Supporting a seamless shift from an RFID Tag Reader System to a reliable GPS system for a resource company in Western Australia.
Background:
A leading global resource company with an operation located in Western Australia’s Pilbara region sought to enhance availability, efficiency, and accuracy in their balance stockyard machine operations. They aimed to replace their aging and unreliable RFID Tag Reader System with a GPS System for Long Travel, Luff and Slew positions.
The existing RFID system faced some limitations, including:
- Interference from metal structures and weather impacted reliability.
- RFID data processing caused delays in machine positioning updates.
- Frequent maintenance was required due to aging hardware and harsh operational conditions.
Solution:
We sought to transition the resource company’s existing RFID system to GPS as a way of improving efficiency and reliability in operations.
The process began with an analysis of machine types (Stacker and Bucket Wheel Reclaimer), as well as environment and integration needs at the site. We then customised the GPS system for hardware, software and connectivity, and once satisfied with the design, installed the hardware with dual heading receiver units and a dedicated base station.
Software was integrated with existing platforms for data processing, and testing and calibration followed for accurate reporting and reliability. As part of the project, training was also provided for operators and maintenance staff on use of the GPS system.
Outcome:
Transitioning from an RFID system to GPS offered a number of advantages. Operational visibility was improved through real-time tracking, downtime was reduced as manual RFID tag calibrations became unnecessary, and maintenance was minimised due to the durability of the GPS unit.
Through careful planning, design and testing, we were able to ensure a seamless shift for our customer to a solution that improved accuracy, efficiency, and machine availability.
