Automation techniques, levels of automation, mining projects in NSW, issues for equipment

1. Owen Barry
11/9/2019
Autonomous Mining
Equipment

2. What is Automation1
•The technique, method, or system of operating and controlling a process
or machine by automatic means with minimal human intervention.
1Definition from “Guideline for the Implementation of Autonomous Systems in Mining”

3. Automation techniques1
•Automatic
• A process or part of a process when a machine follows well-defined rules.
•Remote control
• A type of operation where the functionality and operator interface are the
same or similar on the machine but the controller is separate from the machine
and is under human supervision while the machine is operated in line-of-sight
or tele-remote mode.
•Semi-autonomous
• A process or machine that is intended to accomplish a portion of assigned
task(s) within a set of defined operations without human intervention or direct
control.
•Autonomous
• A process or machine that is intended to accomplish task(s) within a set of
defined operations without human intervention or direct control.
1Definitions from “Guideline for the Implementation of Autonomous Systems in Mining”

4. Levels of Automation
•Level 0 – No automation
•Level 1 – Operator assistance
•Level 2 – Semi-autonomous control
•Level 3 – Conditionally autonomous control
•Level 4 – Highly autonomous control
•Level 5 – Fully autonomous control

5. Autonomous Mining Projects – NSW
•Wilpinjong – dozers
•Level 2
•Maules Creek – Haul trucks
•Level 4 – project phase
•Mt Pleasant – Drill rigs
•Level 2 – project phase
•North Parkes – Load haul dump with boggers
•Level 2

6. Other projects
•Continuous miners
•Auto-cut cycles
• Level 1
•Longwall
•Shearer
• auto-cut cycles
• Level 1
•Roof supports
• Auto advance
• Level 1

7. Issues for autonomous equipment
•Positional and orientation awareness
•Task planning
•Environmental conditions
•Communications
•Functional safety
•Change management
Technology

8. Issues for autonomous equipment
•Boundaries of an AOZ
•Barriers/fences
•Geofences
•Access points
•Fence in
•Fence out
•Access to the AOZ
•Proximity detection systems
•Permits
•All stops
•Change management
•Boundaries
Access to autonomous operating zone

9. Issues for autonomous equipment
Shared workspaces
•Maintenance activities
•Refuelling
•Vehicle inspections
•Repairs
•Recovery of faulted vehicles
•Methods for operators/trades to approach autonomous vehicle to make safe
•Other users of the AOZ
• Water carts
• Graders
• Shotfirers and their explosives
• Personnel transports

10. Issues for autonomous equipment
Workforce skills
•Task planners
•Operators
•Maintenance workers

11. Autonomous equipment
What can go wrong?
•autonomous haul truck and manned water cart collide on Jimblebar mine
•two autonomous trucks collided at Jimblebar mine
•two driverless dump trucks at Christmas Creek mine
•SATS dozer and excavator collision at Wilpinjong Mine

12. Legislative changes – proposed
•Loss of control of heavy earth moving machinery, irrespective of whether a person
is at risk
•All vehicle fires, irrespective of whether a person is at risk
•Includes equipment controlled remotely or autonomously
•Dangerous incident notification under clause 179 will still remain
Notifications – clause 128 – High potential incidents

13. Incident – SATS dozer and manned excavator
• A collision occurred between a Caterpillar D11T dozer operating
semi-autonomously and a manned Hitachi EX1200 hydraulic
excavator.
• The excavator operator was scaling a section of a highwall in the
operating area of the semi-autonomous dozer fleet and travelled into
an active slot, in the path of a dozer working in semi-autonomous
mode.
• The dozer was reversing to commence the next programmed push,
when it contacted the rear of the excavator, it pushed the excavator
approximately 1.5 metres sideways and then began to spin its tracks.
• After five seconds the dozer’s semi-autonomous system identified
that it had experienced track slip and stopped tramming as
programmed.

14. • Three modes of operation for SATS enabled dozers
• manually - with an operator on board,
• remote control operation – from tele-remote control station, or
• semi-autonomous state by an operator in the control station.
• First implemented in 2015 with a single Caterpillar D11T dozer.
• Increased to three dozers in 2017
• Fourth dozer added in 2018.
Semi-Autonomous Tractor System (SATS)

15. Semi-Autonomous Tractor System (SATS) Operating Area…

16. Pre-Incident:
• Early in the shift on 27 May 2019, Hitachi EX1200 Excavator (EX1014) had scaled the
northern highwall and thrown the material behind, forming a windrow.
• Mid-morning, a mining supervisor instructed the operator of Excavator (EX1014) to leave
the dozer push area and establish an edge windrow on the bench above.
• At the completion of this task, the operator had a crib break.
• At the end of his break, the Excavator (EX1014) proceeded back into the SATS avoidance
zone from the north, scaling the highwall toward the south.
• Immediately prior to the incident, the SATS operator was operating a CAT D11T Dozer
(DZ2010) that had paused because it required operator input.
• Excavator (EX1014) proceeded past the end of the windrow and continued scaling the
highwall.
• At that time, CAT D11T Dozer (DZ2003) completed the push and commenced reversing.

17. The Incident:
• Dozer (DZ2003) was travelling in second gear at approximately 7 kilometres/hour. As the
ripper box contacted the rear of Excavator (EX1014).
• Dozer (DZ2003) continued to drive, pushing Excavator (EX1014) sideways approximately
1.5 metres.
• At this point, the dozer lost traction. After five seconds of tracks slipping, SATS alarmed
and stopped Dozer (DZ2003).
• From initial contact to Dozer (DZ2003) stopping took approximately 14 seconds.
• As contact was made between the machines, the operator of Excavator (EX1014)
attempted to call the SATS operator on the radio to stop the dozer.
• This was unsuccessful, due to radio channel selection and radio traffic.
• The excavator operator had no other means to stop the semi-autonomous dozer.
• The operator was not injured.

18. SATS Operator Monitor at the time of the incident…

19. SATS Operator Monitor at the time of the incident…

20. Incident scene immediately following the incident…

21. Recommendations:
Analysis of the causal factors involved in this incident are continuing.
The circumstances of this incident should prompt mine operators to review their safety
management systems, focusing on:
• Controls in place to prevent workers inadvertently entering an area where automated
equipment is operating.
• Confirm the hierarchy of controls have been adequately used when developing controls to
manage interactions between manned equipment that interacts with semi-autonomous
and tele-remote equipment.
• Having a suitable physical barrier in place relevant to the equipment being operated, when
segregation is required between manned equipment and semi-autonomous and tele-
remote equipment.
• Scheduling of regular workplace inspections by supervisors of workers operating adjacent
to or within semi-autonomous, autonomous and tele-remote operation zones.

22. Questions?