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R.O.L.F
Feb 7, 2011 10:24:27 GMT -5
Post by John on Feb 7, 2011 10:24:27 GMT -5
No, not Harris!!
For the uninitiated it stands for Remotely Operated Longwall Face.
Never saw the real thing face to face, but I recall we did an advanced apprentice course at the training centre on ROLF in the early to mid 60's.
Did it work??? NO! Technology was against it, but the NCB in it's deep pocket wisdom spent millions on trying to prove it could work.
In essence it was a good idea, get men out of the danger zone and operate the face from the main gate end.
It's failings were seam anomalies, sensor problems and just lack of mining understanding by the developers.
It was installed at a number of collieries throughtout the UK, with more set up in Nottinghamshire pits. Ollerton and Bevercotes come to mind as two Notts pits where it was tried.
From what we were led to understand the Manager at Ollerton had it removed as it was affecting his monthly production targets.
Even today, well more so with thicker seams being worked and huge ranging drum shearers being used, I doubt it's feasible.
Having driven a shearer for many hours, it still requires a human watching the cutting plane both at the lead end and tail end of the machine to make subtle depth cut alterations.
Full control of the chocks today would most likely be possible with todays new range of sensing equipment. BUT, I doubt the shearer drivers would be safe with automated roof supports operating in close proximity to them.
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R.O.L.F
Feb 7, 2011 15:10:05 GMT -5
Post by Sam from Kent on Feb 7, 2011 15:10:05 GMT -5
I really couldn't see this happening in Kent. Without someone driving the shearer I dread to mthink where it would end up!
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R.O.L.F
Feb 7, 2011 16:02:57 GMT -5
Post by Wheldale on Feb 7, 2011 16:02:57 GMT -5
I believe at Bevercoates that Prince Phillip pushed the button for the first ROLF operation, story goes that coal was put on the belts as it didnt work right. Philip pushed the button and hey presto coal came off the face!! Little did he know it was all a show!
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R.O.L.F
Feb 7, 2011 16:14:54 GMT -5
Post by John on Feb 7, 2011 16:14:54 GMT -5
I recall being told in the late 60's that coal was shipped from Cotgrave to one of the north Notts pits to load the AFC on a ROLF face as the NCB Area Director was showing a load of mining engineers from abroad how good UK mining technology was. Of course, nobody is allowed on the face while it's cutting...  Could have been Ollerton, too long ago now. He probably did Wheldale, but it was all smoke and mirrors... or should that be pre start alarms and flashing lights on the console.. ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D If it had been feasible then, nearly every longwall would be operating today with one man at the gate end, or probably in the surface control room today. Closest we had to it was the Dowty "Dowvalve" packs on each of the Dowty chockshields. From one point, you can advance the conveyor for several chock lengths, and then bring in a batch of six chocks by one button push, of course they only do one at any one time. That's about as close as it gets. I used to teach new miners how to operate the roof supports. |
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R.O.L.F
Feb 7, 2011 18:09:55 GMT -5
Post by Sam from Kent on Feb 7, 2011 18:09:55 GMT -5
Talking about Prince Philip pushing the button reminded me of when Derek Ezra visited Tilmanstone. I was on nights and came out to catch the manrider to find it was in pit bottom having been freshly painted for his visit, so I had to walk in a foul temper until I got to pit bottom and them I walked all over the the freshly painted manrider seats. That day he apparently told us we all had to work harder and when he had crawled to the Tail Gate it was too hot for him and he had to be stretchered out of the pit. It was on the 6 o'clock news that night. Whilst he was being carried out his boots were removed and someone pinched them!!!
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R.O.L.F
Feb 11, 2013 14:04:25 GMT -5
Post by John on Feb 11, 2013 14:04:25 GMT -5
Reading around the net, there seems to be a lot of people who believe ROLF was a success during it's time.
If it had been, where were the ROLF faces in the 1970's to the demise of the NCB/BC and where were all the ROLF faces in highly productive Australian and US collieries?
Well the truth of the matter is the NCB had a good misinformation unit who BS'd the media.
