Wabtec Mining Solutions
Wabtec (NYSE: WAB) is a leading global provider of equipment, systems, digital solutions, and value-added services for the transportation industry. They lead in safety, efficiency, reliability, innovation, and productivity. Experts in what they do, Wabtec has over 100 years of experience in mining. They also service the freight, transit, industrial, and marine industries.
Services provider
Wabtec
Software
GpsGate
The challenge
Keep thousands of surface mining workers - and millions of dollars of equipment - safe around the clock.
Prevent accidents by managing vehicle interaction risk between large heavy mobile equipment, light vehicles, and personnel.
The solution
Integrate GpsGate with in-vehicle and personnel proximity detection technology and mine site controls.
Project components: custom maps, geofences, alerts, system integration, and fleet data analysis.
The benefits
24/7 visibility into all vehicle traffic in the mine for:
- accident prevention
- safer working conditions
- keeping expensive equipment operational
- actionable insights to improve mine operations
In-depth study
Mining is an industry that presents challenges managing vehicle interaction risk between large heavy mobile equipment, light vehicles, and personnel. Wabtec provides comprehensive mining solutions with GpsGate as a key component. Each day, they keep thousands of surface mining workers - and millions of dollars of equipment - safe.
Surface mines are huge and complex operations. Thousands of workers are on site. The equipment is mixed from light vehicles (pickup trucks and other ‘typical’ vehicles) to large heavy mobile equipment. This massive equipment includes haul trucks plus excavators, graders (for creating new roads and routes in the mine), and other heavy equipment for digging and drilling. A sophisticated mining fleet management system is required.
It is crucial that accidents are prevented before they happen. Any accident can mean significant damages, potential fatalities, and a very costly stop in production.
Wabtec uses GpsGate's fleet management software integrated with in-vehicle and personnel proximity detection technology and mine site controls to ensure safety for all workers and equipment. The system includes system integrations with mine site controls, equipment and personnel tracking, proximity detection and alerting, and custom ArcGIS map and geofences.
"GpsGate's platform uniquely meets our stringent requirements. They have the systems integrations, security, and customization that we need from our partners. GpsGate is a key component in our safe mining system. We help protect thousands of workers and millions of dollars of equipment every minute of the day with our system."
Tracking equipment
All equipment on the mine site is tracked. This includes the light vehicles, many of which are pickup trucks that laymen consider large. It also includes the heavy mobile equipment (see the stats on haul trucks above for an idea of how large this equipment is!) critical to mine operations. Mine Operations monitors the fleet in real-time using GpsGate when network coverage is available.
Custom maps and geofences
Mining sites are dynamic environments with frequent changes. From day-to-day and week-to-week, the roads and routes can be different. Traditional maps don’t work, so Wabtec uses custom ESRI ArcGIS maps. After updating the maps, they create geofences for routes and mine areas.
Proximity detection and alerting
The large heavy equipment, light vehicles, and personnel must always maintain a safe distance from each other. This is crucial in preventing collisions and accidents. Using real-time proximity and geofence-based rules, Wabtec can alert mine operations about any areas of concern. Immediate action can be taken to clear the situation and prevent future concerns.
System integration
GpsGate is integrated to Wabtec’s existing mine controls. This provides a 360° view of mine operations and a bespoke system to improve vehicle interaction safety.
Fleet analysis
By monitoring the full fleet, Wabtec has a wealth of data for both real-time operations and strategic management. The mine operations department is alerted to areas of concern. They can use these actionable insights to improve safety. Detailed fleet data analysis lets Wabtec improve traffic management compliance and vehicle interaction safety.
