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The DigiShot Plus.4G

Dyno Nobel has been working on its latest innovation in electronic initiation technology for the past five years. Australian Mining talks to technical specialist Nico Swart to see how DigiShot Plus.4G has done in the wild.

Dyno Nobel is one of the world’s most famous explosives companies; inspired by the groundwork laid out by Swedish namesake Alfred Nobel, Dyno Nobel was originally founded in Norway in 1865 and operates today as a multinational and subsidiary of Australian manufacturer Incitec Pivot.

Recently, the company’s JV DetNet embarked on a project to improve the technology of its electronic initiation systems, the systems that allow the explosives to trigger.

Technical specialist Nico Swart has been working on the company’s DigiShot Plus.4G from concept to creation for roughly five years; the preliminary stages of development actually started in earnest as a multi-tiered process about two to three years ago. Originally from Pretoria, South Africa, and a long-time employee of the company (nearly 14 years), Swart described DigiShot Plus.4G as something of a passion project for the engineering team.

“It’s become like a family base,” he explained to Australian Mining. “We’ve got good relations with the people we work with in our JV.

“They introduced the new system in stages,” he explained. “If you look at the equipment you’ve got the firing system, and the handheld tagger, which is the device you interact with the detonators on the bench.

“The tagger was introduced first, so it focused the developers’ resources on that component and then from there, they developed the actual control equipment that’s used to initiate the blast.”

The new system makes use of a number of forward-thinking systems.

With previous initiation equipment, delays were stored on the firing boxes and were downloaded during the firing process, and if device box failed for some reason, the whole setup process would need to be redone.

Backup devices could help to rectify this issue somewhat, but the new system takes things further; all necessary process data required for initiation is stored within the detonator itself, so should a delay occur, operators can now swap out control equipment very quickly.

“You are ready to go in two minutes,” explained Swart.

The DigiShot Plus.4G system allows operators to connect strings (of detonators), also called firing lines, in any order they like. This is a significant development as traditionally, a unique ID would be assigned to each blast-hole for capture, but since DigiShot Plus.4G knows the hole number, once the location is assigned, the detonator knows where it fits in the blast panel. Dyno Nobel’s proprietary PC-based ViewShot3D blast design software enables timing patterns to be downloaded directly from the PC into the Tagger.

The extensive use of RF synchronisation of the bench commanders in lieu of wired setups is another win for Dyno Nobel. In addition to there being no wires between the firing point and the bench commanders, there is no wiring between the bench commanders themselves with full synchronisation via RF.

“The commanders can be widely separated across the bench as long as there is effective line of sight (LOS) to either the firing point directly or via a repeater commander,” explained David Gribble, manager applications technology at Dyno Nobel, and current director of the DigiShot Plus.4G rollout in Australia. “A lot of systems on the market require the boxes to all be connected up for synchronisation.”

“Instead of running cables between multiple boxes on the bench to link them together, we can just place them on the bench and they all talk to the base commander at the firing position via RF,” added Swart.

“The system limit on timing is stored from zero to 20,000 milliseconds in one-millisecond increments” explained Swart.

“Current electronic detonator systems use an RC oscillator that is temperature dependent, so the current systems available have to physically talk to each detonator and calibrate it to make sure it fires at the desired time.

“With this new system, we’ve also built into the actual detonator the calibration of the RC oscillator that ensures the detonator fires at the desired time so it can now self-calibrate; I don’t have to address each detonator anymore, which removes a lot of time during the firing process. Previously, there was generally a lengthy process in getting the system ready to fire.”

With this reduction in time comes a reduction in on-the-bench training, as well, since some of the necessary processes and information are now stored on the detonator. Individual detonators, strings of detonators or the entire pattern can also be tested prior to connection to the blast commander. DigiShot Plus.4G can also have up to 400 detonators per channel, 1,600 detonators per commander and 16,000 detonators across 10 commanders.

Dyno Nobel’s DigiShot Plus.4G upgrades aren’t confined to the initiation unit and detonator alone; downhole wire too has seen an upgrade, seeing improvements in impact and abrasion resistance, as well as tensile strength. This is a particular point of pride for Gribble.

Like Swart, he comes from a storied technical background — one of his first major projects (now nearly 30 years ago) was the invention of the ANRUB explosive, a low-shock energy explosive designed to slow down the explosive rate of reaction, a feat achieved by replacing the then-standard fuel oil with rubber particles.

Before joining Dyno Nobel as a senior technical consultant, where he has worked for nearly 15 years, he was an employee of Rio Tinto. He explained some of the improvements to the wiring, further increasing system reliability.

