Mechanical Technology March 2015

Mechanical Technology — March 2015

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Modern transport and vehicle solutions

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ooyco Electronics, which has

been at the forefront of Pedes-

trian Detection Systems (PDS)

in the South African mining

industry since 2006, is pioneering the

technology for surface-mining applica-

tions after successfully launching it for

underground operations. “We have found

that our very low frequency (VLF) tech-

nology, which has proved so successful

underground, is exceptionally flexible in

terms of surface mining operations,” says

managing director, Anton Lourens.

Whereas underground mining equip-

ment is generally standardised due to

space constraints, surface mines feature

a much broader range of equipment, from

smaller machines to ultra-class dump

trucks, for example. “Bigger machines

mean bigger exclusion zones, which

meant we had to adapt our technology to

suit the specific requirements of surface

operations,” Lourens says.

Booyco Electronics also had to take

into account the potential interference

from ancillary equipment. “Although

our PDS technology complies with EMI

and EMC (electromagnetic interference

and connectivity) requirements, we had

to contend with additional issues such

as GPS positioning and vehicle tracker

systems, for example. Managing all of

that posed a challenge that we have

successfully overcome.”

Lourens reveals that Booyco Elec

tronics is currently installing its PDS

technology at a surface mining operation.

“We have completed the mining opera-

tion side and are currently busy with the

mineral processing side, wherein lie

more challenges and definitely a lot

more applications. We have standardised

the PDS deployment, i.e. specific zone

shaping per vehicle type, which took time

analysing the operational requirements.”

What this meant was that whereas

Booyco Electronics would typically rec-

ommend a 10 m wide warning zone, for

example, the client would request that

this zone be made smaller. “One of the

definite advantages of our technology

is that it is inherently flexible, enabling

us to adapt it according to specific re-

quirements and vehicle type,” Lourens

explains.

While the main function of PDS

technology is to warn miners of any ap-

proaching vehicles, it includes two-way

communications to warn the operators

of any mobile equipment if there are any

miners in the vicinity. The PDS is based

on VLF as well as radio frequency (RF)

technology, with miners equipped with

two-way RFID tags. Vehicle or other

With the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) unveiling its draft of the

mandatory Code of Practice for Trackless Mobile Machinery (TMM), detection

systems’ pioneer, Booyco Electronics is unveiling its very low frequency

pedestrian detection system for surface mining machinery. Anton Lourens,

the company’s MD reveals more.

Anton Lourens (left), managing director of

Booyco Electronics.

Pedestrian detection systems for surface mining

static danger zones have VLF antennae,

which generate several stable and pre-

determined fields in front of and behind

the vehicle in question, altough the con-

figuration will differ for surface mining

operations. When a miner enters this

zone, his tag is activated and a warning

signal is triggered. The exclusion zones

can be up to 15 m long.

Looking more closely at the hardware,

Lourens explains that the unit transmits a

VLF signal of less than 15 kHz via ferrite

antennae, which creates exclusion zones

in both directions of travel. When a driver

himself needs to be warned, the control

unit then receives a UHF signal from the

miner’s tag, which in turn activates the

relevant alarm. The power requirement

for the unit is 12 V dc.

The antenna is mounted in a resin-

filled, plastic enclosure. On machinery