Industrial RFID tags are deployed in the full production and maintenance system of mining companies

Dazhong Mining deploys industrial RFID tags and mobile handheld readers to track equipment availability and operation and maintenance records at the job site

The company specializes in iron ore and has production bases in Inner Mongolia and Anhui provinces.

Improve operational efficiency through TPM (Total Production and Maintenance System)

Equipment availability is critical to operational efficiency. In September 2020, Dazhong Company launched a new Asset MANAGEMENT system based on TnPM (total "standardized" production maintenance). This version is an expansion of the total production maintenance (TPM) popular in China.

As an approach to physical asset management, the goal of a TPM strategy is to increase the overall availability of equipment and machinery through proactive and preventive asset maintenance.

Complex operations

The extraction and transformation of iron ore involves complex workflows and various mechanical equipment.

Iron ore is an important raw material for steel production. Its extraction and transformation involve multiple processes, including crushing, grinding, magnetic separation, flotation and gravity separation. Dazhong Mining also provides iron pellets mainly used in blast furnace ironmaking and iron concentrate iron powder used in steel smelting.

The equipment and machinery used in the company's mines in Inner Mongolia are spread over a wide area, covering an area of 20 square kilometers, equivalent to 1/3 of Manhattan. The mine includes four shafts and has an annual mining capacity of 1.8 million tons of ore. Operations are further complicated by the typical operating environment at a mine: more than 900 employees, working in shifts 24 hours a day, operating more than 900 meters deep underground.

Safety and operational requirements

Dazhong Mining is required to conduct an annual inventory of all assets in the mine every year, all production equipment is inspected quarterly, and certain key equipment related to safety is inspected daily.

The huge size and area of the mining area makes manual inventory difficult and time-consuming. The annual inventory takes about 2 months to complete. Inventory personnel need to carry thick paper lists and inspect each asset one by one from the ground to the underground. Each record is updated on paper before the data is manually entered into company systems, and repetitive work can easily lead to human error and missing information.

Dazhong Mining realized that a new method was needed to accurately and effectively manage assets to achieve the goals of TPM.

CMMS data

Dazhong Mining has been looking for an RFID system to provide data for its Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS). This series of RFID tags is specially designed for on-site operations.

Each UHF RFID tag has a unique identification number, IP68 waterproof housing, and a reading range of up to 12 meters on metal surfaces (up to 6 meters on non-metallic surfaces), making it ideal for above-ground and underground asset tracking.

The label can be used on metallic and non-metallic surfaces, providing a universal labeling solution for a variety of mining equipment and machinery. The tag's rivet holes allow for secure mounting, while adhesive and zip tie mounting options are available. (View product specifications)

Track assets in the field

The field worker responsible for equipment management told us: "In the past, it usually took about 2 weeks to find, identify and record the 272 assets on site. After using the RFID system, it can be completed in less than 1 week, saving 50% of the time. At the same time The integrity and accuracy of the data are guaranteed.”

Now, on-site inventory is carried out using mobile PDAs with RFID functions. The PDA is equipped with an asset inventory app, and equipment data can be obtained in batches from a distance even in underground areas with insufficient light.

Through the successful deployment in two mines in Inner Mongolia and Anhui, Dazhong Mining plans to expand its asset management solutions to the fields of fixed assets and office equipment management to further improve the company's operational efficiency.