SIMULATOR TRAINING
We also provide simulation solutions for hybrid drive equipment .” Some of its newer developments include simulators for the Komatsu Mining WX22H LHD and P & H L-2350 wheel loader as an example .
ThoroughTec displays the power of WX
ThoroughTec Simulation , in support of their new global partnership , demonstrated its complete range of technology and services on the Caterpillar stand at MINExpo 2021 in Las Vegas , this September . At the heart of that training ecosystem is the “ first-in-class ,” WX TMS ( Training Management System ), a purpose-built ERPMlevel software platform “ to digitise , consolidate and manage the planning , control and reporting of all mine training resources , content and activities .”
“ WX TMS brings mine training into the 21st century , providing a single , unified platform to digitise paper-based and manual tasks while consolidating employee records , learning content , training schedules , qualifications , reporting and compliance ,” said Justin Collins , CEO of ThoroughTec Simulation . Over and above this training related feature set , WX TMS also facilitates the deployment of WX Analytics , which Collins describes as a “ truly revolutionary system , taking mine workforce optimisation to the next level .” It does so by combining in-pit operator monitoring with AI-driven analytics to deliver targeted , operator-specific training interventions . These highly efficient and largely pre-emptive actions surgically eliminate bad practices and drive operator performance continuously upwards .
ThoroughTec also exhibited its 5th generation CYBERMINE simulators , which , according to Collins “ remain the cornerstone of our integrated training eco-system , allowing us to directly influence workforce performance by shaping operator behaviour in a safe , costeffective and controlled environment .”
On display was the latest generation Cat 7495 electric rope shovel simulator and Cat 793F haul truck simulator , recently developed under the global co-operation agreement signed in February 2021 . Under this agreement , Caterpillar Mining recommends ThoroughTec Simulation as its approved supplier of equipment simulator products and provides ThoroughTec access to confidential Cat machine technical data machine product group engineers .
“ ThoroughTec simulators are known for their value and realism ,” says Kent Clifton , a Senior Application Specialist at Caterpillar ’ s mining organisation . “ When combined with actual Cat machine data and operating characteristics , these simulators will significantly enhance the overall operator training experience through the highest level of realism and authenticity .”
Caterpillar customers will have access to the entire ecosystem of CYBERMINE solutions . Centred around the company ’ s fifthgeneration CYBERMINE Full-Mission Simulators , this includes customised e-learning and interactive pre-trip inspection trainers , as well as the mentioned first-in-class Workforce Excellence platform ( WX ) incorporating WX TMS and WX Analytics .
“ Together , Caterpillar Mining and ThoroughTec Simulation are committed to helping our customers effectively train operators in the most efficient , safe and realistic way possible ,” says Clifton . “ This agreement is a testament to our continued dedication to the health and safety of mining companies ’ most important asset - their people .”
Rounding out the products on display was a selection of interactive E-learning modules as well as a digital Pre-Trip Inspection system , all of which are designed and produced in-house , so as to be natively integrated into the CYBERMINE training eco-system .
ThoroughTec says market conditions are remarkably buoyant at the moment with significant demand for its simulator-based training technology and services . It has a portfolio of around 180 simulated machines available , ‘ off-the-shelf ’, which covers all of the major OEMs ’ most popular equipment for both surface and underground mining . The current Cat line-up alone amounts to 34 machines and through the collaboration it is expanding rapidly .
During the course of 2021 ThoroughTec also entered co-operation agreements with both Hitachi and Liebherr , and the company believes it is now the only independently-owned “ and thus truly OEM agnostic supplier ” at the upper end of the mining simulator market .
5DT ’ s sims at the heart of SSGPO mine training in Kazakhstan
Hammer Kazakhstan , part of Russian group Hammer Rus and partner 5DT , the global mining sim major based in South Africa , recently successfully launched their second simulator at the training centre of the Eurasian Resources Group ( ERG ) in Rudny , Kazakhstan which serves the Sokolov-Sarybai Mining Production Association ( SSGPO ) JSC mines , SSGPO being the largest iron ore enterprise in Kazakhstan ’ s mining industry with over 100 truck drivers . The simulator is based on the Hitachi
5DT simulators at Eurasian Resources Group ( ERG ) training centre in Rudny , Kazakhstan
EH3500AC heavy-duty dump truck and by end April 2021 more than 50 drivers have been trained on it . Earlier in January 2021 , it commissioned a sim based on the Caterpillar 777E and 777F mining dump trucks , which has already trained more than 65 drivers at the centre . A third sim for the BELAZ 75131 is also set to arrive , meaning training and certification will take place on almost all types of carrying capacity and transmissions of dump trucks involved in SSGPO .
Changing commands on the monitor such as ‘ Start the vehicle ’, ‘ Head to the loading area ’, ‘ Wait for the signal of an approaching loader ’, and ‘ Error : overspeed ’ help the operator better understand what is happening . The company also says this is the world ’ s first mining truck simulator that is intensively being used 24 hours a day in two shifts and without breaks for weekends and holidays . “ Hammer Kazakhstan ensures a round-the-clock and smooth operation of the simulator thanks to our professional instructors and service personnel , implementing this complex and ambitious project with the largest iron ore mining enterprise in Kazakhstan .”
ERG states : “ The new system will not only teach the primary skills of driving a dump truck , but will also significantly improve the qualifications of experienced drivers .” The mining dump truck training simulator consists of two components – hardware ( simulating a dump truck workstation ) and software ( provides the instructor with tools for training , including group training ). Various training scenarios are presented . The main one is general driving , from the moment the engine starts .
“ The uniqueness of the simulator lies in the fact that the image is transmitted not on projectors , but on liquid crystal monitors , while the system is built into the classroom ,” says the General Director of Hammer Kazakstan Fuad
International Mining | NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021