Those of us who worked with ROLF or like me were instructed on it's electronics know the true story
The idea came along too early, sensors were not available that were accurate, technology hadn't progressed to computers that could cope with all the data needed to operate a faceline automatically.
ROLF is now available with one operator in a control room, cost must be humungous though!!
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R.O.L.F
Feb 12, 2013 8:23:52 GMT -5
Post by John on Feb 12, 2013 8:23:52 GMT -5
I was reading more on ROLF yesterday, there's a good article from a feller who was involved with R.O.L.F development from it's beginnings to the end as en electronics/computer engineer with the NCB.
He concurs with all my statements and more. He stated ROLF was an impossible venture way back in the 60's as he didn't have the computer power to evaluate data at the face, ie for shearer horizon control and chock performance, and his other "bugbear" was sensors, that just couldn't handle face conditions.
ROLF was abandoned in the late 60's and placed in the "too hard" bin.
As I've stated, it was a good idea, but technologically impossible back in the 60's.
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R.O.L.F
Feb 12, 2013 8:30:14 GMT -5
Post by dazbt on Feb 12, 2013 8:30:14 GMT -5
I was reading more on ROLF yesterday, there's a good article from a feller who was involved with R.O.L.F development from it's beginnings to the end as en electronics/computer engineer with the NCB.
He concurs with all my statements and more. He stated ROLF was an impossible venture way back in the 60's as he didn't have the computer power to evaluate data at the face, ie for shearer horizon control and chock performance, and his other "bugbear" was sensors, that just couldn't handle face conditions.
ROLF was abandoned in the late 60's and placed in the "too hard" bin.
As I've stated, it was a good idea, but technologically impossible back in the 60's. Is there a link to the above mentioned article? |
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R.O.L.F
Feb 12, 2013 9:04:00 GMT -5
Post by John on Feb 12, 2013 9:04:00 GMT -5
I'm embarrassed to say I never made a note of it, but I'm going through yesterdays browsing history to re find it.
Meantime, here's some more NCB BS the media of the day were given about ROLF....LOL
Taken from ITN Source and dated 10th July 1965.....Incidently, when I finished with the NCB in 1968, Bevercotes was using fully manned faces........ ;D
I+Add to Clipbin $+Add to Order
Story
THE WORLD'S FIRST FULLY-AUTOMATED MINE IS STARTING PRODUCTION THIS MONTH AT RETFORD, NOTTINGHAMSHIRE, IN THE MIDLANDS REGION OF ENGLAND. BEVERCOTES COLLIERY WILL PROVIDE COAL FOR TWO LARGE ELECTRICITY GENERATING STATIONS NEARBY, EACH CONSUMING SEVERAL MILLION TONS ANNUALLY.
YESTERDAY (FRIDAY) DELEGATES TO THE FOURTH INTERNATIONAL MINING CONGRESS IN LONDON INSPECTED BEVERCOTES COLLIERY AND THE REMOTE-CONTROL METHODS NOW BEING USED THERE.
THE COLLIERY WILL PRODUCE SIX THOUSAND TONS OF COAL A DAY. IT WILL BE CUT FROM NARROW SEAMS THREE THOUSAND FEET (910 METRES) BELOW THE SURFACE, AND THE ENTIRE MINING PROCESS WILL NOT ONCE REQUIRE ANY OF THE COAL TO BE MANHANDLED.
THE ACTUAL MINING WILL BE DONE BY A SYSTEM KNOWN AS ROLF (REMOTE OPERATED LONGWALL FACE), WHICH HAS ALREADY BEEN TRIED OUT AT TWO OTHER MIDLANDS COLLIERIES FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS. IT IS A COMBINATIONS OF A MECHANICAL DIGGING MACHINE AND A ROBOT PIT PROP.
