MineTrack

Manage Assets with MineTrack

MineTrack GPS Tracking System will improve the logistics and management of material hauling fleets from the pit and/or stockpile to the loading point. MineTrack is a robust and reliable vehicle GPS tracking system that is designed and developed by SNCTechnologies to meet the needs of mines and mining contractors. The system can be customized to meet the customer’s ultimate goals to improve efficiency, production and the bottom line. MineTrack provides robust, redundant, and rugged GPS tracking solutions in any harsh environment.

Benefits of MineTrack

  • Improve the fleet management in order to increase productivity and efficiency
  • Improve safety of their truck long haul fleet operations
  • Track the operator by name with a RFID card login authorization when entering the vehicle
  • Track the amount of time and location of the operator when using the vehicle
  • Prevent and track unauthorized use of the vehicles
  • Track and reduce over or under speeding
  • Over and under speeding digital reporting
  • Custom reports and features available

Providing more than a GPS location, MineTrack can monitor the equipment status, events, conditions, driver behavior, fuel management, unauthorized stops, load status and counts, cycle times, out of bounds situations, and much more in real-time.

MineTrack has been specifically designed and developed based on SNCTechnologies 14 years on-the-job experience in the design, supply, implementation, support and maintenance of GPS Tracking and Mine Fleet Management Systems.

Features

  • Four backhaul options: GSM/GPRS, WiFi, VHF/VHF and Satellite
  • Mining designed hardware: rugged, robust and reliable
  • Display vehicle location, track, and real-time or near real-time status
  • Programmable I/O trigger alerts for integration with onboard I/O switch: panic switch, door alarms, etc.
  • Driver RFID identification
  • Harsh acceleration and harsh breaking detection
  • Desktop based application
  • Dispatcher can configure map, object icons and geo-fences
  • Alerts based on geo-fences, speed, distance, proximity, voltage, idling, and non-reporting
  • Multi-user system with managed alerts and individual operator rights
  • Microsoft SQL server database standard with integrated SQL Reporting Services for a rich set of printed or exported reports
  • Log contains location, speed, heading, voltage, I/O status, and temperature
  • Log replay to show historical positions and routes.
  • Greater ripper

Onboard LCD Touch Screen Monitor

MineTrack onboard systems consist of a rugged, easy to use LCD touch screen with integrated display and processor, WiFi communications and GPS tracking capabilities. Operators receive their assignments and update their status with this interactive onboard unit. The moving mine map display always show the operator their current position and where their next assignment (loader, dump, other equipment) is located.  The onboard screen also shows the location of all other equipment fitted with MineTrack.

Monitoring Capabilities and Optional Features

  • Location
  • Out of Bounds
  • Unauthorized Stops
  • Overspeed
  • Speed Alarms
  • Start/Stop Alerts
  • Engine On/Off Status
  • Fuel Level Monitoring
  • Idle Times and Alarms
  • Load Weight (weighbridge)
  • Moving Mine Map
  • Messaging (between dispatch to operator)
  • Capture Operator ID/ Login
  • Open/Close Door (vehicle or container)
  • Engine Temperature
  • • Engine Monitoring
  • Voice Communication (VoIP)
  • Billing Based on Engine Hours/Operations
  • Remote Access/Monitoring
  • Wireless or Manual (store and forward)
  • Rugged (vibration and heat resistant)
  • Fully Customizable
  • Real-time or Scheduled Data Up-dates
  • Full Online KPI Dashboards and Printed Reports

MineTrack WiFi Tracking System Equipment & Operations

The Rugged Onboard MineTrack Tracking System Includes

  • MineTrack SNC VTC-100 in Vehicle Computer System
  • Onboard Rugged LCD Touch Screen
  • Onboard Tracking Software
  • GPS Antenna
  • WiFi Antenna

Operation Support

  • Dispatch Equipment
  • Server and Software

Communications Network

  • MineComms Wi-Fi Cloud

The MineTrack tracking device model SNC VTC-100 is an in-vehicle computer system with an ARM Cortex Processor base. This hardware is rugged and designed for off road vehicle type applications. It also has a compact dimension for easy installation.

MineTrack Tracking Equipment

SNC Specification

  • Processor: ARM Cortex A8720MHz
  • Onboard RAM DDR2 256MB
  • GPS Module Built-in
  • 3x GPIO
  • 2x USB
  • 1x Ethernet, 1x RS232 and 2x RS-485
  • MicroSDHC Storage 4GB
  • Wide Range Input Voltage 9 – 36 V
  • Power Management
  • Configured Delay Time Shutdown
  • Three (3) Buttons for Status (if required)
Ubiquity Bullet

Each MineTrack Onboard LCD is equipped with a Wireless radio, named a Ubiquity Bullet, which has up to 400mW transmit power, GPS Antenna, and a Optoisolator-Voltage Regulator Module.

Monitoring and Reporting Software

The MineTrack Software developed by SNCTechnologies is a Windows based software application for displaying and tracking the activity of vehicles. It displays the location of the tracked vehicles on a map image and has a rich set of features for monitoring and reporting the system activity.

