介绍国外最新技术和产品
This magnetic separator is installed at a rock crushing plant – check out what this magnet is extracting.
These chunky contaminants can damage parts of machinery, which are costly to repair. Not only do these magnets prevent the damage, they also play an important role in improving product purity.
Visit the MSA Magnetics website to learn more or get in touch.
AspenTech is providing intelligent digital solutions to the mining industry, helping reduce downtime and emissions while maximising asset performance.
Mobile and fixed equipment plant maintenance is one of the costliest parts of a mining operation. This stems from the fact that site operators typically rely on preventive maintenance schedules designed by the original equipment manufacturer.
But this system is too rigid to depend on, and can fail to account for variations in the use of equipment, different working environments and the effects of extreme weather. It’s the equivalent of ignoring the warning light in a car because it’s still got three months until the next service.
There is a better way of doing things, and it’s called prescriptive maintenance. AspenTech’s Aspen Mtell solution offers the mining industry exactly that.
Aspen Mtell is a predictive and prescriptive maintenance solution that uses machine learning to monitor equipment in real-time for imminent and future failures.
“Companies are facing increasing pressure to reduce their carbon footprint and improve operational efficiency in order to meet global climate targets,” senior industry marketing consultant for AspenTech, Brandon Richardson, told Australian Mining. “To deal with these challenges, many companies are turning to digitalisation solutions.
“AspenTech offers advanced digitalisation solutions specifically designed to assist companies in the mining industry to achieve their sustainability goals and improve operational efficiency, while also minimising costly environmental and safety risks.
“AspenTech’s asset performance management solutions provide a comprehensive suite of tools, including Aspen Mtell, to monitor and optimise performance of mining assets.”
By monitoring machine performance round-the-clock, the Mtell software can recognise patterns indicative of degradation and impending failure. These early warnings give site operators the chance to plan maintenance weeks – and sometimes months – ahead, rather than reactively working through equipment failures at the expense of time and money.
“The high costs associated with maintenance, repairs, and downtime can be a significant burden for mining companies,” Richardson said.
“AspenTech helps address these challenges by providing predictive maintenance solutions that can reduce downtime and maintenance costs.”
Aspen Mtell has been tried and tested in the field, and the results speak for themselves.
“A particular mining client was having difficulty predicting when maintenance was required on their trucks, resulting in frequent breakdowns and increased maintenance costs,” Richardson said.
“By implementing Aspen Mtell, the company was able to analyse sensor data from the trucks and develop predictive models called agents that could accurately forecast maintenance needs.
“This allowed the company to proactively schedule maintenance, reducing unplanned downtime and improving overall equipment reliability.”
Aspen Mtell is also making operations safer. In one instance, the software flagged a failure in a customer’s oil heater.
“In those types of industrial machines, a failure would have meant hot oil vaporising cold water, which would have caused a rapid steam explosion,” Richardson said.
“A failure would have had catastrophic safety implications, but thanks to Aspen Mtell, the site operator was able to take pre-emptive action and avoid an accident.”
Aspen Mtell pairs well with another AspenTech solution, known as advanced process control (APC). APC provides real-time control and optimisation of equipment, helping mining companies make their operations run as efficiently as possible.
“APC enables mining companies to optimise their production processes and reduce energy consumption,” Richardson said. “AspenTech APM and APC solutions help mining companies to make data-driven decisions that improve process efficiency, optimise production, and reduce environmental impact.
“The integration of AspenTech APM and APC solutions ensures that mining companies can achieve their sustainability objectives while remaining competitive in an uncertain economic environment.”
Energy efficiency and safety play a huge role in achieving environmental, social and governance (ESG) targets, meaning solutions like Aspen Mtell are vital for staying competitive in an evolving mining market.
And ESG targets are much more than just a peripheral consideration.
There is tangible value for mining companies in maintaining safe and responsible worksites, and in reducing emissions in line with the global push for net-zero.
Social and environmental practices are becoming essential for mining companies to secure a social license to operate. Demonstrating such responsibility helps project approvals go smoother, which directly translates to a faster timeline and profitability.
