Setting up the Technology to Get Haulage Optimisation Right

Created by Matthew Lee - Published April 19, 2016

 matthew-lee @ivolvemattl
Heavy dump truck carrying the iron ore on the opencast mining on sunset

Haulage optimisation requires many proverbial ducks to be lined up just right: the right sized excavator matched to the right sized trucks; the right number of trucks for the digability of the material and the haul distance, etc, etc. The tools we develop at iVolve provide supervisors on the ground with timely information about their fleet to help keep those ducks in line.  How do they ensure that the information they are receiving is accurate?  There are many system parameters that can be tweaked to help achieve optimal haulage outcomes.

What are the parameters of haulage that can be tweaked?

  • Geofences: Putting some time into setting up suitable geofences is a worthwhile exercise. Rather than just having one “mine” or several “pit” geofences, defining finer-grained geofences has benefits in tracking machines, tracking materials, setting speed limits and warning operators about dumping materials in the wrong location.
  • Queuing Radius: This is a radius around each loading tool. The iVolve Fleet Management System automatically tracks the time each truck spends inside the queuing radius of its loading tool – while other trucks are being loaded – as queuing time. There’s a fine balancing act required to keep loading tools from being under- or over-trucked.  Knowing up-to-date information about queuing times helps strike that balance.
  • Delays: Setting up suitable codes for operators to choose when entering a delay keeps supervisors informed about machines being taken out of production.
  • Materials: Knowing what materials are being dug, together with information about how long it takes to load each truck with that material, provides useful insight into the “digability” of each location. Again, this provides information to assist with determining the best composition of haulage circuits.
  • Operators: Tracking operators provides insights into the best performers and helps identify training opportunities for those who could be performing better.

 

This is a just a sample of some of the ways iVolve’s FMS enables better haulage outcomes.