Atlas Copco, ABB collaborate on underground mobile equipment

Atlas Copco’s Underground Rock Excavation division and ABB have come up with what they say is the world’s first system designed to deliver on the vision of a fully integrated underground hard rock mine. The new technology is based on integrating data via a WiFi network from Atlas Copco’s advanced underground mobile mining equipment with ABB’s Process Control System 800xA, all in real time.

The system gives personnel in a control room environment a complete overview of activities, allowing them to make informed decisions regarding the production flow. Location tracking, equipment performance, production status and environmental impact are a few of the outcomes the joint project was able to demonstrate.

Ed Tanner, business line manager for Atlas Copco underground rock excavation equipment in the United States, said, “Our mine operators want a compelling, all-in-one information center to optimize the use of our machines underground. That’s what this new system can give them.”

Patrik Westerlund, product manager for mine automation at ABB, added, “We all agree that the mines of the future will use fewer workers for manual jobs and more qualified operator experts for product and process optimization, maintenance planning and environmental control. This means that operations experts will need to interact with each other to cover the complete value chain and may even be expected to work across several mines at once.

“Sensors and automated systems already provide mine operators with real time, essential information for each product and process control. The new mobile integration system is the next big step, allowing a mine to optimize the utilization of underground mining equipment and increase productivity while reducing energy consumption.”

The system has successfully passed trials at Atlas Copco’s test mine in Sweden. Atlas Copco and ABB will continue to develop the technology and add more functionality to the concept, potentially via a joint customer-focused project.