56 LOAD & HAUL AUTOMATION

in Sweden, and Inmet Minings Pyhsalmi

copper-and-zinc mine in Finland.
AutoMine Lite is an easy way to shift
the mine operation to automation, as it is
used on just one machine. It can be
expanded to AutoMine Loading by
increasing the number of loaders from
one unit up to however many are
needed. A traffic-control software
package can be installed together with
other fleet-automation software
packages.
The AutoMine Loading/Hauling and
Lite systems use a supervisory system,
which consists of the control-room
software and hardware, a safety system,
a communication system that includes
the wireless and wired network, and an
on-board automation system on the
equipment.
Ms Heimonen adds: AutoMine is a
total package solution; the scalability
comes from the size of the production
area and the size of the fleet.
AutoMine Loading, Hauling and Lite
can all be used for asset monitoring. In
addition, AutoMine Process Management
is designed to manage all assets in a
mining operation. Collecting condition
data from the equipment improves
safety, and the trends gleaned from the
data enable maintenance needs to be
predicted, giving mine operators a
window of opportunity to react.
Pre-planned maintenance decreases
costs for the mining company, as it
prevents damage and reduces unex-
pected downtime.
AutoMine Loading, Hauling, Lite and
Draw Control can track equipment and
show the location on a screen. AutoMine
Loading, Hauling and Lite use scanner
technology for location tracking, while
AutoMine Draw Control uses radio-fre-
quency identification (RFID) tags for the
same purpose.
Truck driving is fully autonomous with
AutoMine and little or no remote
operation is needed. The system can be
operated and monitored anywhere, so it
does not need to be done on-site; all
that is required is a network connection
between the production level of the mine
and the control room.
The equipment is controlled by
communication between the AutoMine
system and the truck/loader control
system. Sandvik equipment is designed
to be ready for automation, so no special
interface is needed for AutoMine.
AutoMine has its own database where
all the production data, condition
monitoring data and other additional
data is stored. However, it is an open
system and has standard interfaces for
other mine systems such as a production-
planning system, reporting system,
supervisory control and data acquisition
(SCADA) or maintenance management
systems.
Sandviks main areas of research and
development regarding AutoMine
include communication technologies,
modelling the mine environment and
location tracking of people and
equipment.
Cavotec is a global engineering group
that serves a number of industries,
including mining and tunnelling. The
company develops power-transmission,
distribution and control technologies
that form the link between fixed and
mobile equipment.
In the mining and tunnelling sector,
the group designs and manufactures
motorised and spring-driven cable
reels, power connectors, radio remote
controls (RRCs), cables and hoses for
mining manufacturers such as Sandvik
and Atlas Copco.
Cavotecs advanced RRCs are
designed to ensure the safe operation
of heavy equipment over long periods
in the harshest of conditions. Working
closely with its customers, Cavotec has
developed RRC systems that incorpo-
rate features such as live video links
enabling equipment to be safely
operated from control rooms. The
group offers a wide range of explosion-
proof units, which can be used safely in
areas with a high explosion risk; these
are used by customers at mining
applications worldwide.
Cavotec RRCs are used to control
equipment such as mobile cranes,
tower cranes, crushers and tunnel
boring machines, and all units are
certified to all applicable international
safety standards.
Cavotecs customers in the mining
and tunnelling sector include: Atlas
Copco, Bals, BHP Billiton, Blumen-
becker Automation, Herrenknecht,
LKAB, Pilbara Iron (a subsidiary of Rio
Tinto), Robbins, Sandvik, ThyssenKrupp
and WHBO.
Uavotec
Cavotec kit for radio remote-
control operation of equipment
"1ruck
drvng s
fu||y
autonomous
wth
AutoMne
and |tt|e or
no remote
operaton s
needed. 1he
system can
be operated
and
montored
anywhere"
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