FLEET MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
Modular Mining ' s APIs are developed within an extensible framework , which enables the potential for integration with a wide array of complementary third-party systems
All knowledge is fleeting
Paul Moore spoke to a number of the global mining fleet management system leaders from the majors to up and coming players on everything from functionality to interoperability & autonomy
As the mining industry evolves and becomes increasingly digital , and as mines increasingly invest in semiautonomous and autonomous technologies , a major question currently is at what point do fleet management systems , AI , analytics and automation all start to merge into one overarching solution ? Are we approaching that in any operations ?
Sean Perry , VP of Hexagon Mining ’ s MineOperate told IM : “ We are already approaching a single hardware solution with Hexagon ’ s MineProtect safety portfolio merging with the HxGN MineOperate fleet management system ( FMS ). Although automation controls the vehicle , it relies on the FMS for prioritising the assignments to loading units and dumps , so these two products have begun to merge . Analytics are being used in post-decision making for business improvement , but not in real-time decision making . Andrew Crose , Hexagon Mining VP Autonomous adds : “ There is both a solution convergence and simultaneous interoperability , which is interesting to watch . Changes in technology , for example micro-services , facilitate this dual approach . Systems can be both interoperable between components : for example , fleet management , safety layers , traffic control systems , drive by wire , etc while also converging into a single solution . This future is coming quite fast .”
Another key issue in the FMS industry is that interoperability has been a challenge with automation as leading AHS systems are still currently tied to associated FMS systems from the same suppliers . Perry stated : “ Tier 1 customers are often aligned with certain OEMs , which tie them to their respective technology . In the last 12 months , Hexagon has started to field interest from these Tier 1 companies who are discovering that automation is not successful without incorporating the whole fleet . This is where being aligned with a single technology becomes difficult .”
Hexagon Mining has the base platforms to build an autonomous future particularly as the current tight market broadens out
Crose adds : “ This is one of the real challenges with the legacy architectures . While these companies have built separate fleet management systems from autonomous traffic management systems , these systems are still not interoperable with third parties . This is even more complicated with their parent company vehicles being unable to support an interoperable drive-by-wire standard today . As these different technologies become more interoperable , the innovation and flexibility that customers want will come faster , especially the interoperable drive-by-wire component .”
While Hexagon is not currently a player in the AHS field – largely due to it not having the link to mining truck supply , it says it has the base platforms to build an autonomous future particularly as the current tight market broadens out . “ Fleet management , autonomous traffic
Screen from OP Pro , Hexagon ' s flagship solution for fleet management
management , V2X safety layers , machine telematics , independent drive-by-wire are all available from Hexagon today and are the essential building blocks of an autonomous system . Bringing the next generation together in parallel with innovative customers is the strategic investment in the near term to deliver more autonomy to the market ,” said Crose .
He adds : “ In many regards , we can be and are linked to many OEMs . Our OEM-agnostic HxGN MineProtect Vehicle Intervention System for example works with OEM brake-by-wire systems and is being deployed throughout the world . Our core sensors , platforms , and software are used by OEMs to design and deploy autonomous vehicles as well . With more customers desiring an interoperable approach , our OEMindependent approach meets that demand with both OEM integrations but also when not feasible in an OEM-independent deployment .” Finally , from a functionality point of view where is Hexagon ' s FMS today versus where it was a decade ago ? Crose commented : “ Hexagon ’ s fleet management offering has
26 International Mining | MAY 2021