“One of the weak points with electronic initiation systems in general is the wires connecting the detonator in the hole to the surface. When you prime the hole, load explosives, and stem the remaining length of the hole with rock, it can sometimes cause a cut in the lead,” he explained. “This is not something you want, naturally — if you cut the lead completely you can’t talk to the detonator, and if you cut it a little bit you might get leakage.

“Together with our JV DetNet, we’ve done a lot of work over the last 2 years to determine what makes good wire and we now understand the factors required in order to make it. Our DigiShot Plus.4G system has rolled out alongside our new wire, colloquially named Black Mamba, and comes in both a standard and premium ‘XTM’ configuration, with XTM wire on spools for lengths of 37 metres and above. This new wire is a real step up compared to our previous wire, we’re seeing great results in the field.”

This wealth of upgraded systems eventually coalesced into a tangible whole just over a year ago, with preliminary trials to prepare DigiShot Plus.4G for market launch having taken place around the beginning of 2017. Following a positive and extensive testing period, the product saw its commercial rollout beginning in the second quarter of 2017. Response from operators, Swart said, has been largely positive. “So much so,” Swart concluded, “that they would never consider going back to the previous system.”

Like his colleague, Gribble is happy with how the launch turned out and how DigiShot Plus.4G has been received, with lead times for product having been cut drastically on account of the company’s investment in local assembly.

“It reduces our supply chain significantly from several months to a few weeks,” he explained.

“We are the only supplier that has local assembly here in Australia, starting from the middle of last year. The majority of our products are locally made which gives us shorter lead times, improves security of supply and the ability to respond more efficiently to customers’ orders.”

 News

Weir Minerals launches Multiflo RF dewatering pump

 

 

 

 

Weir Minerals has expanded its extensive dewatering solutions portfolio with the global launch of the Multiflo RF dewatering pump unit.

The new Multiflo RF range is engineered in a compact package, offering customers a light and flexible solution.

Weir Minerals Dewatering product manager Peter Smit explained: “We developed the Multiflo RF unit following specific customer requests for a more compact dewatering pump that could move around site with ease while still retaining the same performance, reliability and robust build of our other units.

“The key to the compact design is the use of close coupled pumps, which provide the added benefit of accurate pump alignment. We also designed the Multiflo RF pump with built-in skid runners and a bolt-on dozer push-bar option to offer our customers versatility of operating configurations.”

Weir Minerals has moved to the next stage in the evolution of its dewatering pumps. The new diesel driven Multiflo RF pump presents a unit that incorporates the convenience of an auto vacuum priming system with an inbuilt skid and a compact design.

The range has been developed to operate effectively in a variety of harsh environments and applications, such as mining, quarrying, and water transfer.  The small frame footprint allows for ease of movement around site, while the dirty water capability sets the pump above the competition.

The Multiflo RF range includes seven new units, each designed to maximise efficiency no matter the application, with the same Weir Minerals aftersales service and support.  The unit provides a wide range of standard inclusions and a comprehensive selection of optional features to suit customers’ dewatering needs.

Daniel Bacigalupo, Weir Minerals global product manager for dewatering, added: “The Multiflo RF range is the next generation of dewatering pump units, and demonstrates our renowned attention to detail and focus on delivering a product that is powerful and efficient.

“Weir Minerals’ dewatering portfolio covers a variety of dewatering solutions for our customers, and the new Multiflo RF units complement our overall dewatering offering.”

Weir Minerals offers an extensive range of mine and process dewatering products, including dewatering pumps, hydrocyclones, dewatering screens, specialty hose, tailored pontoons and barges.

 News

Standard and safety controller in one unit

Powerful standard and safety PLC in one unit

Modern vehicles and mobile machines need very powerful control electronics to process the high number of input and output signals. That is why the new third generation ecomatController was developed: It has two independent, powerful 32-bit PLCs – one of them a certified safety controller. In addition to its multifunctional inputs and outputs with diagnostic capabilities, the unit features two Ethernet ports and four CAN interfaces. The CAN interfaces support all important bus protocols (CANopen, CANopen Safety and J1939) as well as the transparent and preprocessed data exchange. The control functions are easily integrated into the application program thanks to CODESYS programming (version 3.5).

Features and benefits
Sturdy mechanical design

The control electronics are integrated into a compact metal housing with front-mounted, coded central plugs for mobile use, providing all the necessary connections for inputs, outputs, communication and programming. RGB status LEDs indicate the most important system messages.

Powerful electronics​

The core of the controller, which has been designed according to the applicable standards for electronics in mobile applications, is one of the most advanced multi-core 32-bit processors with 300 MHz clock frequency. Its 6 MByte application memory includes a 1 MByte file storage system. Two internal, independently programmable controllers allow for subdivision of the application software if required. Consequently, the safe program part can be executed without interference from the general program execution. This ensures reliable operation even with complex control functions. The controller can be used in applications up to EN 13849 PL d and EN 62061 SIL cl2.

