Often we receive questions on exactly how Automatic Vehicle Identification solutions add value to the mining industry. Characterized by complex operations under harsh environmental conditions, the challenge in the mining industry is to improve mining operations while ensuring proper management of safety and security. This leads to a growing demand from mining companies for reliable systems and technology to help face this challenge.
As a leading expert in long-range identification solutions, Nedap offers systems to identify vehicles, drivers and employees from several meters distance. At oil, gas and mining installations all over the world, Nedap’s advanced technology is applied to improve secure, safe and reliable workflow operations. In this article we will high light automatic identification systems that operate in extremely difficult and harsh mining environments. The following products are applied:
- TRANSIT Ultimate: Extremely robust long-range vehicle identification reader, based on semi active RFID technology, which enables automatic vehicle identification up to distances of 10 m (33 ft) and speeds up to 200 km/h (125 mph).
- Heavy Duty Tag: Durable tag for vehicle identification up to 10 meters. This tag is ATEX certified and ideal for tamperproof mounting on the exterior of vehcles and other equipment.
- Booster 2G: Patented solution for combined vehicle and driver identification. This in-vehicle device consists of a vehicle identification number and reads and boosts latest card technologies up to distances of 10 meters.
Vehicle access control
Automatic identification offers authorized vehicles fast, convenient and secure access at gates and reliable vehicle tracking at strategic positions at the mine premises. Vehicle access control traditionally requires the driver to stop and to present a badge, which results in traffic congestion, dangerous situations and insecure identification. Nedap’s systems are built for fast, reliable and secure hands-free identification in the most challenging industrial environments.
Truck process automation
Vehicle identification at mining premises is applied to automate vehicle relatedprocesses as well. Trucks that come to a site are identified automatically and are granted access to the premises when authorized. At the designated area trucks can be loaded or unloaded. The weighing information can be linked to the vehicle identification number. Trucks are closely monitored during each step of the operational proces.
Combined driver and vehicle identification
Combined driver and vehicle identification increases security so you know exactly who was driving where, when and in which vehicle. Simultaneous identification of driver and vehicle is a truly unique solution which offers the ability of high-secure and convenient access to the mining site. This eliminates the unsafe need for drivers to reach out of the vehicle window to present their badge.
Identification of passengers
For safety and security reasons (Occupational Health and Safety) all employees who are transported from their accommodation to the mining site need to be identified. Controlling this manually results in congestion and reduced traffic throughput. Long-range identification offers the ability to provide real time tracking of multiple employees at the same time.