ThoroughTec Shows Off New Simulators

MINING MAGAZINE – JULY 2014

ThoroughTec Simulation will be demonstrating its new CYBERMINE continuous miner and dragline simulators at the Electra Mining Africa 2014 event in Johannesburg from 15-19 September.

Both of the simulators were designed and built at ThoroughTec’s state-of-the-art facility in Umhlanga Ridge, Durban. The CYBERMINE continuous miner, based on a Joy Global CM12HM31-B, is part of ThoroughTec’s new soft rock simulator range, which also includes a shuttle car, LHD and bolter. Predominantly aimed at the coal market, the company said these high-fidelity simulators are designed to improve safety and productivity levels.

“It accurately simulates propelling, sumping, shearing, brow- and under-cutting, trimming and loading of the artificially intelligent shuttle car.”

BHP Billiton’s Khutala Colliery in Mpumalanga will be the first mine to receive the continuous miner simulator. It accurately simulates propelling, sumping, shearing, brow- and under-cutting, trimming and loading of the artificially intelligent shuttle car. The highly realistic replications of the original vehicle can include customised procedural and operational features specific to a mine site.

ThoroughTec has also delivered its CYBERMINE dragline simulator to customers in Australia and South Africa, with the most recent being Wesfarmers Curragh coal mine in Queensland, Australia. The mine received the fourth-generation CYBERMINE simulator and developed a virtual Curragh mine world in a collaborative effort with ThoroughTec.

This meant the dragline simulator, based on a Bucyrus-Erie 1570-W, was customised specifically to Curragh’s site and operating procedures. Richard Bellengere, VP of R&D at ThoroughTec explained: “We wanted to fine tune the dragline simulator to not only train new recruits, but also get that extra percentage out of experienced operators.”