Proof Engineer’s Road Condition Monitors are bringing big data to road maintenance.
BIG data is the new frontier of the modern mine site.
It is fast becoming the competitive advantage in the never-ending struggle against inefficiency on site, and the breakthroughs that big data can give us have been breathtaking.
Predictive maintenance through real-time monitoring is perhaps the single biggest area for efficiency improvement in the Australian mining industry, and haul roads are no exception.
During the average service life of a haul truck, it will need tyre replacements that will equal the value of the truck, due to the extreme load placed on tyres and the damaging conditions of roads.
Haul road maintenance has long been a tedious job that requires manual inspection and a lot of guesswork, so it was only a matter of time before engineering companies started looking to develop state-of-the-art tech for haul road quality control.
Proof Engineers has developed a system that takes the guesswork and expensive labour out of road maintenance.
The Road Condition Monitor (RCM) is an innovative, on-board road monitoring system that records and translates road condition data, without the need for an expensive, comprehensive communications backbone on the mine site.
The system has been specifically developed for tough mining conditions by Proof Engineers in direct response to industry need, and has the ability to reduce maintenance requirements, improve operational efficiency and autonomously monitor road conditions.
WHY USE IT:
- Lower cost per tonne hauled
- Improved production efficiencies
- Optimisation of maintenance scheduling
- Increased tyre life
- Lower operating costs and fuel consumption
How it works
Once installed onto the vehicle, data is wirelessly uploaded in real-time and displayed on the site’s secure platform.
Algorithms then calibrate and normalise data for true road conditions and prioritise maintenance scheduling.
The RCM is fitted with advanced sensors that map out the road quality, displayed in a simple colour code: from green signifying good quality sections of the road, yellow signifying satisfactory road conditions, orange where maintenance is required for medium-to-high rolling resistance, to red highlighting areas that need urgent maintenance or potential redesign.
By measuring the vibrations of deteriorating roads, the advanced algorithms of the RCM are able to convert vibrations into readings which then generate a user-friendly “road score”.
This score is used for site benchmarking, which in real-time, gives a quantifiable and objective assessment of road and pit conditions.
By using big data, the RCM is able to prioritise and target trouble areas on the maintenance schedule.
This achieves an improved running surface and drainage, and it reduces the overall rolling resistance on haul roads ultimately resulting in lower operational costs and a lower cost per tonne hauled.
How do you use it?
The RCM system is user-friendly and requires minimal training.
The 12/24v powered RCM units are installed onto haul trucks, water carts and light vehicles.
Numerous vehicles are fitted with the units and this ensures a more accurate and adequate live coverage of the roads at any given time.
The RCM units are self-calibrating and do not need complicated or detailed site setup.
Once installed, the units will start recording and uploading data instantly, and the online management platform can be accessed via the web by using a password-protected login system.
This system is designed with ease of use and flexibility as the main objective.
With minimal training, the system can seamlessly integrate into any existing operation and can be customised to meet site requirements needs and objectives.
The Proof difference
Proof Engineers is an Australian-based company with global projects and decades of experience in the civil and mining industries as owners, contractors and consultants.
The team’s broad mix of disciplines range from the practical, hands-on site personnel through to research and design engineers.
The company believes that road construction and methodologies are just as important as design when it comes to the performance of a haul road, and that there are five steps for achieving any road maintenance goal: site evaluation, design and stabilisation, site-tailored construction and training, maintenance and monitoring and reporting.
Proof Engineers excels in systems that help improve production for the mining industry.
The company improves operational efficiencies – specifically through haul road design, construction management, maintenance programs and monitoring solutions.
As well as being the leaders in haul road maintenance, Proof Engineers operates a Haul Road Development Program (HRDP) that designs haul roads by combining the best available materials for the job with construction practices to help mines drastically reduce their maintenance costs, while improving operating speeds and wet weather recovery.
Proof Engineers also specialises in dust monitoring systems.
Using a state-of-art mobile dust monitor called the Dustective, the company can measure dust emissions on roads and other sources.
The team at Proof Engineers can audit any mine site for environmental compliance and/or evaluate the performance of dust control measures.
More information:
Phone: (07) 5522 0855
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.proofengineers.com.au
