SURFACE LOADING
their unique payload procedures , policies and needs , some mines will rely on the payload systems onboard their shovels or trucks that provide valuable data about the activity on their host machines . Other mines will opt for thirdparty , off-board technologies , which can provide payload metrics from all system-equipped loading units within the fleet .
As the acceptance of third-party payload management systems for loading equipment grows , the value that such systems can deliver gains recognition and adoption becomes more mainstream . Recently , one of the world ’ s largest thermal coal sites was under- or overloading its trucks . Left unchecked , these actions could potentially lead to additional load and haul cycles to meet production targets and costly damage to truck frames , suspension , and tires . Seeking to improve its overall payload compliance , the mine installed the Argus Payload Monitoring ( PLM ) System from MineWare ( now part of Komatsu ’ s Mining Technology Solutions team ) on four of its electric rope shovels : three Komatsu P & H 4100XPC AC and one Komatsu P & H 4100XPB . The mine also implemented a number of continuous improvement ( CI ) and training initiatives to support the Argus technology .
Working closely with the Argus team , the site carried out two studies to track and quantify the impact of the Argus system on payload performance . In a blind study , conducted August 25-September 25 , 2019 , the site collected and analysed data to determine the percentage of underloads , minor overloads , major overloads , and loads within the target range . In a second , post-blind study from January 1-31 , 2020 , the data points were re-examined and compared with the 2019 findings . The blind study tracked nearly 37,000 loads while the post-blind study tracked just over 41,000 , for a total of approximately 78,000 loads , overall . The analysis revealed that implementation of the Argus PLM led to a 74 % increase of loads within the target range vs only 39 % on average during the blind study . The mine also saw a 78 % reduction in major overloads and a 7 % increase in payload compliance . This quantified improvement represented an average increase in excess of 27 t on each 400 t truck loaded to capacity , while still significantly reducing overload occurrences . Based on these and other metrics , it was clear that by expanding its approach to payload management and incorporating the Argus technology as a shovelbased solution , the mine realised significant gains . The mine saw marked improvements in the quality and reliability of its payload data , payload accuracy and load-to-load consistency .
After the studies concluded , the site continued to use the Argus PLM as a key component in ongoing CI initiatives , which included efforts to tighten the target payload range by an additional 3 %. The mine was ranked number one of six among the company ’ s operations within the region ; an accolade that was heavily driven by the successful adoption and utilisation of the Argus system . Because of the significant value the solution provided , the company has standardised on the Argus PLM as its payload management solution and is using the technology to drive improvements across the majority of its sites .
Liebherr premieres Mining Technology Product portfolio
Liebherr presented the world premiere of its new Mining Technology Product portfolio at MINExpo 2021 , which defines the company ’ s interoperable and scalable approach to its equipment , technology , and service product offerings . The Liebherr Mining Technology Product portfolio includes Assistance Systems & On-board Analytics , Machine Automation , and Digital Services product lines , providing customers with flexible scope of supply solutions to increase safety and asset operational effectiveness . “ Together , these products will support operator ’ s performance , optimise diagnostic processes , and automate machine functions , whilst integrating machine data and OEM expertise within the customer ’ s chosen technology landscapes .” The Liebherr Assistance Systems are advanced products and applications designed to support operators to become more efficient through analytics . The solutions further assist site operations to achieve a high level in safety , maintenance , and overall equipment effectiveness .
By developing its Assistance Systems and On- Board Analytics , Liebherr Mining says it continues to add value to customers ’ new equipment and existing fleets through available retrofittable solutions . This equipment embedded technology also supports Liebherr Digital Services with the on-board generated and processed data providing further customer added value by combining with other Liebherr data and information .
The Assistance Systems product line for Liebherr excavators currently comprises of two product suites , the Operational Excellence and Operational Analytics - both will have additional solutions added to extend the suites ’ products and features in the near future .
The Operational Excellence Suite consists of on-board systems that support the operator to achieve optimal productivity and efficiency from the machine . Today , this suite comprises of the Truck Loading Assistant that helps the operator
Liebherr Assistance Systems are available for most of the Liebherr mining excavator product range including here on the R 9400
to achieve optimal truck payloads avoiding truck under- and overloading . The on-board system computes the best truck loading strategy for efficient loading . The assistant measures the instantaneous bucket payload by means of a payload monitoring system ( with 99 % measurement accuracy ) and provides real-time information to the operator of the truck loading progress .
The Operational Analytics Suite are on-board products that monitor and display specific KPIs in real-time supporting the understanding of operational performance , machine operation and site application . The Suite comprises of three products : n Performance Monitoring : Provides detailed analysis and statistics of operator and machine performance ( production KPIs , loading indicators , time distribution and energy efficiency ) collected during work periods . This assistant offers operators a method to visualise and improve on their performance by allowing analysis and comparison of their previous work periods . n Application Severity : Designed to enable detailed evaluation of the site application , this assistant quantifies and reports severity indicators by the machine sensing of the operating environment and calculates an overall severity score for the selected period . The algorithms provide insights into the impact and evolution of operating costs , productivity , and reliability throughout the machine ’ s lifecycle . n Operational Conformance : Monitors and detects non-conforming operational events to improve operator effectiveness . It provides results on how the machine was operated to identify training needs and to enable prediction of potential future maintenance cost profiles and machine availability . The Liebherr Assistance Systems are available for most of the Liebherr mining excavator product range ( R 9150 , R 9200 , R 9350 , R 9400 , R 996B , R
36 International Mining | MARCH 2022