MINING SOFTWARE
ESG efficiency
Komatsu is also facilitating the reduction of travel to and from locations deep within a mine site through remote and autonomous operation of equipment – all of which is underwritten by software .
“ When operators remotely work , their fuel consumption is decreased because they do not need to travel to and from locations deep within the mine site , and fuel per tonne is reduced due to minimisation of stoppage and diversions due to shift change ,” William Nassauer , Manager of Product Strategy , Autonomous Systems , told IM .
Its FrontRunner Autonomous Haulage Systems ( AHS ) can also help mining operations move more material with the same amount of fuel , plus operate machines within the manufacturer ’ s specifications , which can help improve machine longevity , the company said .
It does this by incorporating real-time situational analysis to affect system-driving patterns and behaviours that improve fuel efficiency .
“ For example , the system anticipates the road condition ahead , like a ramp incline or decline , and will adjust its speed accordingly ,” Nassauer explained .
At the same time , FrontRunner ’ s anti-rutting solution can see mine sites decrease fuel use and equipment wear .
“ Autonomous trucks are coded to run the same route with intentional variation , so they do
not cause deep ruts in mine roads ,” Nassauer said . “ This helps maintain quality road conditions and can help reduce the need for road maintenance , inherently decreasing auxiliary equipment wear and fuel usage .”
Other software within the Komatsu ecosystem can also positively impact ESG efforts , the company said .
DISPATCH , for example , uses an optimisation algorithm with inputs to efficiently distribute haulage units in the pit . “ This optimised routing leads to the most efficient fuel use for production routes , refuelling events , personnel breaks and maintenance ,” Nassauer said .
MineCare Health Monitoring System , meanwhile , identifies potential equipment issues while in operation and assists in proactive planning . “ This planning includes tasking proper maintenance at the right time , which can help
Komatsu ’ s Intellimine Synergy open-technology platform is designed to partner with other technologies to rapidly innovate valuable solutions for customers , including for their ESG efforts , according to William Nassauer
reduce downtime , assist in maximising equipment lifespan and reduce fuel consumption ,” Nassauer said .
In 2021 , Komatsu announced the development of the new Intellimine Synergy open-technology platform , designed to collect , integrate and process data in real time . This will also play a role in improving ESG performance , according to Nassauer , offering customers a single source of actionable insights that brings together data from all relevant Komatsu , Modular Mining and third-party machines , mining processes , systems and technology applications to facilitate critical decision making .