By Sharyn Macnamara
Part 2 of our series of articles covering a smart, connected future for mines in a visit to Komatsu’s Joy Smart Services Centre in eMalahleni – home to the company’s service division that takes care of machine condition monitoring, training and field service to coal mines in South Africa and as far afield as India – follows.
Oil analysis is possibly the most valuable proactive condition monitoring technology available for improving plant reliability. All images supplied by Komatsu
The Komatsu Joy Smart Service Centre is a key differentiator that drives optimised productivity, reliability and ultimately Zero Harm for mining clients. The objective of which is to replace a traditionally reactive strategy with one that proactively supports the customer’s capital asset to ensure return on investment (ROI), improve customer operations and safety, while reducing downtime and costs to enable customers to produce coal at the lowest cost per ton.
The concept
The strategy includes data solutions, machine health monitoring, performance optimisation, product support and training, life cycle management, condition monitoring, reliability engineering and client relationship management (CRM) – combined to supply a holistic solution with productivity and safety top of mind through asset performance, from the product and equipment itself to the servicing and support thereof. Komatsu’s Joy Smart Solutions integrate its smart connected products and systems, advanced analytics and direct services customising these by customer to solve the toughest mining challenges.
Smart Service: equipment reliability management
Komatsu’s remote health monitoring and condition monitoring are additional services supporting the Smart Service: equipment data and information supplied by the monitoring room at the Smart Services Centre (discussed in part 1). These Joy Condition Monitoring Services (CMS) help identify changes in wear trends that may indicate a developing fault, thus aiding in predicting the future of a machine. They offer a wide range of sampling, testing and analysis services to give the customer a complete picture of what is happening inside equipment being monitored digitally. These sevices take place in the oil laboratory at the Smart Services Centre. Attie Oosthuizen, Komatsu CMS manager, and his team of analysts use oil analysis; vibration analysis and IR thermography technology to add value to the recommendations made to customers by the monitoring room analysts.
The operational life of most industrial machinery is directly related to the contamination and chemistry of the lubricants in them. Oosthuizen notes, “Just as doctor analyses blood to discern internal problems in the human body, maintenance professionals use Wear Debris Analysis (WDA) to discern impending problems in equipment.”
He emphasises, “By monitoring, reporting and recommending the correction of contamination problems, oil analysis is possibly the most valuable proactive condition monitoring technology available for improving plant reliability. Water and dust are two common contaminants that drastically increase wear rates and shorten machine life. Degraded oil, incorrect oil type and inadequate lubrication are also significant contributors to early failures. “Oil analysis can therefore effectively forecast the impending catastrophic failure of mechanical and electrical systems through which the oil flows,” says Oosthuizen.
“Furthermore, of all parameters that can be measured non-intrusively in industry today, the one offering the most information on machine condition is the vibration signature.” Pruftechnic VIB5.360 -1EX data loggers are used to determine: instability of parts; bearing defects, such as wear, lack of lubrication and assembly issues; gear defects like wear, gear eccentricity and assembly problems; broken, cracked teeth; electrical defects – rotor/stator defects, casing distortion (soft foot) and misalignment.
Additionally, the new FLIR IEX-Exx Series thermal imaging camera – the first of its kind in South Africa – with a resolution of up to 320 x 240 pixels and with an Ex ib I safety rating, enables infra-red scanning of electrical panels, mechanical parts, electrical couplers, transformers and switchgear, hydraulic oil systems and coolant systems.
All of these technologies work together to supply a complete picture of the health of a machine.
Data is fed through to customers from the monitoring room, flagging both engineering and operational trends, these are then interpreted to provide recommendations so that remedial action can then be taken by customers to optimise equipment performance.