In this way, intelligent solutions like AspenTech APM and APC not only help keep expenses under control, but add real value for AspenTech’s mining industry clients.
“AspenTech is committed to helping its clients in the mining industry achieve sustainable, cost effective, and optimised operations,” Richardson said.
“The company has a network of experts of who can provide support and guidance throughout the implementation process, ensuring clients get the most out of their investment.”
This feature appeared in the June 2023 issue of Australian Mining.
The Astec GT2612V high-frequency screen has assisted a nickel miner in New Caledonia in re-processing nickel waste.
Astec and mining contractor Salmon NC have developed a bespoke waste retreatment screening solution for a major nickel miner in New Caledonia. And Astec’s screening offerings don’t stop there.
As we near a net-zero reality, there is an increasing need for more materials to develop the necessary green technologies.
Renewable energy sources such as wind and solar require up to five times more copper than comparable non-renewable technologies, while the World Economic Forum believes demand for lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) could surpass three million tonnes by 2030. The world produced 540,000 tonnes of LCE in 2021.
LCE, derived from lithium raw material, spodumene concentrate, is a critical material in renewable batteries used in electric vehicles (EVs).
While primary production will remain key, as mineral demand increases into the future amid growing decarbonisation, mining companies will need to be more creative in how they commercialise their material.
A nickel mine in New Caledonia, some 1200km east of Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, is doing just that.
SLN (Société Le Nickel), which operates a nickel smelter and several mines on the island, has established a unique method for recycling nickel slag – a major by-product of the nickel refining process – with the assistance of mining contractor Salmon NC and leading mining equipment supplier Astec.
The recycled nickel slag is sold into a variety of markets, including the abrasives industry in the US, where it is used as a sandblasting medium.
While heavy equipment hire has always been Salmon NC’s bread and butter, chief executive officer Chris Salmon turned to Astec when it came to finding the specialty equipment needed to re-process nickel slag.
“I’d known Astec from a past life when I was involved in basalt quarrying, and they’ve always come really well referenced,” Salmon told Australian Mining. “I’d reached out to some industry contacts explaining what I was trying to achieve and Astec’s high-frequency screens were mentioned a couple of times by people I trusted.”
Salmon got in touch with Shaun Quinn, Astec’s senior account manager, materials solutions – northern region, and before too long an Astec GT2612V high-frequency screen had made its way to New Caledonia.
“Shaun was very helpful in identifying the type of unit we wanted,” Salmon said. “We were looking at fixed and tracked solutions, but we chose the tracked machine because we needed mobility around how we were building our stockpiles.
“We’ve been impressed by Astec’s after-sales support, too. We need that support given we’re quite isolated in New Caledonia.”
The Astec GT2612V high-frequency screen has 10 vibrators that directly-induce vibration into the bed of material at between 3600–4200 revolutions per minute (RPM), to ensure increased probability of stratification and material separation.
A unique media rotary tensioning system used on the high-frequency screens means operators of the GT2612V can quickly and efficiently change screen media when switching between applications, supporting a more efficient and productive operation.
And while the GT2612V is powerful, it’s also versatile.
“The screen itself is made up of four six-by-six-foot panels, with the first panels on each deck having three independently adjustable vibrators,” Quinn told Australian Mining.
“The screen operates between 28–43° of inclination, with the vibrators running at up to 4200RPM with as much as 2mm of stroke, so you can ensure they are optimised for each application.
“On average, these machines can induce around 10g of force into the material if you’re running them flat out, but you can also de-tune individual sections accordingly to stop ‘pop-corning’, or the bouncing of the raw material, from occurring.”
The GT2612V was delivered and commissioned to New Caledonia in November 2022 and has been processing large volumes of material ever since.
The process involves feeding stockpiled nickel slag through a static grid to remove larger agglomerates before it reaches the high-frequency screen, which then refines the product into a usable material.
“Minus-50mm material is sent to the high-frequency screen, which separates anything bigger than 4mm,” Quinn said. “Anything smaller is finished product in this application.”