THE DIGGER IS AN ELECTRICALLY POWERED DRUM WHICH CUTS STEADILY ALONG A 300-YARD (273-METRES) COAL FACE, TAKING OUT A SLICE FOUR FEET (1.219 METRES) HIGH AND TWO FEET (.305 METRES) DEEP. COAL IS FED AUTOMATICALLY ONTO A CONVEYOR BELT. A FEATURE OF THE DIGGER IS A RADIO-ACTIVE 'EYE' WHICH EMITS GAMMA RAYS TO PROBE THE COAL FACE. THIS ENABLES THE MACHINE TO STEER ITSELF THROUGH THE COAL SEAM, LEAVING NO MORE THAN AN INCH OF COAL BELOW AND ABOVE IT.
AS THE DIGGER MOVES FORWARD THE PIT ROOF IS SUPPORTED BY SELF-PROPELLED HYDRAULIC JACKS. THE JACKS COST ABOUT GBP800 EACH, AND THERE MAY BE AS MANY AS 300 USED ON EACH FACE.
THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS CONTROLLED FROM A SMALL CONSOLE SIXTY YARDS (55 METRES) FROM THE COAL FACE. AT BEVERCOTES, ROLF HAS BEEN INTEGRATED INTO AN ELABORATE SYSTEM INCORPORATION AUTOMATIC TRANSPORT, SORTING AND LOADING.
THE SYSTEM CAN REDUCE THE NUMBER OF MEN NEEDED AT THE COAL FACE FROM NEARLY SEVENTY TO TEN. THE BEVERCOTES SYSTEM ALSO CUTS DOWN ON MANPOWER IN OTHER SECTIONS OF THE MINE. IN THE WASHERY ONLY FOUR MEN ARE NEEDED TO DO A JOB WHICH FORMERLY NEEDED 200.
IT IS EXPECTED SYSTEMS SIMILAR TO THE ONE AT BEVERCOTES WILL BE INTRODUCED TO MINES IN SCOTLAND SO THAT OUTPUT MAY BE GEARED TO THE DEMANDS OF NEARBY POWER STATIONS.
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R.O.L.F
Feb 12, 2013 9:08:34 GMT -5
Post by John on Feb 12, 2013 9:08:34 GMT -5
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R.O.L.F
Feb 12, 2013 14:19:30 GMT -5
Post by John on Feb 12, 2013 14:19:30 GMT -5
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R.O.L.F
Feb 13, 2013 4:10:08 GMT -5
Post by dazbt on Feb 13, 2013 4:10:08 GMT -5
Thanks for going to the trouble of 'refinding' the links J, there doesn't seem to be a great deal of detail on the ROLF system and its applications, not that are readily available on the net anyway. I would have thought that there would have been thousands of 'papers' written on the project at the time, based on the fact that you couldn't get through the face on account of the number of senior management, area and group engineers, AKAdemics and other Interference Officers cluttering the place up.
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R.O.L.F
Feb 13, 2013 7:46:58 GMT -5
Post by John on Feb 13, 2013 7:46:58 GMT -5
I never had the honour of seeing a ROLF face in all it's glory Daz, but was told some of the stories, as our Instructor had seen one in person.
We were well on our way to automated faces in the 80's with the Dowty dowvalve shield control system, but alas, there was no system to control a ranging arm shearer.
I see Bucyrus completely had a ROLF face using a Plough, and Catapillar completed the job with their shearer. a couple of years back.
They even modernised the MINOS system to incorporate the modern version of ROLF.
So now with modern retreat mining, no man is required at the face during coal winning..
The only problem is the mining company needs deep pockets to purchase the equipment.
We now have "is it cost effective" to replace two shearer drivers and two facemen???
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R.O.L.F
Feb 23, 2013 6:37:19 GMT -5
Post by stoney on Feb 23, 2013 6:37:19 GMT -5
hi all
somewhere in the fading old memory cells I seem to remember a trial of a 'Collings/collins miner' operated from main gate cut a circular heading about 20yds in, returned was moved forward leaving a pillar of coal about a foot wide then in again and onward
Dave
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R.O.L.F
Feb 23, 2013 9:23:19 GMT -5
Post by John on Feb 23, 2013 9:23:19 GMT -5
hi all somewhere in the fading old memory cells I seem to remember a trial of a 'Collings/collins miner' operated from main gate cut a circular heading about 20yds in, returned was moved forward leaving a pillar of coal about a foot wide then in again and onward Dave
www.energy.vt.edu/pdfs/report9901.pdf |
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R.O.L.F
Feb 24, 2013 8:54:36 GMT -5
Post by bulwellbrian on Feb 24, 2013 8:54:36 GMT -5
My recollection of the Collins Miner was that it was developed at Bretby and tried somewhere in the Leicestershire & South Derbyshire coalfield (EMD Area 7). I think Mr Collins was an NCB engineer from that area.
