MINE AUTOMATION
demonstrator . This hands-on experience is invaluable for those looking to understand how autonomy can be integrated into their own operations .”
“ Autonomy is still a relatively new concept in mining , and operators are eager to see it firsthand ,” said Andrew Van Der Merwe , ABD Solutions ’ Australian General Manager . “ Our mobile demonstrators make it easy to bring this technology directly to the customer , on their site . They can see it , feel it , and understand its capabilities without needing to take their own vehicles out of service for a trial .”
Beyond demonstrations , these vehicles serve another role - they help test and optimise the perception system for specific sites . Every mining environment has unique challenges , from harsh weather conditions to complex terrain . By testing the Indigo Drive autonomy solution in the operating environment , ABD Solutions can finetune the system , ensuring that when it is installed in the customer ’ s vehicles , it can be deployed safely , quickly and effectively .
Further enhancing this capability , ABD Solutions utilises the expertise of its sister company , rFpro , to create a digital twin of sites . These virtual replicas allow much of the setup and development work to be conducted in simulation , including validation of the perception system - reducing the time and disruption involved in integrating autonomy into live operations .
Indigo Drive , the autonomy solution powering these demonstrators , stands out in the market for its adaptability . “ The advantage of Indigo Drive is its ability to be retrofitted into vehicles of any age already in operation , and because it is vehicle-agnostic , running fleets from a mix of manufacturers is not a problem ,” said Van Der Merwe . “ We can do this because we automate vehicles not only via their CAN interface ( driveby-wire ) but also by robotically controlling steering , gear , pedal and dump systems where access to the CAN is not possible .”
For mine operators considering the transition to autonomous vehicles , ABD Solutions says the mobile demonstrators represent a low-risk , highly informative first step .
HCM on autonomy progression
Hitachi Construction Machinery ( HCM ) began researching AHS in 2009 . Mustapha Naciri , AHS Program Manager , Strategy & DX at HCM told IM : “ Based on the results of five years of research and development , we have validated AHS at a test site in Australia since 2013 for the purpose of realizing sequential mining operations for loading , hauling , and dumping using autonomous dump trucks , and we can confirm that the development has reached a practical level of performance .” He adds : “ The Hitachi
Norway ’ s Steer continues to prove autonomy advantages
Today , Norway ’ s Steer AS is running five autonomous Caterpillar 772G trucks in production in two small quarries operated by contractor partner Romarheim AS – without an operation room . CEO Njål Gjermundshaug told IM : “ The truly unique thing here is that we have scaled it down . There are no people in the operation room plus the excavators that load the machines have extra monitors in their cab – monitoring / dispatching the trucks . The solution is both rugged and easy to use for the loader operators . No special skills are needed plus there are no servers or special infrastructure required on site – all vehicles communicate directly with each other . The trucks are running 16 hours a day Monday-Friday – and also some Saturdays . The customer saves over US $ 5,000 every single day in salary costs . Even with the cost of our autonomous system – the savings are tremendous . There Cat 992G running autonomously using Steer AS technology in Norway are also considerable savings in less fuel consumption and also less wear & tear . And just to clarify – no one has lost their job . The drivers are used at other quarries and construction projects . It ’ s a solution tailor made for small mines and the quarry industry .”
Construction Machinery Group has strived to implement ‘ Reliable Solutions ’ that solve social issues as a close and reliable partner for our customers . Going forward , we will offer AHS to mining industry customers around the world to contribute to the higher level of safety and productivity required by our customers .
The AHS test site is the Meandu coal mine , Queensland , Australia . In addition , through six years of collaboration with development partner Whitehaven Coal Ltd ( WHC ) at Maules Creek coal mine mine , HCM confirmed that the developed AHS has reached a practical level of performance . HCM also told IM that it would like to develop one or two projects a year using Australia as a strategic base and says it is currently having conversations with multiple customers other than Whitehaven . The HCM Technological Centre of Excellence ( TCoE ) in Brisbane continues its operation and is ready to provide complete support to customers .
At the TCoE , the same information that customers are getting in their mine control room , is monitored in real time . Human resources with expertise in specialised fields such as mining machinery , mining operation , software , etc will use advanced digital technologies to accumulate , analyse , and deconstruct all data acquired in real-time from multiple mining sites .
For all HCM AHS projects , Wenco International
HCM has validated AHS at its Meandu test site in Australia since 2013 for the purpose of realising sequential mining operations for loading , hauling , and dumping using autonomous dump trucks
36 International Mining | SEPTEMBER 2024