MINE SAFETY
Beyond just stopping a vehicle , the Booyco Electronics PDS can also instruct the vehicle to reduce its speed to a specific level under given conditions .
Booyco has already equipped several South African platinum mines with its latest Level-9-ready PDS system , with its latest contract involving the equipping of 35 underground vehicles with Booyco CXS PDS systems .
Collision avoidance
Avoiding machine collisions at stockyards and ports is essential to protect employees , prevent unnecessary repairs , and reduce machine downtime and , therefore , productivity losses . indurad addresses these challenges by implementing radar-based solutions to automate balanced machines , with every advanced radarbased automation project involving the application of a reliable collision avoidance system ( CAS ). indurad sensors scan machine environments for possible collision threats and assist operators by removing blind spots . Radar sensors establish an ‘ electronic fence ’, protecting uniquely defined virtual collision zones around the machine . If objects are detected within the collision zones , the indurad solution will send a message to the machine ’ s PLC to slow down or stop the machine . Predictive detection and machine regulation without abrupt operational interruption offer great advantages over conventional lanyard and trip switches , the latter of which do not allow for direct machine control and are usually insufficient in ensuring a manual machine stops before a collision occurs .
Additionally , the machine is equipped with an indurad GNSS system for more advanced object detection and positioning . This system enables a more accurate and reliable position calculation compared with conventional machine encoders , according to indurad . GNSS positioning is considered a basic requirement and essential for all indurad ’ s machine-based calculations , and is especially important when implementing machine to machine collision avoidance applications in ports or stockyards , where multiple machines operate in close proximity .
Shiploader CAS scenarios Typical shiploader collision scenarios include : n Spout to hatch collisions ; n Boom collisions with the ship and other shiploaders during luffing and slewing ; and n Chassis collisions with objects or mobile equipment on the rails . To address these collision scenarios , 1D and 2D radar sensors are mounted on the sides of the boom , under the boom , around the spout , and on the machine ’ s chassis .
increase . At the same time , in many emergency situations underground , only ventilation and drainage systems remain operational as mines
Stockyard CAS scenarios look to avoid further incidents . All other indurad prevents collisions between stockyard infrastructure ( the power supply , operation of machines , like bucket wheel reclaimers or technical and general vehicle traffic , etc ) are shut stackers , with material piles or stationary objects . down . Two dimensional sensors scan the environment to In this situation , mine rescue teams are forced the left and right of the bucket wheel and boom to walk to the scene with all their equipment . and the area below the boom . This setup covers Injured personnel are brought to collection points both luffing and slewing movements . where first aid is provided , and evacuation to the Each machine has a unique set of applications surface must be organised . and needs to operate in
Stacker / reclaimer with different environments . The indurad iSDR-H 2D
indurad approach caters to sensors left and right of the boom , under the these varying needs by boom and left and right customising each CAS with of the bucket wheel
advanced 3D simulations as part of any site implementation .
To the rescue
As underground mines go deeper in search of reserves , the distance mine rescue teams must travel in case of an emergency continues to
Shiploader boom with indurad iSDR-H 2D sensors on the left- and right-hand sides of the boom
OCTOBER 2020 | International Mining