PRODUCT & TECH
Rugged smart devices in mining
M
ining applications require sturdy technology for tasks related to equipment maintenance, GIS mapping and geotagging, machine guidance, data collection, compliance and reporting, and asset management. Where consumer devices fail, rugged mobile computers stand up to the most challenging environments miners encounter — such as constantly vibrating vehicles, airborne dust and mineral particles, variable weather conditions, hard surfaces and humidity, to reduce worker and equipment downtime and improve safety and productivity. Data collection and analytics Mines using wireless equipment monitoring technology benefit from taking a proactive approach to maintenance, saving time and improving worker safety. Rugged handhelds running predictive maintenance software collect and analyze equipment data to identify maintenance needs and recurring trends, as well as to inform mine operators about use. Wireless sensors placed on equipment report maintenance data such as temperatures, load weight, speed, air quality, fuel consumption and hours in operation directly to workers’ tablets or PDAs, allowing them to schedule maintenance tasks and repair components before equipment fails.
processing, built-in data capture tools, easy data entry options and connectivity capabilities allow miners to reliably track assets and manage resources and materials while saving significant amounts of time. Mining fieldworkers use rugged handhelds to track equipment status using barcodes or RFID, or by quickly entering details into digital forms. They can also easily schedule predictive maintenance and keep detailed inspection and maintenance histories. Safety and compliance Mine operators perform site inspections of surface mines and underground mines multiple times per year to identify health, safety and environmental (HSE) risks — both according to their corporate regulatory standards and to stay compliant with Mining Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) regulations. Inspectors require reliable
and fully portable mobile devices to perform compliance checks safely and accurately. Rugged tablets and PDAs can be securely docked in a mining vehicle and used to navigate to sites, then undocked and carried to perform inspections. Miners can hold a lightweight rugged computer and, in many cases, enter data into inspection forms in mining industry inspection software all with one hand, thanks to compact and ergonomic design, easy-to-navigate menus and programmable physical buttons. Data is entered safely, quickly and with a high degree of accuracy. Non-compliance issues can be communicated in real-time and addressed quickly. This process also eliminates the need to re-enter data into an office computer, as data can be stored, transmitted and reported directly from the handheld device.
Mining asset management Mobile computers running asset tracking and production control software are an indispensable part of mining asset management. Secure vehicle ports, fast
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