Following a trial of Metso Minerals' Nordberg Plant Management System at
Metso installed the remote control system on the Lokotrack LT300HP for Hanson last year to allow the company to test the advantages of the wireless communication capabilities. The system has now been extended to the LT110 primary crusher, another LT300HP and its two ST358 and ST620 mobile screens.
"We've seen how easy it is to get process information into our office computers," said Hanson unit manager Simon Swinford. "Just by logging into the Metso extranet I have access to all our machines. I can now view production tonnes, fuel consumption and effective crushing reports from all of the Metso machines in our quarry. It's a great help in monitoring how the machines are being used."
The LT110 and two LT300HP's also have the belt-way system for reporting production tonnage, and all of them are connected to the Metso PM reporting system. Tonnes per hour and cumulative tonnes are all now reported via the web interface.
The Nordberg Plant Management System collects data from the machines' control systems and transmits it wirelessly via GSM/GPRS. The heart of the system is the ACN C65 Metso data collection unit, a robust, industrial IP65-certified computer developed by Metso to operate in tough production environments. The reports produced can be opened on any computer connected to the internet, usernames and passwords guarantee security of access for all registered users.
Hanson Aggregates' Lithalun Quarry also has a service agreement with Metso and the plant management system helps service personnel to monitor data such as the running hours completed by each machine. According to Paul Allen, Metso's field service manager, it allows contractual service obligations to be scheduled well in advance.
The Nordberg Plant Management System can be installed on most Lokotrack LT mobile crushing plants and ST mobile screens equipped with IC series automation control systems. Installation can be carried out on site.
