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By Joselito Gonsalves dos Santos, Ivani Batista dos Santos Junior, Valeria da Silva Guandelinir, Daniel Rocha de Castro, Alexandre Jose Ramos Valentim

Este artigo tem como objetivo demonstrar os ganhos obtidos com automatizações de atividades de suprimentos de média complexidade e alto tempo de execução. Para atingir o resultado sem investimento, foram desenvolvidas automatizações através de programação em Visual Basic (VBA) e Scripts SAP, utilizando como plataforma o Microsoft Excel. A integração do Excel com o SAP se mostrou eficaz, possibilitando a execução de tarefas de forma automatizada em massa, aumentando a confiabilidade das informações e reduzindo o tempo total de execução das atividades em 67%.

Oct 1, 2019

By L. A. Puchkov

The paper presents the outline of the results in the algorithms and software of the microprocessor-based system for the powerful drugline bucket automatic motion, as well as the technological process control and functional diagnostics of the electrical equipment. The system is, aimed at the increasing both the draglines' working efficiency and the professional, competence of the operators. The excavator-dragline, equipped by the automatized operation, diagnostic and information processing system, possesses considerable technological: flexibility, which can widen therefore its field of application. The tasks of the dragline bucket motion optimal operation, programming of the excavation and overburden dumping processes, as well as the tasks of the control and the analysis of the technological parameters and the diagnostics of electrical equipment conditions, are defined in the paper. In our paper we present the results of these tasks being solved, providing the algorithms of the main mechanisms for the automatic operation for the swinging bucket controlled motion, the algorithms of the statistical analysis of the working efficiency parameters the algorithms of the diagnostics for electrical driving systems. The algorithms of the motion operation are constructed using the predicting dynamic models. The diagnostic algorithms at the normal working conditions form a number of algebraic invariants always equal to Ø with the accuracy up to when the electrical equipment is parametrically adequate. The algorithms of evaluating and analysis of the excavation efficiency make use of the direct measurement and analytical identification. The working condition and quality of the operation and control algorithms are investigated by simulation and natural testing. The results of the mathematical simulation of the bucket motion (with the 20 m3 capacity) of the excavator-dragline with the boom of 90 m in length are given in the paper.

Jan 1, 1992

By Rafael Wilson Soares Ladeira

Realizar manutenções preditivas de forma cada vez mais assertiva é um dos benefícios da atual evolução dos sistemas produtivos industriais conhecida como Indústria 4.0. A Sotreq - revendedora Caterpillar - oferece um serviço de análise de fluidos a partir da coleta periódica para máquinas operantes em campo. Com os resultados das medições, especialistas atribuem às amostras um nível de criticidade, justificativas e recomendações. Neste trabalho propõe-se uma solução que aumentou a eficiência desse processo através da utilização de modelos de Machine Learning treinados com as análises já realizadas que automatizam a classificação e a geração do texto de diagnóstico para novas amostras. As predições do sistema foram consideradas bem sucedidas, com métricas de sensibilidade e especificidade acima de 88%.

Oct 30, 2017

By Gabriel Duarte Lott

O processo de análises físicas e químicas de amostras de minério de ferro [3] é um processo crucial para avaliação do tipo de minério que está sendo extraído, beneficiado e expedido nas operações das mineradoras. Assim, aplicar novos conceitos e equipamentos altamente tecnológicos, que irão garantir resultados cada vez mais precisos e a execução das tarefas de forma cada vez mais segura, é a chave e o desejo das empresas. No laboratório da VALE S/A, em Itabira, foi realizado um estudo de caso de um sistema automatizado de preparação de amostras capaz de realizar as etapas de divisão da amostra abaixo de 1mm, pulverização, confecção de pastilha prensada e fundida, análise de perda por calcinação (PPC), limpeza de utensílios e acessórios e descarte de resíduo de minério de ferro. Nesse estudo é abordado a avaliação dos equipamentos e tecnologias instalados e os desafios tecnológicos e de processos enfrentados durante a implantação desse projeto.

