50 Minesite Automation Amr June2020 Technical Talk Emancipation of the Excavator

50 MINESITE AUTOMATION AMR JUNE2020 TECHNICAL TALK EMANCIPATION OF THE EXCAVATOR MPC Kinetic announces Autonomous Excavators in an Australian first, following a partnership with US technology start-up Built Robotics obotics have been used in the manufacturer. industry for decades to perform repetitive tasks tirelessly and Whereas most “autonomous” solutions with precision. still need to be remote-controlled by R a human, Built’s technology is fully- An innovative new collaboration of autonomous and works without human complex robotics and heavy machinery control or intervention. This empowers has resulted in a revolutionary excavator the operator to leave the mundane task capable of digging laser-straight of digging a straight trench and apply trenches 24-hours a day, seven days a their skills to more complex tasks where week - completely autonomously. human intuition and touch cannot be so easily replicated. This pioneering piece of equipment utilises a self-contained AI guidance In the case of older pilot hydraulic system, physical hydraulic controls and control systems, a low-pressure some very clever software to deliver hydraulic manifold is fitted which gives perfect trenches, without the need for Built’s onboard computers the ability to an onboard or remote operator making incrementally control valves and deliver it one of the first fully-autonomous the gradual control required for high pieces of heavy equipment. precision digging. It takes on the repetitive and tiring task Other onboard controls include CPUs, of trenching with aplomb and frees- GPUs and GPS units which use global up skilled human operators to work localization, combined with inertial on the more demanding aspects of a motion sensors, to extrapolate data project. Better still, with the flick of a for fine movements such as bucket tip switch the machine can be returned to control. Real Time Kinematics (RTK) are full manual mode, making it the perfect employed through a local base station all-round tool. The development to deliver movement resolutions of less is in operation. This technology is MACHINE LEARNING of the autonomous excavator was than 20mm, as is typically the case with used in self-driving car applications MPC Kinetic sent one of their most brought about by a partnership grader control on civil projects. and incorporates human recognition skilled excavator operators to Built between Australian resource and software. Robotics in San Francisco and he energy company, MPC Kinetic, and US COMPUTING CALCULATIONS was involved in the initial iterations technology company, Built Robotics. To achieve fully autonomous operation, SAFETY SYSTEMS of developing the software behind an enormous amount of computing is Safety is paramount in any working planning the bucket’s path through THE HARDWARE required. The system is essentially environment and the autonomous the dirt. Built’s technicians monitored Those physical controls take charge planning the movement of the bucket excavator employs multiple layers to how a human carried out the various of either hydraulic or electronic-over- through the dirt to achieve a required protect everyone on site. The safety bucket operations required to deliver hydraulic (EH) ‘fly-by-wire’ systems end result. Along with this, a vision network includes onboard sensors, smooth trench floors and clean tops. and become fully integrated with the neural network — basically a virtual cameras, a virtual geofence, a physical Machine learning algorithms were then machine’s existing control system. human being with eyes and ears — is geofence and a remote and wired developed to enable the autonomous The modular nature of the system used to identify obstacles, personnel, e-stop. Built’s onboard systems also excavator to achieve the same high- means that it is machine agnostic, able and people within a given proximity have the ability to alert the machine’s quality results in a variety of soil to be retrofitted and integrated into and ensure a safety perimeter around supervisor through the software if a conditions and environmental factors. any piece of equipment, regardless of the machine is maintained when it problem is encountered. Subsequent field testing in Australia JUNE2020 AMR MINESITE AUTOMATION 51 TECHNICAL TALK In contrast, mining projects may have continually refines the process and a life of 25-years or more and, as such, improves productivity that becomes they are accustomed to spending $2-3m available for all users of the software. for studies and site level infrastructure before a vehicle is even delivered to This technology will be further site. This expenditure is not required extended into mining and construction with Built’s technology. applications which will see it become even more user-friendly in future. This benefit means most organisations Further training of project managers and can install and test technology from operators will increase the awareness Built Robotics and asses the value at and application of autonomously a much quicker pace. By leaning on controlled machines and that, in turn, past work experience in the machine will lead to more integration of the with MPC Kinetic has added greatly to This is where the autonomous excavator algorithm, Built’s software can pull technology into existing workflows. these initial algorithms, adapting new shines, because it can function at 70- on historical data to understand a job This education process will make logic controls and giving the machine 80% of the efficiency of a highly skilled site more quickly than some forms of potential users of the technology the ability to manage in different operator and at the same level as an traditional planning which can save more comfortable and aware of this conditions. For example, by using average operator, but it can maintain time and setup. technology’s unique capabilities. feedback from the onboard controls that function continuously all day long and sensors, the system can determine without breaks except for maintenance. Modern mining operations must factor Rather than replacing existing jobs with whether it is dealing with class A, B, C A Robotic Equipment Operator (REO) in human risk at every turn and this a machine, autonomous equipment or D dirt – ranging from soft sand to uses a GIS system to shoot a number of also applies to site grades and the requires training of existing personnel hard clay. Based on that feedback, way points for the required trench and operating angles of various machines. to fill new skilled jobs programming and the system can re-plan the bucket’s inputs them into the onboard system. Using autonomous equipment on site managing this new equipment. Built next pass (with integrated learning) to means that mining companies can Robotics already has partnerships with optimise its trenching performance. From there, the excavator takes over more safely deploy and manage the the International Union of Operating and will not stop until it has completed human elements of this risk, which Engineers in the US, who are adopting In a situation where particularly hard the trench or requires refueling. The often results in lower infrastructure a proactive approach to this education digging or wet ground is moving the excavator can cut straight or angled costs and less injuries for workers. and embracing new ways of working on machine during a pass, the system will trenches as required and run all day the job site. automatically reposition the excavator without supervision. At any point, its INTO THE FUTURE before its next pass to ensure it is operation can be paused and a human Long term, both MPC Kinetic and Built The emancipation of the excavator maintaining the required path of the operator can climb aboard, flick it Robotics are looking to develop this is the tip of the iceberg in the mining trench. back into manual mode and operate revolutionary platform even further, and resources sector, creating new it as normal. This eliminates the need scaling this complex and versatile opportunities for skilled employment, VALUE PROPOSITION for a dedicated machine fitted with technology to permit autonomous reduced infrastructure costs and Trenching workflow is inherently suited the autonomous system, which is a operation in even more challenging greater productivity. AMR to automation. Operating an excavator significant capital expenditure saving. weather and ground conditions and all day, digging a straight trench, is both applying it to even more machines and SOURCES Built Robotics MPC Kinetic tiring and repetitive. Skilled operators EXTRA ADVANTAGES FOR applications. Paul Kelly Richard Butler General Manager, Built Robotics Business Unit Leader are significantly under utilised in these MINING APPLICATIONS +1 (415) 343-7870 +61 7 3637 0216 applications and their talents are Trenching and civil construction projects The very nature of machine learning [email protected] [email protected] better used in more demanding and typically have a six to twelve-month life, means that no experience is ever precise applications. so this technology was developed to forgotten, so the more hours it does, easily work within quick timeframes. the more learning happens. This redefining progress MAKING THE IMPOSSIBLE, POSSIBLE... We’re passionate about the resource sector. With strong safety records and experienced From urban streets to remote locations, teams we turn pipe dreams into reality. MPC Kinetic has constructed some of the We challenge the norm, using innovation to country’s largest pipeline projects, while deliver results that exceed expectations. servicing the oil, gas and mining markets with some the most sophisticated technology in Whatever your next project, let us show you downhole assay and machinery automation. how we’re redefining progress. Let’s talk about your next project, today! www.mpckinetic.com.

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