Capital Equipment News October 2019

More than 200 surface mining trucks are now operating autonomously using Cat Command for hauling.

QUICK TAKE

There is no way one can manage or improve what they don’t know; any form of operational or business improvement is extremely difficult to quantify without data and direct feedback from the operation as changes occur

no blanket approach to digitalisation. Adopting a phased approach and showing the value each component delivers helps digest the upfront investment required in infrastructure and networks. It also helps facilitate the change management process to entrench digitalisation in the operation,” says McCoy. According to Dears, Cat mobile mining machines incorporate digital technologies that help equipment operators do their jobs more efficiently and safely and help maintenance technicians diagnose machine problems quickly. “Many of the integrated technologies are building blocks for automation – remote control, semi-autonomous and fully autonomous operation, for both surface and underground mining machines,” says Dears. “Digital technologies also enable precise machine tracking, which is the core technology for scheduling and assignment, which in turn is the principal technology for production monitoring and load tracking, and, ultimately, production optimisation,” adds Dears. Technology clusters There are several clusters of digital technologies that can help mines in their quest to improve their productivity. What are some of the key ones being

Digitalisation enables mine operators to take the roof off their mining operations and get feedback on what is happening in real time

As mines continue to look for consistency across their operations, reductions in costs and maximum output from all of their assets, digitalisation can provide the breakthrough they need

COSTS

All of the technologies within Cat MineStar Solutions help manage costs, and when operations better manage costs, they become more profitable

PROFITS

Sandvik is focused on interoperability for seamless integration, Short Interval Control through its OptiMine modules and process optimisation through OptiMine Analytics modules

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