The GT2612V’s adjustability came in handy when the Salmon NC team discovered the nickel slag material was more abrasive than anticipated.
“This briefly caused some operational issues for us,” Salmon said.
“But the Astec support team was fantastic. They helped us make tweaks and adjustments to settings and flow rates, and alter the way we were processing the material to best deal with its abrasive nature.
“Now we’re getting the best out of the machine itself, and the best operational efficiency.”
Since the six-foot-wide GT2612V arrived in New Caledonia in November 2022, Astec has developed a larger eight-foot-wide, 18-foot-long high-frequency screen. Quinn said the new model, launched at CONEXPO in Las Vegas in mid-March, enables greater capacity.
But when finding the right screen for a customer and for a particular application, bigger is not necessarily better.
“It comes down to what customers are looking for,” Quinn said. “If they don’t have room to set up a fixed plant, and if they want something that’s mobile and able to be utilised in a tighter, confined space – as with Salmon NC and the nickel slag application – the tracked screen is ideal.
“But if you’ve got a bit more room, and you’re going to go down the path of investing in a fixed plant, Astec’s new eight-foot-wide screen is going to be something to consider.
“The bottom line is the technology works and, with its multiple tuning options, we will ensure screens are optimised to suit any application and material.”
Quinn said that just a few weeks on from CONEXPO, Astec had already sold two of the eight-foot-wide screens into the local market.
Astec can also build a ‘hybrid machine’ for its customers.
“The offshoot of these machines is our multi-frequency screen,” Quinn said.
“These incorporate a conventional screening action throughout the whole screen but also utilise our high-frequency technology on the bottom deck.
“The high-frequency action provides additional vibration directly into the media on the bottom deck which helps with separation in finer material or wetter applications.“
Whether it’s the GT2612V, the new eight-foot-wide screen, the multi-frequency option, or any other bespoke screening solution, Astec has a solution to suit any mineral processing application. Astec’s screens are proven in repurposing mine waste for a major nickel miner in New Caledonia, and many other Australian mining companies and contractors can attest to the supplier’s capability.
And as demand for minerals increases amid growing decarbonisation, Astec’s innovative technologies will continue to help its customers find new markets for their products. In this green transformation, Astec’s ongoing role as a key industry partner is assured.
This feature also appears in the May 2023 edition of Australian Mining.
Martin Engineering, a global leader in high-performance conveyor components, has introduced a new standard in wear liner technology.
The Manufactured Canoe Liner is made from durable urethane molded around a rugged steel plate to absorb impact and abrasion from the punishing bulk handling environment.
With the protective plate integrated directly into the urethane liner, the design delivers superior shielding of the skirt sealing system and chute wall from heavy, fast-moving cargo. The result is extended equipment life, longer periods of dust and spillage control, improved safety and less maintenance, reducing the overall cost of operation.
“This is a shift in the engineering and role of wear liners,” Martin Engineering manager of conveyor products Dave Mueller said.
“Like most conveyor components, the design has evolved into a component that is more effective, safer to maintain and more reliable.”
Previously, most wear liners were sheets of steel welded onto the internal chute wall of the conveyor loading zone. These protected the wall from the punishing effects of splashing, shifting and abrasive material. But since they are wear parts, periodic replacement of these early designs involved enclosed chute entry and hot work using a blow torch, which required certification and supervision, while running the risk of igniting explosive dust.
The steel plates generally did not effectively protect the rubber skirt seal, leading to more frequent skirt replacements. Moreover, the wear liner’s position often left a gap between the liner and the skirting, which captured small lumps of material that could damage the belt. These design issues resulted in excessive downtime, premature equipment replacement and extra labor to monitor and maintain.
The Martin Manufactured Canoe Liner is an engineered urethane strip molded directly around a protective steel plate. The unique approach avoids the bonding issues common to previous designs, preventing urethane separation from the plate that could damage the belt and enclosure.
Each section has a series of two inch (51 mm) long bracket holes for vertical adjustment. The bottom belt side of the liner is cut to an optional 20º, 35º, or 45º angle to maximise belt sealing and protect the softer material of the skirt seal from premature wear.