Oct 30, 2017

By Raul Victor Medeiros da Nóbrega

Os tratamentos térmicos são operações de aquecimento e resfriamento controlados, que visam afetar as características dos materiais, agrupando diversos tipos de processos, diferentes patamares de temperatura, velocidades de resfriamento e adição de elementos químicos, com o intuito de aperfeiçoar as propriedades mecânicas (ductilidade, tenacidade), tribológicas (desgaste, fadiga) ou de resistência à corrosão, dependendo da necessidade de aplicação. O controle do processamento térmico por programas computacionais tornou-se uma prática cada vez mais frequente no meio industrial. Utilizando ferramentas como o controlador PID (Proporcional-Intergral-Derivativo), o sistema SCADA (Supervisor Control and Data Acquisition) e um protocolo de comunicação industrial, é possível configurar os parâmetros de entrada, acompanhar o desenvolvimento do processo, visualizar seus valores em cada instante do ciclo e valores finais (de saída), obter gráficos do processo em tempo real, comparando valores, aumentando a confiabilidade do processo, e por tanto, do produto final. Foi desenvolvido um sistema livre que, além de auxiliar na configuração dos parâmetros, exerce funções de monitoramento, de controle e de registro dos dados nos processos de tratamento térmico. Esse sistema poderá ser empregado em fornos na indústria e nos laboratórios de pesquisa.

Aug 7, 2018

By Matheus Neugebauer Motta

O alto-forno (AF) corresponde à principal rota de produção de ferro-gusa, matéria-prima do aço. O maior desafio para as usinas siderúrgicas, nos dias de hoje, é a redução do consumo de coque, principal combustível utilizado no AF. Diante disso, o processo de injeção de carvão pulverizado (PCI – Pulverized Coal Injection) é largamente empregado para substituir parte do coque utilizado por carvões de menor custo. A fim de estudar a combustibilidade de carvões e outros combustíveis sólidos com potencial para ser utilizado em PCI, o Laboratório de Siderurgia da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (LaSid-UFRGS) desenvolveu um simulador capaz de avaliar os fenômenos envolvidos na combustão desses materiais em condições semelhantes às encontradas no AF, permitindo selecionar combustíveis, ou misturas desses, que sejam mais apropriados ao AF. Um dos principais diferenciais do equipamento é a possibilidade de coleta tanto de gases de combustão quanto de char (resíduo da combustão). Portanto, a eficiência de combustão pode ser avaliada dessas duas formas. Este trabalho tem por objetivos apresentar a automação do ensaio de combustão realizado pelo simulador de PCI do LaSid-UFRGS e mostrar alguns resultados de ensaios realizados..

Oct 30, 2017

By Marcelo Ferreira Martins, Sandro Luís Zahner, Daniel de Paula Ferreira, Celso Dias Barão, Leandro Martins Pereira

O EOF é um forno básico a oxigênio caracterizado pelo conceito de pré-aquecimento da carga sólida baseado na energia da corrida anterior. Mesmo com um sistema supervisório, a operação era totalmente manual. O trabalho consistiu no desenvolvimento e implantação de modelos matemáticos, objetivando atingir a temperatura e composição química programada para vazamento. O sistema de equações consideram todas as entradas metálicas com as respectivas composições químicas e define a quantidade necessária de energético ou refrigerante, além da adição de cales conforme a basicidade e teor de MgO objetivados na escória. O desenvolvimento passou inicialmente por um conhecimento profundo do processo, dada a excelência e originalidade do forno EOF, que é diferente dos demais convertedores a oxigênio. A seguir, foram definidos padrões e práticas operacionais que garantissem a reprodutibilidade do processo, para, finalmente, permitir o cálculo através de modelos matemáticos. Com a automação do processo foram conseguidos expressivos ganhos de produtividade, redução no consumo de materiais, aumento do rendimento metálico e menor consumo de refratários.

