n
n
3DRi™ Fragmentation: a
productivity application that
uses an innovative 3D algorithm
to determine accurate rock size
distribution of the bench using
3D LiDAR data without the need
for any reference scaling object
and independent of contrast
and lighting issues experienced
with conventional 2D or stereo
camera‑based solutions.
All three applications use the
real-time 3D data from a single OPAL
3D LiDAR sensor installed on the
shovel together with a rugged 3DRi
computer running Neptec’s 3DRi
software toolkit (SDK) and application
software. OPAL 3D sensors are
specifically designed for on-machine
applications in harsh environments,
such as mining, and include Neptec’s
patented obscurant‑penetrating LiDAR
technology.
The company also announced the
launch of a 3DRi™ Stockpile software
application for automated stockpile
monitoring for the mining industry.
3DRi Stockpile uses a single or
several OPAL laser scanners
deployed around a cluster of
stockpiles at a mine site to
automatically monitor stockpile
levels and report volumes, explained
the company. The dust-penetrating
OPAL scanners can be deployed
around the stockpiles without any
special, air-conditioned or heated
enclosures. A network of only two to
four scanners can be optimised to
cover multiple large open-to-the-air
stockpiles in a cluster. 3DRi software
technology is used to perform all 3D
data processing at the
point‑of‑collection and in real-time,
eliminating the need and cost of
manual acquisition, transmission and
post-processing of huge 3D point
cloud data sets to calculate stockpile
volumes.
RCT
RCT has partnered with Immersive
Technologies (IMMT) to deliver an
Advanced underground loader
simulator complete with RCT
ControlMaster
®
CM2000D
line‑of‑sight remote control, the
company announced in a recent press
release. The simulator will be used in
Kazakhstan to train miners in the safe
operation of loaders in both manual
and remote-control modes.
“Good training is essential to the
miner’s performance, helping to
initiate new operators, upskill
existing miners and track skill
degradation over time,” said the
company. “Simulator training allows
operators to be trained and assessed
without the need to borrow machines
from production. New operators can
practice and develop skills before
being placed in a mine’s production
circuit.”
Past remote training was only
possible with a machine that
otherwise would have been assigned
to production. The new approach
shortens training time, negates the
risk and cost of machine or mine
damage during training and speeds
the introduction of new operators at
mines.
IMMT and RCT have worked
together to combine their technology
and expertise, interfacing a remote
control to an advanced training
simulator. This allows customers to
improve overall operator training
programmes. “Miners can now learn
and develop better skills, they can
start on manual, then progress to
learn line-of-sight remote control
operation, all within the safe confines
of a simulator,” said Phil Goode,
Senior Business Development
Manager with RCT. “RCT is very
excited that our customers can train
remote operators on their simulators.
Our engineers work with customers
to assess and deliver the software and
hardware upgrades needed to allow
customers to adopt remote control
training on their simulators.”
“Demand in mining is growing for
more advanced simulation based
training, including for tele-remote
and semi-autonomous equipment,”
added IMMT Executive Director –
Marketing, Wayde Salfinger. “We are
very pleased with our collaboration
with RCT, as it facilitates another way
in which Immersive Technologies
now delivers productivity and safety
improvements to our mining
customers. This collaboration ensures
our shared customers have access to
highly effective remote operation and
teleoperation equipment training
solutions.”
RungePincockMinarco
RungePincockMinarco made three
product announcements in May,
launching XECUTE™, an
ultra‑short‑term mine planning
solution, the latest version of its
haulage simulation software,
HAULSIM 1.3, and latest XERAS for
Enterprise, including the new Model
Repository module.
XECUTE provides a purpose built,
enterprise grade, commercial
off-the-shelf (COTS) execution
planning solution. It has been
engineered with a “100% visual” user
interface, the company said in a press
release, enabling users to create and
maintain their mine plan through an
interactive viewer, rather than using
cells in a spreadsheet. This highly
visual approach to mine planning is a
“true communication medium and
facilitates real-time collaboration
between mining specialists, including
surveyors, geologists, mining
engineers, production managers,
maintenance managers and shift
dispatchers, all within the one
easy-to-use visual application,” the
company explained.
Meanwhile, HAULSIM 1.3
includes improved equipment
configuration and reporting
capabilities, further developed
loader-to-truck load time
calculations, enhanced equipment
interaction logic and the addition of
material types and stop signs.
“The mining industry is being
faced with increasing pressure to
lower production costs,” said
Craig Halliday, RPM’s Executive
General Manager – Enterprise
Solutions. “Given haulage represents
one of the most high‑cost components
of the mining process, it is imperative
to be able to quantify the most
optimum mine haulage plan.
Consequently, the features of
HAULSIM 1.3 provide increased
certainty around the cost benefit of
proposed changes through
July 2015
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World Coal
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