Digitalisation and smart mines, Features, Innovation, Repair and maintenance, Research and development, Safety analysis, Safety insights, Safety processes, Safety systems and solutions, Work health and safety

Rethinking operational intelligence with XMPro

XMPro

XMPro’s Intelligent Business Operations Suite can help miners predict unwanted events before they occur.

There is no question the future of mining rests on ones and zeroes just as much as it does ore in the ground.

But as new technologies develop, it’s not just the way mining is done that will continue to evolve. The way mining is not done is becoming just as pivotal to the industry’s technology revolution.

Maintenance is no longer just something that happens when machines break down. The emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) means operations can gather data 24–7 to help them make the most of the time spent with tools down.

XMPro has been helping Australia’s Tier 1 mines to get the most out of their operations since it broke into the industry in 2009. Bringing an engineering perspective to creating AI maintenance solutions for miners, XMPro has been able to understand the processes and workflows of sites on a deeper level.

XMPro chief executive officer Pieter van Schalkwyk said the company’s innovative Intelligent Business Operations Suite (iBOS) brings together a range of technologies like AI and digital twins into one easy-to-use platform.

The iBOS is able to anticipate equipment failure and optimise maintenance. Image: XMPro

The integrated platform aims to empower organisations with real-time insights, recommendations and automated actions, creating a common operating picture across strategic, tactical and operational levels.

“We can bring in real-time data from the multitude of systems in operation on a mine site to orchestrate and manage key events that may be happening or are likely to happen with equipment,” van Schalkwyk told Safe to Work.

“We combine that data and analytics with the expertise of engineers to provide prescriptive recommendations to miners.”

By integrating real-time sensory data from across a mining operation with advanced AI processing, miners can shift their operations from reactive to predictive with the touch of a button.

The iBOS is able to anticipate equipment failure and optimise maintenance to address the root of the issue before it ever becomes a problem.

For example, the mining industry relies heavily on mobile assets, such as haul trucks, loaders and drilling rigs, which are crucial for the extraction and transportation of materials. The operational efficiency of these mobile assets can directly impact productivity and cost management.

Mobile equipment in mining operations is subject to demanding conditions and intensive use, leading to deterioration that can culminate in unanticipated equipment failures.

With detailed visualisations of asset locations and statuses, operators can quickly identify and address issues thanks to iBOS. With built-in AI diagnostic capabilities, it can make intelligent, tailored recommendations that act as a digital consultant that already knows all the ins and outs of an operation.

According to van Schalkwyk, when developing the iBOS it was essential that any engineer on-site would be able to access the platform and find the information they need without getting bogged down in code.

“We want to make sure people have the right tools in the right part of the mining process to get the job done as safely and efficiently as possible,” he said.

This is done by using the iBOS platform’s AI pilots to marry real-time and historical data to unlock operational insights like never before.

This bird’s eye approach allows maintenance operations to be optimised, minimising downtime and maximising productivity and sustainability.

“iBOS can help miners see if their processes are actually delivering the outcomes they’re trying to achieve,” van Schalkwyk said. “Every application on the platform is built around solving a business problem and tracking how it is making a difference.”

The magic of the iBOS comes from giving mines a new level of visibility. Image: XMPro

When it comes to safety, van Schalkwyk said the iBOS’ magic comes from giving mines a new level of visibility.

“This type of technology gives you the context of machinery in relation to everything that sits around it, equipping miners with the right briefs so they can respond accordingly,” he said. “For example, if sensors pick up that a piece of equipment is becoming excessively hot and a work order comes up on another machine nearby, iBOS will send a proximity alert that stops the worker from entering an unsafe environment.”

The iBOS was recently deployed at mine with more than 50 conveyors operating 1.2km underground. The mine was having trouble with its conveyors and losing production to downtime. XMPro got to work immediately and over the first five months of implementation added an additional 44,000 tonnes of material back into production.

“The iBOS isn’t another technology that beeps constantly and is difficult to use,” van Schalkwyk said.

“We’re bringing the power of AI and data to the fingertips of miners through an intuitive platform they can rely on.”

This feature also appears in the January-February issue of Safe to Work.

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