At a glance
- Trakblaze’s MVS revolutionises volumetric measurement in rail and mining industries.
- Mobile, accurate, and versatile: MVS offers solutions for load, compliance, and safety.
- Enhance efficiency and productivity with MVS in rail and mining operations.
The rail and mining industries play a vital role in global transportation and resource extraction. These industries rely on accurate volumetric measurements to ensure efficient operations and maximise productivity.
However, traditional methods of volume measurement have their limitations, leading to the need for innovative solutions.
In this article, we will explore the challenges faced in volume measurement for rail and mining applications and delve into the broad functional applications of the Mobile Volumetric Scanner (MVS) in both industries.
Understanding the Rail Industry
The rail industry is a critical component of the transportation sector, facilitating the movement of goods and passengers over long distances.
Additionally, accurate volumetric measurements are essential in ensuring the safe and efficient operation of rail systems. From determining the load capacity of vehicles to calculating freight charges, precise volume measurement is crucial for various aspects of rail operations.
Importance of Accurate Volumetric Measurements in Rail Operations
Accurate volumetric measurements in rail operations are essential for several reasons. Firstly, these measurements enable operators to determine the maximum load capacity of rails, ensuring that they are not overloaded, which can lead to safety risks and damage to infrastructure.
Secondly, precise volume measurements are crucial for calculating freight charges, as they are often based on the volume of goods being transported.
Finally, accurate volumetric measurements help optimise the utilisation of rail infrastructure and resources, leading to increased efficiency and cost savings.
Current Challenges in Volume Measurement for Rail Applications
Traditional methods of volume measurement in the rail industry have their limitations.
- Time-Consumption and Labour-Intensity: Manual measurements require significant time and labour, making them inefficient.
- Prone to Human Error: Manual methods are susceptible to inaccuracies due to human error.
- Lack of Mobility and Flexibility: Fixed volumetric scanners provide accurate measurements but are stationary and cannot be easily moved to meet changing operational needs, limiting their applicability.
Understanding the Mining Industry
The mining industry plays a crucial role in the extraction of valuable resources such as minerals, coal, and metals. Accurate volumetric measurements are essential in mining operations for various purposes, including inventory management, production tracking, and load optimisation.
Importance of Volumetric Measurements in Mining Operations
Firstly, they enable accurate inventory management by providing real-time data on the volume of extracted materials. This information helps mining companies track their production and plan their operations accordingly.
Secondly, precise volume measurements facilitate load optimisation, ensuring that transport vehicles are not under or overfilled, leading to improved efficiency and cost savings.
Finally, volumetric measurements are crucial for compliance with regulatory requirements, as mining companies need to accurately report the volume of extracted materials.
Current Challenges in Volume Measurement for Mining Applications
The mining industry faces several challenges when it comes to volume measurement.
- Accuracy Issues: Manual measurements and fixed volumetric scanners lack precision, leading to potential inaccuracies in volume estimation.
- Efficiency Problems: Manual measurement processes are time-consuming and can significantly slow down operations.
- Limited Mobility: Fixed scanners cannot be easily relocated, making them less adaptable to changing operational needs or environments within the mine.
- Need for Innovative Solutions: There’s a critical demand for new technologies that offer accurate, efficient, and flexible volumetric measurements to address these challenges.
Introducing the Mobile Volumetric Scanner (MVS)
Volumetric load scanning is still a fairly new technology for the mining and rail industries. Trakblaze pioneered this payload management technology and is now the industry standard for volumetric scanning processes. The question remains, how does it work, and can it be accurate?
Overview of MVS
The MVS is a portable and versatile solution for measuring volumetric loads in trucks and trains.
Volumetric load scanners can measure load volumes in real-time whilst also can have the versatility of being mobile and, therefore, easily locatable to any required location.
Initially, the truck is measured before any load is in the truck, and then the data is compared with a second scan of the truck after the material has been loaded.
The scanner consists of a two-stage lifting boom and a complete set of outrigger legs, stability guy ropes, and lockout positions to ensure stability during the scanning process.
How Does MVS Work?
The MVS operates by scanning the truck or train before and after the material is loaded. By comparing the two scans, the volume of the load can be accurately calculated.
The scanner can be easily relocated to any desired location, enabling flexibility and convenience in volumetric measurements.
Key Features of MVS
The MVS offers several key features that make it an ideal solution for volume measurement in the rail and mining industries. These features include
RFID Tags
All trucks can be fitted with RFID tags, which are automatically recorded and assigned to the corresponding load data.
This enables easy tracking of payload data and enhances fleet management.