Oct 1, 2019

By DIEGO RAFAEL MONTEIRO DINIZ

Os processos de recebimento, armazenamento e distribuição de combustíveis em grandes empresas mineradoras necessitam de um controle robusto e eficaz de todas as operações, uma vez que representam elevado custo por tonelada de minério produzida e expedida. Para tanto, a automatização dos processos que envolvem combustíveis é necessária, capaz de promover redução de custos, aumento de produtividade, confiabilidade e precisão nos dados e melhorias nas condições de trabalho na gestão e operação em combustíveis. Foi aplicada uma análise descritiva de um estudo de caso de um projeto de automação para esta finalidade implantado na empresa VALE S/A. Foi feita uma avaliação sistemática dos recursos, equipamentos e tecnologias necessárias a completa automação e integração dos processos que envolvem combustíveis e os ganhos alcançados após a implantação.

Oct 30, 2017

By Matheus Jacon Pereira

RFID é uma das tecnologias impulsionados da Internet das Coisas, que está sendo utilizada em soluções com o intuito de aumentar a eficiência dos processos, melhorar o cumprimento de prazos, reduzir custos e aumentar receitas. A inovação com RFID na indústria de metalurgia, materiais e mineração está em um estágio inicial, mas em rápida evolução e adoção. Este trabalho utiliza uma metodologia de revisão integrativa para avaliar quais são os casos de sucesso de automação com RFID empregados neste setor. Ainda apresenta os principais tipos de RFID, usos e boas práticas de implementação, assim como, um levantamento dos trabalhos em revistas técnicas e cientificas nos últimos 10 anos sobre este assunto.

Aug 16, 2017

By Valter Félix Júnior Carvalho

A operação de um porto de minério é um campo fértil para boas práticas em integração de sistemas. Por tratar um produto normalmente sem alteração de características ao longo do processo, é possível analisar essa integração exclusivamente sob a ótica dos sistemas envolvidos. Dada a quantidade de sistemas independentes e complexos, o estabelecimento de interfaces se torna um fator essencial para o sucesso do projeto. Por outro lado, a necessidade de persistência de informações consolidadas, como informações de rotas e de planos de carregamento, torna interessante o uso de Sistemas de Bancos de Dados (SGBD) e sistemas legados. A integração de todos os sistemas necessários num projeto conciso com um fluxo de informações completo e eficiente também exige um gerenciamento vertical, que possa cuidar do acoplamento de todos os níveis de forma eficiente. Nesse mesmo caminho, o desenvolvimento coordenado com metodologias que permitem a interdisciplinaridade é essencial para complementar a tarefa da gestão, trazendo a preocupação com uma integração eficiente para o nível de desenvolvimento.

