MINING TYRES
next generation mining tyre monitoring system delivering real-time tyre and vehicle analytics . The use of these advanced TPMS solutions we think will only accelerate as more autonomous fleets are rolled out – you want to be able to get the most out of the tyre by treating it as a true asset and paying attention to it . TPMS brings the fundamentals – making sure you have the correct air pressure for the payload , the ambient temperature that you are going to operate at to get the most out of that casing and therefore the tyre . And you are monitoring the tyre ’ s own temperature to ensure it doesn ’ t run too hot . MasterCore combines the latest product with the latest real-time monitoring technology .
Q From a commodity point of view in your NA region you have everything from oil sands to gold to coal and copper mines – can you tweak the MasterCore tyre by application in this sense ? A These tyres are primarily used in hard rock mines – the tread pattern is one of the main ways that we are able to differentiate between customers and mine types . Some have a greater need for cut protection , traction , minimised heat and wear life so the MasterCore VREV is widely used in the Nevada hard rock gold mines for these reasons . The MasterCore VRWP is also for hard rock but with extra deep treads for added cut resistance . The MasterCore VZTB was specifically engineered for ultra-high durability in applications requiring additional traction . We also still have our VRPS but with the casing upgraded to MasterCore to give the oil sands more capacity but with a tread pattern that fits their application better . And beyond that even within each tread pattern we have multiple compounds to match the required heat and cut and wear resistance .
Bridgestone MasterCore tyres feature a new casing design for improved durability and increased productivity
Kal Tire mining tyre service in action at Minera Centinela
fuel farms . The trucks must also stop for fuel at least once a day . Overall , Kal Tire has four priority levels for tyres while they are running on the trucks – P4 means the tyre is in very good condition ; P3 is a tyre with non-critical damage – which will be scheduled for a change to allow it to be repaired instead of scrapped ; P2 means there is damage that needs inspection and the tyre condition is monitored until it becomes unsafe to continue to operate ; with P1 meaning the truck is no longer safe to continue operating and the tyre problem needs immediate attention . The ideal is never to get the point where a tyre turns into P1 .
Thermal imaging proves worth in productivity and safety
Centinela mine is notable as being the first mine in Latin America to use the mentioned Kal Tire autonomous tyre inspection station – which uses computer vision AI thermal imaging developed by Pitcrew . ai . The entire system is skid-mounted and fully autonomous – with power supplied via its own solar panels . It was installed and commissioned at Centinela as recently as May 2022 .
The main system components are housed in a robust box that contains the hardware and
thermal imaging camera itself . The truck passes by the camera and does not have to stop – it just has to slow to 15 km / h on its way to the nearby refuelling station . Currently , as stated certain trucks are prioritised to pass by the system but in future , Centinela plans to add another system near its other fuel farm at Esperanza Sur which would permit all the trucks in the sulphides area of the mine to be scanned in this way .
The inspection imagery is monitored by Kal Tire at the mine but is mainly assessed by the system software which uses AI to detect anomalies such as hot spots , belt edge and tread separations . It gives the position of the tyre concerned and gives it a priority rating , as mentioned from P1 to P4 . These findings are also reported into Kal Tire ’ s TOMS ( Tire & Operations Management System ). The system then automates inspection work orders as part of a self-reinforcing feedback loop and then schedules tyre change work as necessary based on damage severity .
It allows remote monitoring of the tyres meaning less risk to Kal Tire people who now do not have to inspect tyres up close for damage as the system monitors damage in the tyres and crucially whether that damage is getting worse . Without it , staff have to inspect the trucks in the mine at key points such as when the truck comes in for maintenance , when it comes for refuelling or between shift changes . Also , it is not always possible to see tread or sidewall damage by eye . The thermal imaging is able to check every day the temperature difference and the damage dimensions to see if there has been any change , and if it is getting worse , it can be manually inspected or verified . So the truck is only stopped if a P2 or P1 tyre status is identified .
Today , it is a mix - the mine is using both inspection methods but in the future is likely to transition to relying more on the AI-based thermal imaging . Reduced inspection times also translates to improved productivity and fleet availability . Each truck avoids stopping for 30 + minutes of inspection every week , which all adds up when you consider the system is checking 200 trucks per week . It also picks up damage earlier , so more tyres can potentially be repaired instead of scrapped . And much of this is preventative repair rather than corrective repair – which itself is lower cost .
This is totally distinct from TPMS which is necessary to monitor the temperature and pressure inside the tyre . Damage in the outer part of the tyre due to separation will also generate heat but this will not initially be picked up by the TPMS system .
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24 International Mining | JULY 2023