On Monday, April 14, the results of the Fondef project “Remote monitoring of wear in mining shovel GETs” were presented. The project was led by Dr. Sebastián Allende, a researcher at the Faculty of Science and the Center for the Development of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (Cedenna).
The initiative involved the companies Foremin and Dipper Parts, and was supported by the Vice-Rector’s Office for Research, Innovation and Creation (Vriic), through its Technology Management Department (DGT).
The event was attended by Dr. Alberto Monsalve, Vice-Rector for Research, Innovation, and Creation, and members of Cedenna’s executive and research teams, led by Dr. Juliano Casagrande, Director of the Center’s Program.
They were joined by Khaled Awad, head of ANID’s Strategic Management Department; Patricio Osorio, commercial and innovation manager at Foremin; Xaviera Hernández, technology transfer manager at the DGT; and Jessica Catalán, financial executive for project management at the DGT, among others.
Solution for the Mining Industry
The meeting aimed to present the challenges, methodologies, and main results of the R&D project, which seeks to solve one of the major operational problems in mining: the wear and tear of GETs (Ground Engaging Tools), steel parts that cover the bucket of mining shovels and protect it during extraction.
“GETs break off due to material fatigue and can reach the primary crusher, causing unscheduled shutdowns with millions in losses for the industry,” explained Dr. Allende.
Faced with this problem, the research team developed wireless sensors capable of detecting detachment and alerting operators by sending real-time information via a digital communication platform. This makes it possible to anticipate failures and schedule the removal or replacement of parts in advance.
Technological Advances and Validation
The results were presented by researcher Dr. Álvaro Espejo, who discussed the wear measurement methods that were evaluated.
In addition, the researcher presented the electronic design of the wear sensor that is coupled to the detachment sensor and the development of the software that allows direct measurement of functional wear. According to the academic, all this work has made it possible to generate a prototype of the monitoring system, which has reached a level of technological maturity close to TRL 6.
The event concluded with a presentation by Dr. Omar Daud, who highlighted other relevant milestones such as the patent application in Chile and the United States, which seeks to protect the technology; the close collaboration with the companies Foremin and Dipper Parts; and the scientific output generated during the research.