Configurable inputs and outputs​

The inputs and outputs can be configured as digital, frequency or analogue inputs with diagnostic function or as inputs for resistance measurement. The analogue inputs enable both current and voltage measurement. The outputs can be configured as digital or PWM outputs with diagnostic capabilities, with or without current control. All inputs and outputs can also be configured as safe channels if required. Thus, safe sensors and actuators can be directly connected and processed in the application software.

Programmable to IEC 61131-3 with CODESYS​

Programming is done by means of the standardised IEC 61131-3 languages. Established and certified libraries are available for special functions and safe applications. Maintenance, diagnosis and updates are performed using TFTP via Ethernet and the maintenance tool. Additionally, these functions can be accessed via an application interface for ifm’s PDM displays and via a software development kit for customer applications.

Interfaces with extended functionality

Besides an RS-232 interface and the Ethernet interface with internal switch, all controllers provide four CAN interfaces to ISO 11898. All CAN interfaces support the essential bus protocols CANopen, CANopen Safety and J1939.

For more information visit the ifm website here. 

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FG Wilson 7.5 to 2500kVA range of generators

FG Wilson provides a range of high-performance range of generator sets, available at AllightSykes.

The compact modular design of the 7.5 to 2500kVA range CAL and CALG enclosures ensure optimum performance in the harshest of environments.

Designed on modular principles, they have interchangeable components permitting on-site repair with lift off doors and access panels for easy service and maintenance.

Durable and robust, the enclosures are designed to resist corrosion and operation damage with the ability to withstand rough handling common on many mining and construction sites.

Developed through continuing research, all FG Wilson enclosures are fully weatherproof and incorporate internally mounted exhaust silencers, reducing sound levels.

Secure and cost effective, the 7.5 to 2500kVA range delivers high quality across all high-priority applications, where reliability and continuity of power is critical.

 News

Incremental encoder

Johannes Hübner Giessen is introducing an incremental encoder for explosive atmospheres in the heavy-duty sector.

Explosive atmospheres are a special field in heavy industry subject to stringent safety requirements. With this in mind Johannes Hübner Giessen developed the incremental encoder Ex FG 40 for applications in extremely harsh environments and stringent explosion protection requirements.

These include explosive gas environments such as in the production of oil and gas on platforms and offshore drilling rigs, petrochemical plants, oil and gas processing, paint shops in the steel sector as well as application fields with explosive dust atmospheres such as in mining and bulk materials handling terminals.

The Ex FG 40 is certified according to both the latest Directive ATEX 2014/34/EU across the European countries as well as the international IECEx concept for Zones 1 and 2 (gas) and Zones 21 and 22 (dust); the precise marking is: II 2G Ex db IIC T6-T5 Gb (gas) and II 2D Ex tb IIIC T85°C Db IP6x (dust). Dual certification means it is possible to deploy the Ex FG 40 in a very large number of countries without the need for additional national certificates of conformity.

The Ex FG 40 is a further development of the standard Hübner encoder FG 40, from which the electronics are derived. In contrast, the mechanical components are completely new.

Distinguishing features of the device are its extremely rugged construction thanks to the thick-walled enclosure, a long service life due to the large ball bearings and robust stainless steel shaft with feather key, its resistance to shock and vibration as well as the high-level of corrosion protection thanks to the high-quality anodic coating.

Despite the high protection class IP66 the Ex FG 40 offers a wide speed range up to 6000 rpm as well as suitability for an ambient temperature range of -40 °C to +60 °C. It is possible to deploy the device up to 4000 m AMSL.

 News

New range of greases for rolling bearings

Schaeffler has released a new range of FAG Arcanol greases to give rolling bearings a longer operating life and higher operational safety.

Rolling bearing damage can lead to significant downtime or costs due to improper use or maintenance. The company’s research has indicated that more than 40 per cent of all cases involving rolling bearing damage are caused by poor lubrication.

The range of greases are designed for rolling bearings in a range of industry applications including gearboxes, electric motors, pumps, compressors, linear systems, fans, conveyancing equipment, and machine tools.

Mark Ciechanowicz, industrial services manager at Schaeffler Australia said, “Using high quality greases in the correct amounts at the correct times is an environmentally harmonious way to make the best use of materials and keep machinery running smoothly.”

“Some of the biggest environmental concerns arise when machinery is not working efficiently, or breaks down and causes spillages or waste.

“Applying a high quality grease such as Arcanol not only reduces the risk of this, but it also extends the life of the bearings, making the piece of machinery run smoother and more efficiently.”

Rolling bearings are used in machinery for operations in mining and energy, manufacturing and materials handling, bulk materials handling, and oil and gas operations, where extended service life and downtime caused by premature failure is important.

