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Retain or Replace? Open Autonomy and the Mixed Fleet Advantage

Retain or replace? It’s a defining question for mining operations pursuing autonomy. This blog explores how open autonomy enables mines to preserve capital by retrofitting their existing mixed fleets, rather than writing off valuable assets for a standardized approach. From cost avoidance and operational continuity to enhanced supplier leverage and long-term flexibility, the advantages of mixed fleet retention run deep. While integration complexity is real, the payoff—both immediate and strategic—makes open autonomy a smarter path forward for most established operations navigating digital transformation.

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Operator situational awareness: increasing performance and safety through user interface design

Operator situational awareness: increasing performance and safety through user interface design

In the design of the GUI we are optimizing the operator's Situational Awareness. Situational Awareness (SA) is being aware of what is happening around you and understanding how information, events, and your own actions will impact your goals and objectives. We ...
High precision GPS and machine guidance software for complex ore bodies

High precision GPS and machine guidance software for complex ore bodies

To be successful in today's mining industry, mines increasingly have to target very specific ore qualities and High Precision GPS is the solution that makes it all possible. Current HP-GPS solutions now link high precision GPS software on the equipment, and high precision ...
Technology helps steer mines through the skills shortage

Technology helps steer mines through the skills shortage

One in three of these workers will retire in the next decade. On top of that, fewer and fewer workers stay in the industry long-term, opting instead for jobs in other sectors. The result? A lack of low-level workers who build knowledge and move into senior positions — a process ...
Drill Navigation: The Basics and What We Offer

Drill Navigation: The Basics and What We Offer

The Wenco Drill Navigation system helps the machine operator be able to quickly and precisely move the drill to each hole location in the pattern. In doing so, the system eliminates the need for tedious field survey work and delays in laying out planned drill patterns. Setup of ...
How accurate is high-precision machine guidance?

How accurate is high-precision machine guidance?

Many factors play a role in determining a machine's position accuracy. First and foremost, which part of the machine are you trying to measure?On dozers, our BenchManager machine guidance system measures the machine's elevation at track level. Track elevation tells us ...
The best way to reverse the mining downturn in 2015

The best way to reverse the mining downturn in 2015

A new year often sparks a new round of trendspotting for the year to come, even in the mining industry. The Big Four auditing firms have all chimed in with their predictions for mining in 2015. While Deloitte, PwC, EY, and KPMG each have their own thoughts on the state of the ...
The most important thing to remember about project management

The most important thing to remember about project management

Almost everything we do is a project of sorts. The Project Management Institute (PMI) says a project is "a temporary endeavour to create a unique product, service or result." With this in mind, a project can be something as small as starting a blog or something as complicated as ...
Want better dispatch? Share data from crushers

Want better dispatch? Share data from crushers

When dispatching, mines have different priorities. While some sites strive to keep their shovel use balanced, others just want to reduce equipment wait times. Regardless of these preferences, every site wants a consistent grade of ore delivered to the plant as efficiently as ...
One smart trick that helps operators hit their targets every time

One smart trick that helps operators hit their targets every time

Mine managers need help. They're pulled in a thousand directions every day and they're still on the hook to keep their site performing better all the time. Even with a technological edge, they can only do so much. It's just not enough for mine managers alone to track KPIs ...
Dozer push — the machine KPI your mine forgot about

Dozer push — the machine KPI your mine forgot about

Dozers, scrapers, graders — every site has them, every site needs them. But while managers are closely monitoring the haul cycle, tracking these other machines can fall by the wayside. It makes sense. These units don't contribute directly to the bottom line. Still, dozers ...
How Other Mines Stay Excellent — Even in a Down Market

How Other Mines Stay Excellent — Even in a Down Market

It's little surprise that Deloitte's annual Tracking the Trends report says operational excellence is the industry's top issue for 2016. As most mines have exhausted their quick wins, they need to eliminate any lasting inefficiencies to stay profitable.
Why most corporate training stinks

Why most corporate training stinks

Earlier this month, Wenco released its latest mine performance solution, Wenco Learning. This online learning system was built in conjunction with corporate training consultants PRIME Learning. We sat down with their director of corporate development, Alanna Dean, ...
New technology to solve old problems, like mine productivity

New technology to solve old problems, like mine productivity

It's an old issue, but it's one mines are always looking to address. How can they make better use of their current equipment? How can they move more material in less time — without spending big bucks? Technology has always put forth solutions.
Think tire temperature matters most? Think again.

Think tire temperature matters most? Think again.

With tires forming one of mining's top costs, of course mines are careful to track tire temperature. But, what if tracking tire temperature matters less than mines thought? Tire specialist Adam Gosling thinks just that. He represents TyreSafe Australia, a consulting firm that ...
Iron ore — a holiday surprise for the mining industry

Iron ore — a holiday surprise for the mining industry

One commodity is seeing a turnaround and giving mines a welcome holiday surprise — good, ol' iron ore. A lot of miners had written off iron ore years ago, thinking only the lowest grade material still sat in the ground. But in a sharp surprise, iron has taken off in late 2016, ...
4 wild innovations Deloitte thinks will change mining forever

4 wild innovations Deloitte thinks will change mining forever

Deloitte published its annual Tracking the Trends report a few weeks back and it's chockful of predictions for the industry's coming year. For 2017, it makes one thing crystal clear: Technology and automation matter more than ever. Computers and other technology have been ...
Can cloud computing work for mining?

Can cloud computing work for mining?

As in other industries, cloud computing can bring big advantages to the extractive industries. Using cloud-based technology lets all your mines — whether in Alberta or Angola — connect to the same integrated systems as your office. Mines can input their data and generate ...
The importance of excellent employees

The importance of excellent employees

In light of our 30 years in business, we thought it would be fitting to show off one of our many wonderful employees. Linton Gormley, our Senior Technical Support Analyst, has been with us for 10 years.
How Hitachi and Wenco join forces to revolutionize the mining industry

How Hitachi and Wenco join forces to revolutionize the mining industry

Sure, you know Wenco is a major innovator in mining technology. You know our fleet management systems (FMS) are one of the easiest ways to rein in your mine's cost of production. You know our latest solutions employ leading-edge technology that continues to raise mine ...
Wenco's Vice-President of Research and Development Discusses Advancements in Mining, Predictive Maintenance, and Data Analysis

Wenco's Vice-President of Research and Development Discusses Advancements in Mining, Predictive Maintenance, and Data Analysis

Wenco's Vice-President of Research and Development sat down with Hitachi America last month for an in-depth discussion around challenges and opportunities to uncover more value from mine systems data.
System 6 Spotlight #1: How Wenco reimagines mine monitoring and control

System 6 Spotlight #1: How Wenco reimagines mine monitoring and control

With the release of System 6 last week, Wenco lays a path to next-level performance for modern mines. Years of research and development in partnership with forward-thinking companies has resulted in this comprehensive suite of solutions one that resets the bar ...
Not ROI, but rate of ROI key to profitability in 2020

Not ROI, but rate of ROI key to profitability in 2020

The global economic instability caused by the pandemic has frustrated industry forecasting. In both cases, the outlook for the next couple of years is hazy at best. So, what can mines do to maximize their long-term profitability?
Why Mining Companies Should Take Note of the Gartner Industrial IoT Platform Magic Quadrant

Why Mining Companies Should Take Note of the Gartner Industrial IoT Platform Magic Quadrant

In October, Gartner published its 2020 Magic Quadrant for Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) Platforms report, in which it recognized Hitachi as a Leader in the market. Hitachi's placement in the Leaders quadrant of the 2020 Magic Quadrant for Industrial IoT ...