SURFACE LOADING
“ Going forward , we will continue to promote the development of long-distance remote control and autonomous driving , ultra-large hydraulic excavators using ICT and IoT for mining industry customers around the world to help provide the higher level of safety and mine management productivity improvements that our customers require ,” the company concluded .
XCMG ’ s first RC shovel goes to work in Jiangxi
In H2 2020 , China ’ s first larger tonnage unmanned hydraulic excavator for mining applications – XCMG ’ s 93 t class Intelligent Hydraulic Excavator XE950DA – was successfully delivered to Jiangxi Copper Group – specifically it is working at Chengmenshan copper mine near Jiujiang City in Jiangxi Province .
The XCMG XE950DA utilises a 5G + MEC commercial networking solution & remote online construction operations technology to achieve remote operation in a 4G / 5G environment , greatly reducing production cost .
At the same time , the shovel also has safety early warning functions such as personnel identification and alarms , excavator position monitoring , and XCMG says it fully guarantees the safety of surrounding personnel and equipment during the production process .
The project was done in collaboration with Beijing-based startup BuilderX which applied robotic automation technology to achieve precise moves as well as combined multiple sensors and strengthened the background algorithm to increase the accuracy and efficiency of the mechanism . This includes 360 ° proximity detection with zero blind spots . Founded in August 2018 , BuilderX ’ s main business is in providing remote-controlled construction machinery that can be used in mines , wind power plants , road construction and commercial construction , with the aim of improving safety and efficiency as well as reducing labour costs .
XCMG says a one-button automatic loading function enables the product to have a single bucket digging and loading cycle within 20 seconds , ensuring production efficiency for remotely operated mining . The company also says the mining excavator is already being fully utilised in active mining areas .
XCMG adds : “ Large-scale , intelligent , and safe is an inevitable trend for the development of large-scale open-pit mining equipment . XCMG took insights into the production ‘ pain points ’ of high mine operating costs along with low safety factors in open-pit mines , and so is firmly implementing the national mine construction strategy of mechanised substitution , automation , and intelligent unmanned operations in order to achieve safe mine management and reduce mining costs .”
TYHI making RC advances in rope shovels
The activity currently ongoing in converting mine loading tools to teleremote operation is not restricted to hydraulic excavators . Taiyuan Heavy Industry Co Ltd in Taiyuan , Shanxi Province ( TYHI ) is the domestic leader in the supply of electric mine rope shovels and also an important global player with machines in South Africa , Peru , Chile , Russia and elsewhere . It told IM it is working on its own solution . Not only that but its ultimate aim is to supply a completely autonomous option . The company makes the well known WK rope shovel range including the WK-20 , WK-27A , WK-35 , WK-45 , WK-55 and the largest in the world , the WK-75 with a 75 m 3 bucket .
The company told Paul Moore , IM in 2020 : “ We can confirm that we have developed remote operation for electric rope shovels . Moreover , the intelligent project we aim to develop will be completely unmanned . It will be carried out in
Remote control XCMG 95 t XE950DA teleremote excavator at Jiangxi Copper Chengmenshan mine
two stages : the first stage is to realise remote operation . At present , the application of teleremote operation on an electric shovel has been tested successfully in the factory . It will be put into practical use in a mine in Inner Mongolia in December 2020 . In the next stage , the positioning , perception and decision system will be tested on the prototype and the integrated unmanned operating system will be developed , after which the trial production of unmanned large-scale shovel prototype will be completed .” Since then , the first remote control shovel – a WK-20A electric model , has been commissioned in Yiminhe opencast coal mine .
Remote control PC3000 at Polyus Gold Olimpiada
A rare example of a remote control mining excavator already being in place working for
Remote control WK-20A TYHI rope shovel being operated in Yiminhe opencast coal mine , China
26 International Mining | MARCH 2021