AMIRA P1208 Project demonstrates interoperability in Mining is here
Interoperability is one of 3 core pillars of the 4th Industrial revolution, as it enables automation and optimisation of businesses across multiple specialised software applications used to support every function within a business, as well as a plug and play paradigm resulting a business being able to more rapidly and cost effectively introduce more value accretive technologies over time.
This in turn drives the innovation cycle towards high value enhancements in replace of custom integration and lower value features.
The concept is not new, but achieving interoperability requires underpinning interoperability standards that support the required information exchanges between each related process/function before it can be implemented into respective software packages.
The AMIRA P1208 Project, sponsored by mining companies FMG, South 32 and Gold Fields and executed by the UWA ERDi i4.0 team with support from mining software providers Wenco, RPM Global, Datamine, ABB, Aveva, Manufacturing Intelligence and AWS, has now proven and demonstrated that the ISA-95 standard and B2MML V7.0 + process centric events support many of the operations management information exchanges required in Mining.
The project demonstrated that Value Chain Master Data, Mine Plans, Mine Schedules, FMS actuals, drillhole, block and stockpile, crushing and Lab analysis result actuals information can be exchanged by the relevant B2MML messages for both open pit and underground operations.
This is a significant milestone in the evolution and application of interoperability standards for the mining industry as it now enables miners and software vendors to implement interoperable and automated solutions into their operations, rather than investing time into developing standards or alternatively implementing custom integrations via compensating technologies between applications, or as more commonly the case manual exchange of information between departments, teams and systems.
Now the project is complete, the ERDi TestLab team is welcoming mining companies to visit the lab for information and demonstration systems, where one can see these solutions in action and find out more about how to take advantage of this major breakthrough.
The major challenge now facing widespread adoption is knowledge required to implement.
ERDi will be working to formalise and scale education offerings in this space with the University of Western Australia (and other partners over time), however miners and METS companies alike can engage ERDi now to commence their Interoperability education journey immediately.
For more about the AMIRA project, click here: Interoperability project closes: industry benefits flow • Amira
To schedule a demonstration and Q&A or enquire about how we can support kicking off education in this space for your team, please contact Cameron Bowden at Cameron.bowden@etpartners.com.au