SURFACE LOADING welcome our colleagues from Motion Metrics to Weir as we combine forces to play a leading role in making mining smarter , more efficient and more sustainable . I am excited by the opportunities this acquisition brings to drive growth and accelerate our journey to include data and insight as a core offering to our customers .”
Motion Metrics becomes a part of Weir ’ s ESCO division and its Vancouver HQ will serve as a global centre of excellence for AI and Machine Vision technology in Weir , supporting the increased digitisation of the broader Weir product portfolio .
Motion Metrics applications are highly complementary to Weir ’ s product portfolio . It will join the ESCO division reflecting the early adoption of its technology in ground engaging tools ( GET ) where ESCO is an established global leader . Motion Metrics AI and Machine Vision capabilities are expected to be leveraged across the whole mining value chain served by the Weir Group .
Stanton had earlier said : “ The combination of Weir and Motion Metrics will be extremely powerful and reflects our ambition to play a leading role in mining ’ s technology transformation . Motion Metrics not only provides access to innovative and highly relevant technology that will accelerate growth in our ESCO division , but it also brings world-class expertise in AI , rugged 3D Machine Vision technology and data science that is applicable across the group . This acquisition is fully aligned with our strategy and our commitment to grow ahead of our markets , expand our margins and significantly reduce our customers ’ environmental footprint .”
Motion Metrics produces smart , rugged cameras that monitor and provide valuable and timely data on equipment performance , faults , payloads and rock fragmentation . This data is then analysed using embedded and cloud-based machine learning to provide real-time feedback to the mining operation . This enables immediate identification of potential issues that could impact safety and cause expensive unplanned downtime . This includes boulder and foreign body detection to dislodged ground engaging tools that can critically damage crushing equipment if undetected . It also provides information that can be used to optimise asset efficiency , supporting better decision making as miners seek to increase productivity while reducing energy consumption , particularly in areas such as comminution ( crushing , screening and grinding ), one of the most energy-intensive processes in mining .
The flagship technology , ShovelMetrics , uses artificial intelligence and computer vision to provide missing tooth detection , tooth wear monitoring , payload monitoring , particle size analysis , and blind spot reduction . To detect missing teeth , the ShovelMetrics camera needs a clear view of the shovel or excavator bucket . This can be difficult at mines in northern regions which receive very little sunlight during the winter , or at sites where sticky material can obscure the teeth . To overcome these challenges , the company developed a thermal version of ShovelMetrics that provides accurate missing tooth detection under the harshest environmental conditions – even in total darkness .
While these technologies were initially developed for GET applications , they have
New CR Digital Titan 3330 Load Haul Optimisation User Interface
recently been extended into a suite of products and solutions that can be applied from drill and blast through to primary processing . Motion Metrics technology is currently used on more than 80 mine sites and its customers include some of the world ’ s largest mining companies . Its revenues are generated from the initial sale of equipment and subsequent recurring aftermarket revenues including subscriptions to its cloud computing platform , services and spare parts ; a model that is highly complementary to Weir ’ s aftermarket-based business model .
Moving forward , ESCO ’ s focus is on accelerating growth through geographic expansion and the continued extension of its market leading front-of-shovel offering , creating new solutions to support customers ’ safety , efficiency and sustainability goals . Motion Metrics is fully aligned to this strategy , including the early realisation of the digitally instrumented smart bucket concept which provides information on bucket and GET health alongside payload and ore fragmentation analysis . Combining ESCO ’ s deep knowledge of mining operations with the data-led insights from Motion Metrics ’ AI capabilities will enable the business to create new solutions that integrate and extend the technological differentiation of its best-in-class offerings across the mine .
IM
ESCO ’ s proven Production Master ® cable shovel dipper
ESCO ’ s Production Master ® cable ( rope ) shovel dipper recently outperformed the OEM dipper for all key production metrics . A coal mine in Australia operated an ESCO Production Master dipper and an OEM dipper digging overburden under similar conditions and compared the results . The ESCO dipper exceeded the performance of the OEM dipper with 5.7 % higher hourly production rate on average . The ESCO Production Master dipper increased average truck payload by 4.5 t per truck and achieved a 15 % improvement of truck loads in target range . Additionally , the ESCO dipper required 0.3 fewer passes on average to fill each truck saving an estimated 350 truck hours per year . The ESCO dipper proved more reliable than the OEM dipper with a 70 % reduction in unplanned maintenance downtime , which increased machine availability for more time digging .
ESCO ® 57 m 3 Production Master ® cable shovel dippers feature an ESCO Nemisys ® N3 integral nose lip , optimising load and haul efficiencies
MARCH 2022 | International Mining 39