RCT equips Caterpillar and Sandvik mining vehicles in a major automation project in Spain.
Control Master Guidance Automation technology was installed on four Cat R2900G underground loaders and two Sandvik LH621 underground loaders at Matsa’s Aguas Tenidas copper-lead-zinc and the Magdalena copper mine.
An automation center surface control station at the former mine was also set up, enabling a single operator to remotely control multiple machines at the same time via a digital communications network.
This installment builds on a previous project to mount ControlMaster Teleremote and Guidance Automation solutions on three of the site’s CAT R2900G underground loaders, which operated on an analog network via two surface control stations.
Guidance Automation allows machines to tram between two predetermined points on a mine site with the push of a button by operators who also receive real-time information including speed, RPM, direction, pitch and roll of the machine.
A Matsa spokesperson said, “This system not only allows us to operate in hazardous conditions safely from the surface, but also increases productivity by permitting us to operate during shift change and smoke clearing. We also have the capability to simultaneously operate more than one piece of equipment with the same tele-remote operator.”
RCT account manager, Shane Smith, said, “The faster tramming speeds will help to boost site productivity on-site and limit unplanned machine downtime due to repairs from machinery accidents, while the new automation center will reduce operator fatigue due to improved comfort and ease-of-access on the mine’s surface.”
