ABB has successfully tested its industry-first automated robot charging technology for underground mines. The goal is to make mines safer by automating one of the few manual processes left in mining – charging the blasting holes with explosives.
The blasting process can take place up to 15 times per day. The robot charger automatically detects boreholes and fills them with charges without the presence of humans, removing the need for people near the unsupported rock face during blasting. The tests confirm the effectiveness of integrating the robot charger with a carrier vehicle, communicating with bulk emulsion and vision systems, and incorporating a second robot arm to assemble the prime and detonator. It can reach all borehole levels and areas of the rock face, with remote control by operators.
This is a significant technology development for ABB, where safety is part of its ESG commitments. The robot locates the drilled holes on the rock face using a vision system, and all can be automatically reached and charged. ABB developed the robot charger technology to communicate with a truck, crane and ABB industrial robotic arm. The solution can be retrofitted to any truck.
ABB achieves zero operational emissions ABB South Africa
Electrical Power & Protection
ABB’s factory in Oiartzun, Spain, has reached a major sustainability milestone.
Read more...The AI skills every engineer now needs
Editor's Choice
To use AI responsibly and effectively, you need at least a basic understanding of how they work and where they can fail. Generative AI then becomes a powerful assistant; without it, you are effectively ‘prompting and praying’, exposing yourself to errors and professional embarrassment.
Read more...How to protect your industrial network RJ Connect
Editor's Choice Fieldbus & Industrial Networking
Network security is no longer a matter of preventing hacking or data breaches. Traditional defence mechanisms for perimeter protection may not fully address internal threats or device-level vulnerabilities alone.
Read more...Elevating analogue signal processing Endress+Hauser South Africa
Editor's Choice
The RN Series from Endress+Hauser is a powerful and relevant solution for analogue signal processing and conditioning.
Read more...Lifting the lid on bulk packaging VEGA Controls SA
Editor's Choice
Authorities impose strict requirements on pharmaceutical and cosmetic packaging. Choosing the right instrumentation, such as VEGA’s VEGAFLEX 83 for level measurement, helps manufacturers navigate the challenges with accuracy, reliability and compliance.
Read more...The next generation of inductive scanning encoder solutions ATI Systems
Editor's Choice Sensors & Transducers
With the launch of the ECI 1122 and EQI 1134 rotary encoders, positioning specialist, HEIDENHAIN has introduced a new benchmark in inductive scanning technology that raises the bar for motion control and precision automation.
Read more...Machine health monitoring with ifm ifm - South Africa
Editor's Choice IT in Manufacturing
With ifm’s machine health monitoring, early signs of wear can be detected and unexpected failures prevented. Combined with equipment preventive maintenance software, interventions can be scheduled proactively to avoid costly downtime.
Read more...Powering Africa’s sustainable mining VEGA Controls SA
Editor's Choice Level Measurement & Control
At the 2026 Mining Indaba in Cape Town, one theme rises above all others, progress through precision. For VEGA, a global leader in process instrumentation, this mission aligns perfectly with its core purpose, which is turning measurement into meaningful progress.
Read more...SEW-EURODRIVE transforms drivetrain uptime SEW-EURODRIVE
Editor's Choice Motion Control & Drives
The DriveRadar IoT Suite from SEW-Eurodrive is an ideal solution for industrial condition monitoring. This powerful ecosystem of intelligent sensors, edge devices and cloud-based analytics ensures that customers have full visibility and control of their operations.
While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, the publisher and its agents cannot be held responsible for any errors contained, or any loss incurred as a result. Articles published do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers. The editor reserves the right to alter or cut copy. Articles submitted are deemed to have been cleared for publication. Advertisements and company contact details are published as provided by the advertiser. Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or veracity of supplied material.
printer friendly version