Aggregates Manager Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/772143
Increase safety and productivity through technology OPERATIONS Remote control U nderstanding and imple- menting remote control (RC) and autonomous equipment and processes into your aggregates facility can be likened to the famous quote from hockey great Wayne Gretzky — "I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been." That's how Richmond, Va.-based Luck Stone Corp. views RC and autonomous operations. It's not a matter of "if" but "when," and the when may come faster than anticipated. "Remote control is a proven tech- nology and another tool," says Travis Chewning, P.E., senior director of engineering and operational support for Luck Stone Corp. "It's there to give the operator options to access more reserves and not worry about safety. Remote control for us is here and now, and we see a tremendous opportunity to increase our reserves and get into small, narrow reserves that we can get to safely." Autonomous fl eets are the next step. Chewning says it's hard to imagine that it doesn't become the norm in the next 20 to 25 years. "It won't just be 'a fl ip of a switch,'" he points out, "but it will come up faster than we think. Autonomy will be part of our future, and we'd like to be prepared for that." Chewning also sees "tremendous opportunity" for remote-control drill- ing and the ability to remotely load explosives or operate an excavator in a remote situation. Mike Wentworth, product manager of Atlas Copco Surface Drilling Equip- ment for Mining, Rock Excavation and Construction LLC, speaks to this. "The most obvious [advantage] is operator environment," Wentworth says. "The operator is back from the bench wall with a better viewing point and solid footing while tramming over rough terrain or around obstacles. But even operating on solid, level ground, remote control removes the driller from the noise and dust of the drilling operation, which are contributors to operator fatigue during a work shift." Although not yet in use in the Unit- ed States, Komatsu has fully adopted the concept of autonomous operation with its Innovative Haulage Vehicle (AHV). This autonomous vehicle — still in development — was unveiled at MINExpo 2016 in September. Dump trucks equipped with its Autonomous Haulage System have hauled more than 1 billion tons of overburden and minerals at large-scale mines since 2008. The haulage system doesn't even have a cabin or room for a driv- er. Instead, the unmanned vehicle eliminates the cabin and is being designed to optimize load distribution. The autonomous haul truck integrates controls, wireless networking, and obstacle detection to facilitate the un- manned operation. Despite the dump bed only being able to articulate in one direction, the AHV can maneu- ver and operate at the same speed regardless of the direction it is headed without a true front or rear. Komatsu expects that this new vehicle will considerably improve the productivity at mines where existing unmanned haulage vehicles face chal- lenging conditions, such as slippery ground due to frequent rain/snow fall, as well as confi ned spaces for loading. AGGREGATES MANAGER Use of remote control (RC) equipment removes the op- erator from being in direct contact with and, in some cases, in direct sight of the machines. In the instance of a driller, use of remote control may help reduce operator fatigue. "Decades of study have proven that reducing operator fatigue keeps the operator at peak performance longer and maximizes overall productiv- ity," notes Mike Wentworth, product manager, Atlas Copco Surface Drilling Equipment for Mining, Rock Excavation and Construction LLC. "RC operations are just another component of what all aggregate facilities need to do to keep productivity at its highest." Luck Stone Corp. has two big pushes for future opera- tions: remote control technology for reserves that are not easily and safely accessible and the vision of auton- omy. With the pace autonomy has moved forward in the auto industry in the last three to fi ve years, the speed of change is starting to accelerate quickly. Luck Stone's Travis Chewning says that he envisions one or two of its operations beginning to implement autonomous haulage in pit operations in the next fi ve to 10 years. This is feasible, he says, especially because off-highway trucks don't face the same legal barriers as on-highway autonomous trucks. Prepare for future operations Improve operator environment 1 4