Five Signs It's Time to Automate Your Heavy Haulage Transport System

When you are running a mining operation, transporting your haulage typically constitutes a significant portion of your daily tasks and expenses. Advances in technology now make it possible to automate heavy haulage transport. Wondering if it's time for your enterprise to consider automating your heavy haulage? Here are signs that you may be ready: 

1. You want to cut costs.

Automating your heavy haulage transport requires some upfront investment in new equipment and technology. However, analysts claim that ultimately automating haulage can cut costs at a mine by up to 15 percent. That is significant savings, and if you want to lower your overhead costs, it may be time to investigate automation.

2. You want to reduce staff.

When you switch to autonomous heavy haulage, you no longer need an operator to drive your heavy haulage trucks. This helps you eliminate this paid position. Alternatively, if you opt for semi-autonomous or remote-controlled heavy haulage equipment, you reduce the work burden on your staff and move them from the mining surface to a control area. In some cases, one person may control multiple machines from a control area.

3. You want to increase safety.

Heavy haulage trucks carry tons and tons of your mined material. Unfortunately, even with a skilled operator, there is always the risk of human errors or accidents. Automated heavy haulage systems are tested and considered to be safe. They are designed with the capability to move around people and other vehicles on the mine site, and there is no worry about human error.

4. You want a heavy haulage system that integrates with your other equipment.

If you have already upgraded to other automated equipment, you may want to streamline everything by also upgrading to automated heavy haulage equipment. Whether you have unmanned bulldozers, automated conveyors, robots or any other automated elements, you can integrate an automated heavy haulage system with them.

That way, your operators can sit in command central and easily keep an eye on everything at the same time.

5. You want easier analysis.

When you use automated systems, everything is uploaded and tracked. That means you know exactly where your haulage vehicles are moving, which obstacles they face and when they are likely to need repairs. This creates a large volume of data for you to use, and it makes it easier to analyze your fleet and your mining efforts.

Want to learn more about heavy haulage automated systems? Then, contact a heavy haulage transport expert in your area.