The monitoring screen user interface is designed with the dispatcher and supervisor in mind. It is very easy to quickly locate vehicles, identify alerts, and determine the nearest resource.

This easy-to-use GPS tracking software application displays the location and status of trucks or vessels, equipped with a MineTrack.  The displayed map may be any graphic image, bitmap, tiff, geotiff, or jpg and map file such ESRI’s shapefiles (shp) and Franson GPS’s MapLib operating under Windows Vista or Windows Server. MineTrack Software is an excellent single-user or multi-user vehicle tracking program.

MineTrack software’s quick-locate feature, managed alerts, fast-response time, and rich set of alert rules make MineTrack Software’s ideal for use in dispatch centers.

For Reporting purposes, MineTrack uses SQL Reporting Services. The MineTrack standard reports include :

a.  Vehicle Detail

Vehicle information details events such as position, speed, status (stop, start and inMotion) and heading.

b.  Group Detail

This report provides details for all units in the same group, note: a group can be defined as any vehicles and labled such as ‘A’, ‘B’, or ‘Haultrucks’, etc.

c.  Group Summary

This is report of defined statistics for a ‘Group’.

Additional customized reports can be provided upon request.

Server and Dispatch Center

A main server is required to host the MineTrack software. The server should be located at the main site office or site dispatch office.

For monitoring purposes, the dispatch office should be equipped with computers and LCD monitoring screen/s. The number of PC’s depends on the individual site requirements. Below is the example diagram of a server room and dispatch center:

Communications Network

SNCTechnologies will design an appropriate communications network to support the back-haul of the tracking data which is custom designed for the mine site. Depending upon the customer needs, the network can be built to allow for continuous coverage or spot coverage.  ‘Continuous coverage’ provides full real-time coverage along the entire route.  With ‘spot coverage’ the GPS data is stored for areas without overage and then uploaded to the system when the vehicle enters a covered area.

Depending on the coverage and type of radios used, a number of communication towers must be established along the route. These towers are either portable or fixed towers. Portable towers are solar powered. Communication towers are either fixed or portable. Fixed towers can be solar powered and portable towers are either wheel or skid mounted and solar powered.

Case Study of System Planning and Communication – Design Example

Case Situation

In this example the MineTrack system is used for monitoring haul trucks along a 25km road from the pit stockpile to the port delivery point.  In this case the customer decided that they did not need real-time tracking along the entire route.

Case Solution

Based on SNCTechnologies Engineering survey a Wireless Point-to-Point link from the Pit Tower to the Port Tower was installed.

The diagrams below are part of the survey results.  They show the elevation of the terrain between two proposed tower locations and whether or not line-of-sight WiFi communications can be established.

In this case, since there is not continuous coverage along the entire route, the MineTrack system will not be able to send the truck’s GPS tracking position in real-time as the truck moves along the haul road. However, the MineTrack onboard system has special capabilities unlike other standard tracking systems. All GPS data is stored onboard and is uploaded all data when the truck enters the WiFi zone areas located at the loading point and the dumping point. The system will provide information about the trucks cycles when entering the loading point, leaving the loading point, again at the stockpile, around the stockpile and will ensure the truck dumps the correct material type at the correct stockpile.

An alternative solution would be to install repeaters along the entire route to give real-time coverage and reporting.

Case Study of Coal Mining

A Coal Mining contractor in Indonesia understands the importance of technology in mine operations and routinely invests time and money to increase revenue, reduce costs and improve safety.

In this case the contractor utilizes a three-prong hauling pattern, each with different advantages and disadvantages.  At present the contractor needs a system that can assist in analyzing the individual haul routes and activities so that informed decisions can be made as to when a specific haul route should be used and by which vehicles.  In addition, there are various types of heavy equipment used in the process of digging and transporting the materials.  There are over 100 haul trucks  and 20 loaders operating at all times in different locations.  Hours are lost/wasted with shovel hang times, truck queuing times, unscheduled stops and the in ability to monitor and dispatch in real-time.

The coal hauling operations include many trucks traveling long distances so it is imperative that the safety is also improved to prevent accidents (vehicle down time) and loss of life.

Unsafe conditions include the following:

  • Fatigue
  • Over speed – in a hurry and under speed – when operator is tired

To sum things up, the contractor wants to optimize operations which are complex and improve safety.

Coal Hauling Routes Within the Mine

The customer has three coal hauling routes and wants to track the trucks, loaders at the pit, and long haul to the port.

SNCTechnologies Solution

1.  Set the Goals

  • Optimize coal hauling operations which are complex
  • Reduce wait and hang time
  • Improve safety

2.  Needs Assessment

  • Interview Operations People
  • Review Vehicle Movements and occurring problem
  • Gather Operation Reports
  • Assess current reporting system
  • Inventory current onsite communicaitons equipment
  • 3D Survey of mine site for communication towers

3.  Make A Plan 

After reviewing the information gathered from the needs assessment it was determined that the best solution for this mine site would be the installation of MineTrack to provide:

  • Location tracking
  • Geofencing
  • Status (Down, delay, standby, idle) tracking
  • Activity tracking
  • Material tracking
  • Assignment
  • Overspeed alert
  • Reporting
  • Use a combination of WiFi and GSM communication system

4.  Implement Plan

After the Plan was completed the following equipment was used to implement the plan.

