MINE MAINTENANCE discover the precise failure signatures that precede asset degradation and breakdowns , predict future failures , and prescribe detailed actions to mitigate problems .
Mike Brooks , APM Consultant at Aspen Technology , says the company has recently been enjoying success in the mining sector with global interest from Tier 1 and junior mining companies .
“ There ’ s good reason for that ,” he told IM . “ We built Mtell as a disruptive breakthrough product to make sure far , far more people can get most of the work done without the intense skills and time needed for earlier products .
“ As in the case of other breakthroughs , it did not set out to do everything but do what it does so well for easy and rapid execution ( and time-to-value ). Such advantages in agility and speed are seen in large and small companies alike .”
One of the advantages of the product is that the end users do not directly interact with algorithms , according to Brooks , who said “ they are hidden under the covers ”.
“ As a result , they see very accurate pattern recognition to recognise normal , abnormal , and precise failure conditions ,” he said . It is this contextualised data that convinces operators to act on the AI-backed recommendations .
Brooks says Mtell has been deployed across a range of mining equipment including crushers , motors , conveyors and fleets of haul trucks .
“ To highlight the value Mtell can provide , when one mine moved from calendar-based to prescriptive maintenance with Aspen Mtell , they were able to achieve a cost avoidance of $ 2.1 million ,” he said . Could such a solution be employed at fully automated mineral processing plants of the future ?
Brooks had an answer : “ AspenTech has embarked on a far-reaching goal to embed AI technologies across our portfolio of applications to increase the level of insight , guidance and automation in operations , and enable our vision of self-optimising plants and assets .
When one mine moved from calendarbased to prescriptive maintenance with Aspen Mtell , they were able to achieve a cost avoidance of $ 2.1 million , according to Aspen Technology ’ s Mike Brooks
“ A key component of this strategy is combining AI and first principles to create hybrid Autonomous
Agents , which we call ‘ Industrial AI ’. Applications from scheduling , operations control , to maintenance should inter-operate and collaborate to ensure they all ‘ pull together ’ to produce the best possible performance outcomes for industrial enterprises .
“ These capabilities will enable more autonomous processes in the mining industry , enable better decision support for operators , and allow activities to be automated with or without human approval , depending on the type of activity and risk factors .”
Mechanically minded
Specialist global maintenance provider Mader Group has made an impact in the mining sector by bringing mechanically-minded specialists to mine sites to help customers maximise productivity and achieve targets through optimal fleet and plant performance .
It has gained experience throughout the major mining regions of Australia , Asia , Africa and the Americas with an ability to offer a diversified range of services ( predominantly in mobile plant maintenance ).
“ Our customers are able to use us as a one-stopshop for their heavy equipment maintenance and have access to local support from our offices in Australia , America , Africa and Asia ,” the company told IM .
“ What truly differentiates us from others in the market is our business model . Our ability to provide quality maintenance in a highly flexible manner resonates well with our customers as they are able to use our services to top up their labour to meet fluctuating maintenance and production requirements and alleviate general workflow challenges .”
The company has seen industry requirements change over the last five years , with an increase in
forecast maintenance expenditure one such evolution .
“ In part , this is due to ongoing production growth
in key commodities ,” the company said . “ Secondly , it can be seen as a result of ageing mining equipment purchased during a period of peak capital investment in 2011 and 2012 . A large volume of equipment is starting to age and there is an industry trend for equipment to be used longer before replacement . The flow-on effect is a greater requirement for preventative maintenance with unplanned breakdowns also imminent as equipment gets older .” Like Dingo ’ s Tollman , the company is recognising the rise in large-scale driverless mining equipment on site and sees an opening for its services in such an environment .
“ This move to automation can result in increased maintenance requirements as the mechanical components in a machine remain similar , however , the infrastructure also requires an autonomous haulage system ( AHS ): a complex fleet management system that allows machines to detect obstacles wirelessly ,” it said .
“ Additionally , all other machinery ( light vehicles , dozers , loaders , and graders ) that operate in that same vicinity require additional maintenance to integrate with the AHS . Boundary data is acquired using an equipped manual vehicle , which needs to be installed into smaller vehicles operating in the area . This is essentially a high precision GPS and communications system .”
Looking out for GET
CR is now leveraging robust sensors and digital solutions to enhance its offering of technologyenabled ground engaging tools ( GET ) through the acquisition of GET Trakka and all associated intellectual property .
GET Trakka is an industry innovator with the only field-proven system that provides reliable sensorbased GET loss detection for mining equipment , along with data analysis and reporting systems for enhancing maintenance and productivity performance , according to CR .
CR ’ s customers have been calling out for a proven tooth loss and productivity monitoring capability like this for some time , Doug Wallis , CR ’ s Head of Engineering and Innovation , recently told IM .
“ GET failure causes significant operational losses and potential safety risks for our customers and the industry has been looking for a reliable way of detecting GET failures and locating failed parts for years ,” he said .
The acquisition enables CR to integrate the technology into its own GET products where GET Trakka was not previously able to independently do this , Wallis said .
“ Through integration , we are able to simplify the product for our customers and unlock significantly more value ,” he explained . “ We see this as a massive change in what we are able to offer our customers and expect this will expand our product range and market share .”
There are other GET tracking solutions already available on the market , yet Wallis says GET Trakka is the only one with proven , rugged embedded wireless GET sensor technology .
JANUARY 2021 | International Mining 51