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.
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