Safety in close proximity

MATRIX DESIGN GROUP’S INTELLIZONE PROXIMITY-DETECTION SYSTEM IS A LEADING SAFETY SOLUTION FOR UNDERGROUND MOBILE EQUIPMENT IN COAL, METAL AND NON-METAL MINING OPERATIONS.

Mine safety has always been the core business of US-based Matrix Design Group, which has been providing operations-friendly applications that meet ever-changing industry regulations since 2006.

As part of efforts to expand its reach, Matrix Design Group founded its Australian branch in March 2022 as a means to support the Australian and New Zealand markets with its leading proximitydetection technologies. And those technologies, according to Matrix vice president of international operations Wes Chitwood, are always being further developed.

“Matrix develops, distributes and supports innovative and operatorfriendly technology solutions that enhance productivity and improve safety in underground mining environments across the world,” Chitwood told Safe to Work

Through its Queensland and New South Wales offices, Matrix provides underground mining customers with sophisticated safety solutions, including the IntelliZone proximitydetection system (PDS).

IntelliZone features patented SharpZone technology and was designed to be implemented across various types of underground mobile equipment. This allows users to create customisable caution, shutdown and operator zones.

Since 2018, IntelliZone has been fully IECEx-certified (International Electrotechnical Commission explosive atmospheres) for underground coal mining in Australia.

IntelliZone technology works by detecting workers in low-visibility or obscured line-of-sight locations and zones, automatically extending or contracting based on mobile equipment speed.

Unlike bubble-zone systems, IntelliZone’s shaped-zone technology minimises nuisance alerts, maximising safety and productivity.

“For the Australian market, it is clear that IntelliZone represents an ideal third-party PDS technology solution for use on underground mobile equipment regardless of the OEM (original equipment manufacturer),” Matrix Design Group Australia and New Zealand general manager Pieter De Klerk told Safe to Work

“Mine regulators are recommending that PDS technology be fitted on underground mining equipment, and we believe IntelliZone is the best choice for mine operators given not only its advanced capabilities, but also due to its lowest-in-industry downtime, ease of maintenance and repair, and data-rich log files and reporting.

“The ability for IntelliZone to generate zones within the system’s software gives us capabilities that are impossible with other systems, which require the installation of physical cables to establish zones. Not only can IntelliZone generate dozens of zones on and around the machine, but it can even create zones in free space off the machines if needed.

“And our patented ability to shape and customise the zones means that we can reduce the distance an operator must stand from the machine without reducing the size of the zone in other more hazardous areas, such as the front or back.

“The ability for a continuous miner operator to stand close to the machine and remain in a safe area while undertaking work is a huge advantage of the IntelliZone PDS technology.”

In 2021 Matrix won the US National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety’s Mine Safety and Health Technology Innovation Award for its enhanced IntelliZone system, which is now standard on the PDS.

All components of the IntelliZone system are purpose-built for the underground mining environment and are extremely durable and simple to operate.

The IntelliZone system ships with a range of key components, including a machine-mounted locator (MML) that provides crucial diagnostics and positional feedback when mounted on articulating or standard mobile equipment. The MML is also used to create zones that move in sync with articulating equipment.

An enhanced status screen provides advanced system diagnostics, as well as a quick visual report, showing whether system drivers and locators are working properly. This device simplifies troubleshooting and drastically reduces downtime. It additionally provides in-cab directional zonebreach information for mobile equipment operators.

With inputs from the machine, IntelliZone can be configured to change zones according to the operating mode.

For continuous miners, zones around the machine can be enabled to automatically shrink while in cutting mode and expand while tramming, with zones around the tail set to articulate with the tail swing.

These zones can also be configured to dynamically activate with the direction of travel and extend or retract with the speed of the machine. For middle-pivot vehicles, IntelliZone zones can also articulate with the machine.

IntelliZone is already the industry’s most implemented PDS solution in the US and is now expanding around the world, rapidly in emerging markets such as Europe, Asia and South America.

“As we expand into new markets, we learn, and as we learn, we innovate and improve, which is benefit to all of our customers globally,” Chitwood said. “With their incredible achievements and innovations in mining, we are very excited to partner with Australian mining companies to help enhance safety and continue the advancement of PDS technologies.”