Abstract
Mine planning and optimization - Planning Software Applications - success stories
As digitization and operational efficiency projects continue to gain momentum, many organizations struggle to align their people, processes, and tools that unlock the desired outcomes.
The disconnect between planning and execution remains a challenge for most organizations. Some have adopted an approach that bridges the gap by eliminating manual, disconnected processes, and leveraging technology for real-time data collection to drive improved decision-making at a holistic level.
Methodology:
At a shift level, supervisors decide how to optimally deploy their people and equipment to carry out the plan. In reality, equipment availability, delays, and incomplete supporting activities can bring chaos to an otherwise well-intended plan.
This paper discussed how orchestrating all activities underground and embedding a feedback loop on progress allows supervisors to react and adjust to the realities of the shift. It explores how the use of data to support decision-making becomes a differentiating factor in how operations can course correct and achieve its targets for the current shift and beyond. On a broader scale, such data becomes a staple in understanding opportunities to continuously improve and achieve greater efficiency.
The results are multi-faceted: supervisors spent more time in the field, working with their crews to solve real challenges rather than filling in paperwork on surface; equipment downs and delays are captured in near-real time, alerting maintenance teams to react while supervisors re-prioritize work; operators are informed of the work ahead of them and can capture actuals at the face. At a management level, enabling visibility on overall production, quality, and safety help leadership understand operational performance and where they can improve.
Results:
Operations that have taken this journey with a focus on people, and process, supported by the right technology have enjoyed significant quantifiable benefits including moving more tons to surface, improved equipment utilization, increased tonnes per operating hour, increased effective shift length, reduced supply related delays, greater mining intensity and an overall safety improvement.