Fleet Management Software for Mining Operations
When a customer, renowned worldwide for the high-quality fleets and mining equipment they provide to clients globally, came to us with a unique challenge, Experion rose to the occasion. The customer needed a fleet management software solution that would function effectively in the unique mining environment, which has extremely limited connectivity. The team at Experion devised an inventive solution – building both the software and hardware from scratch to meet these specific needs.
The solution not only served our customer’s purpose but also became an optimizer and enhancer for their clients’ businesses. Read on to learn how we achieved this.
The Client
Our client is an international pioneer and leader in automobile and truck manufacturing in Europe, with over 75 years of expertise in the field. With 2000+ dealers and customer service points, operations in over ten countries, and an established presence in over 100 markets, the client also supplies fleets and mining equipment to both government and privately-owned mines.
The Challenge
The company provided the fleets necessary for the operation of mines in a country in the APAC region, with a 2–3-year warranty on the vehicles. Due to the lack of a proper software, trucks were often overloaded, leading to excessive wear and tear on the suspension mechanisms. This resulted in an exponential increase in warranty expenses. Furthermore, hours spent waiting in queues at excavation sites caused significant fuel inefficiencies, impacting overall profitability.
To combat these issues, our client sought a fleet management software that would allow for real-time tracking of its trucks, even in underground environments where traditional GPS technology fails. They needed an intelligent, GPS-free solution to ensure the highest level of safety and efficiency for mining operations.
Our Solution
Experion’s solution was to develop an IoT-based mining fleet management software that optimized the end customer’s mining operations. This solution improved the lifespan and efficiency of the fleet provided by the client.
Team Experion developed a LoRa (Long Range) WAN solution to tackle connectivity issues inside remote mines. The LoRa system, using low power, offered a long range of up to 15 kilometers in rural areas and higher bandwidth than other IoT technologies. Additionally, a customized web application was created using multilateral logic to calculate the truck’s location relative to the gateway position, enabling real-time tracking. The project also involved the development of two hardware components specifically designed for the mining environment.
The software featured automated queue management and active truck assignment, significantly reducing idling time. Another web-based application was developed to supervise the fleet using real-time telematics. This enabled live tracking of trucks and excavators, automatic assigning of trucks to loading sites based on real-time queues, and generating detailed management and operational reports.
The LoRa-based end nodes installed in the trucks and excavators facilitated communication between drivers and the control hub, synchronizing operations across the fleet.
Standout Features of the Fleet Management Software
- GPS-independent geolocation computation using the LoRa WAN technique.
- Bespoke IoT devices installed in mining trucks and excavators.
- Transceivers set up along the mining site perimeter to enable seamless communication.
- A Control Room application with a dashboard view of live truck locations.
- Instant messaging functionality for truck drivers, integrated within the software.
Business Impact
- Turnaround time of fleet operations improved by 18% due to the efficient fleet management software.
- Fleet utilization became 23% more efficient.
- Truck idle time reduced by 17%.
- Warranty claims decreased, reducing associated costs.
- The client’s fleets now have a competitive differentiator in the market.
- Enhanced fuel efficiency and lower maintenance costs.
- The team working on this project won a global innovation award, highlighting the impact of the advanced software.