FLEET MANAGEMENT
Haultrax helps operators hit the right FMS note
A successful FMS implementation project takes careful planning , expertise and execution . Australia ’ s Haultrax offers the mining industry both a consultancy role in fleet management systems selection , introduction and integration plus has its down digital FMS offerings – FleetOps and FleetControl . IM caught up with Shyamal Sharma , Haultrax Managing Director
Q What does Haultrax bring to the market - is it a combination of simplicity of use with simplicity of installation along with interoperability and agnostic to any equipment ? SS : The traditional FMS solutions we have on the market are great - expansive in functionality and data . However , their price point means that a lot of contractors , or smaller operations (< 30 trucks ) find them unaffordable , meaning they are left utilising old-fashioned haulage tally sheets . Their usage also tends to be retrospective meaning operations find themselves trying to remember the events of the previous shift that caused them to miss their target . Haultrax ’ s FleetOps & FleetControl rethinks the traditional FMS . It delivers in-shift analyses to target , allowing supervisors to have trend forecasting in the palm of their hand and enabling them to edit machinery allocations to improve productivity on the fly , should there be a breakdown , or cycle congestion for example . Haultrax has developed its platform in today ' s technology , and it is priced to allow any sized operation to install and continue to grow their fleet whilst receiving all the traditional benefits of an FMS whilst they are small .
Q What makes Haultrax ’ s FMS unique ? SS : Haultrax FMS reduces the barrier of entry , has greater simplicity for the end user in using the tool - and also maintaining the system . Our system includes the FleetOps module , a solution which uses GPS tracking and intelligent algorithms to compile operational data to enable miners to measure , report and improve on key metrics . FleetControl is a dispatching tool which compounds the value of FleetOps , allowing the user to act on that data , manage their mine plan execution and time , material , and activity tracking . Haultrax ’ s solution is a lightweight dispatch system that currently only requires an interface for operators . Haultrax is committed to making its service affordable for all types of miners . The software-as-aservice ( SaaS ) model cuts out the requirement for expensive and complex IT infrastructure onsite , and FleetControl and FleetOps modules have built-in store and forward capabilities , which remove the need for expensive wireless connectivity . Our point of differentiation is that we come from a mining operational background . We understand the mining business , operations , its people , and processes to implement technology for the end user and make sure it ’ s delivering value for that company . Our apps are designed around the front-line users , supervisors , operators and dispatchers . Our FMS is built with today ’ s technology . Haultrax builds simplicity into its systems , meaning that any user can start using the FMS within minutes , and there is no need for specialist staff . In fact , it takes just 15 minutes to train any user to operate the app , and reports can be viewed on a phone , tablet , or computer . FleetOps also leverages automation , requiring no operator input and freeing up employees for other activities . Additionally , Haultrax ’ s ability to swiftly customise the solution allows the FMS to fit the operation instead of the operation having to change its ways of working to fit the FMS . New functionality can be added flexibly and quickly .
Q What is behind your ability to offer a more flexible solution - is it a combination of the software itself and not being tied to a very heavy network requirement ? SS : Correct on both fronts . Haultrax software was developed deliberately to reduce hardware costs , installation impost , site comms and data requirements . Its cost-effectiveness and flexibility are two areas that have made it increasingly popular with mining contractors . Another point of difference is our short hardware installation and availability ( leadtime ), which delivers a short time to value . Currently , we are seeing entire fleets installed , all operators trained and delivering real productivity benefits within six months of receiving our PO . This is unheard of in our industry . Many leaders who find themselves on a selection panel for an FMS technology are not still in their role by the time the FMS is supplied and delivering the value they would have been recognised for .
Q Are more miners looking to incorporate things like collision avoidance and real-time maintenance or fatigue monitoring into the FMS and is this something you have been asked to do ? SS : Safety solutions incorporated into productivity ones have certainly been in mining industry user stories when OT suppliers such as Haultrax have been engaging during product development . The real drivers behind that desire are reduced OT hardware within cabins , reduced hardware to have maintenance teams aware of , and envisaged cost savings . This system interoperability ( competing platforms sharing hardware ) has been widely chased for more than 10 years , and there are some recent encouraging signs in the autonomy space of this happening , but when it comes to blending a critical safety solution with a productivity one , there is strong guidance against this with present technology . EMESRT have largely led the way on this front .
Q How does Haultrax see the synergy between FMS and AHS - current AHS solutions are very tied to truck OEM FMS - will this change in the future and have you already done work on projects involving both ? SS : Unlike Safety , AHS does make a lot of sense integrating with FMS , in fact , one might argue it relies on it . Through the AHD / ADS consultancy arm of Haultrax , we have worked on each of the major equipment OEM ’ s AHS platforms and their respective FMS platforms . Whilst all of them are terrific systems , combining an expensive AHS platform with their corresponding expensive FMS indeed is creating a large entry barrier to many mid-tier mining operators that may otherwise have a case for AHS . The future of autonomy almost certainly lies with vendor-agnostic OT solutions , collaboratively developed in the modern costconscious mindset that Haultrax has done to date . Our FMS platform provides this agnostic AHS pathway that many tier 2 & 3 miners are chasing .
Q Aside from your well known MacKellar and Alcoa deployments are there any other FMS clients you would like to reference ? SS : Haultrax have seen an unprecedented level of enquiries in the past 12 months . Recent sales include a contractor fleet and a mid-tier garnet mining operation . These are typical of our customer interest . We are currently working with potential customers who have no FMS at all .
NMMC team to monitor dump truck routes and receive regular reports , facilitating a comparison between actual and planned outcomes and allowing for timely adjustments .
Micromine has also successfully implemented Micromine Pitram at the new underground mine - Goldrush , part of the world ' s largest gold mining complex that is owned and operated by Nevada
Gold Mines ( NGM ). For over two decades , the innovative technology suite has been in use at several NGM sites , including Cortez , Goldstrike , and
48 International Mining | MAY 2024