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The true tradie’s smartphone can withstand a Caterpillar

Caterpillar have released a line of smartphones with real mine site pedigree, and what’s more, you can drive a Cat 277D over the top of them.

The B15 is a ruggedized smartphone, designed by Cat specifically for the mining and construction industries.

It boasts an aluminium casing and Gorilla Glass screen, and is about half the price of the new Samsung S5, so it makes a lot of sense to keep one these on site with you.

It can be dropped onto concrete from a height of 1.8 metres without sustaining any more than cosmetic damage, and the touchscreen works fine when wet.

The B15 also has an Ingress Protection rating of 67 (same as the S5) which means it is water proof to a depth of one metre for 30 minutes, and is 100 per cent dustproof.

What this phone makes up for in physical strength it lacks in processing power and screen size, but this is reflected in the price.

It runs Android 4.1 Jellybean, has a 5 megapixel camera and only 512 megabytes of RAM, so if you don’t know what these things are, you probably won’t care, as long as you can make calls, check your emails, take underwater photos on fishing trips, and then tag your mates on Facebook.

For workers and operators who love the Cat brand, this is probably the perfect phone.

It’s got heavy rubberised, chunky industrial styling and is about 15mm thick, so you’re bound to notice if it’s about to fall out of your pocket, although the screen is only 4 inches long.

We had a quick look online, and you can pick up an unlocked Cat B15 for around $450.

Check out the Cat promotional video to get a good look at what these phones can do.

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Pioneering hydraulics just got a new name

Sauer-Danfoss has entered a new era in its history as a supplier of hydraulic and electrohydraulic solutions to the mobile machine market. As a newly integrated business segment within the global Danfoss Group, the hydraulic experts are looking forward to passing on the benefits of a broader range of technology access to customers worldwide.

Within the Danfoss organisation, Sauer-Danfoss is now known as Danfoss Power Solutions: but apart from that, the same hydraulic experts are still in place at the same locations and it is business as usual.

“In the long-term, the integration of Sauer-Danfoss within Danfoss will bring renewed strength to our innovation projects and greater competitive advantage to our customers,” Lance Thomas, country manager, Danfoss Power Solutions said.

Simpler, smarter and more efficient

With the integration, Danfoss has gained a hydraulics business with a reputation for proactive innovation that matches its own. 

From the launch of the pioneering PVG 32 valve to the introduction of advanced electronic PLUS+1 control systems, the drive to make hydraulic systems simpler, smarter and more efficient has been the company’s main mission.

PLUS+1 has provided the mobile machine market with intelligent control systems for close to a decade and the continuous evolution of the PLUS+1 portfolio makes it a reliable resource when meeting the demands of the new functional safety compliant controllers.   

While the PVX proportional valve is also a recent result of the drive to innovate.

Designed with two spools along with integrated sensors and software, the PVX can swiftly adapt to multiple functions by simply adjusting the electronic settings. This means OEMs can avoid a wait of several weeks for a customized valve or mechanical parts for each work function on their machine. In common with most of the hydraulic components developed by the Danfoss hydraulic engineers, the PVX is PLUS+1 Compliant. 

While Danfoss will be releasing the new explosion proof PVEH-Ex Coil early 2014 to complement their proportional valve portfolio.

Safe-state steering

With steering a critical concern in ensuring the safety of a machine, the integration will see Danfoss gain a portfolio of intelligent steering units, where safety is the key priority.

The new OSPE steering unit has been designed with the EU machinery directive in mind and represents the successful combination of Sauer-Danfoss OSP steering technology with the electrohydraulic valve.

“Our approach has been to focus on strategically pre-engineered solutions, where components are integrated with subsystem software, creating turkey offerings,” Thomas explained.

“Tested and evaluated at our application development centers around the world, these advanced systems provide robust building blocks for OEMs, saving time and money and improving machine reliability.”

The experts you know

In the long-term, as Danfoss draws on the fresh influx of engineering expertise in its global organization, the impact will gradually become more noticeable. Increased focus on innovation and more knowledge sharing between experts can only lead in one direction. It seems that OEMs can look forward to an innovative future.

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Pirtek appointed exclusive distributor for Fast Fill systems

PIRTEK Fluid Transfer Solutions has been appointed as the exclusive Australasian distributor for American company Fast Fill Systems that produce innovative fast-fuelling products for diesel and other heavy power units.

Through its 95 Service and Supply Centres in Australia and New Zealand, PIRTEK will distribute the Fast Fill Systems products, manufactured in Springville, Utah.

The products from Fast Fill have been built to withstand the harshest conditions, whether that is the Antarctic or the oppressive summer heat of central Australia.

