Automation test goes “live”

2008 Mar 31

A long-term project to study the future benefits of automated loading, was abruptly terminated recently and transformed into “real-life” operation following unexpected ground conditions at a mine in Finland.

For the past several months, an automated, driverless Atlas Copco Scooptram ST14 has been tramming around by itself in a backfill section of the Kemi Mine in Finland. The aim: to analyze the potential of automated backfill as an alternative to manual operations, particularly in hazardous mine areas.

At a safe distance from the operation an operator sits in a clean, comfortable control station, monitoring the vehicle?s every move in the dark and dusty drifts via computer screens. At the touch of a button on the console, he switches to manual mode and is able to take control of the automatic tramming, loading and dumping by using the joysticks.

Epiroc operated under the trademark “Atlas Copco” prior to January 1, 2018.