This is a screenshot from an app I made using the latest beta. This app is currently running on an iPad mini that is mounted on the dash of a 240 ton mining truck. The app records the truck’s locations at regular intervals, and also allows the operator to indicate if the truck has a problem.
Using simple rules, the app tries to determine what the truck is doing at the moment (indicated by the yellow truck). If the app is wrong, the operator can touch the right symbol to get the app in synch with the truck’s movements.
By tracking the truck’s actions over a day, the app helps determine how many haul cycles the truck completes, how long each segment of the haul is taking, where material was sourced, and where it was dumped. This helps the mine be more efficient, possibly reducing the number of trucks required on a given haul route. Operation of these trucks costs over $10,000 a day (they consume over 1200 gallons of diesel alone, before you think of operator cost and maintenance) so being able to retire a truck can save a location a lot of money.
That’s an amazing utility. Very nice looking UI too. If you’d like to share it with the wider community feel free to change this thread from the beta tag.
I assume it works by identifying whether the truck is located in pre-determined areas of the map? And whether it’s moving / stationary?
@Simeon Because the mine in question is remote, and there’s no network access along the haul route, I only apply a very simple form of geofencing. If the operator touches the loading or dumping icon, it records that location as the the shovel or dump location and uses that location to try and help determine activity. For example, stopping withing a short distance from the shovel indicates loading. That way no one has to maintain boundaries (shovel and dump locations are always moving).
Otherwise, it uses very simple rules, mostly around speed and direction. For example, if the truck is in loading status, and it sees the speed suddenly rise, the status changes to traveling. When dumping, the truck backs up, so the app looks at a string of readings to try and locate abrupt direction changes. It’s not perfect, but I’ve collected data across several days of activity and I’m using that to refine the rules.
Now I just need a new runtime, to deploy across the fleet! Very exciting.
It’s been a long time since I gave an update on these guys. Fleet Cycle is the app for trucks that follow a load - haul - dump cycle. Fleet Mobile is for other equipment (dozers, shovels, drills, utility vehicles) commonly used at mine and construction sites. Cycle is currently in the last stages of moving from an enterprise app to an App Store app after being used at sites in both the U.S. and AU. Mobile is in a smaller beta at two sites.
