FLEET MANAGEMENT
Wencomine FMS screens at Tata Steel ' s West Bokaro coal mine
Detail in the dispatch
Paul Moore caught up with the market leaders in fleet management systems , but also reviews some of the more flexible solutions that suit smaller operators and contractors
Fleet management systems in mining , usually referred to as FMS , are at the heart of optimising open pit mining fleet performance in terms of efficient disptach , but at the same time are inextricably linked with progress in areas like fatigue management , fuel and tyre monitoring and operator performance . They are also at the heart of all autonomous haulage systems operating in mining today .
Fundamentally , with the nature of mining , small incremental changes can add up to big improvements and bigger profits and mines are continually looking for new ways to streamline and optimise operations . Caterpillar argues that its MineStar platform continues today to be the most comprehensive mining fleet management system available , “ helping miners around the world to meet productivity goals each day , whether the mine has a fleet of autonomous trucks using Command for hauling or conventional operator-driven truck fleets . Caterpillar works with the individual mine site to help determine needs and provide customised building-block technology solutions to meet productivity goals .”
One such MineStar evolution is Cat MineStar Edge . Caterpillar says Edge offers a broader scope , lower entry costs and new ways to get more fleet management information even faster . “ Compared to traditional mine management and reporting methods , Edge helps mines to respond more quickly and make operational changes during each shift , based on accurate , real-time information .”
Since it ’ s a cloud-based system , Edge offers an affordable and easy entry point for mines of all sizes to help make normal routines faster and easier . Automatic data collection and reporting gives instant or near-real-time data that is accurate . Data constantly flows into the system , and analytics help convert data into actionable information , while alerts are sent to pit supervisors for immediate response .
On MineStar Edge attributes Caterpillar adds : “ One example we can give is through Cat MineStar Edge Production Recording . Every mining operation has hidden production opportunities within every shift . Production Recording offers visibility of the entire mining operation , and when paired with Equipment Tracking , it delivers an accurate and automated near-real-time solution that measures and reports on every aspect of the load-haul-dump cycle without requiring operator input . Traditional comprehensive fleet management systems can be too complex and cost-prohibitive for many mine sites . Production Recording is an easy-touse , subscription-based alternative that delivers real-time production data . By finding these hidden opportunities , Production Recording can help operations realise up to a 29 % reduction in underloads , up to 17 % reduction in shift change time and an increase in production up to 25 %.”
The company continues : “ MineStar Edge also
creates an operational ecosystem that provides automatic data collection for all brands of production and auxiliary equipment , and it does so with limited operator input and administrative effort . MineStar Edge replaces pencil and paper and other like fleet management system with highly accurate equipment tracking and production recording . It helps operations get the tonnage production expected during shifts . It gives highly accurate real-time machine and production data , so managers can make informed decisions .”
The Rasmussen Valley Mine in Caribou County , Idaho , is a phosphate operation and a user of Production Recording . The production data analysed showed that during every shift change , the mine was losing between 60-75 minutes of production time . “ This led to a change to hotseat change-outs , where the equipment is not parked until the relief shift is in the field and ready to get on the equipment . The result – the site gained another hour of production and realised a 10-15 % increase in production .”
Wencomine ’ s productivity with flexibility
Wenco International Mining Systems is at the same time one of the world ’ s largest and most established suppliers of FMS technology with its Wencomine solution , and also one of the pioneers in bringing true open autonomy to mining .
Reid Given , Principal Product Manager at Wenco told IM in 2021 : “ FMS is only one component in achieving Open Autonomy . What ’ s more important for Open Autonomy than any individual component is establishing open standards that break down the current closed approach and , instead , allow customers to mix and match components from their preferred vendors . This way , customers can choose technologies that drive the best ROI for them in their unique circumstances — the most efficient trucks , the smartest and safest autonomous drivers , the FMS most tightly integrated with their systems and processes , and so on .
“ Now that we ’ ve introduced this vision of Open Autonomy , it ’ s gathering a lot of momentum . Wenco and other industry contributors are making progress on ISO 23275 and proposing new standards for other components . We ’ re also working with several customers and industry thought leaders to bring the Open Autonomy approach commercially to market . Nontraditional mining OEMs are especially excited about the prospects of Open Autonomy , as it gives them a path to enter our market . Open Autonomy enables new mining strategies to
40 International Mining | MAY 2022