MINING AUTOMATION
Q Is part of it a greater ability to handle mixed fleets and / or older machines ? A Absolutely ! We offer an interoperable platform that allows mixed fleets to be operated by a standardised technology platform . Also in terms of age of machine , clients do not need to buy the latest model of factory delivered loader to be able to have the benefits that our automation technology can offer . They can generally use their existing fleet . RCT carries out an audit to ensure the machine is able to have the guidance system fitted and works with the client to achieve the best outcome cost effectively for them .
Q Automation underground to date seems to have been very dominated by loaders ? Is this fair and is the market broadening to trucks and other machines ? A Yes , clients have initially applied automation to loaders , as the loadhaul-dump cycle is a repeatable process that shows considerable productivity and efficiency gains from automation with a modest investment . What we are seeing now however , is clients turning their attention to underground drills , as there optimisation opportunity during the drilling cycle . The next logical step is automating the trucking application . There are challenges with this as normally there has only been single decline access where you have numerous other manned vehicles or services running as well . Clients are investigating how they can introduce an autonomous haulage circuit into their mine . An example is during blasting and re-entry when there are no personnel underground . Why not have the trucks run autonomously up and down the decline during that time and get those extra tonnes per shift ? Then the trucks revert to conventional operation . More comprehensive options could
include dedicated haulage circuits including consideration of a second decline . We saw this with loaders , once clients could see the technology works and the ROI was compelling , mine designs were changed to accommodate more effective use of the technology .
Q Looking to the future – what about battery machines – is RCT readying its solutions to work with BEVs ? Also are you actively looking to grow your surface autonomy presence ? A We have faced many market challenges during our 49-year company history , and at heart , we are a technology and engineering company so we are confident we will be able to integrate our systems to those types of machines . Customers like to have an OEM agnostic automation option and we will look to collaborate with mines that work with us already on diesel machines if they opt to transition to battery-electric . RCT can bring unique benefits , for example , our Multi Fleet Select option enables machine operators can switch between different types of equipment , such as switching from a loader to a remote drill or remote rock breaker while the loader is auto-tramming on a single platform . On the surface , we have a long history of providing remote control solutions for dozers and other machines based on safety initiatives . More recently , we have been supporting EMERST Level 9 collision intervention projects with our machine control systems . We are also looking at other applications where surface automation is a good fit for our business including trucks , dozing and loading . We have had valuable experience already at some projects , notably with Polyus at the Olimpiada gold mine where we automated a fleet including five trucks , a shovel , dozer and drill rig . We are continuing to invest heavily in our surface automation and control capabilities and you can expect to see RCT providing a more complete and compelling autonomous offer in the future .
Ability™ System 800xA Mineral Process Control Library comes with a new generation of graphic interface that features a unique alarm system for rapid fault tracing . It is the first HMI to display process information intuitively within its situational context for better collaboration and decision-making , operational efficiency , productivity and safety .”
ABB says it has found through discussions and reviews with process industries customers that the new HMI , which is designed for simplicity of use with a clear , graphic interface , removes distraction for the operator , ensuring that key information – such as abnormal condition alerts – is immediately visible . Rather than showing every individual piece of equipment , the HMI focuses on whole processes – ie a complete milling circuit – while improved navigation ensures a high consistency of information .
“ The digital revolution is continuing in mining
and other process industries . Growing levels of automation and intercommunication mean it is possible for large plant areas to be managed by fewer people . This adds complexity to daily plant operation and places increasing demands on today ’ s control room personnel . Visualisation is critical to the process , providing the main interface between humans and the production site . Real time information is much more accessible to operators through the new HMI . Visual control graphics make it easier for all users of the system to take the right decisions in any situation and allow operators , maintenance , and engineers to collaborate in new ways .”
He concludes : “ The ability of humans to be able to respond , with good decisions at the right time , is crucial for the optimisation of plant efficiency and reliability . Plants have never been so interconnected , resulting in new opportunities for the automation of process controls and , ultimately , more efficient , safer operations .”
The critical role of interoperability in mining automation
Looking at robotic automation solutions in mining , Australia ’ s Universal Field Robots ( UFR ) has several new products released and says it is “ up to its armpits in interoperability .” Managing Director , Jeff Sterling told IM : “ UFR is running robotic machines on surface and underground , within different mining jurisdictions and differing corporate cultures , which presents varied and unique challenges . Machine agnostic UFR Autonomy is our core product and is already integrated into numerous brands , including Caterpillar , Bobcat and Kubota . Customer applications are created by configuring a machine and attachment combination to complete specific tasks and these include loaders , mobile radio coverage and specialised handling tasks .”
He says interoperability is required and needs to exist at multiple levels . “ At first level , our UFR Autonomy has integration with the machine to
SEPTEMBER 2021 | International Mining 75