deployed in autonomous operations globally . In a conventional set-up the digger operator ’ s standard responsibility is to dig and load as efficiently and safely as possible . But in an autonomous operation they not only have to operate the equipment effectively but also have to manage the entire loading area – by configuring spotting patterns , calling in trucks , kicking them out and managing the payload to ensure the autonomous trucks are not overloaded . With fewer eyes in the pit they are more responsible for tasks that truck operators may have traditionally completed such as reporting spillage , sinking ground and handling unexpected or ambiguous situations which require elevated skill levels . They also maintain survey lines – the digital boundary delineating the safe working bench area which changes as digging progresses .”
So how can you possibly train an operator for such large task variety ? “ Accuracy of the simulated environment is very important , including ideal autonomous truck movements , this is something we have refined over time with customer and OEM feedback . By emulating specific functionalities of the autonomous panel within the simulation environment of each specific machine , we ’ ve made the simulator training environment to be relevant for autonomous training with clear training objectives . We included additional training functionality including assistants in using the system to help increase learning retention and increase understanding of the impact of specific operator behaviors , including response to emergency events which are not easily replicated in the field . This approach ensures that skills development from basic competency through to advanced skill optimisation can be achieved by the site .”
The requirements for higher proficiency and
A trainee shovel operator spotting a virtual AHS truck with an autonomous panel on an Immersive Technologies simulator
responsibility means the training takes longer than in manned operation . Simulation has also proven to be an effective tool for screening aptitude and skills to increase the percentage of successful hires .
Training issues impacted mine goals early on in mining ’ s autonomous journey in the Pilbara but it is now pretty advanced compared to the rest of the world due to the collective experience of the region . Every other mine without exception located elsewhere that deployed autonomous trucks or are planning to , sent teams to the Pilbara to try and learn from experienced personnel what the potential pitfalls are and how to address them . And all of these companies have also approached Immersive to understand the workforce development challenges and how they can efficiently prepare for the transition to autonomous mining . In many recent cases mines have actually deployed Immersive autonomous simulators well before the autonomous fleet has arrived or started operating , as they want to have it in place well in advance to start training and increase readiness ..
There is no difference in operator training for autonomous haulage systems when it relates to “ new ” autonomous trucks versus . retrofitted machines as the trucks are simulated versions of the real equipment with additional autonomous components fitted to the external body of the machines such as mode lights , GPS antennas etc ; and the Pilbara has both . Where there is a difference is between different mine types – the oil sands in particular could not be more different as a mining environment than the Pilbara , this has mainly been addressed by the OEMs rather than it being a training issue . As an example , it was quickly realised
62 International Mining | NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2020