Depending on the weight and abrasiveness of the conveyed material, customers can choose a urethane thickness of 1.3-2 inches (33-51 mm).
Delivered in storable cartridges 48 inches (1219 mm) in length, the units can be cut on site to match the needs of the chute. The cartridges can also be installed vertically on top of one another to accommodate taller chute walls or raised enclosures. Like the lower sections, the upper units can be adjusted as well.
As material gradually erodes the Manufactured Canoe Liner, the bottom trough angle continues to protect the skirting. If there are significant gaps between the belt and liner, each individual cartridge can be adjusted by a single technician using a socket wrench.
Replacement is easy by simply removing the worn units, mounting each new cartridge, and cutting the end piece to fit. This reduces what used to be a one or two day job to one to two hours.
“Martin is constantly seeking to innovate every aspect of the bulk handling process with the goal of making it safer, more effective and easier to maintain,” Mueller said.
“The introduction of the Manufactured Canoe Liner achieves our objectives by improving efficiency and lowering the cost of operation.”
Weir Minerals, manufacturer of the Warman slurry pump, has released the latest edition of its Warman Slurry Pumping Handbook.
The sixth edition, compiled by one of the most trusted names in slurry pumps, features detailed engineering data required for most slurry pumping applications.
Drawing on decades of Weir Minerals’ in-house expertise in innovative engineering and slurry pumping technology, the new handbook has updated reference material based on new information, improved understanding and technological developments within the mining industry.
With customers always in mind, the handbook aims to empower engineers to achieve optimal performance from their Warman slurry pumps. An increased global focus on the environment, energy consumption and water conservation will influence slurry pump design and considerations – making this latest handbook an essential tool for all current and future pump engineers.
“Pumping slurry has many challenges and I’m excited to publish our latest handbook, packed with fundamental theory, application advice, standard practices and latest Warman learnings from the field, all aimed to help our customers, present and future, deliver with excellence,” Weir Minerals slurry pumping technology group director Marcus Lane said.
Weir Minerals are continually striving to shape the next generation of smart, efficient and sustainable solutions with cutting-edge science and innovation. The comprehensive handbook includes over 140 pages of detailed information, including performance charts, impeller design, part configuration, assembly and slurry considerations, all fully supported by accurate technical renders and specifications.
“The high quality of the reference material in this essential resource reflects the leading status of the Warman slurry pumps,” Weir Minerals global engineering and technology vice president John McNulty said.
“As the industry leader, we have a responsibility to develop our future engineers; we will make the latest version of the Warman Slurry Pumping Handbook available not only to our customers, but also to the leading schools worldwide, so they can learn from the best in the industry.”
As part of Weir Minerals’ commitment to investing in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education and developing the next generation of engineers, copies of this resource will be gifted to the leading mining and engineering educational facilities around the world, including the winner of the 2022 Warman Design & Build competition, Deakin University in Australia.
Visit the Weir Minerals website to learn more.
By paying close attention to the sealing solution used in the gland area of slurry pumps, mining operators can increase productivity – and profitability.
Slurry pumps are the workhorses of mining operations, helping to efficiently transport ore in the form of slurry throughout the site. Unfortunately, they are also often one of the more trouble-prone parts of many plants, with the abrasive nature of mining slurries taking a high toll on pump components.
A particular stress point is the gland area, where mechanical seals or packing are used to prevent leakage. Sealing solutions that are of poor quality or that are ill-suited to the application at hand can greatly increase maintenance demands, and lead to unplanned stoppages and excessive water use.
Mining operators looking to increase the efficiency of their slurry pumps – and in turn the whole operation – should spend time analysing their slurry and choose a tailored sealing solution that can cope with the inherent stresses.
Some of the factors to consider when analysing the slurry include the hardness and abrasiveness of the slurry; the amount and weight of solids being carried; and the salinity, chemical composition and temperature of the slurry. These can all impact heavily on component wear.
