FLEET MANAGEMENT
become profitable , such as swarm mining — a tactic that uses trucks previously considered too small for our industry . As a result , we ’ re being engaged by companies from the automotive , long-distance trucking , and military industries looking to apply their autonomy technologies to mining use cases .”
Back to Wencomine FMS , Wenco says it is able to increase output by at least 11 % without any additional units . Wait times and inefficiencies decrease , as equipment follow data-driven assignments . The system ’ s MDT and Fleet Control applications directly strengthen a site ’ s ability to load units within their target payload range . Throughout the loading process , both hauling and loading operators track the remaining tons-to-target on their equipment ’ s onboard touchscreens . “ Data synchronises between units and your dispatcher , so everyone can respond correctly to the current payload . This constant connection and real-time feedback empowers mines to dial in their payloads so they always fall within target range .”
It is also appreciated for having flexible setup and communication options , ensuring strong results for different scales of operation — whether a mine has three trucks or 300 . And , it is easy to administer and update : “ Wenco mining fleet management solutions put usability first . Remote upgrades keep your onboard hardware loaded with the latest software with only a few hours of downtime required – not days , weeks , or months .” This productivity increase combined with usability has made Wenco equally popular in both the developed and developing world mining markets – from Australia and Canada to Indonesia and India .
Taking India ’ s Tata Steel as an example , which produces over 25 Mt / y of iron ore and large volumes of coal – it runs Wencomine at multiple mine sites now , most recently at the West Bokaro coal operations . Wenco has an important local partner , Vareli Tecnac , which it works with closely to ensure successful rollout . West Bokaro alone has seen commissioning more than 115 equipment units on the Wencomine system including real time fuel , tyre pressure and temperature measuring systems , plus payload management of both Komatsu and Cat trucks . Wencomine is already in use at Tata Steel ’ s iron ore mines , including Noamundi , Joda , Khondbond , and Katamati .
Uday Banerjee , Vareli Tecnac Executive Director states : “ Fleet Management Systems are becoming a vital tool in India for monitoring mining operations including asset tracking and it is gaining momentum steadily . The applications include dispatch optimisation , machine health monitoring , real time fuel management , and tyre pressure-temperature measurement systems , plus operator fatigue , all under one roof .”
It is a core part of Tata Steel ' s Integrated Digital Mine strategy . Atul Bhatnagar , GM Ore Mines & Quarries of Tata Steel states : “ We look at opportunities , how we can improve our productivity , how we can innovate the processes and how we ensure that we are benchmarking ourselves with the best in the world ... our ultimate objective is to become an integrated mining company and integrated mining means the concept of digital . Wenco has provided a platform on which we can build up many systems .” A big change for Tata Steel was being able to capture operator behaviour in real time using the dynamic assignment module to cut idle times .
At Assarel-Medet copper mine in Bulgaria , Delcho Nikolov , Director of Production and Technical Activities says : “ As a result of implementing the Wenco system , Assarel-Medet was able to reduce the cost of its excavation and transportation operations by more than 3 %, while increasing the amount of mined material by approximately 16 %.”
In 2021 , Wenco International Mining Systems announced a successful bid to provide fleet management and supplementary mining technology at Gold Fields Ltd ’ s Salares Norte site in Chile . Salares Norte is a greenfield gold-silver mine located in the Atacama Desert , roughly 330 km from the city of Diego de Almagro . “ Implementing Wencomine has put us on the cutting edge of the global mining industry in Chile ,” says Yerko Delgado , Mine Manager at Salares Norte . ” It has allowed us to understand where our operational losses are , how we can improve , how we can optimise our resource circuits , and how our contractor could benefit along with us .”
Hexagon OP Pro offers a best path
IM caught up with Dave Prior , Commercial Manager MineOperate at Hexagon ’ s Mining division for some additional insight into HxGN MineOperate OP Pro , which has been a leading fleet management system for many years now . Some of the key functionality differentiators he highlighted from its competitors included :
Hexagon ' s OP Pro uses on-board algorithms to determine the truck ’ s GPS position and updates it every second , rather than updating the position based on beacon logic n True real-time truck positioning . OP Pro uses on-board algorithms to determine the truck ’ s GPS position and updates it every second , rather than updating the position based on beacon logic . This accurate position provides better production optimisation , and more timely mis-routing alerts . It is also a key reason why OP Pro ’ s production activity capture is the most accurate . n Best path display for truck operators . OP Pro calculates the optimal haul route , and this is displayed in the operator ’ s cabin as a line for them to follow . n Peer-to-peer communication . OP Pro trucks and loading units establish a dedicated , direct line of communication when in proximity to each other , which ensures that the mining activities are recorded accurately but also provides the shovel operator with fast updates on truck payload during loading . n Integrated hardware platform . OP Pro will soon share common hardware components with other Hexagon products , including MineProtect ’ s Operator Awareness System ( OAS ) and Collision Avoidance System ( CAS ). n Life of mine integration . OP Pro is integrated with Hexagon ’ s MinePlan portfolio , which allows functionality such as short-interval control reporting and seamless drill and blast workflow . Hexagon is also partnering with Liebherr in the autonomous space . Prior stated : “ OP Pro is a key component of the autonomous truck solution . Within Hexagon ’ s Mining product ecosystem , we have our MineProtect Vehicle Intervention System ( VIS ), a semi-autonomous ( Level 9 ) safety system . VIS will be a vital piece of the autonomous puzzle for manned machines operating around autonomous equipment .”
As mines look to zero emissions fleets , in the short term , Prior said Hexagon is working on developing OP Pro to be a tool for managing carbon emissions of current diesel-burning machines . “ This development will result in a better carbon emission model within the FMS , which will allow not only optimised decisions in real time , but also enhanced data analytics , which will feed into improvement programs on site . Longer-term , OP Pro will develop to be able to optimise the productivity and maintenance of BEV machines .”
Hexagon ’ s Mining division has also recently been awarded a fleet management project by PT Antareja Mahada Makmur ( PT AMM ), which provides contractor services to
Indonesia ’ s coal mining sector . The fiveyear deal will see 176 units of HxGN MineOperate OP Pro ( OP Pro ) implemented across multiple
44 International Mining | MAY 2022