The CAS Level 9 project illustrates these unique attributes. When the CAS Level 9 legislation required autonomous braking systems for light duty vehicles (LDVs) on mines, compliance posed a significant challenge for many in the industry.
“The Level 9 standard is a major leap forward from Level 8, which required systems to deliver an advisory instruction to operators. Electronic systems must now automatically take mechanical control of the vehicle, slow down, and apply the brakes at any time where there is a significant risk of such collisions,” says Gert Roselt, CEO of Probe Integrated Mining Technologies.
With the announcement of this new legislation, Axiom Hydraulics began developing a hydraulic solution that would allow for the required adaptations to its existing braking system, specifically the AUSCO failsafe braking system.
A&R; Engineering designs custom systems ranging from proximity awareness systems to emergency control systems. The company specialises in delivering innovative safety and automation solutions for mining operations. A&R; approached Axiom Hydraulics to develop a solution that would integrate its control unit with the AUSCO failsafe brake to create a fully compliant braking control solution.
The project required taking a system that engaged in a full stop when faced with a sudden hazard and adapting it to allow for controlled autonomous deceleration in response to proximity threats. To achieve this, Axiom Hydraulics designed an advanced custom-built hydraulic unit. This system allowed A&R’s control unit to regulate braking force by modulating hydraulic pressure, thereby ensuring proportionally controlled deceleration without triggering the full-brake mechanism of the AUSCO failsafe system.
Marilette Pieterse, the engineer from A&R; who initially worked with Axiom on this project explained, “The solution is impressive, and it’s much safer now. Our priority is safety on the vehicle, and with the combined efforts of Axiom and A&R, we have achieved that.”
The collaboration between Axiom Hydraulics and A&R; Engineering delivered a robust and reliable solution for LDV’s fitted with AUSCO brakes on mining sites. The final system is fully CAS Level 9 compliant and integrates automatic proportional braking with emergency braking capabilities. This innovative solution overcame technical limitations and hurdles to deliver a system that not only met the stringent requirements of the CAS Level 9 legislation, but also ensured seamless functionality under the most demanding conditions.
Lance Tondolo from Axiom Hydraulics reflects, “It was not a ‘quick-and-easy’ project, and we faced several operational challenges before achieving the desired result. Some of the more complex issues demanded a more creative approach to problem-solving, and I’m incredibly proud of what we accomplished together”.
The Axiom team is once again tackling a new challenge. Together with the AUSCO R&D; teams, they are working on developing a failsafe braking system that can be used on Hilux mine vehicles.
Solving common automation challenges with Festo’s servo drive and servo motor solutions Festo South Africa
Motion Control & Drives
Automation projects face challenges that include limited installation space, the need for precise and repeatable linear motion, rising cycle-speed demands, and seamless integration with existing control architectures. Festo’s servo portfolio directly addresses these issues with compact, modular drive and motor solutions designed for specific applications.
Read more...Inside the Giant Magellan Telescope with mechanical engineering at astronomical scale
Motion Control & Drives
Construction of the Giant Magellan Telescope, set to become the world’s largest Gregorian optical infrared telescope, is well underway. While its scientific mission is to transform astronomy, its performance depends heavily on advanced mechanical, hydraulic and pneumatic engineering.
Read more...Filtration as a reliability driver in motion control systems Parker Hannifin - Sales Company South Africa
Motion Control & Drives
This article highlights the importance of filtration in motion control systems, how contamination affects performance, and what fleet managers, operators and maintenance teams in southern Africa can do to reduce downtime, avoidable wear and costly repairs, aided by Baldwin Filters.
Read more...Supporting construction of next-gen floating offshore wind turbines
Motion Control & Drives
While windy locations naturally make ideal spots for offshore wind farms, they bring challenges when it comes to assembling wind turbines, particularly in ports. Mammoet was approached by Euroports to support with the marshalling and assembly of the components that make up the three turbines at Port-la-Nouvelle in France.
Read more...Rollers excel where profits balance on a knife edge igus
Motion Control & Drives
Polymer component specialist manufacturer, igus has developed a range of lubrication-free long-life knife edge rollers designed to improve the transfer of products between conveyor belts in high-speed production environments.
Read more...Bringing physical AI to the factory floor by deploying humanoids in industrial operations Siemens South Africa
Motion Control & Drives
Siemens and Humanoid have marked a landmark milestone in the journey to bring physical AI from vision to industrial reality. Humanoid’s humanoid robothas been successfully tested in operations at Siemens’ electronics factory in Germany, performing autonomous logistics tasks.
Read more...Next-generation oil-free motor systems with active magnetic bearings WEG Africa
Motion Control & Drives
WEG and SpinDrive are collaborating to integrate SpinDrive’s AMBs and built-in IoT condition monitoring into WEG’s market-leading electric motor offering, creating an oil-free, maintenance-free drive solution.
Read more...Addressing cost, supply and disease pressures in Africa’s feed industry
Motion Control & Drives
Feed producers across Africa are operating in an increasingly complex and volatile environment. The pressures are forcing producers to rethink how they operate, balancing cost control, production efficiency and the need for greater flexibility in an unpredictable market.
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