Armed with this information, operators can make a more informed choice about what kind of features are required from a sealing solution, be it a mechanical seal or packing. While uptake of mechanical seals is varied across mining settings, they have the potential to extend time between maintenance intervals by up to four times compared to packing. However, a slightly higher level of training is required among maintenance staff.
So, what factors should be considered when choosing a mechanical seal?
A good seal should have a stationary sprung design with non-clogging springs and micro-polished dynamic O-ring surfaces. It should also have the flexibility to add erosion protection features, like polyurethane in applications where the slurry is extremely abrasive.
Additionally, a good mechanical seal should also be flexible enough to add support features to prolong operating life, such as quench/drain and flush. It should have line-to-line seal faces, and be designed with generous cross sections and a robust drive mechanism that can mount on hardened pump sleeves.
For packing, the yarn needs to be sufficiently strong to prevent the slurry from penetrating into the fibre. It should be woven in a manner that creates a torturous leak path.
The packing needs to be low friction for low energy consumption and to reduce any damage to the rotating shaft, despite the presence of slurry. It should also be flexible enough to transfer the axial energy into radial load and maintain a positive seal for prolonged periods. Thereby reducing the amount of follower adjustments required during the life of the packing.
In conclusion, slurry pumps play a crucial role in mining operations. By examining operating conditions and requirements and choosing an appropriate sealing solution, pump uptime can be increased, water consumption reduced, and high productivity maintained.
To find out how to choose the best pump sealing solution for mining slurry operations, download the white paper.
Lance Brett has been working in mechanical seals for over 35 years. Now a national product manager at Seal Innovations, he is excited to bring the new Heavy Duty Slurry Seals onto the market for Australian customers.
“We’re really pleased with the quality of these seals and how they stand up in terms of wear life and reliability,” he said.
“It perfectly complements the rest of our product range and offers new potential for our involvement in the mining and quarrying sectors.”
The role of a sealing application cannot be overlooked, especially in resources where they act to secure valuable materials while they are being processed. Slurry is formed when water combines with ferrous and non-ferrous raw material, such as rock and soil between 1mm and 25mm thick. In mining, there are several types of pumps used in the transport of large volumes of slurry to mineral processing plants, where it then undergoes a separation process.
The solids within slurry can often prove highly abrasive, contributing to the accelerated wear life of critical parts, including seals. This problem can be amplified in a hyper saline environment, which may cause crystallisation of material around the surface.
The new Heavy Duty Slurry Pump Seal from Seal Innovations can withstand the harshest operating environments, providing maximum seal life in mining, quarrying and dewatering applications. The abrasion resistant metal components, along with silicone carbide faces, create an open design which reduces flush water and product dilution.
“This seal unit has been specifically designed for handling slurry concentration of up to 40 per cent solids by weight,” Brett said.
“It is an incredibly robust construct mechanical seal which is best suited to rugged mining and quarrying environments. Differently to standard O-ring designs, it is a rotating assembly, offering accurate installation with no special tools required.”
What’s more, the smooth, elastomer-coated cone spring increases the product’s reliability with an even spring load to the seal’s faces. This ensures minimal wear or clogging, in operating pressures up to 300 psig (20.7 bar).
“We have introduced this product to fill a prominent need in the market for mining-suited slurry pump parts,” Brett said.
“It’s a really exciting addition to our portfolio of industry leading seal products, and we’re already taking it to some of our most valued customers as an upgrade solution on troublesome equipment.”
He adds that, in addition to a comprehensive catalogue of sealing products, the business also provides aftermarket engineering and repair services from some of their centrally located branches.
“We can repair and overhaul slurry pump units as well as seals from our workshop in Brisbane, and we can repair any type of slurry seal from our Melbourne workshop,” Brett said.
“Everything is repaired back to manufacturer specification, and thoroughly tested for performance before re-entering the field.”
Technicians from Seal Innovations regularly visit customer sites, utilising their comprehensive knowledge of seal engineering to carry out audits, training and installation services. In line with its motto – “keep industry moving” – the company strives to meet each customer’s unique requirements and offer a one-stop-shop for all sealing needs.
