The first of the newly released Tritronics series 3 dragline monitors is being put through its paces on a BHP dragline. With 35 draglines in operation at its open-cut coal mining operations, BHP has one of the world's biggest dragline fleets and optimal operation of expensive equipment like draglines is an important focus.

The new monitor is the latest offering in Tritronics' 9000 series and is based on the successful series 2. Up to 70 series 2 monitors have been fitted to draglines in Australia and around the world by the Brisbane-based company.

 

 

Real-time dragline performance feedback is provided by Tritronics' new monitor to the operator via a 10-inch colour terminal.

 

Tritronics is one of a handful of companies which dominates the monitoring of dragline equipment. In addition, the release of the company's first shovel monitor, which uses the same software and systems as the dragline monitor, is imminently expected. Tritronics' managing director, Geoff Baldwin, said it was fitting that the first of the new monitor series went to BHP because the mining giant had been pivotal in the initial development of this generation of monitors two and a half years ago.

At the time about 500 of BHP's operations staff were surveyed to develop specifications for a user interface on the monitor — the same specs that have been refined in the newly released series 3. What has changed since the initial specification development phase is the exponential growth in sophisticated computing power, which Tritronics has harnessed to produce "our best monitor ever," according to Baldwin.

Among the features of the new monitor was self-calibration, which enabled operators to set calibration at bucket changeout without the need for specialist technicians, while Baldwin said by far the most significant enhancement was the monitor's ability to deliver real-time operator feedback via a sophisticated operator interface. Real-time feedback of current performance was delivered on a 10-inch colour terminal, which was easy to read even in glaring daylight and was touch-sensitive. Baldwin said the improved operator interface would maximise productivity gains available from monitoring. "After years of monitoring experience we know the biggest and most rapid returns from monitoring come from telling the person who controls the process — the operator — where he is, what he is doing and what his performance is," he said.

The monitor's statistical tools allow the operator to view his performance as measured against the performance of his peers operating under the same circumstances. This means benchmark performance is entirely peer generated and not set by the mine manager or the equipment manufacturer. Operator acceptance was therefore higher, Baldwin said.

Measurement of real-time key performance indicators (KPI) is another important feature of the monitor. Site specific KPIs can be inputted for certain operating conditions. Other clever additions include an optional GPS system, which provides measurement of the bucket position in three dimensional space. In conjunction with OreNav software, Baldwin said this tool could help determine optimal blasting practice. But the main selling point is expected to be the monitor's power to provide instant feedback to an operator as he works.

"In my opinion, this new technology provides mine owners with the ability to empower their operators and move forward with their workforce in a way they have not been able to do in the past," Baldwin said. "That is a combination of a generally better industrial scene and a more co-operative approach from both management and workforce based on the common goal that they have to be more productive or they won't have jobs. To do that you have to empower operators by giving them the information they need, including key performance indicators. This tool gives them that like no other tool before it."

Baldwin said other coal mining companies had expressed interest in fitting the new monitors or upgrading existing monitors.