ANPR Integration
For sites with vehicles with registration numbers and plates, the MVS can be linked to an Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) system, providing additional data tracking capabilities.
Touchscreen Interface
The MVS is equipped with a user-friendly touchscreen interface, allowing operators to easily operate the scanner and view the scan results in real-time.
Compatibility
The MVS is compatible with various operating systems, including iOS and Android, making it accessible and easy to integrate into existing systems.
Quick Deployment
Can be rapidly deployed and set up, making them ideal for urgent or time-sensitive applications.
Real-Time Processing
Immediate Results: Allows for real-time or near-real-time processing and analysis of the scanned data, facilitating quicker decision-making and immediate action.
With its mobility, accuracy, and user-friendly interface, the MVS revolutionises volume measurement in the rail and mining industries, providing a versatile solution for various applications.
Applications of MVS in the Rail Industry
The MVS offers a wide range of applications in the rail industry, providing accurate and efficient volume measurements for various scenarios. Let’s explore some of these applications:
Load Capacity Determination
One crucial application of the MVS in the rail industry is load capacity determination. By accurately measuring the volume of train (open-wagons), the MVS enables operators to determine the maximum load capacity, ensuring that the wagons are not overloaded.
This helps prevent safety risks, damage to infrastructure, and non-compliance with regulatory requirements.
Freight Charge Calculation
Precise volume measurements are essential for calculating freight charges in the rail industry. By accurately measuring the volume of goods being transported, the MVS enables operators to calculate the charges based on the actual volume, ensuring fairness and accuracy in pricing.
Production Tracking
Efficient production tracking is crucial in the rail industry to monitor and optimise operations. The MVS provides real-time volume measurements, allowing operators to track the production of goods accurately. This information helps in planning and resource allocation, leading to increased efficiency and productivity.
Infrastructure Optimisation
Optimising rail infrastructure is essential for efficient operations. The MVS enables operators to accurately measure the volume of goods transported, allowing them to optimise the utilisation of rail infrastructure and resources. This leads to cost savings, improved operational efficiency, and reduced environmental impact.
Applications of MVS in the Mining Industry
The MVS also finds extensive applications in the mining industry, providing accurate volume measurements for various purposes.
Let’s explore some of these applications:
Inventory Management
Accurate inventory management is crucial in mining operations to track the volume of extracted materials. The MVS provides real-time volume measurements, enabling mining companies to have up-to-date information on their inventory. This helps in planning production, managing stock levels, and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.
Load Optimisation
Efficient load optimisation is essential in mining operations to maximise productivity and minimise costs. The MVS enables accurate volume measurements of loaded trucks, ensuring that they are neither under filled nor overfilled. This leads to improved efficiency, reduced fuel consumption, and cost savings.
Compliance with Regulations
Mining companies need to comply with various regulations regarding the volume of extracted materials. The MVS provides accurate and reliable volume measurements, allowing mining companies to meet regulatory requirements and avoid penalties. This ensures transparency and accountability in the mining industry.
Safety and Risk Management
Accurate volume measurements play a crucial role in safety and risk management in mining operations. By ensuring that trucks are not overloaded, the MVS helps prevent safety risks, equipment damage, and accidents. This promotes a safer working environment for miners and reduces the potential for costly incidents.
Why choose Trakblaze MVS?
Trakblaze MVS is the most flexible and portable solution for measuring trucks (up to 150 t) and train (open wagon) volume. Our permanent systems can scan trucks up to a maximum weight of over 300 tons.
As a result of volumetric scanning technology, you might wonder whether traditional scale systems are obsolete or at least less necessary.
Even as there is no denying the practical and time-tested usefulness of mining scales, which Trakblaze has no intention of eliminating from production, volumetric scanning systems are increasingly becoming a valuable addition to your operations, especially when used in conjunction with scales.
With a volumetric load scanner from Trakblaze, you can expect to gain the following benefits:
- Load scanners can work reliably in almost any condition, delivering reliable results and superior performance.
- Real-time production tracking
- The speed at which a volumetric mining scanner records data allows your operations to be more efficient than ever before.
- Matching and verification of shovel and haulage assets
As far as user-friendliness is concerned, the volumetric load scanner operating system is simple to operate and includes many convenient features, such as touchscreen operation, cloud data sharing, and compatibility with iOS and Android operating systems.
If you’re considering using volumetric scanning to measure truck or rail vehicles, Trakblaze now offers both truck volumetric scanners (TVS) and rail volumetric scanners (RVS). You can integrate volumetric scanners with weigh-in-motion scales to get a better understanding of your loads. Visit the Trakblaze website to find out more and discover the best weighing and measurement solutions for your business.