Features of the new Heavy Duty Slurry Seal
Although aluminium is the third most abundant element to be found in the Earth’s crust (after oxygen and silicone), it has only been widely utilised over the last 100 years. This is because it does not exist in nature in a pure state, and must be extracted from compounds through an intensive refining process.
Australia’s aluminium industry is the world’s largest producer of bauxite, despite having only been in commercial operation since 1955. It is a major contributor to employment and the national economy, generating around 21 million tonnes of alumina material each year.
Michael Greelish, national accounts manager for mining at Motion Australia, worked recently with a Victorian aluminium smelting business to implement NTN’s angular contact ball bearings on various machinery parts to great success. The company itself produces approximately 300,000 tonnes of aluminium every year, adhering to robust environmental management plans and sustainability targets.
“We are proud to support such a forward‑thinking player in the Australian mining space, supplying them with the best quality bearing components to ensure that they meet efficiency targets,” Greelish said.
“CBC carried out assessment on their application where part failure was becoming a costly issue, and recommended the angular contact ball bearings from NTN as a premium, long-term solution that could promise reliability.”
These non-separable bearings are incredibly useful, due to their ability to support simultaneous radial and single‑direction axial pressure. Because of this, they are usually used in pairs or sets to transmit load between raceways along a radial plane.
Popular with OEM customers, these NTN units have been generating widespread positive feedback following extended operating life on different sites.
“Put simply, the NTN product is one of the best on the market, and can be fitted without fuss if the situation calls for efficiency,” Greelish said.
“When you have got a failure on a generic bearing, or need to carry out maintenance change-overs, the last thing you want is extended downtime. These angular contact ball bearings also feature a ‘flush ground’ finishing method, which allows for universal pairing and back-to-back arrangement if required.”
Resistant to premature fatigue, this product has proven longevity in harsh mining conditions and under extreme pressure peaks. The steel bearing cages are set to maintain rolling elements at a uniform pitch, so that the load does not fall onto the cage directly. This prevents the rolling elements from falling out when the bearing is handled by fitters or technicians.
“Their design is seriously smart, and addresses the concerns of every-day industrial operations,” Greelish said.
“Pretty much any application requiring angular bearings could benefit from this product, because they are available in such a broad catalogue of sizes and arrangements.”
Since 1971, CBC and NTN have operated under a joint venture partnership, delivering expert engineering products to the Australian mining market and beyond. As one of the top five bearing manufacturers in the world, NTN sets an international standard for end-to-end logistical service and supply.
Features and benefits of the NTN Angular Contact Ball Bearings
• Peak performance in high or low temperature settings
• Lower starting friction coefficient
• Low lubrication consumption
• Internationally standardised and readily available through CBC
• Improved pre-loading due to bearing rigidity
• Accessible and efficient product numbering system
• Can simultaneously support radial and axial loads
Click here to learn more.
The Queensland Government has recognised the importance of vanadium as a new economy mineral with plans for a processing plant in Townsville.
The mineral is used in large-scale grid batteries called redox flow batteries. These batteries store the charge in liquid form, enabling larger capacities.
Queensland Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment Cameron Dick said vanadium would play a significant part in the state’s transition to clean energy.
“We want regional Queensland to be a global leader when it comes to everything that’s part of the renewable energy revolution,” he said.
“Australia has the world’s third largest deposits of vanadium resources, but right now we don’t produce a single kilogram of processed vanadium.
“The mining companies looking to process vanadium at an industrial scale don’t have the capital necessary to make that jump. That’s where our government can step in.”
The government will put at least $10 million towards the common-user facility, sourced from the $520 million Invested in Queensland program.
The Treasurer said it was still in the process of tendering for construction contracts and selecting the location.
“Once producers can see for themselves how processing occurs, they will have the confidence to invest in more manufacturing infrastructure and more jobs,” he said.
“Mining companies will be able to transport ore from their mine site to Townsville, enabling them to begin producing mineral samples at scale.”