Established in 1998 as ‘Nozzletech’, Fast Fill specialises in pressureless quickfill units that improve safety by reducing and eliminating potential environmental hazards.

At its innovative core, Fast Fill aims to protect nature and improve safety for its users through reducing the chance of spillage.

By improving the speed of filling tanks via an integrated check valve and filter vent setup, installing Fast Fill systems decreases downtime, therefore increasing return on investment.

Importantly, through leaving no pressure inside the full tank, far higher levels of cleanliness can be assured, thus improving safety for end users.

Under the agreement with Fast Fill USA, PIRTEK technicians will also be responsible for Nozzletech re-builds.

In line with PIRTEK service models, the re-build is more than just cleaning parts and lubing seals.

The re-build will include troubleshooting, the fitting of new parts to the nozzle, polishing and powdercoating before re-installation.

This new distributorship further aligns PIRTEK with the diesel and heavy plant industry after announcing earlier this year an expansion of its arrangement to exclusively service and supply to Komatsu Australia and New Zealand.

“Fast Fill Systems is known around the world for its ability to create solutions in the diesel industry that save clients’ time and money and also deliver on enhancing employees’ safety and protecting the environment.

Fast Fill Systems are available from PIRTEK Service and Supply Centres Australia and New Zealand-wide.

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Maptek launches new Vulcan modelling and design software

Maptek has launched its Vulcan 9 software, which includes new modelling and underground design.

New functionality in the software package targets includes improvements to software architecture to manage massive databases.

"Vulcan 9 has new and improved capabilities for modelling, object attribution, underground design, and a completely new graphics engine. The amount of data users can load and manipulate is only restricted by their hardware," Vulcan's product manager, Eric Gonzalez explained

According to Maptek  operators will be able to combine implicit modelling with existing Vulcan tools to create their own unique approach for generating complex 3D surfaces.   

Maptek says that new object attributes feature in Vulcan 9 means t unlimited information about an object is available on demand. 

Edits are also automatically updated in the downstream process, so instead of re-running reserves based on a new design, a single mouse-over on a point shows new reserve information.

New expressions tools assign the properties of an object as attributes, while the Locally Varying Anisotropy (LVA) method can be applied to account for arbitrary search paths for grade estimation, improving results when modelling complex stratiform orebodies.

Enhancements to underground ring design and underground mine design tools will streamline workflow and increase productivity.

A new tool for designing highwall ramps is predicted to cut time.

Pit solids can also now be cut up by the highwall templates, block lines, and horizons to enable individual solids to be created for reserving against a Vulcan HARP model. 

Strip ratios can be calculated from user-defined block model variables, and strip ratio calculations can be limited to a lowest mineable level, based on elevation, depth, surface or horizon floor.

Enhanced parameters for haul segments take into account the effect of rolling resistance as well as gradient on haulage route times. A new algorithm provides a better estimation for distances based on actual bench geometry at the time of mine haulage.

 

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NLT increases cap lamp light output

Northern Light Technologies (NLT) has announced revised documentation detailing the light output on four of their cap lamps, including the award-winning Polaris. 

Known for their continued adoption and innovation within battery, optics and LED technology, 

NLT has adjusted LUX levels to the following, with measurements taken at one meter:


·  Eclipse Minimum LUX 3700, Typical LUX 5000

·  Polaris/Genesis Minimum LUX 4000, Typical LUX 5500

·  Rebel: Low-beam Minimum LUX 3000, High-beam Minimum LUX 11,000

NLT brings over 25 years of innovation and experience to the industry – the first dry cell battery pack with smart-charging technology, the first to incorporate NiMH technology, the first two-way text messaging in a cap lamp, and the first MSHA and CSA approved all-in-one, the Polaris.

"NLT is committed to helping mines and other industries lower their lighting energy costs and maintenance expenses," Heidi Levitt, president of Northern Light Technologies said. 

"The increased performance of our cap lamps can improve payback in terms of longevity, compared to the previous generation of cap lamps and strengthens the argument to replace antiquated lighting technologies."

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Cat launches new hoist brake for rope shovels

Caterpillar has released a new dynamic hoist brake with smart controller for its 7495 and 7495H electric rope shovels.

The hoist brake is designed to stop the dipper from dropping during uncontrolled events such as power drops or in the case of emergency stops.

Cat says "the new brake is designed to perform and survive a full speed dynamic brake event with a fully loaded dipper" and in turn minimise the risk of any uncontrolled dipper drops.

It is a drop-in replacement for the standard hoist brake, which was originally designed to be applied when the hoist motor wasn't rotating.

The new brake provides a number of advantages such as friction material that eliminates burnishing requirements and reduces variations in brake torque, increased thermal capacity, increased operational life, mechanical wear indication, and a simplified on-machine rebuild procedure.

