SIMULATOR TRAINING enhancing the company ’ s reputation for performance excellence and safety .
“ This new technology definitely raises the level to which we can take industry skills , and we anticipate an enthusiastic response from both internal and external clients ,” says Pretorius . “ We believe strongly that this is the future of training – where we leverage digital technologies like VR to help take mining expertise into the Fourth Industrial Revolution .”
Tecknotrove on VR
As one of Asia ' s leading VR training & simulation companies , Mumbai , India-headquartered Tecknotrove Systems says it has vast experience in developing cutting edge solutions for the mining industry for both surface mines and underground mines . “ We develop fully customised VR training solutions that are capable of offering immersive learning experiences which can directly lead to higher productivity and efficiency in mining operations ” says Shantanu Gupta – Director at Tecknotrove .
Tecknotrove creates detailed replicas of mines with the help of detailed site study and data collection so that you can access your own mine in a virtual environment without having to leave the centre or cross the safety limits . Custom minesites from TecknoSIM are tailored to suit the actual operational procedures and mine environmental conditions .
“ Our teams use CAD / engineering drawings , actual photographs and videos from sites to recreate replicas of mine environments . Custom mine sites are regularly updated with changes and updates based on actual minesites ,” says Gupta . Digital twins of mines include exact replicas of landmarks , road rules , load-dumpparking areas , mine site movement of vehicles and pedestrians , accident prone areas and weather conditions . “ Duplicating mines in VR makes the entire mining process safe and more effective by allowing continuous training of mining operators , workers , managers which is not possible on actual mines .”
By putting on the VR headset , trainees experience a virtual environment that is similar to the mining site . “ New trainees and recruits get a better understanding of what is expected of them and how to handle different work situations . They can inspect every part of the site and even interact with the different virtual objects around them which directly leads to higher learning retention and better results . Experienced workers get trained on advanced skills and emergency situations . Training on custom mines prepares operators for siterelated operating procedures , emergencies , specific procedural training , and gives an overall site familiarisation that enhances the abilities of the operators .”
He adds : “ There is only so much that traditional training can provide people . Videos and pictures do help them understand the right way to do things , however , trainees don ’ t really understand how to do things at work unless they get to perform those procedures or tasks on the field . This can often lead to problems or bottlenecks at work as new employees may take anywhere from weeks to months to operate at their full potential . VR training gives people the opportunity to perform practical hands-on exercises as many times as they want before they get out on the field .”
Because of its portability , VR training is also a highly scalable form of training as it allows you to deliver standardised training across multiple locations without the need for employees or trainers to travel to the location . Virtual mines are also used to conduct virtual tours , where users can fly over the site to view orebodies in the ground with different minerals highlighted . Virtual mines allow organisations to build entire operations and travel through every stage of the mine life without leaving the office .
Sandvik and Digital Driller™
Remote and virtual training solutions are playing an increasingly important role in providing a safe , sustainable , and flexible environment for upskilling and educating operators and maintenance teams alike . From virtual reality to equipment simulators , the trend toward digital learning is evident from the variety of training platforms available for the mining and construction industries . Many of these solutions provide a safe learning environment to increase the user ’ s skills and confidence before realworld application , but often compromise on flexibility or authenticity . Sandvik Mining & Rock Solutions says its range of Digital Driller™
Cat ® Simulators at MINExpo 2021
At MINExpo 2021 , Simformotion LLC featured its Caterpillar Large Wheel Loader , Underground LHD , Mining Truck and Mining Dozer Cat ® Simulator solutions . As the licensee for Caterpillar , each Cat Simulator system features authentic Cat controls , motion base , exclusive walkaround training , exclusive reporting system , and exercises that are developed with Caterpillar Expert Operators . This ensures that operators around the world learn ‘ the Cat way .’ All simulators are equipped with a built-in records management system which records and reports the results of user simulation sessions comparing outcomes to Caterpillar expert benchmarks ( metrics ). Many of the systems are also now available with VR Edition - giving the user greater depth perception and a larger view of the environment . Annette Kiesewetter , Marketing Strategist for Simformotion told IM : “ Our systems are portable with a rolling platform , quick-to-ship crate , or outfit a travel trailer to easily move around from location-to-location . We also have 24 / 7 simulator support . I cannot underscore enough how important supporting our customers means to us . We have built long term , lasting relationships with customers because of our ongoing support and outreach . We have been the licensee for Caterpillar since 2009 and have been developing simulators hand-in-hand with their teams of experts since that time .” The company is also developing full online curriculums for each simulator model , including a mining suite . The SimScholars™ curriculum features Instructor guides , Learner guides , lesson plans , lessons , quizzes , how-to videos and more . Simformotion now has a number of different models for use in the mining
industry which today include the Large Wheel Loader ; Off Highway Truck ; Mining Truck ; Advanced Mining Truck with VR Edition ; Mining Dozer and Underground LHD with VR Edition . Plus , in development with release coming soon are the Mining Dozer with Coal and Hydraulic Mining Shovel with VR Edition . The Simformotion team is currently developing the HMS training exercises with Caterpillar experts for a release date in 2022 .
Simformotion Large Wheel Loader and Mining Truck Cat Simulators at MINExpo 2021 in Las Vegas
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021 | International Mining