Aug 16, 2017

By G. R. Baiden

Introduction The introduction of teleremote systems to underground mining can provide a significant improvement in the performance of a mine when compared with conventional mining techniques. This paper presents the concepts of teleremote mining in a case study showing how the systems work and the competitive advantage autonomation of mining techniques will provide for underground metal mining operations into the future. This paper is divided into two sections: the Mining Automation Program and What is next? On January 1st 1996 Inco Limited, Tamrock Oy, DYNO Explosives Group and CANMET formed a consortium for the development of teleremote mining equipment called the ‘Mining Automation Program’ or MAP. This program included a five-year research and development agreement that combines the talents of the above organizations to create mining equipment and systems for autonomating mining. The projects are based on the communication system currently sold and marketed by Automated Mining Systems Limited. The main components of the program investigated the development of a positioning and navigation module, autonomated systems using teleremote techniques for development and stoping, and software systems to support the use of this equipment. The program included the establishment of a test mine, at Inco’s 175 Orebody near Copper Cliff North Mine. This facility was unique allowing collaboration of companies and research organizations inthe design and testing of techniques and equipment used to apply autonomation to mining. Since the inception of the project other research alliances have been added to enhance the program. These include the application of ground support (Meyco/ Master Builders), muck pile recognition, the broadening of telecommunications links (PRECARN Associates Inc.-MALTA project) and the collection and processing of drilling core through the automated diamond drilling project (J.K.S. Boyles). MAP began as an idea a number of years ago with the fundamental question ‘Can an ore-body be profitably mined through autonomation?’ The concept was to design mining equipment and systems that would allow the teleremote operation of a mine. Automation was only one componentof this much larger teleremote mining issue. To start with, it was essential to prove or disprove the feasibility of this concept. The fundamental requirements are: • Telecommunications • Positioning • Navigation • Equipment • Software • Electronics • Mining Engineering • Organization. Each of these had to be considered. Technically, the feasibility of the project hinged on the successful development of a high capacity communication network, an accurate underground positioning system, a navigation system and finally the electronics and software that could integrate these. Mining equipment that could perform all the mining functions was the next requirement, along with explosive supplies that could be delivered to the holes teleremotely. Whatever the systems developed, they must be able to work in both bulk and selective mining situations and in varying conditions within a mine. Finally, the organizational issues of a change from our current method of operation to teleremote mining had to be understood. After five years of research and development the answer to the question ‘Can an orebody be profitably mined using autonomation techniques?’ is YES! There are still hurdles to overcome, however, the basic premise has been proven. The development and production of underground tunnels and stopes has been done. There have been interesting outcomes in terms of reduced effort to accomplish mining and the total time to mine. Definitions •Automationis the process by which a machine or system is run continuously including the ability for the system to self-correct. •Autonomationis the same as automation except that the process does not self-correct. •Teleremote operation is the operation of mining equipment over a network from any location out of line-of-sight of the machine. •Equipment Automationis the addition of technology to a machine that allows for unmanned operation of a machine and thus enhances the productivity of the operator. For example, a guidance system that allows a load-haul-dump to drive by itself, thus freeing the operator for other tasks. •Teleremote mining describes a mine process that combines the use of teleremote operation (potentially with some automation), positioning and process engineering, monitoring and control. •Tamrock DataSoloTMis a computerized drilling rig as shown in Figure 1. •Tamrock DataMini™ is a computerized development drill rig used for drifting and construction tunneling as shown in Figure 2.•Tamrock Toro 450™ is a LHD (Figure 3).

Sep 1, 2001

By David Kosnik

This paper describes the technology and methods deployed in the continuous autonomous remote monitoring of cracks in interior and exterior walls of a residence near a limestone quarry. The objective is to quantitatively compare crack response due to blast-induced ground motion to that induced by diurnal temperature changes, weather fronts, occupant activity, and other phenomena. The remote monitoring and communication technology developed to obtain and disseminate crack response data for this study may provide the means to mitigate the effect of public concerns about potential impacts of ground vibrations inherent in construction and production of raw materials; it is critical to address these concerns because subsequent litigation may result in delays and increased costs.

Jan 1, 2009

By Qiang Ji, Richard L. Sanford

A laboratory-scale microcomputer-based autonomous excavation system has been developed that moves a pile of fragmented rock to a designated location using a shovel attachment on a robot arm. Navigation and excavation sub- systems interactively direct a robot excavator to move the shovel to the rock pile, intelligently load its bucket using a video camera, and dump the rocks to a designated area. Although research was conducted on a laboratory scale model, the system can serve as the basis for further work on a full-scale, robust excavation system.

Jan 1, 1993

By R Price, B H. Miller

"The rise of autonomous haul truck fleets may have been initially driven by the rapid escalation of the cost of equipment operators, but the actual improvements reported by the major iron ore miners far exceeds the simple reduction in workforce. Utilising cost models developed for feasibility studies and mining contract modelling, the limits of cost improvements due to simple labour reductions are compared to those achieved by the early autonomous fleet adopters and through traditional process improvement techniques such as fleet class upgrades or hot-seating of equipment. As autonomous fleet implementation matures, it is likely that the gains seen by current adopters will seem minor compared to the limits generally governed by the limit of equipment utilisation. This ultimate limit is explored through time utilisation models, which were also developed for use in feasibility studies and mining contract modelling.Citation:Miller, B H and Price, R, 2016. Autonomous Haul System Savings - It's Not about Less Truckies but Better Truckies!, in Proceedings Ninth AusIMM Open Pit Operators' Conference 2016, pp 2–10 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne)."

