MINING SOFTWARE
relation to vessel sequencing and LAYCANS .
Vink explained : “ For instance , users can dictate that vessel 1 must be loaded before vessel 2 , while vessel 3 can be loaded at any point .” This gives users more control , while allowing BOLT to minimise demurrage costs .
The latest enhancements to BOLT also include support for co-shipping where vessels carry multiple products .
BOLT ’ s Live module , meanwhile , estimates stock levels and grade quality by tracking material movements on and off stockpiles in near real time .
Polymathian , part of the Digital Mining Technologies division within Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions , says additional features and enhancements are already in development to ensure BOLT remains the supply chain optimisation tool of choice , now and in the future .
The tonnes-weighted averaging stockpiling feature that will offer alternative aggregation methods for stockpiles beyond FIFO and LIFO is well into development , for instance .
Vink says : “ The addition of flow fields will introduce a new constraint type giving users the ability to enforce constraints on both tonnages and material composition . This will facilitate more nuanced and effective supply chain rule adherence .”
And , with the increasing integration capabilities offered , further automation will become the next core focus . Vink concluded : “ The ability for the BOLT system to automatically pull the latest data , optimise and then have plans ready for planners to review when they start in the morning , is where we see BOLT developing next .”
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RPMGlobal came out with two significant releases at the recent MINExpo 2024 in Las Vegas , Nevada .
The first , FleetOptimiser , offers a product designed for customers to calculate and optimise their trucking requirements for a shift , the company says . The solution combines a 3D , visual user interface with RPM ’ s universal fleet calculation wrapped up in a secure , web accessible , cloud-based solution .
The company explained : “ FleetOptimiser uses the RPM travel time calculation engine , the industry standard , that is embedded across many of their mining software solutions . It calculates productivity for trucks across a haulage network while matching truck productivity to targeted loader productivity .”
Up until now desktop models and spreadsheets have been used to calculate the viability of the mine plan . This creates downstream issues with difficulty maintaining data , accuracy issues and version control , RPM says . Several products have provided trucklimited scheduling over the years , which works well in a long-term horizon , however applying the same techniques to the more detailed short-term space has always fallen short . As a result , engineers have been dreaming about this product for years , according to Michael Baldwin , RPMGlobal ’ s Chief Commercial Officer .
“ There has always been conflict between planners and operations with respect to what an achievable plan actually is ,” he said . “ FleetOptimiser lets the planner optimise realistic targets for the upcoming shifts while operations can use FleetOptimiser to reconfigure fleet throughout the shift as parameters change , all through a web-based 3D intuitive user experience .”
Mine planners who use XECUTE , or other execution scheduling applications , can rapidly react to changes in truck availability by simulating the impact on load productivity , and then incorporate the required changes in their plan .
The solution also provides the user with functionality to update and maintain the current road network if required , while calibrated fleet settings can be controlled through the solution , allowing for standardisation across the entire organisation .
The second RPM release is in the mine scheduling field .
Here RPM has leveraged its XPAC mine scheduling engine to develop what it says is a next generation mine scheduling solution in the form of RPM MinePlanner .
RPM MinePlanner is built on the foundation of XPAC , the world ’ s most used mine scheduling engine , RPM claims .
MinePlanner includes a complete core redesign of the scheduling engine that underpins the product . The release introduces Smart Scheduling , a heuristic-based scheduling engine that combines automated , manual and hybrid approaches and tools . Smart Scheduling
RPMGlobal ’ s Adam Price gives a live demonstration of FleetOptimiser at MINExpo 2024 in Las Vegas
provides a streamlined user experience and adds flexibility by , RPM says , eliminating restrictions on the scheduling methodology being used at any point of the schedule .
David Batkin , RPMGlobal ’ s Executive General Manager of Product Strategy , said : “ RPM MinePlanner takes the complicated mine planning process and simplifies it so engineers can focus on generating value . The team has provided more sophistication within the product while making it easier to use .”
Unlike other scheduling tools , MinePlanner has advanced heuristics fully integrated into the product , RPM says . It can be used for any commodity and is 100 % script-free . This package includes reserving , dump and destination scheduling , equipment modelling , haulage modelling , product optimisation and reporting all rolled into one integrated mine scheduling solution . The smarts of MinePlanner really come to the fore when the scheduling engine is run as all components are considered in parallel rather than in series , the company says .
Reporting also gets a major upgrade with the introduction of live reporting always in sync with the scheduling engine . The inclusion of “ Breakpoint Scheduling ”, which RPM says it pioneered in 2021 , has been strengthened with the addition of live reporting . Users now get immediate feedback on current scheduling results every time a breakpoint is reached .
Another new feature of MinePlanner is “ Schedule Locking ”, which allows the user to lock portions of the schedule they are finished with , avoiding the need to reschedule when refining future periods . Schedule locking significantly reduces the time needed to complete a schedule by eliminating unnecessary reprocessing of scheduling periods that have already been successfully scheduled .
IM
26 International Mining | FEBRUARY 2025