It’s no surprise to anyone in the aggregates industry that simple mistakes or hold-ups in the processing stream can harm operating costs per ton/tonne and delay production. But still to this day we rely on our already busy managers and supervisors to drive around our sites to find and fix costly problems.
To solve a problem, you must first see the problem
Managers and supervisors can’t be everywhere simultaneously and solve problems as they arise ... or can they? Well, with InsightHQ by Loadrite, you can now see all your operations data in one place, in real time, from anywhere.
InsightHQ is a quarry reporting portal that gives you visibility of your production processes as they happen.
Historically, we would see site supervisors driving around, ensuring the haul cycle had sufficient trucks, and that the material being extracted was suitable for crushing and production. Processing plants would have plant staff and a production manager ensuring that the plant was well maintained and viewed consistently to ensure no issues would occur during production. Belt yields were taken manually by having a loader capture minute long buckets and multiplying over the hour to work out TPH (tons/tonnes per hour). Typically, most sites would not have dedicated loaders to carry this out at the same time as general loader tasks, so overall TPH is never accurate.
Using InsightHQ takes the guesswork out of the process and gives you accurate data from excavators, wheel loaders, haul trucks and conveyor belts. InsightHQ collects the data from machinery and equipment fitted with Loadrite scales in near real time in a single dashboard while applying context to the data.
Seeing operational data near real time and running production and processing reports from within InsightHQ allows the user to ensure that all the cogs of the operation are turning and that key areas are performing to optimum levels.
See the problem, fix the problem!
Every materials processing company will experience problems in specific areas of its operations at some stage. Typical problems that can occur include:
Loading: Loadout pile not organized, no truck to load.
Haul truck: long queues, long loading time, poor haul road design.
Processing plant: Running out of material (black belting), not enough material, too much recirculation.
Screening: Insufficient flow, incorrect screening matter, blockages.
Clearing: Not enough loaders, material overflowing, contamination.
Stockpiling: Not enough space, long distance, vehicle interactions.
With InsightHQ, you no longer need to drive around and physically watch what’s happening. You can monitor all critical areas of your operation from your desk or wherever you happen to be.
It’s like having extra eyes on your operation so you can take action quickly and kick problems to the curb before they mount up.
So, how does the dashboard work?
The InsightHQ dashboard is a collection of widgets and data points focused on the areas of your operation you want to see. You can easily configure your dashboard to show specific areas of the production stream in near real time. Having the ability to see issues early means you can act early and there are no surprises at the end of the shift.
Notifications and alerts
You can view your dashboard on a laptop or on your mobile. But of course, you can’t spend all day watching your dashboard – and you don’t need to. InsightHQ sends you notifications and alerts when things go off track. You won’t get pinged all day, either. All limits are set by the user and are personalized to your specific operation or what you want to focus on.
Proven to work
The InsightHQ dashboard has been designed and tested by people in the business so you can have confidence that it works and will help you optimize your operational productivity and efficiency.
Matt Stone is Loadrite’s Aggregates Applications Specialist. He’s a qualified Quarry Manager with 21 years of operational experience.
“The visibility Insight HQ provides is unreal, if only I had this during my time. Having taken the role at Loadrite, I have a commitment to our Industry and our leaders to ensure that what we produce is fit for purpose and does what it says it will.”