Earlier in 2021, the mineral made headlines for Queensland’s mining industry when Multicom Resources announced the go-ahead for the $250 million Saint Elmo vanadium mine, 250 kilometres east of Mount Isa.
This mine and the new Townsville processing facility will ramp up concurrently, as both begin construction in 2022 with first production expected in 2023.
Queensland Minister for Resources Scott Stewart said these developments were only the start of Queensland’s vanadium industry.
“Saint Elmo is just the beginning, with other companies progressing other potential vanadium mines in what could become a world-class vanadium hub in the northwest, so having this processing facility in Townsville will ensure locals reap the benefits,” Stewart said.
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Advances in digital technology are set to transform safety in the mining industry and equip remote operating centres with better tools and leading-edge analytics to improve the safety of workers in high risk locations.
Smart mining operators are replacing paper-based systems with new cloud-based technology to improve safety and predictability by overseeing people and equipment on site from back office locations, accessing real-time data for incident prevention and even using facial recognition and geo fencing alarms to safeguard isolated workers.
New safety challenges require a new approach
Although health and safety in mining has improved significantly in recent years, serious injuries are still regularly occurring, and COVID-19 has brought a new range of new health and safety challenges to the forefront.
Distributed and remote workforces remain critical to mining operations and a safe working environment is vital. Improved safety requires higher levels of communication, greater visibility of safe work practices and earlier identification and mitigation of potential hazards to maintain work operations and enforce safety controls during tough times.
High-tech solutions that improve safety while maintaining privacy
Leading asset and work management systems, such as Lumada Field Service Management, are using the latest technology to enable asset-intensive industries to be more insightful, adaptive, predictive and prescriptive, allowing to operate safely, efficiently and effectively.
The risk of incidents can be dramatically reduced by enabling a regional control centre to monitor the location of vehicles and the safety of people, in near real time.
The use of video insights, Internet of Things (IoT), analytics and artificial intelligence technologies is enabling a new world of more granular data and offers continuous operational insights without breaching personal privacy expectations.
Employees and contractors on site can also receive, review and execute work enabled by digitalised workflows, which improves data capture and can help identify and prevent future asset failures that may pose safety risks and result in downtime.
Special features such as the ability to create safety geofences that raise alerts when people enter defined locations of risk and assessments verifying that the environment is safe prior to workers commencing, greatly improve situational awareness and reduce onsite incidents.
Should an incident occur, analysis using worker replay can show the prior movement of onsite field workers and identify areas where compliance or safety controls need to be reviewed and improved.
The Lumada Field Service Management solution also integrates and builds on existing technologies, without sacrificing software investments that have already been made. Manual processes, such as the transfer of data to upstream systems, is eliminated, improving accuracy and freeing resources to focus on higher value work.
A holistic approach to asset management is key
Smart mines are embracing high-tech solutions to holistically and cost effectively manage the performance of workforces and assets. Advanced enterprise software is becoming essential for not only achieving best practice safety management by allowing managers to react in real time, but also for minimising asset downtime, maximising efficiency and reducing operating costs.
Lumada Enterprise Asset Management is a solution for mining organisations looking to gain efficiencies in managing their asset portfolio and establishing best practice processes.
For mining companies with aging assets, Lumada Asset Performance Management enables the prevention of critical failures while minimising asset lifecycle costs.
Predictive, condition-based maintenance can ensure employees are working in a safer environment and in the right place at the right time, to cost-effectively address asset performance issues.
Predictive maintenance can extend the remaining useful life of assets and optimise utilisation to increase return on investment.
Hitachi ABB Power Grids is a global technology leader with a combined heritage of almost 250 years, employing around 36,000 people in 90 countries. Headquartered in Switzerland, the business serves utility, industry and infrastructure customers across the value chain, and emerging areas like sustainable mobility, smart cities, energy storage and data centers.
With a proven track record, global footprint and unparalleled installed base, Hitachi ABB Power Grids balances social, environmental and economic values. It is committed to powering good for a sustainable energy future, with pioneering and digital technologies, as the partner of choice for enabling a stronger, smarter and greener grid.
