In what is believed to be a word-first, RCT together with equipment manufacturer Rham Equipment has deployed the first fully autonomous battery-electric Rham loader into the African mining sector.
This impressive technological feat saw RCT work with Rham to specifically engineer the automated loader to effortlessly work in height-restricted drives in a South African platinum mining operation.
RCT’s market-leading ControlMaster® automation technology was seamlessly integrated with the Rham ultra-low profile (ULP) 25HD battery-electric loader with the package installed at Rham’s factory, prior to the loader’s deployment to the site.
This project perfectly showcases ControlMaster® as a proven interoperable automation platform that can be integrated across any mobile equipment make, type or model.
With the technology established onsite, the loader operators are able to manage Load Haul Dump (LHD) operations from the safety of a ControlMaster® Automation Centre on the mine’s surface.
In addition to this RCT interfaced with the Rham dash display and replicated it on the Automation Centre, to provide the operator with important machine health information.
The project also includes the implementation of RCT Connect, a specialised underground communications network designed to enhance autonomous fleet operations.
Rham Managing Director Kevin Reynders commented: “This joint venture project has run effortlessly creating safer machines for our miners.”
“Rham Equipment, a Level 3 B-BBEE South African, (Pty) Limited Company, has been producing specialised mining equipment since 1980. The company has been providing the South African mining industry with quality products and top-of-the-range services for the past four decades.”
“The product range includes underground transporters, excavators, load haul dumpers, dump trucks, roof bolters and conveyor drives, to name but a few. To date, Rham Equipment has supplied over 2000 units to some of the most prominent South African platinum, gold- and coal mines who we count amongst our customer portfolios,” Mr Reynders said.
“The South African mining industry is well developed and prides itself on its technological development, productivity, and safety, and in line with this philosophy the company has built an enviable reputation as the supplier of choice, producing products that are durable, safe and cost-effective.
By keeping all our manufacturing in-house allows RHAM to control the quality of all our workmanship giving customers that all important peace of mind.”
“Now in its fourth decade of operation, the company continues to develop new products to best suit the needs of our customers.”
RCT Business Development Manager for Africa Mike Thomas said the project represented an important milestone on many fronts.
“We are very pleased to work with Rham Equipment to deliver this project and we regard them as a highly competent and organised OEM with a skilled workforce who can deliver high-quality technology.”
“ControlMaster® has an extensive history integrating with diesel powered equipment, but this project proves that the technology can interface seamlessly with battery-electric mobile machines,” he said.
“Battery-electric equipment fleets can significantly reduce a mining operation’s carbon footprint while eliminating the costs associated with diesel consumption, so we expect to see a greater uptake of the technology around the world."
“The technology will relocate the machine operators to a safe working area on the mine’s surface while enabling optimised autonomous machine operations.”
“A cornerstone of ControlMaster® is its ability to integrate with any machine and this project proves that our technology can interface with Rham’s loader, which is an entirely new machine for us.”
RCT’s technical team will empower mine site personnel with comprehensive training and technical support to operate and maintain the equipment going forward.
The project demonstrates RCT’s automation technology can successfully integrate with battery-electric mining equipment and is an important step toward delivering an autonomous, carbon-friendly mining fleet of the future.
African heavy-equipment supplier Trysome Auto Electrical Engineering (Pty) Ltd has been in partnership with RCT, distributing the company’s Earth Track® data and information and Muirhead® protection systems, since the late 1990s.
Today, RCT is proud to announce that this working relationship has advanced to include RCT’s flagship automation and control technology ControlMaster® range of products.
The prominent southern-African-based company will now supply and provide on-the-ground solid sales and technical support for ControlMaster® - the truly interoperable and advanced automation technology - for major clients throughout the region.
RCT’s Dealer and Product Management, Andrew Sells, said RCT only partners with the most reputable companies worldwide to supply its flagship products.
“We have built up a strong relationship with Trysome over the last 30 years, and we regard them as a highly competent supplier of complex technology solutions,” he said.
“It was apparent to us that Trysome is a great candidate to carry ControlMaster® and support the local heavy industry,” he said.
Sells said Trysome and RCT work well together as both companies share the same vision and values.
“We are two technology companies that pride ourselves on supplying clients with the best solution for their requirements,” he said.
“Trysome can install and provide technical support in addition to being able to stock the product at its multiple offices throughout the region.”
The company is expansive with multiple offices in South Africa: Gauteng (head office), Eastern Cape, Free State, KwaZulu Natal (2), Mpumalanga, North West, Northern Cape and Western Cape. Cross border, Trysome operates three branches in Botswana, one in Kitwe, Zambia and one in Tete, Mozambique. Additionally, Trysome has authorised distributors throughout Namibia and Ghana.
Multiple offices mean Trysome is in a more than adequate position to provide the service and support to clients who chose to implement the autonomous technology.
“It was a natural progression for Trysome to take on the ControlMaster® brand, having proved themselves over the years as a great partnership for RCT,” said Sells.
"Adding RCT's ControlMaster® range to our product basket was a no-brainer," says Trysome CEO Eddie Smith. RCT's ControlMaster® solutions are setting the benchmark for productivity and safety on a global scale, empowering clients to improve efficiencies and effortlessly meet production targets.
"This focus on productivity and safety aligns beautifully with Trysome's brand promise of Delivering Optimal Uptime!" said Smith.
“The relationship between both companies is a winning combination. RCT's international prowess and Trysome's 30 years of African market expertise, infrastructure, and coverage are ideally suited for local customer demand."
RCT has operated in Africa for nearly 40 years, and the company’s local staff will work closely with Trysome to further bolster RCT’s technology in the region.
World-leading autonomous solutions specialist RCT is pleased to have executed a project with African Underground Mining Services (AUMS) at the Siou underground gold mine in Burkina Faso.
Earlier this year RCT commissioned its ControlMaster® Guidance Automation technology on two of Siou’s CAT R2900G underground loaders and supplied two associated Automation Centres.
Guidance Automation enables the loaders to operate with minimal intervention by machine operators located in the Automation Centres either on the surface of the mine or in a secure location in the underground mine.
The automation solution improves safety onsite by relocating mine personnel away from the mine face and reducing unplanned maintenance downtime by eliminating machine operator errors.
RCT’s African-based staff has provided comprehensive training to machine operators and will continue to provide ongoing after-sales support to AUMS.
Leading autonomous solutions provider RCT has completed an automation project for a major mining company at its open-cut diamond mine in South Africa.
In 2019 RCT installed and commissioned its ControlMaster® Line-of-Site solution to a CAT 994 Wheel Loader which has been utilised to clear pit benches of debris falling from the crest of the bench above.
RCT’s locally-based Field Service Technician carried out commissioning works and empowered site equipment operators with the training necessary to efficiently manage the wheel loader.
RCT’s Johannesburg-based Business Development Manager for Africa Mike Thomas said the project has been a great success.
"South Africa’s Department of Mining Regulations prohibited any mining personnel to be in close proximity with the bench’s toe," Mr Thomas said.
"The Line-of-Sight technology meant equipment operators could stand at a safe distance in accordance with regulations and carry out their work as if they were sitting in the machine’s cab," he said.
"Our ControlMaster® automation technology integrated seamlessly into the wheel loaders operating system and carries out the same range of functions as specified by the Original Equipment Manufacturer."
