Mining Proximity Detection: improving device interoperability

Longwall Conference | 24-25 October 2016

CSIRO ENERGY | COAL MINING RESEARCH PROGRAM

Mark Dunn

The case for interoperability

• Transfer between processes

• Making systems or organisations work together

• Plug and Play – things ‘just work’

• Physical or data interoperability

Benefits

• Reduced cost of integration/installation

• Enables piecemeal upgrades/add-ons

• Increases information flow and business knowledge

• Allows scope for system-wide automation

• Integration of multi-vendor fleet

Interoperability - fail

• 3,719 km broad gauge,

• 15,422 km standard gauge,

• 14,506 km narrow gauge

• 172 km dual gauge.

Interoperability - better

• USB standard – published, updated USB Implementers Forum

• 2012 = 8 billion, 2014= 10 billion, 2020 = ???

• USB 1.x

• USB 2.0

• USB 3.0 +

Interoperability in mining

• Data collection systems

• Voice communication devices

• Data communication protocols

• Operator interface systems

• Equipment and vehicle accessories

• Fleet management

• Proximity Detection systems

• Automation Systems

Interoperability – how do we get it?

• One vendor gains a monopoly

– their technology wins (e.g. VHS vs Beta)

• Published standards with enough market support (e.g. USB)

– Requires stakeholder involvement

Open Standards

• Widely published and freely available

• Generally royalty and license free

• Developed and maintained via a collaborative and consensus driven process

• Examples

– World Wide Web architecture

– Universal Serial Bus (USB)

– Portable Document Format (PDF)

– Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)

Vehicle Interaction - Who’s Doing What?

• MEPIAG

• ACARP/CSIRO/LISCA

• ACARP/SIMTARS

• GMSG

• NIOSH

• South African Industry

• In-House mining companies

• In-House OEMs

• OEM-Prox vendor partnerships

• EMESRT/CSIRO

MEPIAG

• Mining Equipment/Personnel Interaction Advisory Group

• Formed in 2011 following Remote Controlled Equipment Advisory Group (RCEAG)

• The group consists of representatives from

• underground coal operators,

• unions,

• equipment suppliers,

• NSW Mine Safety

• Department of Natural Resources and Mines QLD.

• Published “MDG 2007 Guideline for the selection and implementation of collision management systems for mining”

• Regular (or semi-regular) updates on status of trials

ACARP/CSIRO/LISCA

• Project C22012 - 2013/2014

• Focussed on underground equipment

• Wide industry involvement

• Full protocol specification for inter-device and

Inter-vehicle communications based on

CIP (physical Ethernet OR CanBus) in addition

to a low-level hard wire interface

• Limited uptake

ACARP/SIMTARS

• Project C24010 Collision Awareness - Capability of Underground Mine Vehicle Proximity Detection Systems

• An independent assessment on the effectiveness of existing proximity detection systems

• Testing of repeatable realistic scenarios in an underground coal mining environment

• Multiple Proximity systems will be tested and reported

• http://www.qldminingsafety.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/A-scenario-based-comparison-of-underground-coal-mine-proximity-detection-systems.pdf

GMSG

• Global Mining Standards and Guidelines Group

• Supported by multiple Partner organisations, Member Companies and participants

• Multiple working groups covering many fields including

• Underground mining

• Integrated Operations

• Situation Awareness

• Mobile equipment open data consensus guideline

• http://www.globalminingstandards.org/

NIOSH

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

• Mining Publication: Recommendations for Evaluating

& Implementing Proximity Warning Systems on Surface

Mining Equipment

• Actively developing detection technology and systems

• Started work on testing and documenting various systems

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/mining/topics/ProximityDetection.html

The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) published a ruling on January 15, 2015 (effective as of March 16, 2015) that requires all continuous mining machines in underground coal mines in the United States to be equipped with approved proximity detection systems within 36 months

South African Industry

• CSIR

– Equivalent to Australian CSIRO

• University of Pretoria

• Use of Proximity Detection Systems mandated 27 Feb 2015

– www.gpwonline.co.za

• Many mine sites implementing systems

Collaborations / Other

• In-House mining companies

• In-House OEMs

• OEM-PDS vendor partnerships

• Generally reported at MEPIAG meetings

• Limited publically available information

• AMIRA– P1025. Achieving Interoperability across the Minerals Value Chain

EMESRT

• Earth Moving Equipment Safety Round Table

• Multiple topics addressing known hazards

• Vehicle Interaction Group - Combination of:

• Mining Company representatives

• Equipment manufacturers

• Proximity Detection System manufacturers

• External research providers

• Regular Update Webinars

Draft Protocol

• Early draft documentation

• http://www.emesrt.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/C24034_Strategic-Protocol_Secured.pdf

• CANBus, J1939

Status

• Currently in Draft with ISO21815

– Earth-moving machinery - Collision awareness and avoidance

• Shared between 2 technical committees:

– TC127 (surface)

– TC82 (underground)

• Due for finalisation 2018

BUT

• Many companies are implementing on the existing draft

Conclusions

• Interoperability is coming….

• Get involved – ask your vendor about their interoperability plans

– Write clauses in your tender requests

– EMESRT / MEPIAG

– ISO Working groups

Dr Mark DunnAutomation Technologies Team Leadermark.dunn@csiro.au

Coal Mining Research Program1 Technology Court Pullenvale Q 4069 Australia

CSIRO ENERGY

Thank You