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R.O.L.F
Feb 24, 2013 9:14:59 GMT -5
Post by John on Feb 24, 2013 9:14:59 GMT -5
hi all somewhere in the fading old memory cells I seem to remember a trial of a 'Collings/collins miner' operated from main gate cut a circular heading about 20yds in, returned was moved forward leaving a pillar of coal about a foot wide then in again and onward Dave
www.energy.vt.edu/pdfs/report9901.pdf |
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R.O.L.F
Feb 24, 2013 12:42:47 GMT -5
Post by Wheldale on Feb 24, 2013 12:42:47 GMT -5
I remember the Collins miner from Uni, I also remember a Wilcock miner machine, onlt one or two produced but my memory is abit bad on the Wilcock method!
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R.O.L.F
Feb 24, 2013 13:29:13 GMT -5
Post by dazbt on Feb 24, 2013 13:29:13 GMT -5
Don't know about Wilcock but there was an American made Wilcox CM, a twin auger machine.
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R.O.L.F
Feb 24, 2013 14:36:32 GMT -5
Post by Wheldale on Feb 24, 2013 14:36:32 GMT -5
That's it, Wilcox. Twin boom. Thanks Daz!
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R.O.L.F
Jan 6, 2015 15:43:48 GMT -5
Post by kendavies18 on Jan 6, 2015 15:43:48 GMT -5
Hi guys, (Ken Davies ex NCB Tredegar Workshops and Anderson Strathclyde Service, Project Engineer and Export Manager)
I discovered Coalmine.proboards for the first time today (6th January 2015) while searching for old Anderson Boyes machine photographs to add to my collection.
Low and behold Daz Beattie was the first name I recognised, a blast from the past, reading Daz's expert information brought back great memories of Anderson Strahclyde technology and the expertise provided by many of their employees'.
I continued trawling through the different pages until I came across the R.O.L.F. project, although I never experienced this system in action I did manage to obtain (and still have in my collection - somewhere) a VHS video tape received from Tredegar Workshops where considerable development discussions took place on the subject. (Can't remember if the Workshop contributed to any physical part of the development).
As Daz expertly described, during the period of the R.O.L.F. development technology did not match the ideals of many forward thinking engineers, however, with today's technology I am confident this system would be achievable.
I cannot remember if MOOG technology was involved in this project.
Ken
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R.O.L.F
Jan 6, 2015 16:20:01 GMT -5
Post by John on Jan 6, 2015 16:20:01 GMT -5
Hi guys, (Ken Davies ex NCB Tredegar Workshops and Anderson Strathclyde Service, Project Engineer and Export Manager) I discovered Coalmine.proboards for the first time today (6th January 2015) while searching for old Anderson Boyes machine photographs to add to my collection. Low and behold Daz Beattie was the first name I recognised, a blast from the past, reading Daz's expert information brought back great memories of Anderson Strahclyde technology and the expertise provided by many of their employees'. I continued trawling through the different pages until I came across the R.O.L.F. project, although I never experienced this system in action I did manage to obtain (and still have in my collection - somewhere) a VHS video tape received from Tredegar Workshops where considerable development discussions took place on the subject. (Can't remember if the Workshop contributed to any physical part of the development). As Daz expertly described, during the period of the R.O.L.F. development technology did not match the ideals of many forward thinking engineers, however, with today's technology I am confident this system would be achievable. I cannot remember if MOOG technology was involved in this project. Ken
When I was doing an Advanced Apprentice course at one of the NCB's training centres in the mid 60's, we did an electronics course on the Winster face signalling and communications system. At the same time we had a couple of days being lectured on the ROLF system, it was a miserable failure. The NCB poured money into the project, but all ROLF faces, about three of them, could not work without a full face crew.