Smart Service: technical and operational skills development
The data fed through from the monitoring room flags both engineering and operational trends, these are then interpreted to provide recommendations and remedial action can then be taken by customers to optimise equipment performance. Some of these observed trends, mechanical and performance issues can sometimes be the result of human error while operating and servicing machines. The Komatsu digital platform tracks operator behaviour and equipment utilisation, and where incorrect or non-optimal utilisation is flagged as a factor which could be impacting production levels, these can then be addressed through coaching/skills development recommendations made to the customer. With inputs from the data gleaned from an operation and the various departments within Komatsu dealing with that operation, and once a full understanding of the operation’s challenges is attained, coaching recommendations can be made to further optimise production.
Isak Vermaak supervisor, Customer Training at the Smart Services Centre says, “We have revolutionised training and developed a process called Digitalised Training Solutions (DTS) where we use various smart technologies to transform operators and artisans into equipment experts, empowering them to maximise the optimisation of equipment, safely. The objective is to build confidence, so that on a technical level, artisans are able to fully understand the machine operation and maintenance and repair procedures in order to relate symptoms to appropriate corrective measures; and so that operators are able to both plan their work, and ‘work their plan’. ”
“Applied knowledge is a powerful tool,” says Vermaak, and Komatsu’s DTS encourages deep learning and accelerate knowledge comprehension and retention by delivering skills transfer through a new multi-level solution that offers new tools like automated online learning, technical instructor-led training and mixed reality applications, operational instructor-led training, technical test bench simulators and virtual reality operator simulators.
Each customer’s training programme is customised and the low hanging fruit is tackled first to make a quick difference in performance on the mine. Automated online learning tests determine an individual’s circuit or component baseline level of confidence and where training interventions are needed. These short sessions provide immediate feedback and establish what level confidence learners are at. The data is then captured and kept in the Learning Management System (LMS) to track progress and development during and after training interventions.
Subject Matter Expert-led training in groups forms part of the first growth intervention. Targeted lectures are provided and delegates are encouraged to participate in discussions while on-machine demonstrations are performed. The second growth intervention involves the use of several high-tech tools designed to simulate scenarios that may be encountered on site and how to confidently deal with problems using a diagnostic approach. 3D printed models, interactive screens, simulators and test benches help delegates experience screen navigation and how to interpret events while fault finding. Komatsu has aligned simulators with the current OEM design and manufacture, providing complete program support and upgrades. The mixed reality gap uses step-by-step procedural guides enhanced with 3D superimposed augmented reality functionality highlighting maintenance regimes, safety procedures, machine operation and animated electrical and hydraulic circuits. Along with the knowledge gained from this experience, the mixed reality Komatsu app accompanies the artisan to the workplace on a mobile device, becoming a trusted partner in navigating all machine related safety maintenance repair and fault-finding procedures. Interactive group sessions are used for the third and final growth intervention. Here, delegates present their learned experiences and open discussions are used to cross pollinate ideas on existing and new cases. Knowledge sharing and accountability concludes the learning journey and proves retention.
“During the learning journey – from the realisation of ineptitude, to conscious beginner level and then consciously capable level, and finally to an unconsciously confident level where tasks become second nature – regular input from both Komatsu and stakeholders is required to carefully track the progress of knowledge gain digitally,” says Vermaak. This includes the tracking of MTTR, MTBF and average runtime and machine availability, which then proves improvements and directly impacted production levels, showing ROI, after training. In this process, production KPIs are shared with artisans and operators so that the impact of personal performance on production can be observed and individuals can track their own progress and the level of knowledge gained, which acts as a motivator. “DTS equips individuals with the knowledge and the skill to perform comprehensive maintenance and to respond to breakdowns with confidence, thus increasing safety and production while reducing costs, improving staff competency and boosting morale,” concludes Vermaak.
Komatsu is utilising technology and data in a partnership with its customers to optimise machine equipment utilisation and availability to enable customers to produce coal at the lowest cost per ton, and so targeting long term sustainability and ultimately moving closer to Zero Harm. n
Additional sources: Presentations supplied by Komatsu.