"The heavy-duty dynamic brake has undergone a rigorous design, development and validation process,” Jim Ryan, Cat's new product introduction program lead, Electric Rope Shovels said.

"We started with full bench testing to simulate the application, and we’ve proven its performance on our 7495 working at the Arizona Proving Grounds."

Cat has also developed the Smart Controller in conjunction with the brake as an optional addition.

It works to continuously monitor the applied torque, energy input, and machinery wear.

The controller also includes hardware that will apply additional brake torque if necessary via a secondary pneumatic piston.

This helps ensure brake torque levels don't dip below specifications, while at the same time monitoring brake energy levels to anticipate thermal overload.

 

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Mining software company joins hands with London uni

Mining and exploration software provider Micromine has signed an academic agreement with the Camborne School of Mines (CSM) at the University of Exeter in the UK.

CSM’s Tremough campus will integrate the company’s namesake exploration and mine design software, Micromine, into its undergraduate and postgraduate courses to provide a technical learning experience for the students.

Students can use it for research projects, whether it is for undergraduate and postgraduate dissertation or PhD research.

CSM’s programme director of MSc Mining Geology Dr Charlie Moon is excited to start using Micromine in the course.

“We decided to adopt the package in response to student requests for training in an industry standard package for plotting and interpreting exploration and mine data.

“We know that such training is a key part of the CV for graduates entering the mining industry.”

Teaching staff can use Micromine for a range of technical teaching exercises using real world data, which will expose students to mineral exploration, 3D geological modelling, geostatistics, resource estimation, pit optimisation, mine design and scheduling.

The latest version of the software has had enhancements in resource estimation, pit optimisation and resource scheduling modules.

It also has improved features for better target accuracy and speed. It has a new implicit modelling module and a new stratigraphic modelling module.

Micromine UK regional manager Tim Tuder said: “We are very pleased to be announcing this new technical and research collaboration with the Camborne School of Mines – a world-class education institution.

“Micromine aims to bolster CSM’s exploration, planning, and mine management educational programmes. We hope the strength and sophistication of Micromine’s technology will become a tremendous asset to both lecturers and students at Camborne School of Mines.”

Micromine has also previously tied up with University of Leicester’s Department of Geology and other universities across Europe.

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GE’s ArcWatch technology enables simultaneous safety and reliability for electrical systems

Providing always-on, full-time, simultaneous safety and reliability, GE’s Industrial Solutions business announced the availability of its ArcWatch circuit breaker communication technology.

ArcWatch is the industry’s first technology to enable an electrical system design that helps to maximise selectivity, or uptime, while simultaneously providing continuous arc-flash mitigation protection.

Other arc-flash mitigating technologies provide protection with part-time or manual user activation, which creates a mode of either safety or reliability (selectivity), but not both at the same time.

Containment arc-flash mitigation systems primarily redirect it away from the operator to “enclose” the impact. These systems also are part-time or manual where human intervention can inadvertently negate their design. 

Before now, available technologies required a compromised solution of either/or in regards to safety and reliability, and while they could provide both within the same electrical system design, they could not do so at the same time. 

GE’s ArcWatch technology by design provides full-time, automatic, always-on protection and reliability for people, property and equipment.

Time is crucial in an arc-flash incident, and the ArcWatch technology works through a combination of communication algorithms across the GE portfolio of circuit breakers by using instantaneous zone selective interlocking (I-ZSI) and waveform recognition (WFR) to ensure only the circuit breakers nearest to the fault trip, which happens in as little as 4 milliseconds. This limits the incident energy in the event of an arc flash, protecting both people and equipment.

“Safety is crucial to electrical contractors when working on live equipment,” said Tim Ford, global molded case circuit breaker product manager, GE’s Industrial Solutions business. 

“In the past, increased safety meant decreased selectivity, but when servicing a high-demand client, uptime is critical. With GE’s ArcWatch technology, users no longer have to compromise between safety and reliability but can now greatly enhance both.” 

Systems embedded with ArcWatch technology reduce the impact of an arc-flash event to <8 cal/cm2, resulting in much lower requirements for using personal protective equipment. The use of fire-resistant clothing instead of a full-protective arc-flash suit makes it easier for electrical contractors to work with their hands, allowing for better functionality and safety.

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Kal Tire’s Mining maximise tyre invesment

At a time when reducing mine operating costs is a focus for many, extending the life of tyres and vehicles by keeping them operational is imperative.

Having an independent tyre service provider with extensive contacts with the major manufacturers and suppliers in the global market is a distinct advantage.

Especially seeing as demand for large mining tyres can fluctuate as quickly as commodity prices and they become increasingly harder to source.

And with surging costs at the forefront of company’s minds, effective and reliable products which help protect the bottom line are being sought out now more than ever.

