Enhancing safety and productivity in mining operations
November 2023
IT in Manufacturing
Modern technology has become an integral part of mining operations, ensuring safety and improving productivity. Booyco Electronics, a leading player in proximity detection solutions, is at the forefront of these innovations with its gamechanging offering, the Booyco Electronics Asset Management System (BEAMS) software solution.
According to Anton Lourens, CEO of Booyco Electronics, the key to enhancing operations lies in centralising information from various sources, including the mine’s proximity detection system (PDS). “BEAMS acts as a single source of information, and is a comprehensive hub that consolidates data from both our PDS and CPS hardware and monitoring devices into a robust database,” says Lourens.
The software suite is a web-based application that not only links the PDS hardware products and the monitoring devices, but also transforms a vast amount of data into a single, comprehensible and manageable stream. This unification provides an opportunity for stakeholders to gain greater insight into various facets of the mining operation, paving the way for increased safety and productivity levels.
One of the fundamental achievements of BEAMS is its ability to analyse data to detect patterns which could indicate unsafe behaviour. This functionality enables mining customers to understand potential risks and design appropriate interventions, mitigating the probability of future safety incidents.
“BEAMS helps paint a comprehensive picture of the working environment, uncovering operational issues that were previously unknown,” Lourens emphasises. “By quantifying the working environment and its interactions, potential risks and bottlenecks can be identified, managed and reduced, ultimately leading to a significant boost in productivity.”
By leveraging the data, BEAMS can feed a digital twin model with real-time, accurate information about the state of the mine’s assets and the environment. This enables a more precise and reliable digital twin that reflects the current and historical conditions of the mine. Lourens says this allows for predictive modelling, risk analysis and better decision making. With the insights provided by BEAMS, digital twin models can be utilised to their fullest potential, making them an even more powerful tool for improving safety, efficiency and productivity in mining operations.
BEAMS is engineered for easy implementation and adaptability. It operates on web browser platforms and can conform to various information and infrastructure environments. This flexibility allows for seamless integration into existing systems and workflows. In addition to improving safety and productivity, BEAMS can integrate with lamp room management systems in underground mines. This feature ensures legal compliance with lamp room requirements, and helps mines to locate critical safety equipment such as lamps, self-contained self-rescuers, and gas instrumentation.
Lastly, BEAMS can be configured to meet the unique needs of each user, offering a standard set of reports, or providing customised reporting to address specific requirements. This customisation enhances the user experience, enabling a mining operation to get the most from its data, and ultimately improving safety and productivity.
“BEAMS is a powerful tool in the arsenal of any modern mining operation. It can centralise information, detect unsafe interaction patterns and provide easy implementation, adaptability, integration, and customisable reporting. It is redefining safety standards and productivity levels in the mining industry,” he concludes.
Further reading:
Five data centre trends to watch in 2025
IT in Manufacturing
Any innovation that comes out in 2025 – whether it’s flying cars, highly advanced AI or a breakthrough medical treatment – will be built on the back of an equally innovative IT foundation driven by data. Data that needs to be stored, managed and made accessible in the data centre, in the cloud or at the edge. Is it too much of a stretch to say the future of humankind is dependent on data storage? We don’t think so.
Read more...
Recovering from a cyberattack
IT in Manufacturing
While many organisations have invested heavily in frontline defence tools to try to keep out bad actors, they have spent far less time and money preparing for what happens when the criminals eventually get in. And they will get in.
Read more...
The value of proactive maintenance management
Schneider Electric South Africa
IT in Manufacturing
Maintenance has come a long way from the days when we waited for things to break, and thanks to the ever-increasing capabilities of technology, predictive maintenance has become a viable solution for keeping equipment running smoothly and efficiently around the world.
Read more...
Significant decarbonisation can be achieved in the mining industry
ABB South Africa
IT in Manufacturing
ABB has released a global report titled ‘Mining’s Moment’, which highlights the progress being made by the mining industry to make operations more sustainable.
Read more...
Pinpointing pipeline occurrences in seconds, not hours
Schneider Electric South Africa
IT in Manufacturing
At any given moment, thousands of kilometres of critical assets flow through pipelines that cross veld, mountainous areas, dense forests, and even busy streets. Surprisingly, many of these pipelines operate either unmonitored or with scant oversight, leading to missed opportunities for operational continuity and efficiency.
Read more...
Next-generation AI-enhanced electronic systems design software
Siemens South Africa
IT in Manufacturing
Siemens Digital Industries Software has launched the latest advancement in its electronic systems design portfolio. The next-generation release takes an integrated and multidisciplinary approach, bringing a unified user experience that delivers cloud connectivity and AI capabilities to push the boundaries of innovation in electronic systems design.
Read more...
Spatial computing and AI – where no man has sustainably gone before
Schneider Electric South Africa
IT in Manufacturing
Some will argue that we now live in a sci-fi world where we dream of electric sheep, and today’s technology – unlike HAL – can provide us with the answers we seek. To the realist it might seem a bit implausible, but when you start using terms like ‘spatial computing realises sustainable AI’ it doesn’t seem that far-fetched.
Read more...
Safeguarding DCS today and tomorrow
Schneider Electric South Africa
IT in Manufacturing
Today’s distributed control systems (DCS) are highly intelligent, converging OT and IT in a centralised manner that allows for simplified management and coordination of operations. It is technology evolution at its finest, but with a caveat, cybersecurity challenges.
Read more...
Quantum computing is not as futuristic as it sounds
IT in Manufacturing
The first quantum computer was created almost three decades ago. While its applications are still unknown to many, this advanced field combines computer science, physics and mathematics to deliver solutions the world has been trying to find for aeons – and those it doesn’t yet know it needs.
Read more...
Transform field data into actionable business data
IT in Manufacturing
As part of its ongoing commitment to enhancing industry connectivity, Teledyne Gas & Flame Detection is making its new and proprietary Teledyne GDCloud available with the company´s GS700, GS500 and Shipsurveyor portable gas leak detectors, and also its PS200 portable four-gas monitor for personal safety and confined-space applications.
Read more...
printer friendly version