PARTNER CONTENT

Platooning could be an answer for some long-haul problems in the mining industry

Auto-mate solutions and implementation manager Damien Williams warned it's not a catch-all solution

Auto-mate
Platooning could be an answer for some long-haul problems in the mining industry

In its simplest form platooning involves having a manned "pilot" vehicle guiding a convoy of several semi-autonomous vehicles.

On the face of it platooning could appear to be a more cost-effective way to introduce automation to a mine site.

However, Auto-mate solutions and implementation manager Damien Williams warned it was not a catch-all automation solution.

Platooning works best where there are long hauls involved or where the operational flow is conducive to having a big flow of material at the one time.

It is already being used in other jurisdictions for logistics purposes, shipping cargoes such as food rather than ore.

Given the automation involved it is likely any platooning efforts in Australia will have to start on private roads.

One possible use for platooning is in the Western Australian iron ore industry.

Iron ore mining is really a bulk logistics game that relies on being able to move large amounts of iron ore as efficiently as possible. That is why the majors all have huge rail networks.

However, several operations have started and have not had the mine life or the reserves to justify rail line investments. They instead use quad-trailer road trains to take the iron ore to port using private haul roads.

It is less efficient than rail haulage, however, it can make smaller ore bodies more economically viable.

Platooning could be a way to optimise this form of road haulage.

Imagine a light vehicle leading four or five of these quad road trains. It will not be as efficient as a train hauling 100 wagons, however, the automation in the trucks will help optimise their operation. There is a fatigue management benefit too because there is only one driver instead of several.

Miners are also trying to reduce the number of workers on site. Platooning could be a way of doing that too. With platooning one operator is essentially controlling several trucks at the same time. It is an immediate labour saving and safety boost, and can help address the longer-term labour shortage projections.

Williams said another use could be to send parts out to a remote workshop location.

In that example one driver would lead a convoy of several vehicles to collect the parts from the warehouse and then travel back with them to the warehouse.

"One of the things the convoy does is it takes away a lot of the complexity around traffic management," Williams said.

"With an autonomous vehicle if it comes up to an intersection, you have to have some intelligence around how it deals with that intersection.

"If you have a pilot vehicle making the decision for you, you reduce the autonomous intelligence you need."

However, Williams cautioned against thinking of platooning as "automation-light".

"The first challenge with platooning is that sometimes you are going to have the perception that it will have a low cost," he said.

"If you are looking at a pilot vehicle driving supplemental vehicles you will reduce complexity.

"But if the second and third vehicles are still using automation you will still need to have object detection and you're still going to need tele-remote capabilities for camera viewing."

The next challenge arises as the mine looks to go to different stages of automation.

"What's the real purpose?" Williams said was a question miners should be asking themselves.

"Another challenge we see is mines starting off with using a manned light vehicle as the pilot vehicle and then deciding to go to an autonomous light vehicle.

"If you're going to that stage, why not make all the assets autonomous?"

Williams points out that making the pilot vehicle autonomous will require an investment in communications and other infrastructure and once that infrastructure is in place, it does not matter if there is one vehicle or several vehicles using it.

"If you're going to all the effort of putting in all the complexity for an autonomous light vehicle it's little extra complexity for the rest of the fleet," he said."

Williams said Auto-mate was working with some industry partners around what their business case and value was.

"What is going to turn the dial for you?" he asked.

"Is it a big platoon to reduce staff costs? Is it material movement? Is there one big truck that can do the work and then automate that rather than bring in a platoon? What is going to turn the dial for you?"

ABOUT THIS COMPANY
Auto-mate

The global mining industry is a rapidly shifting landscape, where innovation is key to driving efficiency and productivity. In application since the early 1980s on over 35 different types of assets (including mining trucks, light vehicles and dozers), Auto-mate technology delivers any level of automation to any asset, regardless of the make, model or age of the fleet. The technology is highly flexible and seamlessly integrates into any mine site operation and fleet management systems.

With over two centuries of combined experience from their joint venture partners Bis and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), Auto-mate is proud to deliver an industry disruptor in mining automation.

HEAD OFFICE:

  • Level 1, Brightwater House, 355 Scarborough Beach Rd, Osborne Park WA 6017
  • Phone: + 61 08 9202 5811
  • Website: auto-mate.net

LEADERSHIP:

  • Daniel Poller, CEO

A growing series of reports, each focused on a key discussion point for the farming sector, brought to you by the Kondinin team.

A growing series of reports, each focused on a key discussion point for the farming sector, brought to you by the Kondinin team.

editions

Mining Journal Intelligence Investor Sentiment Report 2024

Survey revealing the plans, priorities, and preferences of 120+ mining investors and their expectations for the sector in 2024.

editions

Mining Journal Intelligence Mining Equities Report 2023

Access an exclusive, inside look on the quarterly mining IPOs and secondary raisings data and mining equities performance tables with an annual Stock Exchange Comparisons supplement.

editions

Mining Journal Intelligence World Risk Report 2023 (feat. MineHutte ratings)

A detailed analysis of mining investment risks across 121 jurisdictions globally, built on 11 ‘hard risk’ metrics and an industrywide survey.

editions

Mining Journal Intelligence Global Leadership Report 2023: Social licence

Gain insights into social licence trends and best practices from interviews with 20+ top mining company executives and an industrywide survey.