South African equipment simulator specialist, ThoroughTec's, latest range of mining equipment simulators include a 360° panoramic display screen as well as a number of other advances in design.

ThoroughTec Simulation recently unveiled its fourth generation mining equipment simulators to the mining industry at Electra Mining held in Gauteng, South Africa.

The CYBERMINE⁴ simulator range builds on previous generations of CYBERMINE simulators to provide instructors and student operators what the company describes as a significantly superior training experience.

Research and development at ThoroughTec has always been an integral part of simulator development and is one of the key differentiators that see ThoroughTec as one of the two leaders in the mining simulator industry. In developing its CYBERMINE⁴ simulator platform, ThoroughTec set out to redefine its technology by drawing on its own experience, extensive client base, researchers, OEMs, training institutions and military technologies developed over the last two decades. "Our aim in simulator development has always been to cost effectively provide our clients with the most relevant, realistic and reliable simulator technology in the mining industry. Over the last few years, maturing training requirements, amazing technological developments and our profound understanding of surface and underground mining simulation, have driven our product improvement process unrelentingly. CYBERMINE⁴ represents the next massive leap forward in our unerring pursuit of excellence. All of the best features, qualities and experience of over 20 years of simulation experience bundled into a single system" says Justin Collins, Business Development Manager at ThoroughTec.

The most noticeable addition to the CYBERMINE⁴ range, is the option for a full 360° panoramic display screen, completely immersing the student operator in the simulated mining world. Students are able to use all four screens when operating the equipment, providing increased awareness of surroundings and greater overall accuracy in simulator training. "Your awareness levels can save your life and the life of your co-workers" says Collins.  Clients can choose to have the 360° panoramic display option on both surface and underground mining simulators.

The CYBERMINE instructor station and reporting software have also been upgraded for improved training and operator analysis. The instructor station now boasts two wide screen, high definition displays giving instructors the ability to assist and guide the student in a full fly-around view while still keeping an eye on student performance and vehicle diagnostics. Provision is now made to hook up one or both of these Instructor screens to external ‘Audience Viewing' displays to facilitate classroom based discussion and commentary of operator performance on the fly. "We provide instructors with the all the tools necessary to make informed decisions regarding operator competence, performance and respect for safety. The software automatically identifies operational violations such as speeding, simultaneous brake and accelerator engagement and incorrect gear selection, to which the instructor can then take corrective action with the student to eliminate these violations and thus save the mine a fortune in unnecessary maintenance bills and prevent hazardous safety situations" says Collins.

CYBERMINE⁴ simulators still retain the innovative and robust six and three degree-of-freedom motion platforms for surface and underground mining simulators respectively. This high performance, low maintenance motion platforms provide students with all the motion cues that one would expect when operating mining equipment. "The feeling and response one gets from the mining equipment while mining is crucial to understanding what is happening with the vehicle. As an example, simply by paying attention to the motion cues a student will be able to identify when they are pushing the vehicle too hard or digging too deep, heightening their awareness of machine limits and honing their senses for effective operation."

Realising that many mines have both surface and underground mining operations in a common region, ThoroughTec has developed a unique cross-platform adaptor kit which allows surface mining cabs like haul trucks and shovels to be used on a common simulator base unit. This means that clients need only purchase one CYBERMINE⁴ simulator base unit to operate both surface and underground simulator cabs, significantly lowering total cost of ownership.

Completing the transformation, the interior of the CYBERMINE⁴ simulators has also received a significant facelift, with improved instructor ergonomics in a superior classroom-like setting.

Collins continues "Clients that have purchased CYBERMINE simulator cabs in the past need not worry about replacing them when upgrading to the fourth generation simulators as we have taken great care to ensure that CYBERMINE⁴ simulators are completely backward compatible with all of our cabs already working hard in the field."