The information age has transformed the workplace, allowing for data to be available instantaneously. However, it’s the relevant data that is key to building a successful business.
Technology company, RCT has a range of solutions designed to improve decision-making, accelerate innovation, enhance customer experience, and drive operational efficiency.
RCT’s Data & Information offering is extensive and comprehensive – spanning both the mining and industrial markets and with more than 20 years in the information realm, RCT has the experience and a range of solutions proven in these spaces.
“RCT can offer clients, near real-time relevant machine information and production statistics which is then later collated and available in a succinct report which can be made available to decision-makers,” said RCT’s Head of Product Management, Brendon Cullen.
All the company’s Data & Information solutions are interoperable, meaning they can work on any machine, regardless of make or model.
“This is another, a significant attribute that sets our solutions apart from others available in the market today,” he said.
“Being able to obtain information in areas that they can act on and make informed decisions about what they are seeing which can lead to cost reductions.”
The systems deliver key information about machines such as the percentage of time it has spent both idle and productive, battery voltage level, service schedule, critical output, engine monitoring and more.
“The feedback from clients has always been that they want more data, but they are sometimes unsure what exactly they need. RCT has refined what’s relevant and what they can act on,” said Mr Cullen.
50 years ago, Roberta Flack’s The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face was number one on the Billboard charts, the infamous Watergate Scandal was just beginning and for around $18,000 you could buy a house in Australia. 1972 was also the year Kalgoorlie resident and young electrician Bob Muirhead opened the doors to his very own electrical business.
It wasn’t long before Bob created the first of his many game-changing products. That product was a fail-safe engine protection system that became known as the Muirhead® Engine Protection system and is still used today by heavy equipment fleet owners around the world.
The philosophy of innovation, quality craftsmanship and a customer-first approach that gave rise to the Muirhead® Protection range remains strong half a century later with RCT now boasting hundreds of solutions across its other established brands: ControlMaster® Automation, EarthTrack® Data, SmarTrack® Information and AusProTec™ Electrical Equipment.
In addition to this, the company provides training and most importantly 24/7 customer support to its mining and industrial customers around the world – making it the full-service company.
Today, RCT is widely recognised around the globe as the Smart Technology leader in the open pit, underground and industrial sectors. RCT currently has seven branches, supported by more than 270 staff and trusted technology partners delivering solutions in 72 countries and six continents with a reputation for being the best in the business and experts in the field.
“It’s fantastic to have seen the business grow over the years – from such humble beginnings to the worldwide company it is today – it’s just incredible,” said Mr Muirhead.
“RCT’s ability to continue to innovate and adapt to a forever changing industry and being able to foresee what our client needs to streamline activities and increase productivity and profitability.”
Throughout its long history, RCT has been known as numerous business names as its innovated and expanded. Some people will recognise the company when it was called Bob Muirhead Electrical before changing to Automotive Industrial Supplies and then Remote Control Technologies and now of course, people know that company as RCT – a name that encompasses the broad range of solutions the company provides clients with today.
To date, RCT has installed the most machine-controlled solutions than any other global supplier and it’s standard-setting automation solution has clocked more than 8 million, incident-free automation hours – showcasing RCT is still at the forefront. RCT is constantly creating and developing purpose-built solutions beneficial to our customers in increasing efficiency and profitability.
RCT’s Executive Director and CEO, Brett White has been with the company for over 10 years and even in this time he has been impressed by what the company has been able to achieve and is looking forward to what the future holds for the global tech innovative company.
“The company has come leaps and bounds since it started. We are unique to the market as we are able to provide an array of cutting-edge solutions that are easily installed on any machine, regardless of make or model,” said Mr White.
“We are constantly innovating and therefore always relevant to the market and equally importantly we support our clients on their technology strategic journey.”
Here’s to the next 50 years… watch this space…
Unlocking access to data produced by your mobile equipment fleet has never been easier thanks to RCT’s latest innovation, which captures vital and previously withheld machine information.
The RCT EarthTrack® Machine Data Gateway (MDG) provides mobile equipment owners with the freedom to access important data streams on their fleet performance without needing to engage with machine manufacturers to obtain the information.
The unified hardware platform harvests vital data streams on the behaviour, durability and lifespan of machine systems and can dramatically alter machine fleet activity, operator behaviour and maintenance requirements.
As with all RCT’s solutions, the MDG is technologically agnostic and can integrate with any type of machine make or model, making the solution ideal for companies that operate mixed fleets.
Data is presented in various ways depending on the machine. This means businesses may have to interact with multiple platforms and data formats. Whereas the MDG will unify and translate the data from each machine, and collate it into a single, easy-to-interpret format.
Once stored, companies have endless choices available to analyse data. They can interface the data with their chosen business analytics software and transform the information into actionable directives to advance productivity.
“The challenge has always been the collection of the broad spectrum of data being generated by machines. This is no longer the case with MDG. Also, businesses will no longer be limited to accessing the data that the OEM ultimately chooses to release,” said RCT’s Mining and Resources Product Manager Mick Tanner.
