In a latest on-line article, Komatsu has given some updates on ongoing progress with the rollout of autonomous haulage at Boliden Mineral AB’s Aitik copper mine in Arctic Sweden.
Since 2024, Boliden’s Aitik has been increasing its operations with the event of a brand new satellite tv for pc mine, Liikavaara, positioned 3 km away from the principle mining website. Constructing on its custom of being the check mattress for improvements and new applied sciences, Boliden is implementing Komatsu’s FrontRunner autonomous haulage system (AHS) on a fleet of Komatsu 930E vans on the Liikavaara mine. This makes Aitik the primary mine in Europe and the Arctic setting to profit from this superior method of working.
“Our major purpose to realize with the AHS system is to extend the security stage,” explains Tomas Eriksson-Ek, Normal Supervisor at Aitik. “We wish to remove dangers like slips, or giant rocks by chance falling inflicting potential accidents to operators. There can even be on the whole fewer employees working bodily within the manufacturing space.”
Because the haulage vans are autonomous, there may be a lot much less uncertainty concerned in the complete operation. This additionally results in increased productiveness as a result of machines can be utilized extra usually, with no extra shift modifications or operator breaks. Furthermore, AHS additionally ensures that the machines are utilised in an optimum method, and this tends to enhance their longevity, which in the long run lowers price. The gas economic system can also be optimised by working inside the design parameters.
One other facet is the accuracy within the operation. AHS system helps place supplies of their precise places, lowering the chance of mix-ups and minimising the necessity for rework.
Rikard Mäki, Head of Electrification & Automation at Boliden, says: “In the long term we count on that the AHS system will additional improve productiveness and minimise unscheduled downtime by means of extra correct element life prediction because the vans are persistently pushed to their optimum working traits.”
The article states: “In truth, after we discuss AHS, it’s far more than taking operators out of their seats – it’s about automating and optimising work course of. The profitable deployment of the autonomous system all the time begins with an efficient and productive mine plan. It outlines manufacturing targets, gear places and crusher calls for, and so forth., and this varieties the muse for the entire automation. The simpler the mine plan is, the extra highly effective the automation will be.”
The subsequent step entails a fleet administration system, such because the Komatsu DISPATCH, that successfully manages and analyses mine format and manufacturing necessities. This data is then transmitted to the AHS supervisory system, that’s the place autonomous expertise comes into play. The supervisory system, or in different phrases, AHS will then communicates the assignments to the truck navigation, rapidly and successfully.
“The profitable implementation of automation depends upon organiszational growth, management growth, and empowering the workforce,” says Maki.
At Boliden, the deployment of the autonomous system has led to the creation of recent roles that require specialised abilities. This strategy of change administration is accompanied by a group of consultants from Komatsu and the native distributor Hesselberg Maskin AB.
One among these roles is the central controller, who manages the move of the complete operation from the central management room, ensuring issues are operating the way in which they’re speculated to. They use the FrontRunner software program to set velocity restrictions, supervising street situations, dumping programs, or some other variables for the autonomous vans, and so they intervene in case of issues, resembling a truck breakdown or an impediment within the path. At the moment, trainers from Hesselberg are working carefully with central controllers from Boliden within the management room, ensuring that every part runs safely.
Former truck driver Pontus Wallgren, now a central controller, tells us that his working situation is significantly improved: “I used to spend numerous hours in a truck, however now my job is far more ergonomic. I can now work together with machines remotely, in a extra snug and environment friendly method.”
Whereas the central controller oversees the operation from a hen’s-eye view, the pit patroller acts because the eyes and ears on the bottom. If a truck stops due to an impediment for instance, they’ll discover out simply what it’s, take away it, after which restart the truck from their location, or talk with the central management room to restart the operations.
“With the autonomous vans, I really really feel safer, as a result of the vans are following the exact routes and there’s no dangers of driver being distracted or feeling fatigue,” says Erika Johansson, a pit patroller at Boliden Aitik.
The paradigm shift from guide to autonomous mining necessitates a sturdy coaching program to upskill the personnel. Specialised trainers from Komatsu and Hesselberg are answerable for equipping personnel with the mandatory information and abilities. The coaching has been carried out each in lecture rooms in addition to with simulators. “We’ve got a coaching group of 13 to 14 trainers who’ve been on website all through the venture,” explains Maki. Till now, over 100 operators have been educated in Aitik to assist the autonomous operation, overlaying conventional roles like shovel, dozer, and grader operators, in addition to new roles particularly designed for the autonomous system.
The transition to AHS requires a collaborative effort between Boliden, Hesselberg and Komatsu. Komatsu concludes: “By creating worth collectively, we will unlock the complete potential of automation and guarantee a protected, clear and productive mine website to sort out the challenges of the current and future.” At the moment, all manufacturing within the Liikavaara pit is managed by the Komatsu Frontrunner AHS system 24/7. The fleet has moved roughly 9 Mt of fabric, with 5 Mt originating from Liikavaara.
