In today’s era, the mining industry has seamlessly incorporated modern technology into its operations to enhance safety and productivity. At the forefront of these innovative transformations is Booyco Electronics, a leading provider of proximity detection solutions. Its groundbreaking product, the Booyco Electronics Asset Management System (BEAMS) software suite, is revolutionising the way mines process and evaluate captured data.
According to Anton Lourens, CEO of Booyco Electronics, the pivotal key to enhancing operations lies in centralising information from various sources, including the mine’s proximity detection system (PDS) assets data. “BEAMS acts as a single source of information, a comprehensive hub that consolidates data from both our PDS and CPS hardware and monitoring devices into a robust database,” says Lourens.
The software suite is a web-based application that not only links the PDS hardware products and the monitoring devices, but also transforms a vast amount of data into a single, comprehensible and manageable stream. This unification provides an opportunity for stakeholders to gain greater insight into various facets of the mining operation, paving the way for increased safety and productivity levels.
Detecting patterns for safety
One of the fundamental achievements of BEAMS is its ability to analyse data to detect patterns which could indicate unsafe behaviour. This functionality enables mining customers to understand potential risks and design appropriate interventions, mitigating the probability of future safety incidents.
“BEAMS helps paint a comprehensive picture of the working environment, uncovering operational issues that were previously unknown,” Lourens emphasises. By quantifying the working environment and its interactions, potential risks and bottlenecks can be identified, managed and reduced, ultimately leading to a significant boost in productivity.
By leveraging the data, BEAMS can feed a digital twin model with real-time, accurate information about the state of the mine’s assets and the environment. This comprehensive data enables a more precise and reliable digital twin that reflects the current and historical conditions of the mine.
Lourens says this allows for predictive modelling, risk analysis, and better decision-making. “With the insights provided by BEAMS, digital twin models can be utilised to their fullest potential, making them an even more powerful tool for improving safety, efficiency, and productivity in mining operations.”
Easy implementation and adaptability
BEAMS is engineered for easy implementation and adaptability. It operates on web browser platforms and can conform to various information and infrastructure environments. This flexibility allows for seamless integration into existing systems and workflows.
In addition to improving safety and productivity, BEAMS can integrate with lamp room management systems in underground mines. This feature ensures legal compliance with lamp room requirements and helps mines to effectively locate critical safety equipment such as lamps, self-contained self-rescuers, and gas instrumentation.
Customisable reporting
Lastly, BEAMS can be configured to meet the unique needs of each user, offering a standard set of reports or providing customised reporting to address specific requirements. This customisation enhances the user experience, enabling a mining operation to get the most from its data and ultimately improving safety and productivity.
“BEAMS is a powerful tool in the arsenal of any modern mining operation. By centralising information, detecting unsafe interaction patterns and providing easy implementation, adaptability, integration, and customisable reporting, it is redefining safety standards and productivity levels in the mining industry,” Lourens concludes.