All the problems encountered by the NCB have now been overcome with modern technology.
One problem was push over monitoring, the board were using potentiometers, OK as long as they are not in dusty and wet conditions, another problem was keeping both cutting horizon and face level.
Last face I worked on was at Angus Place colliery in NSW, the shields were advanced in "blocks" one at a time after being "initiated", pushing the AFC over could be done from one spot for about 8 or nine shields, then you moved forward to a control unity several shields down the face. Push over distance was set via pressure switch on the pushover ram circuit, much more accurate than using electronic components like potentiometers.
You could also push over manually when needing to straighten a face, should it be necessary. |
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R.O.L.F
Jan 8, 2015 16:24:13 GMT -5
Post by andyexplorer on Jan 8, 2015 16:24:13 GMT -5
Hi guys, (Ken Davies ex NCB Tredegar Workshops and Anderson Strathclyde Service, Project Engineer and Export Manager) I discovered Coalmine.proboards for the first time today (6th January 2015) while searching for old Anderson Boyes machine photographs to add to my collection. Low and behold Daz Beattie was the first name I recognised, a blast from the past, reading Daz's expert information brought back great memories of Anderson Strahclyde technology and the expertise provided by many of their employees'. I continued trawling through the different pages until I came across the R.O.L.F. project, although I never experienced this system in action I did manage to obtain (and still have in my collection - somewhere) a VHS video tape received from Tredegar Workshops where considerable development discussions took place on the subject. (Can't remember if the Workshop contributed to any physical part of the development). As Daz expertly described, during the period of the R.O.L.F. development technology did not match the ideals of many forward thinking engineers, however, with today's technology I am confident this system would be achievable. I cannot remember if MOOG technology was involved in this project. Ken Hi I think this guy said his dad worked at Anderson Strathclyde , you might have known him coalmine.proboards.com/thread/1375/possibly-interestATB Andy |
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R.O.L.F
Jan 8, 2015 16:33:15 GMT -5
Post by John on Jan 8, 2015 16:33:15 GMT -5
Hi guys, (Ken Davies ex NCB Tredegar Workshops and Anderson Strathclyde Service, Project Engineer and Export Manager) I discovered Coalmine.proboards for the first time today (6th January 2015) while searching for old Anderson Boyes machine photographs to add to my collection. Low and behold Daz Beattie was the first name I recognised, a blast from the past, reading Daz's expert information brought back great memories of Anderson Strahclyde technology and the expertise provided by many of their employees'. I continued trawling through the different pages until I came across the R.O.L.F. project, although I never experienced this system in action I did manage to obtain (and still have in my collection - somewhere) a VHS video tape received from Tredegar Workshops where considerable development discussions took place on the subject. (Can't remember if the Workshop contributed to any physical part of the development). As Daz expertly described, during the period of the R.O.L.F. development technology did not match the ideals of many forward thinking engineers, however, with today's technology I am confident this system would be achievable. I cannot remember if MOOG technology was involved in this project. Ken Hi I think this guy said his dad worked at Anderson Strathclyde , you might have known him coalmine.proboards.com/thread/1375/possibly-interestATB Andy |
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R.O.L.F
Jan 16, 2015 7:31:11 GMT -5
Post by John on Jan 16, 2015 7:31:11 GMT -5
I found this news article while surfing around, dated 12th July 1965. I had to have a laugh.
U.K: WORLD'S FIRST REMOTELY CONTROLLED MINE OPENED AT RETFORD, ENGLAND -- PUSH-BUTTON COLLIERY WILL PRODUCE 6,000 TONS OF COAL A DAY.
Story
THE WORLD'S FIRST FULLY-AUTOMATED MINE IS STARTING PRODUCTION THIS MONTH AT RETFORD, NOTTINGHAMSHIRE, IN THE MIDLANDS REGION OF ENGLAND. BEVERCOTES COLLIERY WILL PROVIDE COAL FOR TWO LARGE ELECTRICITY GENERATING STATIONS NEARBY, EACH CONSUMING SEVERAL MILLION TONS ANNUALLY.
