SURFACE DRILLING
with digital computer controls enabling one touch auto level and one touch auto mast . This level of technology facilitates future autonomy additions , streamlines individual functionality of circuits and sub-systems and also helps protect the machine from accidental damage . This is because our new generation drills now automatically go through conditional checks to make sure operating conditions are correct and individual parts and components are in their proper positions before making a movement . This enables the machine to work more efficiently , under safe , generally recommended constraints .”
From there , the customer can choose to enable single pass auto drill , which can be retrofitted to any Caterpillar new generation drill . Single-pass auto drill focuses on the machine and enabling onboard processing by configuring settings for things like the specific ground conditions , drilling method , hole diameter and the hole depth . “ And then how do you want the automated drill system to handle exception management or problems with ground variation such as hitting clay or encountering a void ? The auto drill functionality also monitors and reacts to complications , such as clearing a hole with a high level of fall back . To drill successfully , the rig is going to do much more than just push , turn , and blow . It needs to adapt and work through complicated situations without operator input , so it has to have the onboard processing power to navigate through these things and have the flexibility to understand how to react to a wide range of variables .”
Integrating onboard automation functions into the drill rig is a necessary building block to a true autonomous drilling operation . Once that step has been taken , the drill is ready to incorporate optional Cat MineStar™ Solutions and continue the journey to autonomy .
The MineStar journey starts with Terrain for drilling , which provides precision guidance that helps operators complete patterns accurately and productively . This solution also improves safety and reduces costs by aiding in planning blasts and improving fragmentation .
Terrain for drilling uses GPS navigation to create downloadable drill patterns for operators to follow . It also provides connectivity back to the mine or control office for live tracking of production . Biernat explains : “ From there you can add a strata logger with a user interface so you can carry out and visualise strata mapping of the formation in a mechanical sense — such as hole location correlated with details about rock hardness and degree of existing fracturing . A blasting group then comes in and analyses this formation data and makes decisions with mine planning on whether any blast design adjustments are needed to drive optimal fragmentation , material movement , and floor and highwall smoothing for your benching operation .”
Many of Caterpillar ’ s major mining customers are already using auto drill with Terrain for drilling , says Biernat - and if they aren ’ t , they have plans to deploy some level of autonomous technology in the near term . Terrain for drilling is retrofittable on a large variety of drills already in the field and is tightly integrated with Caterpillar drills .
“ It is on their mid-to-long term roadmaps . Mines without technology still need some form of digital drill management system with highprecision GPS to allow for accurate tracking and positioning of the drill on the pattern , as well as fit-for-purpose network connectivity to the rig . That is where we would like everyone to be , as it enables the mine to develop precision mining by allowing us to directly correlate drilling to the actual blast results ,” says Biernat .
Scalable Command for drilling solutions
The final building block in the autonomy journey is MineStar Command for drilling , which offers a range of capabilities that let mines configure and automate the system to meet their needs and budget .
The first Command for drilling capability to consider is Operator Machine Assist ( OMA ), which is built on top of Terrain for drilling and utilises the network backbone already in place for Terrain .
“ You already have Drill Assist auto functionality , plus Terrain for drilling with the GPS and navigation package , and you have downloaded the drill pattern ,” Biernat explains . “ So , instead of the operator tramming the machine from hole to hole then initiating each machine function individually , we can now do that automatically .”
OMA is an entry-level autonomy package that drives consistency into the mine operation with semi-autonomous technology . It takes the variation out of the drilling cycle , equalising drill performance across the fleet and allowing even the newest operators to perform like seasoned veterans .
Operators are still sitting in the cab - but instead of running the tram controls and pushing three buttons , they simply push one button to get the machine to proceed from each hole to the next .
“ The operator starts to become more of a supervisor ,” says Biernat . “ They are making sure
the autonomy is operating correctly and keeping an eye on the overall pattern . They are also
keeping an eye on who and what approaches the machine , be it a water truck , a fuel truck , a mechanic , or someone to change out bits .”
Caterpillar has seen OMA convert wasted nondrilling time into productive time by significantly decreasing drill cycle times , resulting in an increase in productivity at customer sites .
Biernat points out that OMA does some other things that are also of key importance . “ It gives the mine and the individual operators faith in the reliability and productivity of the onboard Drill Assist auto drill functions . OMA increases the positional accuracy of the tramming and improves drilling accuracy matching design , which goes a long way in instilling confidence in the system .”
The next step in the autonomy journey is an offboard Command for drilling autonomous solution - removing the operator from the cab . This more advanced version of autonomous drilling builds on the operational benefits of Terrain for drilling and OMA and enables operators to manage more than one drill - driving operational efficiencies , increasing safety , and increasing drill utilisation through continuous autonomous operation .
Command for drilling offers two levels of autonomous drilling - one that enables line-ofsight operation of multiple drills and another that moves operators away from the drilling operation . Both enable autonomous drilling for multiple machines . Line-of-sight autonomous drilling can be managed through a tablet , with the operator typically located in a nearby service truck or trailer .
“ The operator is off-board , not physically on the machine , and monitoring it from a distance ,” explains Biernat . “ You have certain levels of permissions and procedures specific to autonomously operating drills and other autonomous equipment . They can leave the area if needed to attend to other tasks . This relocation of the operator away from the machine makes network connectivity even more critical .”
Biernat also shares a key safety component of this solution - the A-Stop feature - that is standard with all Cat autonomous solutions . “ Trained personnel monitoring or working around the drill can shut down the autonomous operation of all Command-equipped machines in the vicinity if they see something that ' s out of place or see a potential problem . If an A-Stop is activated , an inspection into the reason for activation must occur before the drill can safely resume autonomous operations .”
The next level of Command for drilling , called Autonomous Drilling System , moves the operator off the drill pattern - and in many cases offsite into a Remote Operator Station ( ROS ). To be successful , this highly advanced level requires robust networks , training programs , and processes as controllers are further away from the drills .
“ Controllers monitor live camera feeds on the
International Mining | APRIL 2023