FLEET MANAGEMENT
or Bluetooth, these systems constantly stream performance data and safety event history. When combined with software in the form of short-interval control systems, the analysis can indicate trends, monitor intervention rates, and enable behaviourbased improvement in safety.
In addition, the use of Bluetooth-enabled reference points, including static tags placed in and along mine tunnels or haul roads, provides high-accuracy positioning and situational awareness in situations where GPS availability is low or non-existing. These capabilities expand the reach of safety automation to underground mining, where visibility and spatial awareness are generally compromised. Driven by the need to improve operational efficiency and connect disparate data sources across mining environment, Nerospec SK developed SIMAC( Short Interval Measurement and Control). This advanced software platform is engineered to support the digitalisation of fleet operations, offering a comprehensive, OEM-independent solution that integrates seamlessly with a wide range of hardware used for data acquisition. In essence, SIMAC converts real-time operating data into useful insights, creating a focal point around the viewing and analysis of the important productivity, maintenance, and
safety KPIs that are crucial to running a mine operation effectively. The program provides a complete view of the mining operations, and it allows managers and decisionmakers to have a precise awareness of everything that is happening in the fleet at a given time. Such visibility is imperative in facilitating effective short-interval control, a method that is commonly applied in mining to promote continuous improvement in the form of close-looped feedback. One of the strongest tools in SIMAC is its benchmarking functionality. By comparing the production of machines, shifts, operators, or time, it is possible to identify where inefficiencies lie, understand why they exist, and apply corrective measures in a targeted fashion. Whether it is locating underperforming equipment or identifying cycle delays, the platform provides the data necessary to react quickly and effectively. Equally valuable is the system’ s real-time monitoring capability, promoting proactive safety management and preventive maintenance. It constantly analyses operational data to detect abnormality or impending failure symptoms. In instances of thresholds being crossed or irregularly noticed, automatic alarms warn supervisors and operators prior to incidents causing problems. This timely warning helps minimise unplanned
downtime, increase equipment availability, and save lives by facilitating quick intervention.
Identifying inefficiency areas and enabling more effective planning, SIMAC directly improves profitability. Its insights drive streamlined operations, maximum resource utilisation, and equipment use optimisation, in mixed fleets where differences in performance tend to occur more frequently. Incremental improvements in the long term deliver detectable gains in both production and cost management. As added flexibility, SIMAC is completely webbased, so its dashboards and report tools are available from any internet-connected device. This provides a constant view of fleet status and performance, no matter where the stakeholders are located, at the mine, at the headquarters, or remotely. This accessibility by the system facilitates flexible decision-making, even in decentralised or multi-site operations. Ultimately, SIMAC serves a crucial purpose in aligning the technological elements of modern fleet management. By linking people, machinery, and data in one system, it moves operational control away from reactive fixing and toward proactive optimisation.
12 International Mining | MAY 2025