“Utilising the MDG, our clients will have the freedom to access data to advise changes in areas such as machine component lifespans, service needs and changeout requirements.”
“By harnessing the power of the MDG, companies will no longer be locked into the service regimes dictated by the machine OEM.”
“No matter what machine brand or third-party system an operation has, data is delivered in a consolidated format. The information will allow them to determine what works best for their specific requirements, at all times.”
The MDG works seamlessly with an API to provide information from the work site to a company’s server or cloud-based information system.
As the MDG creates its own unique meshed network, it transfers data between each piece of equipment which eliminates the need for expensive communications infrastructure on site.
“It ensures vital information is not missed at times where communications are fragmented or dropped out,” Mr Tanner said.
The MDG is equally suited to installations with a more permanent network infrastructure to safeguard the retainment of important information for business analytics.
With a permanent network infrastructure, the product guarantees the successful delivery of real-time information at all times.
Machine Data Gateway is the one solution every business needs to obtain total access to unlimited raw data. And, by processing it, businesses can get deeper insights to identify how to improve fleet operations in the long term, and ultimately improve bottom lines.
Learn more about the MDG here.
RCT believes in pushing the boundaries of the traditional ways of doing things and as a result, it has remained cutting edge since its establishment in the 1970s.
In recent times the mining industry has recently undergone significant changes as it embraces and leverages automation and digital technologies to streamline efficiencies to increase productivity, safety and significantly reduce costs.
RCT has been there, every step of the way and as a result, it has released its own Interoperability statement.
“The statement is necessary in today’s digital world as the demand for data continues to grow significantly as clients look towards analytics and systems to process, analyse, interpret and convert to the desired information,” said RCT’s Mining and Resources Product Manager, Mick Tanner
It outlines how RCT’s systems will communicate within this digital sphere in order to adhere to data privacy and ensure safety within this space. Available on RCT’s website, it covers data accessibility, fleet data compatibility, data privacy and protection.
RCT’s EarthTrack® data and information product range is its highly interoperable solution that will deliver clients relevant information. This information system will do so by retaining systems original character and integrity without compromising the safety of other systems.
“The term Interoperability means the ability of a system to work with or use the parts of equipment of another system,” he added.
Although Interoperability is the latest buzzword, RCT has long held the philosophy of ensuring that its systems have always been able to integrate with client’s existing infrastructure seamlessly.
“As an independent technology supplier, this has always been our point of difference from the OEM’s systems,” said Tanner.
“RCT’s systems can integrate with any machine, regardless of make and model. Also, within any mine’s communications network and infrastructure and with any other systems; sharing critical information without compromising safety and system functionality.".
The phrase ‘information is power’ is a widely used term. However, RCT believes its relevant information that empowers customers; which is why for the past 10 years, the company has been providing exactly that.
This information journey began in 2005 when RCT saw the opportunity to expand into a new market following feedback received from customers about the demand for information in the logistics market.
“There was definitely a gap in the market for a reliable package around third party hardware so RCT jumped at the chance to fill the niche,” said RCT’s Head of Product Management, Dave Holman.
RCT began by collecting forklift and logistics data using a third party hardware, however, it wasn’t long until the company were forced to design and manufacture something more suitable to the application and the SmarTrack® Fleet Management was created.
“It’s a rock-solid, effective, fit-for-purpose, easy to maintain, wed-based reporting system that delivers relevant fleet information in real-time to any device with internet access,” he said.
Managing industrial or logistics fleets can often be problematic as they generally comprise of a large, mixed fleet.
“An information system like SmarTrack® can provide information on machine utilisation, servicing, and damage,” said Mr Holman.
“SmarTrack® provides our customer with live, up-to-date information allowing them to effectively manage their fleet without leaving their desk.”
With more than 4,000 units in the field, RCT is the second largest supplier of information solutions to the industrial market. However, a worldwide distribution deal signed with a prominent German forklift manufacturer will see the company deliver significantly more in the near future.
On the back of SmarTrack®’s success in the information systems field RCT wanted to take this extensive experience in empowering its customers with the latest machine information and apply it to the mining industry.
“As the mining industry looked to increase efficiencies, the demand for relevant information grew so RCT set its sights on being able to deliver this data within the confines of an underground communications network.”
In response to this industry demand, RCT designed a solution which empowers the customer to make their business efficient; rather than just overload them with information.
This saw the deliverance of the EarthTrack® Fleet Management solution, specifically designed to meet the data management needs of the mining industry.
“The relevant data delivered to customers results in sites achieving KPI’s by targeting efficiencies of machines,” said Mr Holman.
“Agnostic across all machines, this cost-effective solution has no real limitation to what it can offer,” he added.
With more than 10 years’ experience in the information systems business, RCT is well-versed in providing clients with relevant information for its customers to get the most out of their fleets – regardless of what industry they are in.
