Simulation Technology

INTERNATIONAL MINING – JANUARY 2013

ThoroughTec Simulation continued its international expansion in 2012, building a new headquarters and research and development facility in Umhlanga, Durban, establishing new international offices and developing a range of new simulator products. A significant portion of ThoroughTec’s R&D resources in 2012 were committed to expanding the range of Cat surface and underground simulator cabs on offer.

An expanded research and development pipeline has introduced extensive additions to the CYBERMINE range in 2012, now expanded to a complete suite of advanced mining training products including a Computer Based Trainer (CBT) system and an Operator Familiarisation Trainer (OFT), designed “to complement the company’s military engineered full mission simulators in a holistic and integrated training programme.”

“A purpose-built training facility capable of actively training 18 operators at any one time.”

The CYBERMINE CBT will be used to teach trainee operators the theory needed to operate a particular piece of equipment. The system makes use of photographic still shots, 2D and 3D computer animations, and site video overlaid with audio to walk the trainee through the controls and operation of the equipment, and also introduce the trainee to the CYBERMINE operating system. All users and their results can be recorded in the same central database as those from the OFT and FMS.

The Operator Familiarisation Trainer (OFT) makes use of CYBERMINE cabs that are not currently being used in the full-mission CYBERMINE simulator to familiarise operators with the identification and basic operation of the instruments and controls of a specific machine type.

Sales of the full CYBERMINE training system have already been concluded, and BHP Billiton’s Khutala Colliery in Mpumalanga, South Africa, will be the first mine site to have the system operational, housed in a purpose-built training facility capable of actively training 18 operators at any one time. The Khutala deal also represents ThoroughTec’s first foray into underground soft-rock mining simulation. Khutala’s training facility will feature the whole range of equipment used in the soft-rock underground coal mining environment, including a Joy continuous miner and shuttle car, a Fletcher bolter, a Sandvik LHD and two utility type vehicles.