SIMS & TRAINING training , as it is hauling tons of ore as it is meant to do .”
Advanced Mine Master simulators for MCKK
The effective training of drill rig operators in complex mining operations is a critical factor in optimising productivity , improving safety and minimising the cost of ownership . Therefore , Mine Master says it is always very keen to participate in projects that aim to support the education process for mining machine operators . Last year it started cooperation with the Copper Personnel Education Centre in Lubin to build simulators based on a drill rig and a bolter of Mine Master production .
The Copper Personnel Education Centre ( MCKK ) is a training company that understands the needs and expectations of its customers . “ It knows that a well-trained , highly skilled mining machine operator is a guarantee of safe , efficient and effective work . Therefore , for the purposes of training KGHM staff , since 2011 MCKK has started to implement modern teaching aids in the form of simulators into the training process of operators of self-propelled mining machines . Based on the experience gained during the implementation of the first simulators - a self-propelled transport vehicle ( modelled on a Land Rover Defender car ) and a simulator of a mining bucket loader LKP - 0903 - further simulators will come into use in training in the last quarter of 2023 . The simulators are based on machine cabs of 1:1 replicated drilling and bolting rigs manufactured by Mine Master – the Face Master 1.7K and Roof Master 1.7K .”
All the simulators for the MCKK were manufactured by EDUCAR Educational IT Systems in Poland . “ When working on the implementation of the simulators , particular emphasis was placed on the realistic reproduction of the interior of the cabins and the virtual environment representing the appearance of a copper ore mine . When performing exercises using the FM 1.7K and RM 1.7K simulators , the student perceives stimuli as close as possible to those occurring in the actual work of the operator - he hears sounds characteristic of the operation of a machine underground , feels the movement of the platform , sees in an equally restricted field . This allows him to make decisions as if he were making real decisions on an operating machine in an underground mine . Working in a virtual environment provides the opportunity to practice different scenarios in a safe and less stressful way for future operators .”
The entire training process is monitored and supervised from the instructor ' s room . During the training programme , the instructor remains in constant contact with the operator - the trainee - while setting out the exercises to be performed ,
and thanks to the cameras and microphones mounted inside the capsule , can observe and follow the trainee ' s behaviour .
An additional option of the simulator is the possibility of inflicting failures on the machine , which the instructor can call up at any time while the trainee is performing standard tasks . This function is designed to get the future operator in the habit of controlling the operation of the machine and taking specific actions to reduce the risk of serious malfunctions under real conditions and increase safety when operating a real machine .
“ The training process on the simulator is not only about perfecting the skills of operating the machine , which can include , among other things , mining and securing mine workings . The training also concerns the ability to move this type of heavy machine safely through the network of mine galleries . The solutions implemented in the simulator enforce and teach driving the machine in accordance with the Mining Machinery Regulations . Manoeuvring in the chambers of heavy machinery , passing privileged machines in mine workings or miners and obstacles are events that the operator may encounter in his daily work . By learning with a simulator , he can test them under the supervision of an instructor in a safe manner .”
An important aspect of any exercise is the evaluation of the correctness of its execution . In addition to real-time control by the instructor of the tasks performed by the operator , the system generates a report at the end of the exercise . The exercise report provides material for further work on improving skills and indicates the most common mistakes made during task execution . This allows them to be eliminated more quickly and makes teaching more effective .
5DT partners with Mine Master
In parallel with the simulator project for the FM 1.7K and RM 1.7K machines , Mine Master is also working on a simulator for its Face Master 2.320 twin boom drill rig using VR technology . The simulator is being developed by 5DT in South Africa , which has been in business for 30 years and has developed more than 300 simulators in use around the world .
During training in the VR simulator , a trainee wears the MR HMD . The MR HMD is equipped with a forward-facing camera . When the trainee looks at the drill controls , the indexing markers in the corners are detected and the camera view of the drill station is superimposed on the virtual image of the underground mine and the 3D model of the machine . The trainee will also see
Last year Mine Master started cooperation with the Copper Personnel Education Centre in Lubin to build simulators based on a drill rig and a bolter
their real hands when they come within the boundary of the markers on the drilling station . The trainee can now reach out , grab the controls and steer the drill rig .
Wherever the indexing markers are detected , the camera view of the real controls is shown , superimposed on the virtual world of the mine and the virtual drill . If the markers are not detected , only the virtual world of the mine and the drill rig is shown . “ If the trainee looks away from the drill controls , he / she will see the virtual world containing the 3D model of the machine and the virtual mine . The controls are linked to the simulation computer . The system will also include a large screen or projector showing the trainee ' s view . This is important so that the instructor and other students can observe the trainee ' s actions . The system will include a 3D model and full simulation of the drill rig . It will also include a range of training scenarios , operator errors and instructor-triggered events .”
One of the main advantages of the VR simulator is its mobility . It can be easily transported and set up in different locations , depending on the needs and preferences of the trainees and trainers .
Mine Master concludes : “ Training simulators , combined with the theoretical knowledge previously acquired in class , allow future operators to gain experience and new skills in a safe and friendly environment close to natural conditions . Training carried out in this way facilitates the transition to the next stage of the training process , which is driving a real machine on the training ground . It also teaches how to react quickly and appropriately in critical situations in the future when working under natural conditions . VR simulators additionally offer flexibility and convenience , as they can be used at any time and place , without depending on the availability of the actual machines on sites .”
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NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2023 | International Mining 17