Mining equipment gets smart

摘要

Artificial intelligence is being used to give early warning of machine faults responsible for millions of dollars of lost profits annually in the underground mining industry. If adopted, says Fresh Innovator Dr Daniel Bongers, this technology could significantly reduce machine downtime, which at present represents more than three months of lost production each year. Dr Bongers, a mechanical engineer from the Co-operative Research Centre Mining (CRCMining), developed his novel and effective fault detection system as part of an industry-funded PhD project. It is based on a combination of engineering knowledge and neural network technology, he says.