The average mining haul truck tyre costs more than a Mercedes luxury car.

Retreading existing tyres can provides a significant cost-effective alternative to buying new tyres, giving independent control over tyre supply.

Studies have shown retread tyres can outperform comparable-cost new brands and compare favourably with premium brand tyres at a fraction of the cost.

With this in mind, Kal Tire Mining Group are servicing the mining sector by providing retread tyre solutions to meet the needs of all earthmover tyre uses in whatever environment the vehicle is working in, either in the more traditional ‘smooth and groove’ form or using state-of-the-art remould technology.

Companies are able to maximise the efficiency of production with Kal Tires service, technology, repair and retreading expertise.

In addition to providing economic value, retreaded tyres also promote an investment in the environment. Carbon emissions created during the retread process are much less than those associated with the production of new tyres and reuse tyres that most likely would have simply ended up either being buried as landfill on site or being burned surreptitiously.

The company has invested heavily in world-class facilities, equipment and processes to ensure retreaded tyres are of the highest consistency and quality and have the appearance and integrity of new tyres offering an extended second life to premium tier tyres and reducing overall tyre operating costs.

Kal Tire Mining Group are a global leader in earthmoving and mining tire supply and on-site service operates on over 150 sites, in 19 countries on five continents.

With four new grab trucks and 24 service vehicles to be based in Perth, Kalgoorlie and Port Headland, Kal Tire Australia is one of the country’s fastest growing independent full-service tire distributors.

Existing facilities have also been upgraded providing customers with additional services including an earthmover repair facility as well as warehouse space that allows for greater inventory capacity.

“Acquiring additional capacity, capability and knowledge means we can provide our customers with more quality products and even better service than our current superior offering,” said managing director Graeme Manning.

The company has made investments in infrastructure, facilities and personnel to ensure Australian customers are receiving quality products, durable enough to endure the country’s harsh conditions.

Kal Tire is able to manage the supply chain from start to finish and the company is so confident in the service they offer, monthly KPIs are established and measured not only by the company itself, but also its customers.

KPIs can include: safety performance, work scheduling, pressure maintenance, effectiveness of interaction with dispatch, tyre performance, and the implementation of continuous improvement initiatives.

“Consistent improvement is part of Kal Tire’s culture,” Manning added.

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Water powered drilling is proving its worth in an iron ore mine in Sweden

The mining industry is continually looking for new drilling solutions that enable them to mine deeper, faster and more narrowly while at the same time, be more environmentally friendly and reduce costs. 

Increasingly underground mines are reaching depths that current mining methods can't manage cost-efficiently. 
Deeper, leaner ores means larger scale drilling and mining needs to be more precise and safer. 

With these factors in mind, Wassara have developed and implemented water-powered drilling equipment.

The Wassara production drilling system for blast-hole drilling consists of hammers, bits, check valves, drill tubes, high-pressure swivels, high-pressure hoses and electric high-pressure water pumps. 

Today, the water-powered technology is widely used around the world, particularly in the areas mining, exploration, dam rehabilitation and ground engineering. 

Swedish mining company LKAB have been able to upscale their production by 800%, by using Wassara's DTH hammer that allows them to drill long straight holes at a minimised energy cost.

LKAB have currently drilled more than 18 000000 metres with the system and more mines are now beginning to discover the benefits of the Wassara system.

"LKAB has been using this technology for their blast holes for over 20 years and has drilled more than 18 million meters, all well documented. We have completed it with more sizes and models that are used in ground engineering, dam rehabilitation and exploration drilling," Kent Boström, communications manager at LKAB Wassara said. 

Wassara implemented the world-patented DTH hammer, which uses high pressure water to power it. 

With water giving high frequency and high energy per blow, using water as power transmission makes the hammer suitable for drilling in most applications and optimal for use in areas where it's difficult to implement other technologies.

 Wassara water-powered system drills very long, straight holes, which results in well-fragmented ore after blasting. 

When the water leaves the hammer it has enough velocity to bring the cuttings and debris to the surface, leaving a clean hole. 

Recognising that increasing the slice height between sublevels would reduce costs as long as dilution could be carefully controlled, the Mining R&D team studied the options for drilling longer holes.

The use of water drilling creates smooth, straight holes with minimum deviation, borehole quality, high productivity and little impact on the formation. 

Whilst using the water powered to scale up ore iron production at LKAB's Kiruna mine, the length of blast holes was increased from 28 to 56 meters. This gives 28 meters between the levels and drifts from the current 12 meters, reducing the number of development drifts needed by 70%. 

The outcome from each blast has risen from 1,200 tonnes to 10,000, or 8.3 times more. 

The bore holes are up to 56 meters, depending on the shape of the ore body and the rate of penetration is up to 1.2 meters per minute with 115 mm drill bits. 

