COLLISION AVOIDANCE
“ Mining3 is of the opinion that any and all such scenarios and Level 9 controls should be fully testing in a dynamic simulation environment . There are no such simulations designed for a mining environment and mining equipment today – R & D needs to done and partnerships established with the software simulation industry to leverage their current capability and frameworks and modify them with mining experts who have the mining knowledge , expertise and intimate knowledge to jointly develop a fit-forpurpose solution .” ”
University of Pretoria ' s VDG pioneers new underground test
An engineering team at the University of Pretoria ( UP )' s Vehicle Dynamics Group has pioneered an underground procedure which tests the performance of collision-avoidance systems ( CAS ) in an effort to improve the safety of workers on mines by reducing unwanted interaction between vehicles and pedestrians . CAS assessments were previously limited to above-ground testing , and UP says its involvement in this has been a game-changer in the CAS space , having contributed significantly to the increasing maturity of commercial offerings . " With the VDG ’ s recent development of an underground testing system , it is anticipated that the technology readiness of current underground CAS offerings will be even more improved ." The performance of CAS is tested by way of a stage-gate approach . The first stage gate is a lab-scale test , which is conducted on light vehicles in a controlled environment . The CAS is installed on the light vehicles exactly as would be done in a mining environment . “ These vehicles are equipped with brake robots that control the stopping distance and can be controlled to represent minimum brake specifications , while high-precision GPS accurately measures the speeds and positions of the vehicles ,” explains researcher Dr Herman Hamersma . “ An advanced data capturing and control system is used to control the brake robot , and to record the GPS data and the decisions communicated to the test vehicle by the CAS .” If the CAS passes the lab-scale test , it can proceed to the next stage-gate , where the system is subjected to a single interaction test , which is conducted in an environment that is more representative of a mine . To date , testing has been limited to surface tests due to the reliance on highprecision GPS as the ground truth measurement . However , the VDG team ’ s recent development of an underground system makes use of lidar ( which uses laser light to calculate distances ), cameras and automotive radar to measure the distance between objects and their speeds . The system has been tested at a training facility at one of South Africa ’ s underground mines , and the first live underground single interaction test is in the pipeline . The system will be used to validate the lab-scale results of underground CAS solutions in their intended underground environment where line of sight , dust and uneven , slippery road surfaces are serious concerns .
Schauenburg builds on Level 9 roadmap
With a substantial amount of underground and surface Proximity Detection Systems ( PDS ) installations deployed , Schauenburg Systems told IM it is proud of the current status of its Level 9 solution roadmap . “ With more than 4,000 systems currently deployed , Schauenburg ’ s Collision Management System ( CMS ) solutions are designed , manufactured and supported locally . This enables Schauenburg to provide exceptional service , accompanied with rapid support to clients , opposed to foreign-manufactured systems .”
Schauenburg Systems adds that its CMS products adhere to the stringent guidelines as stipulated by the Minerals Council of South Africa to achieve Level 9 compliance . “ Our product portfolio ranges from multitechnology tag-based solutions to Artificial Intelligent ( AI ) camera systems which assist with mitigating the risks associated with Trackless Mining Machines ( TMMs ), pedestrians and hazardous objects within an operational environment .”
Schauenburg Systems has been developing and producing PDS systems for the mining environment since 2005 and the latest effort in terms of design , manufacture and supply is focused on Level 9 PDS systems to assist the mines with compliance in terms of sub regulations 8.10.1.2 ( b ) and 8.10.2.1 ( b ) of the Mine Health and Safety Act .
The company gave some useful detail on the significance of these sub regs . Trackless Mobile Machinery Regulations ( TMM Regulations ) were promulgated under notice N . R . 125 in the Government Gazette of the 27 February 2015 . The TMM Regulations form part of Chapter 8 of the regulations made under the Mine Health and Safety Act No . 29 of 1996 ( MHSA ). The regulations came into operation three months after the date of publication in the Government Gazette , except for sub-regulations 8.10.1.2 ( b ) and 8.10.2.1 ( b ) dealing with collision avoidance of diesel-powered TMMs .
“ At the time of promulgation there was no available technology to enable diesel powered trackless mobile machines to comply with the requirements of sub-regulations 8.10.1.2 ( b ) and 8.10.2.1 ( b ). Therefore , the unavailability of technology means that compliance with the above-mentioned
Underground collision avoidance test by the University of Pretoria ' s Vehicle Dynamics Group with LHD approaching a pedestrian dummy with underground measurement system
sub-regulations was not feasible . The challenge remains that deployment across all mining sectors to implement Level 9 by end-2020 will also not be feasible due to challenging interface constraints between the PDS suppliers and vehicle OEM suppliers as well as Level 9 readiness of TMM machinery . This circumstance of when the dates will be finalised is causing stakeholders uncertainty on how to effectively plan the way forward with technology , budgets and roadmaps to continue .”
Legislation has driven the need for enhanced safety in underground and surface mining and initiated the advent of advanced products and information systems that have pioneered the era of underground and surface intelligent mine safety systems . Schauenburg quoted the following milestones related to Level 9 PDS solutions it has achieved : n Proximity Detection Solutions for mining industry since 2005 ( lab scale Level 7 ). n Started with a typical Level 7 PDS solution referred to as SCAS I ( 2006 - 2010 ). n System evolved based on client requirements to a Level 7 and Level 8 referred to as SCAS II ( 2011 ). n Added additional technology / hardware to be suitable for Level 9 solutions - trials started ( 2013 – 2017 ). n Implemented ISO21815 Protocol ( initiated by EMESRT ) and started interface testing with vehicle OEMs ( 2018 ). n Successfully completed lab scale and single machine tests with University of Pretoria , including vehicle OEM and 3d party supplier interfaces ( 2019 ). n Interface solutions for both old and new generation TMMs , which include third party interface suppliers . n Registered trial sites for both Surface and Underground . Schauenburg Systems has already Invested upwards of ZAR30million in development of its Level 9 PDS solution which involves an engineering
58 International Mining | JANUARY 2021