Nov 15, 2016

By William Gleason

"Komatsu has been on the cutting edge of autonomous mining for the past 30 years and the company remains at the forefront of the technology that is changing from concept to a full-fledged reality.In 1996, Komatsu America Corp. (KAC) purchased a controlling interest in Modular Mining Systems; a move that enabled both companies to expand their product lines. It was through this effort that Modular helped to deploy the first autonomous haulage system (AHS) — the Komatsu FrontRunner system. In January 2008, the first commercial implementation of the FrontRunner system occurred at Codelco’s copper mine in Chile. Since then, Komatsu has put more than 130 haul trucks into seven sites on three continents to haul copper, iron ore and oil sands and its equipment has moved 1.8 Gt (2 billion st) of material with zero lost time incidents attributed to Komatsu’s autonomous trucks. The 1.8 Gt (2 billion st) is the most of any commercial mining autonomous haulage system and there is more to come. In November, Komatsu announced that an additional 150 autonomous haul trucks will be deployed to the Canadian oil sands over the next seven years.Komatsu has continued to pioneer autonomous haulage development, creating a range of autonomous options that includes semiautonomous and teleremote options all the way up to a haulage vehicle that stole the show at the world’s largest mining equipment trade show.In 2016, Komatsu advanced the concept of driverless haul truck to a new level when it displayed its Innovative Autonomous Haulage Vehicle (IAHV) at MINExpo in Las Vegas, NV. The concept vehicle is the first mega class haul truck designed to be fully autonomous, without an operators’ cab included on the vehicle.Unlike other haul trucks, the vehicle was developed exclusively as an unmanned vehicle designed to maximize the advantages of unmanned operation. Among other advancements, it was designed to distribute equal load to the four wheels, both when the vehicle is loaded and unloaded, and adopt four-wheel drive, retarder and steering. Komatsu said it is aiming for high-performance shuttling of this vehicle in both forward and reverse travel directions, thereby eliminating the need for K-turns at loading and unloading sites."

Dec 1, 2018

By A G. L Pratt

The record for autonomous haulage systems in underground mining over the past 15 years is patchy, marked by many trials and attempts, with few examples of sustained operation until relatively recently. The drivers for the introduction of this technology are variously listed as the occupational health and safety of people working in underground mines, reductions in direct operating costs and increases in productivity.This paper reviews the trends for operation of semi-autonomous and autonomous haulage achieved by underground mines and the defining features of the technology currently available. The inclusion of autonomous haulage as part of mining studies and the fundamental conditions for its successful application is discussed in the paper. The components required for an autonomous underground haulage system are outlined and the key aspects that need to support its effective implementation are examined together with their associated opportunities and risks. Special note is made of the critical role people, including executive leadership, have in ensuring the successful introduction of this technology.The paper draws on published case study material, equipment supplier information and research findings. The aim is to offer a high-level insight into what is required for the application of autonomous haulage technology and its successful implementation in underground mines.CITATION:Pratt, A G L, 2016. Autonomous haulage systems in underground mining – what is required for success? In Proceedings International Mine Management Conferenc, pp 35-52 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jun 22, 2016

By R Price

"Technology has the potential to revolutionise industries, work functions or businesses. One such technology in the mining industry is the deployment of automation in a modern autonomous haulage system (AHS). This paper examines a theoretical application of an AHS in a medium scale mine site. The cost-benefit commercial argument is particularly compelling, and the paper outlines metrics and future issues for consideration.Citation:Price, R, 2016. Autonomous Haulage Systems - the Business Case, in Proceedings Ninth AusIMM Open Pit Operators' Conference 2016, pp 11–17 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne)."

