Mining has entered a new age, and is evolving from the man driven mine to the machine driven mine.
Many are predicting that the mining industry will become totally automated, and sites of the future will simply be made of autonomous trucks and machinery, operating without human control, only occasionally serviced and maintained by workers to keep them in peak form.
The machine, not the person, will be running the mine.
It will become a matter of artificial intelligence mixed with remote operating centres controlling vehicles traversing all over the site without a human to be seen apart from in the workshops; and maybe not even there as process control instrumentation and communications technology moves ahead.
While the industry has not yet reached this point, it has now entered the phase of early pit to port automation, but even this is not an easy change as the rise of the smart mine means that miners need smarter equipment to accomplish their goals.
Automated process and machinery means precision and accuracy is now the focus for many operators as they implement Big Data processes that allow for predictive practices such as maintenance and upgrades.
However ensuring that the repeatability in these processes is correct is crucial, and encoders are helping miners achieve this critical role.
Encoders and inclinometers are an important part of any production in chain, across a number of different processes, acting as feedback transducers for motor speed control, sensors for measuring, cutting and positioning, and as input for speed and rate controls while inclinometers are used for levelling in important processes such as during lifting procedures – to tell crane booms when they need to be adjusted for load or level – and in earth moving operations to ensure cutting and grading is flat and level.
But as the mine itself develops, so too does the technology, and miners need to upgrade as they progress to stay ahead of the competition.
But not all machinery is made to the same standard, and cheap overseas imports can cost operations more than they are worth.
Though by importing you may have saved money on the initial outlay of your spare part/equipment, the import quality and longer delivery times can end up costing your business more in downtimes and lost productivity.
PCA Australia has been providing encoders and inclinometers for more than half a century, and understands the mining industry’s need for speedy replacements and shipment, and are able to ship most common encoder products within Australia, and even models no longer manufactured can be built in a 24 hour time frame to service the customer.
To find out more about top quality encoders for mining, click here to download a free whitepaper from PCA Australia.