VIST Group began development of an automated system of drilling on Tugnuysky Coal mine

On March 18, 2019 the VIST Group company (enters Tsifra Group) specializing in digitalization of the large mining enterprises announced the beginning of development of technology of robotic conducting drilling operations on Tugnuysky coal mine (Republic of Buryatia). As the customer JSC SUEK - coal and power kompanya, producer of coal, heat and the electric power in Russia acted.

The created solution provides well-drilling in the automated mode under remote control of the manager. A system will significantly increase efficiency of operation of the equipment, will allow to carry out the accurate automated accounting of operation of the equipment, to lower costs and also that is especially important, to ensure safety of personnel when conducting mining operations and to minimize number of the employees involved on harmful and dangerous sections.

The Epiroc Pit Viper 271 drilling rig completed with sensors and equipped with specially developed algorithms will be capable to execute independently the majority of transactions which are usually made in the manual mode by the operator who is in a cabin. The equipment will learn to drill wells without the aid of the person, to increase and sort boring having become, to gorizontirovat the platform, to diagnose own status in real time. Also it will independently move on section by means of satellite navigation and scanning of surrounding space, calculating at the same time an optimal operations procedure and "economic" trajectories of the movement.

Operation of automatic equipment will be verified and reliable. It is planned that guidance accuracy when drilling will be up to 10 cm, and the accuracy of leveling of the platform and a mast - up to 1 degree in two planes. The system of the emergency stop will provide the maximum level of security for the personnel which are on robotic section.

If necessary, in case of emergency situations or for the solution of any non-standard tasks, the manager will be able quickly and easily to switch control of the equipment to himself. Sitting in front of displays in comfortable and safe conditions, he will obtain remotely all necessary information and to completely control production process.

After all development stages trial operation which will help to show visually efficiency of the automated drilling will be carried out and to collect important technical and economic indicators. In the future, also expansion of functionality of a smart digital system is possible. For example, in March, 2019 the question of centralization of management by several drilling rigs at the same time is considered at once, including at their joint work on one explosive block.