MINE MAINTENANCE
From insight to action
The era of Big Data is , arguably , coming to an end , with mining companies less focused on acquiring equipment data and more interested in obtaining actionable insights . Dan Gleeson speaks to those in the know
Most mid-to-large size mining operations now have the infrastructure to handle the quantity of data coming off multiple sensors on-board the equipment operating at their sites .
IIoT systems are well embedded at these mines , facilitating data feeds and exchanges throughout their on-site and cloud-based networks .
Yet the mine maintenance game is no longer about just generating and handing off this data to a relevant cog in the mining value chain ; it is about producing quality data and insights that can help improve productivity , reduce unscheduled maintenance , lower operating costs , improve process performance and even offer up the chance to cut carbon emissions .
IM spoke to some of the major OEMs and suppliers in this sector able to offer such improvements .
Synertrex ® intelligence platform : 360 ° actionable insights
Back in 2018 , the mining OEMs were in a rush to connect equipment through advanced cloudbased IIoT platforms that went beyond timebased monitoring and scheduled maintenance into the ‘ predictive ’ realm .
One of the key launches of that year came from Weir Minerals , with the debut of its Synertrex ® platform .
The company worked with technology market leaders Microsoft and Dell to develop “ sophisticated conditioning monitoring software and hardware ” robust enough to operate in extreme conditions across the globe , with the platform initially paired with Warman ® pumps , Cavex ® hydrocyclones , GEHO ® PD pumps , Enduron ® high pressure grinding rolls , Enduron ® screens and Enduron ® crushers .
In the four-and-a-half years that have followed , the company has prevented numerous equipment failures across the globe , reduced unplanned downtime and moved into the realm of process performance enhancement on equipment such as cyclones .
Weir Minerals has now gone further , taking on customer feedback related to the need for a “ 360 ° overview , predictive recommendations and actionable insights ”, Ole Knudsen , Director of Digital for Weir Minerals , told IM .
“ It is this type of customer feedback that triggered the development of the second
generation of Synertrex , which is set to be launched this month ,” he said .
Asked for the main difference between the first generation of Synertrex and this second generation , Knudsen focused on a few key
Core components of Weir Minerals Synertrex intelligence ecosystem : technology foundations to sort and store the data . The top layer to process , visualise and contextualise data using advanced analytics
differences tied to providing a “ truly wireless ” solution ; increased use of machine learning algorithms and soft sensors ; the ability to provide digital twin-enabled cause-and-effect analysis ; and a more “ holistic ” approach to data generation , orchestration and analysis .
“ The second generation of Synertrex provides a holistic view of the equipment from a performance and health perspective , to all the documentation needed when you stand in front of the machine ,” he explained . “ It integrates multiple data sources from the IIoT sensors on the equipment and process around it , as well as back-end data sources , such as our ERP ( enterprise resource planning ), digital service solutions and product master data systems . This allows us to build intelligent formulas that provide actionable insights and event intelligence beyond what any typical condition monitoring system can do .” An example of this could be integrated data from a Warman ® pump curve and a maintenance schedule , combined with the live IIoT sensor data on board a pump to deliver an algorithm able to generate predictive recommendations on equipment operation , he offered up .
“ As far we know , this is the first time such a holistic solution is being presented to customers in the minerals processing industry ,” Knudsen added .
These recommendations will be automatically “ pushed ” to the customer or Weir Minerals service staff ( if a service contract is in place ) from the Synertrex monitoring system to advise clients
16 International Mining | JANUARY 2023