How mining equipment manufacturers can balance reliability and innovation
Anticipating the needs of the mining industry can be challenging when regulations, demands and expectations are constantly shifting. Ensuring that innovations prove their usefulness at an ore deposit is key.
There are ways to ensure that mining equipment hits the ground running, that can be incorporated during the early stages of innovation.
One equipment manufacturer, Bobcat, has developed an innovation strategy designed to stay ahead of the curve while remaining in touch with industry needs.
Pay attention to the data
Statistics are more accessible than ever, with a range of technology such as drones, virtual reality, GPS equipment and real-life images painting a robust picture of specific mine site needs as well as industry trends.
“We now have access to enormous amounts of data that are important for the execution of the work, but the construction site itself also generates enormous amounts of data. In our view, information about the work area and object detection are extremely important,” says Bobcat’s vice president of global innovation Joel Honeyman.
Object detection, for example, can help to map out routes for autonomous vehicles and uncover non-visible objects such as underground pipes.
“We use GPS equipment, among other things, because it is very accurate and can map all static objects in a terrain perfectly. This can be done using real-life images, but also with virtual reality, which you can project onto a display in the cabin or wearables such as VR glasses,” says Honeyman. “This data not only makes manoeuvring with (autonomous) machines easier but also enhances safety.
Embrace partnerships
Bobcat works closely with other companies to apply new technologies, opening up its capabilities in a shorter period than if it worked alone.
Bobcat maintains several partnerships with relevant companies, including high-resolution radar technology company Ainstein, automated commercial lawnmower manufacturer Greenzie, agtech software company Agtonomy and 3D scanning and VR specialist Trimble.
“We come up with solutions, develop them and ultimately apply them to our machines,” says Honeyman. “We introduce our customers to innovations as quickly and as extensively as possible in order to optimise them based on their experiences.”
Keep it simple
Innovation can, and to an extent, should be based in practicality. Companies are looking to simplify their equipment while working efficiently and meeting sustainability goals.
“You don’t necessarily need earth-shattering innovations or super-advanced technology for this,” says Honeyman. “The greatest added value is often in the basic things that make machines easier to use and deliver better performance.”
Even small adjustments such as buttons for automatically performing standard actions like lifting the bucket can result in time savings.
Overall, companies are sitting on a wealth of data from their own culture, customers and competitors. While fresh ideas are a necessary component to a company’s innovation strategy, an approach based in practicality roots ideas to industry needs and provides a base from which innovation can bloom.
For more information, visit: www.bobcat.com
