How can the mining companies effectively diminish some safety risks? Well, the firm Immersive Technologies has an idea: the SimControl 4.6, the latest version of the software used to control advanced equipment simulators released last May.
The company that supplies surface and underground equipment simulator to the global mining industry updated its software to specifically address the issue of safety in coal-stockpiling operations. The technology is embedded in the upgrade of Immersive Technologies’ advanced equipment simulators, the PRO3.
Ashley Mullaney, the company’s promotions department manager, points out that coal-stockpiling operations pose a high risk to the safety of operators, potentially leading to injuries or death in case of incorrect procedures. Besides, the same incidents can also halt operations and boost the repair and maintenance costs.
In recent years, the demand for dozer operators working on coal stockpiles has grown significantly, increasing the need for specialised training in what is considered one of the most hazardous environments for dozer operators.
SimControl 4.6 technology intends to reduce the operational risks of dozer stockpile operations by creating enhanced operator awareness of surroundings, as well as training operators to reduce the risk of falling into a void and by assessing the competency of dozer operators to comply with and follow safe operating procedures.
That being said, the software introduces new training tasks and events that pertain directly to dozer coal-stockpile operations. This practical approach to the problem enables the proper training and correction of bad habits and behaviours that lead to unsafe operations. In this group, you can include operating too close to objects around stockpiles, incorrectly approaching and working around and near coal valves or feeders and operating on unstable grounds.
But Immersive Technologies’ work doesn’t stop here: the company is always developing new technologies that provide high returns to their customers’ investments, as well as the biggest benefits possible from their simulation-based training. That is why the future releases of SimControl will incorporate new advantages, reveals Peter Salfinger, Immersive Technologies CEO.
For now, SimControl 4.6 is as effective as it gets, Salfingers adds.
SimControl 4.6 is an effective tool for mine management to proactively assess the company’s risk and realise the value of properly trained operators through the reduction of dozer incidents on coal stockpiles, improve- ment in productivity measures and increased machine availability, owing to increased operator knowledge.
Solving challenges in the mining industry gives us great pride. The result of this development and many others completed by Immersive Technologies ensures safer and more productive equipment operators in mines worldwide.
In addition to new employee training, the simulator technology can be used to identify experienced operators who need to refresh their knowledge or training. For the mining operations that need to operate quickly with this new technology, Immersive Technologies provides a training service to facilitate the implementation of Sim-Control 4.6.