Nov 15, 2016

By E Nettleton, A Melkumyan

Identification of geology and mineralogy in situ on the mine face is essential if mining processes are to be automated for tasks such as exploration, grading and reconciliation. Hyperspectral data acquired from field based platforms are ideally suited to these tasks, and are set to revolutionise the automated mining industry. Changing conditions of solar illumination introduces variation into the hyperspectral signal, which is unrelated to geology, complicating analysis of data. Thus, algorithms must be able to deal with changing illumination conditions and operate in a consistent and probabilistic framework, which is a prerequisite for data fusion with other sensors. To produce accurate classification maps of geology, algorithms must be developed that are effective under different conditions of illumination.The efficacy of three algorithms to classify hyperspectral data for geology mapping on vertical mine faces was assessed. These algorithms are the spectral angle mapper (SAM), and two machine learning methods operating within a fully probabilistic Gaussian process (GP) framework û the squared exponential (SE) and the observation angle dependent (OAD) covariance functions (kernel). Two experiments were done to assess the classification performances. The first determined the performance of the algorithms by classifying hyperspectral data of known rock samples acquired using a field spectrometer. The GP-based methods had a similar performance, with average accuracies and F-scores of 97 and 88 per cent (GP-OAD) and 95 and 81 per cent (GP-SE), respectively. Average accuracies and F-scores for SAM were significantly smaller (80 and 40 per cent respectively). The algorithms were then applied to hyperspectral imagery acquired from a vertical mine face at different times of the day, under very different conditions of illumination. In contrast with experiment 1, SAM and GP-OAD gave results which were superior to GP-SE and were entirely consistent with geology mapped in the field. Compared with SAM, GP-OAD was less sensitive to the effects of shadow and produced classified images that were less noisy. The GP-SE method failed to delineate even gross changes in geology on the mine face. These results show conclusively that in order to use independent training data (spectral library) to classify imagery acquired under a different set of conditions, algorithms must take into account variability in incident illumination. Measures based on spectral distance are inferior to those based on spectral angle.The OAD kernel within the GP framework (GP-OAD) is superior to the other two methods because:it provides a probabilistic framework;it is insensitive to variability in illumination within and between imagery acquired under different conditions; andit can identify and map geological zones on a vertical mine face using an independent spectral library, without a priori knowledge.

Sep 26, 2011

By Mahmoud Ahmed

Three-dimensional models are in increasing demand for design, maintenance, operations and construction project management. Point-clouds are the main output of automatic data collection using laser-scanners and photogrammetric technologies. Pipe-works may comprise 50% of the value of important construction projects such as industrial and research facilities. We have developed a practical and cost-effective approach, based on the Hough-transform and judicious use of domain constraints, to find, recognize and reconstruct/model 3D pipes within point-clouds fully automatically. The developed approach allows pipe growing within a 3D point-cloud. It samples the point-cloud to sequential orthogonal slices, detects pipe?s cross-sections within sampled slices and grows the pipe along the cross sections centerlines. It is validated using laser-scanner data from construction of the Engineering-VI building on the University of Waterloo (UW) campus. The system works on a typical laptop. Recognition and localization results are within a few millimeters. The presented approach opens the gate to broad applications of pipe-network modeling.

Aug 1, 2013

By V. Polotski

Initiated and financed by the Canadian Space Agency, Micro-Rover Platform with Tooling Arm (MRPTA) project has targeted the development of a robotic system with remote control and autonomous navigation capabilities for testing a large variety of analogous planetary missions. Although developed for planetary exploration, the navigation system is highly suitable to such areas of application as construction and in mining. Autonomous navigation system is capable of moving the platform to predefined position(s)/orientation(s) while continuously mapping the terrain, assessing its traversability and choosing most appropriate path to follow. Designed according to the JAUS (Joint Architecture for Unmanned Systems) framework, the system consists of several interconnected components. Following components are of particular importance: Pose Estimator (PE), Terrain Evaluator (TE), Map Manager (MP), and Path Planner (PP). The PE uses a minimal sensor configuration consisting of an azimuth gyroscope, inclinometer and wheel odometry. The PE provides reliable pose estimates in spite of pronounced slippage by employing extensive use of fused data. The TE uses a nodding laser scanner which continuously sweeps the area in front of the platform and constructs a ?traversability grid? (TG) of the surrounding area. Multiple TGs are constantly constructed along the platform motion path are combined into a terrain map maintained by the MP. The PP uses this map to compute a motion path Obtained path is executed by the motion controller and remains current until it is contradicted by the most recent map ? at which point it is re-planned. This paper addresses integration issues, lessons learned and also outlines the possible applications for construction and mining.

Aug 1, 2013