INTERNET OF THINGS operations – yielding up to a potential $ 5 billion annually in savings .”
Powered by GE ’ s Predix™ , which the company says is the world ’ s only open , cloud-based operating platform built exclusively for industry , the Digital Mine “ delivers interconnected technology needed to achieve breakthrough levels of efficiency and maximum performance . It combines machine sensors , connectivity , data capture , visualisation and analytics to support management of an asset ’ s lifecycle .”
“ Mining , as an industry , faces strong headwinds and must drive productivity and improve operational savings . Digital Mine , through advanced sensor technology and analytics , seizes the industry ’ s untapped data to help make a difference ,” said Scott Phillips , Vice President and CEO of GE Mining . “ As we ’ re doing successfully for the rail industry , we ’ re using our Industrial Internet mindset to actively monitor and diagnose equipment and operations to improve assets , maximise efforts , boost fuel efficiency and lower costs .”
GE ’ s suite of condition-monitoring capabilities collects information such as vibration data , temperature and pressure to inform mine operators of machine health , and also detects impending failures before they occur . “ Data collected from disparate systems enables the linking of insights across machines and processes , which can lead to better predictivity and decreased likelihood of accidents – all while increasing productivity .”
GE Mining says its digital solutions have the potential to help customers reduce equipment failures , deliver up to 5 % improvement in mineral recovery , and increase optimisation . For example , a leading gold mining customer maximised mineral recovery by 1.5 %, which is equivalent to nearly $ 1 million a year . A platinum mine customer increased smelter throughput by 10 % while improving recovery .
In a further development , FLSmidth , the global supplier of equipment and services to the global minerals and cement industries , and GE , have joined forces to create digital solutions for increasing productivity . The new solutions developed on GE ’ s cloud-based Predix platform “ will leverage FLSmidth ’ s expertise in cement and minerals processing and GE ’ s Industrial Internet of Things ( IIoT ) capabilities to maximise the potential of connected equipment units , helping the cement and mining industry to increase productivity .”
FLSmidth will build its solutions on top of GE ’ s Predix platform with applications for managing process flows thereby allowing customers to leverage process data and analytics for monitoring , benchmarking their performance and predicting maintenance of their equipment . “ Operating costs account for around 80 % of the total cost of ownership for a cement plant or running a mining operation , and energy is the single largest component . An ongoing monitoring of processes makes it possible to increase productivity significantly .”
Seeking a Perfect Order
Dassault Systèmes , the 3DEXPERIENCE Company and leader in 3D design software , 3D Digital Mock Up and Product Lifecycle Management ( PLM ) solutions , has announced the launch of ‘ Perfect Order ,’ an industry solution experience for natural resources that helps mining companies improve supply chain efficiency and profitability . ‘ Perfect Order ’ offers
Dassault Systèmes , the 3DEXPERIENCE Company , has launched ‘ Perfect Order ’, an industry solution experience for natural resources that helps mining companies improve supply chain efficiency and profitability
digital end-to-end supply chain management capabilities for more visibility , control and predictability across operations .
“ As mining companies strive to deliver commodity shipments to customers that are on time and meet quality specifications , an efficient and cost-effective supply chain is critical . However , lower commodity prices , more variable demand , and lower grade deposits are increasing supply chain complexity , making it harder for mining companies to meet customer contract requirements .”
Based on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform and leveraging Quintiq supply chain planning and optimisation capabilities , Dassault Systèmes ’ ‘ Perfect Order ’ industry solution experience “ offers mining companies a holistic view of what ’ s occurring throughout the supply chain , from infrastructure constraints and bottlenecks , to labour shortages or the financial impact of an operational change . In a digital environment , companies can plan across supply chain functions to ensure they meet forecast demand , visualise all activities in their supply networks and optimise the flow of goods , resulting in greater predictability for their business .”
NOVEMBER 2016 | International Mining