Hardware

  • Server
  • PC desktop for dispatcher
  • Network equipment
  • Onboard equipment: a integrated CPU and touchscreen display
  • MineTrack Software

Communications

  • WiFi Network
  • GSM Network
  • Installed Tower

MineTrack VHF/UHF System

MineTrack VHF/UHF system is perfect for environments that don’t have a clear line of site due to mountainous or heavily forested terrain. MineTrack UHF/VHF is the solution for GPS Tracking which uses UHF or VHF frequency bands for telemetry, amateur radio and mobile radio. MineTrack uses TDMA technology which provides faster data transmission. No other tracking system has as fast an update rate. MineTrack VHF/UHF system consists of a Base Transmitter, Repeater Units, Client Receiver and Server.

MineTrack VHF/UHF utilizes GPS satellites to determine asset or vehicle location. Information is accessed from the tracking server using a general web browser via internet connection or via client application. The system can also proactively send a short information message using SMS or email to the Dispatch/Monitoring person with certain predefined requirements.

MineTrack VHF/UHF Equipment

GlobalTrack’s ST-GT-UV is the UHF of VHF multi-purpose radio device for MineTrack GPS tracking system.  This same device can be used for a central transmitter, repeater and client receiver.  In addition the ST-GT-UV is also equipped with I/O port for external relay and Serial port for sensor reading

EQUIPMENT KEY FEATURES

Long Range OperationUp to 30 Km for UHF and 40KM for VHF (depending upon actual terrain)
Real-TimePosition and status updates are available and up-dated every 10 seconds for approximately 50 untis.  No other system has as fast an up-date as MineTrack systems.
Store and ForwardAll transmitters can also store-and-forward and repeat for a wide area coverage.
Multi PurposeThe same radio can be used for base, repeater and client receiver (with additional accessories)
Flexible ReportingThe system can be configured to transmit position and status reports at pre-set time intervals when it moves a certain distance.
Simple to InterfaceWill easily interface with eternal devices such as displays and microprocessors.
Over-The-Air DiagnosticThe configuration and operation of a ST GX can be remotely tested using over-the-air commands from any other ST GX system.
SecureAll position reports are 128-bit AES encrypted for secure communications.
Very Low Power ConsumptionA sleep mode allows the device to be active and consume almost no power to all and an external “Ignition Sense” input will automatically turn on/off the device without losing any GPS data.
Rugged and Weather ProofDesigned and tested for rugged environments with an optional IP65 version.
High Speed and High EfficiencyOperates with fast-over-the air data rates of 4,800 to 19200 bps with fast-switching data transmission.
Proximity AlertsST GZ may be configured to transmit and alert whenever it is in the proximity of another ST GX.
TDMAThe Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) access scheme is based on the time-division multiplexing (TDM) scheme provides different time slots to different data-streams in a cyclically repetitive frame structure.  For example, node 1 may use time slot 1, node 2 time slot 2, etc. until the last transmitter.  Then it starts all over again, in a repetitive pattern, until a connection is ended and that slot becomes free or assigned to the other node.

Report Examples

Driver Performance

Overspeed Operator

Sensor Events

Truck Production

Weightbridge Events

MineTrack Customized Solutions

MineTrack is a feature and option rich tracking system that covers more than just the basics necessary to manage a fleet. However, all fleets and services differ from business to business. MineTrack has the capability to be customized for the specific needs of any business that must manage and monitor their assets. Whether a truck, dozer grader or other equipment, all assets can be managed by the same system! Every company and every fleet is different and that is why SNCTechnologies has a product range that can be adapted to any business management needs – we call it Custom Solutions!

Companies are not limited and can now customize tracking software, maps, hardware, sensor integration, reports, geofence, and more.

The following are a few examples of customization.

  • Truck Status and Activity
  • Activity is Based on Geofence (Loading, Dumping, Traveling, Hauling)
  • Status is Based on Geofence and/or Push Button

RFID Integration

  • Operators log into the vehicle by swiping their RFID card before and after shift change
  • An Alarm occurs at dispatch if the operator does not swipe their card before the vehicle is moving
  • An alarm will at dispatch occur if operator is not authorized to drive the truck

Accelerometer

  • Harsh breaking, harsh acceleration detection
  • Alarm will occur if the operator drives too harsh
  • The information will sent to server and appear on dispatcher screen

Fuel Management

  • Measure the truck fuel level and send the information to server for further processing
  • Integrate to the onboard fuel gauge to relay fuel levels in real-time back to the server

Weigh Bridge

Each vehicle is equipped with a RFID TAG for truck identification. The individual trucks weight is assigned to the truck to calculate the accumulated KPIs at the end of shift.

  • Integration with weigh bridge to measure productivity
  • Each vehicle is equipped with a RFID TAG for truck identification
  • Embedded PC is interfaced to the weighbridge data system which is use to take the tonnage reading and send to the main server for recording and reporting

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