The Need To Adapt

Goodyear UK, explores the role tyre systems are set to play in the connected mine of the future.

Over the past few years, there has been a real focus in the mining industry on working smarter. The machines have become more powerful, with higher load capacities; a development which has, naturally, prompted a host of new requirements across the supply chain. One area that has seen a particular need to adapt is tyres.

With higher load capacity inevitably comes a conversation about what the tyres in use are capable of, and how they interact with the environment in which they are operating. Sector experts also say that digitialisation has caused the industry to look again at the efficiency of tyres, and the wider benefit that they can offer. There has been a particular focus on how tyres are monitored, with new technologies developing in tandem with ground-breaking new products.

In short, there is a lot that tyre manufacturers are bringing to the mining industry, all in the name of meeting new challenges and ensuring the most efficient operations possible.

Product innovation

Choosing the right tyre is vitally important, and one of the ways that Goodyear has responded to the challenges facing the mining industry is with a new advanced range of 3*marked tyres for wheel loaders, graders, and underground

mining machines. Compared to the 2*marked range, these tyres feature a stronger radial carcass with a larger bead section and stronger ply wires. This allows for up to an 18% higher load-carrying capacity, helping to improve efficiencies through a reduction in cost-per-hour and minimising downtime, by standing up to the tough conditions faced in applications, such as underground mining.

The company’s Hi-Stability Technology, which consists of a radial sidewall construction, provides greater stability to reduce bucket sway and increase driver confidence in loading operations. Likewise, the improved stability and control help to extend the tyre’s life by minimising deflection and making it more resistant to impact.

Besides the 3*marked product, Goodyear’s full line of OTR tyres for quarry and aggregate operations provide a range of options. From the newest off-highway large haulage product line, the Goodyear RH-4A+ helps to deliver a lower operating cost per hour and high productivity in hard rock underfoot conditions. For loaders and articulated dump trucks, the Goodyear TL-3A+ has enhanced traction that makes it efficient for soft underfoot conditions. Beyond this, for specific needs, it may be beneficial to add reinforcements to the sidewall construction which supports increased vehicle loads. Altering the rubber compounds is another adjustment that will help to enhance cut protection and even help better manage heat generation to fit different types of operational journeys, such as short load and unload trajectories or loading and unloading a couple of miles further.

Figure 1. Goodyear's TL-3A+ in action.

Figure 2. Close up of Goodyear's RH4A+.

Smart solutions for demanding operations

It is not just the tyres themselves that have continuously improved in recent years. Tyre-monitoring technologies have also advanced dramatically.

The industry has come a long way from dusty drivers checking air pressure with a kick, and operators scrawling mileages by pencil in a logbook. Today, Goodyear's heavy-duty tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS Heavy Duty) can be used to support automated checks of pressure, temperature to detect under inflated tyres, air leaks and mechanical issues. This wealth of data is actually playing a much larger role in mining than originally envisioned, with a tangible impact not only on the life and performance of tyres, but also a mine’s overall productivity and profitability.

Unlike many other pieces of mining equipment, tyres travel to every part of a mine and are exposed to almost all of its terrain, weather, temperature, and light conditions. When sensors featuring GPS and accelerometers are added, and the data is analysed, there is potential for enormous impact. After all, proactive maintenance or changing a tyre if necessary before its full end-of-life can help to avoid downtime and contribute to more sustainable operations.

The data can do more than just report back on tyres, though. When Goodyear gave four months’ worth of tyre performance statistics to data scientists, in order to help improve performance, the team was able to correlate the tyre data with the GPS data collected from vehicles at a project and found that drivers would often accelerate to higher speeds, ride approximately three miles at that speed, then rapidly decelerate, only to sit in a queue to get loaded or to dump.

Previously, the focus had been solely on how that speed, load, and GPS data related to tyre wear. However, the data scientists were able to identify something that was potentially just as valuable. The team eventually concluded that the fleet in question could save between 9 – 12% in fuel consumption if the vehicles were driven at a lower speed, and drivers were trained to not accelerate or brake harshly.

Tyre pressure monitoring system

Goodyear’s own offering in the tyre-monitoring space arrived in 2018, with the launch of the TPMS Heavy Duty. Having seen the impact that such technology could have on tyres in the transportation sector, Goodyear studies show that having the right pressure at all times and carrying out proactive maintenance can result in increased uptime and working hours, and even extend the lifecycle of the tyre. It made a great deal of sense, therefore, to introduce a heavy-duty option for larger vehicles.

In one example of a fleet using four-wheel loaders, Goodyear estimated savings of over €71 000 over a five year period, using its technology. The savings in this particular case comprised: n €1100/yr from eliminating bi-monthly inflation checks. n €9700/yr by eliminating tyre disablements (historically one disablement per year). n €17 600 as a result of increased tyre life of between 10 – 15%.1

Goodyear’s TPMS Heavy Duty includes predictive capability software, which uses machine learning to perform predictive maintenance. This system uses a series of intelligent predictive algorithms, developed by Goodyear engineers, to flag potential issues before they even happen. Combined and derived from Goodyear’s Commercial Tyre and Service business, the system aims to help operators precisely identify and resolve tyre-related issues.

The main benefits of using such solutions for tyre maintenance are the potential to minimise downtime, increase tyre mileage, monitor for hazards, and improve fuel savings. There have been cases where the air pressure has slowly dropped due to a spike embedded in a mining truck’s tyre and it was spotted by the algorithm, even though the tyre pressure was well above the thresholds set by the customer. The algorithm can detect when something is slightly off with the tyre’s behaviour, in some cases as far in advance as 42 days before it would have been caught by typical processes. The system then texts the client a slow leak warning, preventing expensive downtime.

The company’s EMTrack Off-The-Road tyre performance management system is linked to a mobile phone application for easy and instant data entry with cloud-based data storage which makes information available immediately and from anywhere. EMTrack can be used by operators to manage their fleets’ tyres and rims through key metrics data management and improved maintenance to optimise their tyre investment.

Global and local miners can now use the system to compare performance data from projects in, say, Nordics and Newfoundland, and the ability to complete surveys on tablets or phones that can be instantly synced with databases can have a huge impact.

What is next?

As methods of gathering and monitoring tyre data continue to become more established in the mining industry, new technologies are constantly finding their way into the process.

For fleets that are looking to make better use of their tyres, there is Goodyear’s Total Mobility value proposition, an all-encompassing service that provides operators with a tailored package of hi-quality tyres, innovative tyre monitoring and management tools, and support with tyre-related maintenance or breakdowns from specialist staff. Having products, solutions, and support available all under one umbrella with databased decision-making often proves to be ideal for operations managers who want to keep their vehicles on the move and their tyres in the best possible shape.

It is difficult to know where the industry will go, and what challenges it may find itself facing over the coming years. What is certain, however, is that tyre systems are set to play an even larger role in the connected mine of the future.

Reference

1. Benefits verified through a real-condition test conducted by Goodyear.

Benefits can be achieved by consistently following up on pressure and temperature alerts and reports. Actual results may vary depending on utilisation conditions of the tyres, how often the tyres are replaced, driving conditions, and proper tyre maintenance.