Bucyrus has developed a fully-integrated automation system for longwall shearers, which is said to provide optimal operation under all mining conditions by taking coal clearance and roof support into account.
Bucyrus says it pioneered the state-based automation method for longwall shearers in 2004. The technology was first introduced at a coal mine in the Hunter Valley in March that year.
According to Bucyrus, its competitors only released what they also refer to as state-based automation last year. These systems are designed to supplement the older 'memory cut' repetition automation and 'copy-cat’ automation systems.
The Programmable Mining Control family (PMC) and its network allows the Bucyrus shearer automation to adjust the cut cycle based on other factors. For example, if the pump system for roof supports is improved and the snake pushes faster, customers automatically achieve a better shear cycle.
Bucyrus claims this is not possible with state-based shearer automation alone.
According to the developer, productivity at the Hunter Valley mine increased more than 20% from 1892 t per hour up to 2315 t per hour.
Bucyrus says as of 2008, four of the top five producers in Australia were using Bucyrus EL3000 shearers with state-based shearer automation.