AUTONOMOUS SURFACE MINING
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these markets scale as well as new markets emerge while looking to rapidly accelerate their entry into autonomous heavy equipment as a result of seeing the massive impact the technology has had .
Q Can you give some examples of how AI can improve on existing technology such as how trucks respond to obstacles and unexpected situations more efficiently ? A SafeAI ’ s Autonomous Solution is powered by a suite of sensor component hardware ( LiDAR , radar , cameras ), along with a best in industry onboard compute platform that ’ s powered by our AI driven autonomous software . This technology allows equipment like haul trucks and bulldozers to safely and independently navigate a project site , complete important functions like load-haul-dump cycles and communicate with other autonomous and nonautonomous vehicles on the worksite . Additionally , our technology is able to detect and decipher between objects , dust particles , and unknown terrain notifying vehicles to stop , work around , or continue forward without human interference . With this technology , heavy industry can experience tremendous benefits immediately – including increased site safety and thousands of additional hours of productivity annually . Projects utilising SafeAI ’ s industry-leading hardware and software will ultimately be completed 20 % faster and at 25 % less cost .
SafeAI and MACA recently announced a partnership to retrofit autonomy to a mixed fleet of 100 mining trucks across numerous site locations
Q Autonomy is just as much about the complexities of whole fleet management as it is retrofitting single units - what work do you still have to do to achieve whole fleet automation ? A We are testing an exciting suite of products with our creative and innovative fleet management team . In addition , we are working closely with customers to further enhance this solution to not only address machines in the autonomous fleet , but also help customers with the entire ecosystem onsite site . We will be announcing more details in the near future so stay tuned .
Q What are your predictions for the future of autonomy , specifically in heavy industry ? A Adoption for autonomous heavy equipment is at an inflection point . Companies have seen the tremendous benefits this technology can bring , and they want to capitalise on that . We ’ ve seen good traction in the last couple years , but we ’ re about to see autonomy really take off in construction and mining . In terms of industry players , I expect that we ’ ll start to see some consolidation in the next couple of years . Those with the best technology and , as importantly , the ability to adapt and scale that technology to meet any customer ’ s needs , are most likely to come out on top . currently getting off the OEM autonomy systems . Plus the nature of the sensor and localisation technology means you don ’ t actually have to fit every vehicle on the mine with the autonomy system – today with level 4 OEM systems , the system doesn ’ t just involve the big mining trucks themselves - every single machine in the pit has to be fitted with all sorts of sensors , antennae and software , at great cost . A big mine might have over 200 light vehicles alone .” Then there is the remaining controller intervention needed when a truck stops due to an obstacle that it doesn ’ t recognise . It usually requires someone from a dedicated pit team to go and check it out and give the OK for the truck to restart . With the Wenco system all this would be handled by the truck ’ s onboard AI . It responds more like a human brain – the truck can sense where it is , understand its localisation compared to everything around it , and then make a decision to proceed or not , and which path to take around the obstacle . Plus you won ’ t have a tether of GPS either so are able to operate in GPS-denied environments . “ The truck is only using a combination of radar , LiDAR and cameras with an AI layer over the top . It will choose the right combination of sensors based on the conditions and what you are trying to do . This ability to not rely on GPS also means you have a much larger addressable market .”
Moving on to another topic , what about Wenco ’ s being owned by Hitachi Construction Machinery ? HCM of course has its own AHS running at Whitehaven Coal ’ s Maules Creek in which Wenco has been closely involved . HCM has also recently introduced the ConSite ® Mine remote machine analytics solution on which it has worked with Wenco . Pyne suggested that the two companies are now working much more closely and strategically beyond Wenco just supplying the autonomy layer to HCM ’ s solutions and becoming more of a close partner in customer projects . Whilst the HCM AHS is a level 4 AHS system ( like the other OEM systems ) and still largely designed to operate with Hitachi equipment it is available now for customers to adopt . As the Wenco level 5 open autonomy solution becomes commercially available over the next few years , it gives HCM an option for its customers for small and ancillary vehicles , non- Hitachi rigid truck fleets and longer haul trucks . Overall , Pyne stated that it is fair to say that on autonomous mining strategy , HCM and Wenco are converging more than ever before .
Cat on leading automation ’ s evolution
Autonomy for mobile mining fleets is anything but a fixed or set system – it is constantly evolving with technology upgrades and functionality additions . Caterpillar Inc . through its Site 17 facility at its Tucson Proving Ground
62 International Mining | SEPTEMBER 2022