SURFACE DRILLING components . For the customer there is also a greater ease of taking care of the machine if the autonomy is OEM-supplied – we can take care of everything including standard maintenance and checking the autonomy system , it is a one-stop shop , they are not having to deal with two parties if something happens and try to pin down who has responsibility across the control system , electrical and mechanical parts of the machine . We are the single responsible party . And on performance , we have seen head-to-head comparisons by customers of our OEM solution versus third party where we have come out on top . At the same time , we still have to keep evolving to remain competitive .” A good example is Epiroc ’ s command and control platform for automation which is used to plan the autonomous patterns . Today , nearly all new autonomous Pit Vipers use Mobius for Drills to maximise productivity and safety ; and Epiroc is also working to transition drills at existing sites to this technology as well . “ Mobius has a lot of rich features and benefits – it was designed from the ground up to harness the full benefits of robotics and digitalisation growth , interacting with manned operations and integrating with semi or full autonomous drills . Data exchange , situational awareness , and autonomous navigation can be significantly enhanced .” Mobius can also act as a common platform for both autonomous drills and other autonomous equipment like mining trucks – and Epiroc can offer this as a global dealer for ASI Mining , which developed Mobius . It can also manage autonomy across mixed OEM drill fleets if needed . This agnostic capability gives customers a lot more flexibility in their automation journey . Ellis adds : “ Drills are often the entry point into automation for mines so it is nice for them to have that agnostic autonomy option in their roadmap .” Finally in terms of functionality of Epiroc autonomy , the version using RCS5 can also use the Auto Bit Changer , which Ellis said benefits both manned drills from a safety and efficiency perspective as well as autonomous drills due to enhanced utilisation of the machine without someone having to manually change bits . He added that overall in its software releases , Epiroc is taking on board improvements and feedback from its global autonomous drill fleet , so that every single software update release , which are done about every six months , comes with some level of step change in productivity .
Epiroc ’ s Common Automation Panel
Epiroc recently launched the revolutionary Common Automation Panel ( CAP ) for the SmartROC DTH surface drill rig along with its autonomous Pit Viper range . CAP enables a transformation in remote control centres , with improved ergonomics and a platform approach to run mixed fleet operations from a single station . Epiroc says the Common Automation Panel is designed for an innovative evolution of the control room . “ CAP has been created for the modern mine remote operation centre . This innovative product will help our customers to streamline the value chain of their surface drilling operations – and create a safer and more productive environment ,” says Christopher Blignaut , Automation Manager at Epiroc Surface division .
CAP creates opportunities for complete transformation , including improving the layout in the control room , the way operators are trained and work , and reduced variability and spare parts costs . “ The CAP station will bring value to the daily mining operations that focus on technology and automation – through direct opportunities to increase utilisation of the fleet and reducing operating costs . Operation through CAP can also prolong the effective life of the equipment by ensuring that equipment operates within optimal design parameters . This results in lowering maintenance costs overall ,” says Blignaut .
The Common Automation Panel has a new design approach , which was developed in collaboration with close partners . It includes a 12 ″ touchscreen display and joystick configuration for different machine types , which is an important benefit when it comes to mixed fleet operations with the Pit Viper and SmartROC DTH drill rigs as well as training for new operators . For operators , this means easier adaptation between machines and more flexibility to run the fleet . The product was also designed with improved ergonomics in mind , to allow the panel to be situated comfortably in multiple positions .
The Common Automation Panel also offers a new safety system to further reduce the office footprint and increase the total number of machines that can connect into a control room in a single system . This is important for situational awareness during remote operations and will reduce maintenance and operating costs for larger fleets .
CAP will enable more consistent and predictable operations and a lower overall cost of ownership . In the long run , this will have a positive effect on decarbonisation as well as enhancing the health and wellbeing of the
The initial focus of a new Orica and Cat collaboration is on the potential integration between Orica ’ s Rhino™ , BlastIQ™ , and FRAGTrack™ technologies with Cat ® MineStar™ Terrain
operators . “ We see increased environmental , social , and governance ( ESG ) demands , tighter demands on health and safety , and the need to integrate groundbreaking digitalised solutions that boost productivity in the mining environment . CAP answers these demands directly ,” says Blignaut .
Orica and Cat put heads together on drill and blast technology
Orica and Caterpillar Inc in November 2023
confirmed they are teaming up to improve realtime data exchange and integrate workflows across the mining value chain .
The collaboration is aimed at providing customers with intelligence to improve decision making and optimise their entire operations , with the announcement following a mention of this tie-up in Orica ’ s most recent FY2023 financial year results webcast .
The mining industry has started to unlock the potential of combining data , sensors and intelligence to optimise workflows for real-time decision making and value chain optimisation , the companies said . Digitally integrated workflows enable customers to achieve a step change in safety , productivity , recovery and sustainability outcomes for their operations .
“ To realise the full potential across the entire value chain , technology domain leaders , customers and academia need to increase collaboration in an open ecosystem to develop integrated , end-to-end operational workflows which link orebody intelligence , drilling and blasting , material characterisation and processing ,” they said .
Recognising this , Orica and Caterpillar have
signed a memorandum of understanding ( MoU ) to explore opportunities to integrate key elements of their respective domains . The initial focus will be on the potential integration between Orica ’ s Rhino™ , BlastIQ™ , and
APRIL 2024 | International Mining