Less deviation is also important to maintain good fragmentation of the ore when blasting. Wassara meets the maximum allowed bore hole deviation in LKAB of 1.5%. 

The systems also have a number of environmental benefits. The hammer runs on clean water without any oil additives, which results in a working environment free of dust particles and oil mist. 

Since a high-pressure water pump is much more efficient than an air compressor the energy consumption is roughly 25% of a comparable air drilling system.

An additional benefit of this is a reduction of CO2 emissions and an improved work environment with less drill dust and no oil mist, which directly addresses the drill safety issue of superheated air.

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Vortex pump heads

Vanton have released a new thermoplastic vortex pump head designed to handle solid-laden acids and caustic materials.

The company's SGV Vortex Pump Head for vertical thermoplastic pumps is able to handle fluids and slurries containing stringy materials or solids to 51 mm in diameter. 

Built with solid thermoplastic construction of all its wetted components allows for the corrosion-free, abrasion-resistant handling of acids, caustics and a wide range of solids-laden wastes at temperatures to 135°C.

The SGV pump head features a recessed, dynamically balanced clog-free impeller that allows solids to pass through the pump without blockage, and is offered on Vanton SG Series sump pumps for depths to 6.1 m, and SGK cantilevered bearingless run-dry pumps for depths to 1.2 m.

All fluid-contact components of the pump are available in abrasion-resistant polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC) or polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), which are chemically inert to the corrosive fluids they are specified to handle, unlike metallic components. 

The heavy-duty stainless steel shaft is fully isolated from the fluid by a thick-sectioned thermoplastic sleeve, eliminating metal contact with the pumped fluid.

The company also offers horizontal centrifugal thermoplastics pumps with Vortex and other hydraulic heads, as well as sealless peristaltic pumps and integrated non-metallic tank/pump systems for handling of corrosive treatment chemicals and collected wastes spanning the entire pH range with no corrosion of the pump, and of ultrapure liquids and reagent grade chemicals with no contamination or ionisation of the fluid.

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Dragline Cleaning

Toxfree’s range of dragline and shovels maintenance includes the cleaning of pinion paths, swing bays, hoist and drag tunnels, propel areas, shoes, dyna vanes, and outside rollers.

Toxfree also provide NDT cleaning services for assets including bull gears, pinions, and hoist gear box gearing. 

Toxfree’s range of high pressure water blasting and vacuum loading services are also effective for maintaining mine site assets. 

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Kemppi provides safer welding

 Welding equipment manufacturer Kemppi has launched a range of software based welding products for use with its FastMig and KempArc welding machines.

Dubbed the Wise Solutions, the software allows the welding processes to be tailored to the specific work.

The software customises the welding equipment to help the user achieve a level of quality that otherwise would be unattainable with the standard Mig/Mag welding process.

The tailored welding processes and functions are used for root pass work, sheet metal welding, penetration control and focused arcs, where energy density is concentrated into a narrow area.

Developed over several years, the Wise Solutions software enables comprehensive control of the properties of the welding arc as well as the features of the machine.

The software adjusts the arc’s properties to turn the equipment into a customised machine for specific welding work.

It also aids in reducing overall welding times.

The range includes WiseRoot designed for manual and automated root pass welding for steel and stainless steel. WiseRoot allows wide root gap tolerance while eliminating the need for backing rings or ceramics. It produces high quality root welds and is three times faster in root closure than TIG welding;

It also has WiseThin is a tailored cold arc process for manual and automated thin sheet welding and brazing. Typical applications for WiseThin include quality light plate fabrication in ferrous and non-ferrous materials including automotive manufacturing. WiseThin reduces spatter with all materials and post weld material distortion. It also provides excellent weld pool control with varying joint geometry and fit up. Fast and efficient, it reduces the need for weld rework.

It also has WisePenetration delivers consistent power to the weld pool regardless of changes in welding gun orientation or distance between the welding gun and work piece. The process is suitable for manual and automated synergic MIG/MAG welding, especially when welds are difficult to reach. Helping to deliver a quality weld result, WisePenetration saves time and rework costs, and is easy to deploy.

Finally, the range comes with WiseFusion creates and maintains an optimal short circuit characteristic in pulsed MIG/MAG and spray-arc welding applications. Keeping the arc length optimally short for manual and automated welding, WiseFusion ensures consistent weld quality in all positions, and once set, eliminates the need for regular parameter adjustments.

 

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High Pressure Cleaning:

Toxfree’s range of high pressure cleaning services can be adapted and tailored to suit any industrial environment. 

With state of the art equipment, extensive industry knowledge and specialised technologies, Toxfree can provide a variety of industrial cleaning solutions to our customers.