544
haulage trucks are not immune to breakdowns, increased consistency and scheduled maintenance will improve the lifetime of machine components, leading to longer periods between
maintenance, and so, costs associated with maintenance will decline. Lost production can be
minimized or eliminated as unpredicted breakdown frequency will also decline (Bennink, 2008).
To predict future results, it is important to know the degree to which an autonomous haulage system can approach or exceed a manual system. As a result, simulation softwares can be
used to help predict benchmarked KPIs as well as discover new KPIs that might be better at
measuring future changes with new technology.
2 LITERATURE REVIEW
Simulation has become a useful and versatile tool for analyzing, through a computer, the
behavior of complex systems involving several variables. Prado (2014) states that “simulation
is the technique of solving a problem by analyzing a model that describes the behavior of
the system using a digital computer.” In the same line of reasoning, Cassandras & Lafortune
(2010) says that the term simulation can be understood as the process of designing and creating a computer model of the actual or proposed system, with the purpose of conducting
numerical experiments to provide a better understanding of the behavior of the system for a
given set of conditions.
For Sakurada & Miyake (2009), discrete event simulation (DES) encompasses the study of
simulation models whose variables change state instantaneously at specific points of time, in
contrast to continuous models whose variables can change state continuously over time.
Sturgul (2001) also highlighted important applications of simulation in mining operations
for open pit mines: ore handling; fleet dimensioning; loading and transport; allocation of
equipment; among others.
Parreira (2013) notes that the conventional transport fleet in a mine can be adapted to
an autonomous operating system. However, for this to happen it is necessary to invest in a
wireless network and digital mapping of the mine, as well as precision GPS systems in each
transport equipment.
Trucks with autonomous technology are equipped with high precision GPS systems, so
we can track their position in real time and manage them from the control room. They are
also equipped with wireless communication systems, which allow a continuous flow of information with the control room. The equipment has obstacle detection sensors, allowing the
detection of the presence of other equipment and people working around it and judging in
which case it should slow down or stop completely (Rivera, 2014).
Through the use of a simulation software, the authors Parreira and Meech (2012) applied
the simulation in an open pit to compare some performance indicators between the system
of autonomous trucks and conventional trucks; Tan et al. (2012) developed and applied a
computational optimization-simulation model to support the management of operations in
an open-pit copper mine; and Guimarães et al. (2007), developed a computational simulation
model with the objective of validating the results obtained by the application of a mathematical programming model for dynamic truck allocation in order to meet quality and production
targets in open pit mines.
3 METHODOLOGY
The data used to conduct the research were taken from the database of the electronic dispatch system of the company CSN Mineração. The system used is the Intellimine© version 5, developed by the company Modular Mining Systems ©. The data sent by the mine
equipment are stored in a server, being able to make frequent queries and generate reliable
information. The system database has the operation logs and through predetermined queries,
developed in SQL language, customized reports are generated on the data collected during
the operations, in real time.
haulage trucks are not immune to breakdowns, increased consistency and scheduled maintenance will improve the lifetime of machine components, leading to longer periods between
maintenance, and so, costs associated with maintenance will decline. Lost production can be
minimized or eliminated as unpredicted breakdown frequency will also decline (Bennink, 2008).
To predict future results, it is important to know the degree to which an autonomous haulage system can approach or exceed a manual system. As a result, simulation softwares can be
used to help predict benchmarked KPIs as well as discover new KPIs that might be better at
measuring future changes with new technology.
2 LITERATURE REVIEW
Simulation has become a useful and versatile tool for analyzing, through a computer, the
behavior of complex systems involving several variables. Prado (2014) states that “simulation
is the technique of solving a problem by analyzing a model that describes the behavior of
the system using a digital computer.” In the same line of reasoning, Cassandras & Lafortune
(2010) says that the term simulation can be understood as the process of designing and creating a computer model of the actual or proposed system, with the purpose of conducting
numerical experiments to provide a better understanding of the behavior of the system for a
given set of conditions.
For Sakurada & Miyake (2009), discrete event simulation (DES) encompasses the study of
simulation models whose variables change state instantaneously at specific points of time, in
contrast to continuous models whose variables can change state continuously over time.
Sturgul (2001) also highlighted important applications of simulation in mining operations
for open pit mines: ore handling; fleet dimensioning; loading and transport; allocation of
equipment; among others.
Parreira (2013) notes that the conventional transport fleet in a mine can be adapted to
an autonomous operating system. However, for this to happen it is necessary to invest in a
wireless network and digital mapping of the mine, as well as precision GPS systems in each
transport equipment.
Trucks with autonomous technology are equipped with high precision GPS systems, so
we can track their position in real time and manage them from the control room. They are
also equipped with wireless communication systems, which allow a continuous flow of information with the control room. The equipment has obstacle detection sensors, allowing the
detection of the presence of other equipment and people working around it and judging in
which case it should slow down or stop completely (Rivera, 2014).
Through the use of a simulation software, the authors Parreira and Meech (2012) applied
the simulation in an open pit to compare some performance indicators between the system
of autonomous trucks and conventional trucks; Tan et al. (2012) developed and applied a
computational optimization-simulation model to support the management of operations in
an open-pit copper mine; and Guimarães et al. (2007), developed a computational simulation
model with the objective of validating the results obtained by the application of a mathematical programming model for dynamic truck allocation in order to meet quality and production
targets in open pit mines.
3 METHODOLOGY
The data used to conduct the research were taken from the database of the electronic dispatch system of the company CSN Mineração. The system used is the Intellimine© version 5, developed by the company Modular Mining Systems ©. The data sent by the mine
equipment are stored in a server, being able to make frequent queries and generate reliable
information. The system database has the operation logs and through predetermined queries,
developed in SQL language, customized reports are generated on the data collected during
the operations, in real time.