YESTERDAY (FRIDAY) DELEGATES TO THE FOURTH INTERNATIONAL MINING CONGRESS IN LONDON INSPECTED BEVERCOTES COLLIERY AND THE REMOTE-CONTROL METHODS NOW BEING USED THERE.
THE COLLIERY WILL PRODUCE SIX THOUSAND TONS OF COAL A DAY. IT WILL BE CUT FROM NARROW SEAMS THREE THOUSAND FEET (910 METRES) BELOW THE SURFACE, AND THE ENTIRE MINING PROCESS WILL NOT ONCE REQUIRE ANY OF THE COAL TO BE MANHANDLED.
THE ACTUAL MINING WILL BE DONE BY A SYSTEM KNOWN AS ROLF (REMOTE OPERATED LONGWALL FACE), WHICH HAS ALREADY BEEN TRIED OUT AT TWO OTHER MIDLANDS COLLIERIES FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS. IT IS A COMBINATIONS OF A MECHANICAL DIGGING MACHINE AND A ROBOT PIT PROP.
THE DIGGER IS AN ELECTRICALLY POWERED DRUM WHICH CUTS STEADILY ALONG A 300-YARD (273-METRES) COAL FACE, TAKING OUT A SLICE FOUR FEET (1.219 METRES) HIGH AND TWO FEET (.305 METRES) DEEP. COAL IS FED AUTOMATICALLY ONTO A CONVEYOR BELT. A FEATURE OF THE DIGGER IS A RADIO-ACTIVE 'EYE' WHICH EMITS GAMMA RAYS TO PROBE THE COAL FACE. THIS ENABLES THE MACHINE TO STEER ITSELF THROUGH THE COAL SEAM, LEAVING NO MORE THAN AN INCH OF COAL BELOW AND ABOVE IT.
AS THE DIGGER MOVES FORWARD THE PIT ROOF IS SUPPORTED BY SELF-PROPELLED HYDRAULIC JACKS. THE JACKS COST ABOUT GBP800 EACH, AND THERE MAY BE AS MANY AS 300 USED ON EACH FACE.
THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS CONTROLLED FROM A SMALL CONSOLE SIXTY YARDS (55 METRES) FROM THE COAL FACE. AT BEVERCOTES, ROLF HAS BEEN INTEGRATED INTO AN ELABORATE SYSTEM INCORPORATION AUTOMATIC TRANSPORT, SORTING AND LOADING.
THE SYSTEM CAN REDUCE THE NUMBER OF MEN NEEDED AT THE COAL FACE FROM NEARLY SEVENTY TO TEN. THE BEVERCOTES SYSTEM ALSO CUTS DOWN ON MANPOWER IN OTHER SECTIONS OF THE MINE. IN THE WASHERY ONLY FOUR MEN ARE NEEDED TO DO A JOB WHICH FORMERLY NEEDED 200.
IT IS EXPECTED SYSTEMS SIMILAR TO THE ONE AT BEVERCOTES WILL BE INTRODUCED TO MINES IN SCOTLAND SO THAT OUTPUT MAY BE GEARED TO THE DEMANDS OF NEARBY POWER STATIONS.
Reference 6476/65
Tape
Issue
Can 4469
Source POOL
Restrictions Restrictions on certain uses may apply, and may vary from those listed.
Time code
Date original 23 JUNE TO 3 JULY 1965
Duration 3.16
Technical 16MM/NEG.
Subset Reuters TV - RTV Post 1957
Location BEVERCOTES COLLIERY, RETFORD, NOTTINGHAMSHIRE, U.K.
Sound
Colourbw B/W
CONVEYOR SYSTEM, CONTROL CONSOLE, COAL BEING CUT AT FACE BEING BROUGHT TO HOPPERS AND LOADED ABOARD COAL TRUCKS.
Initials PBS/P/MR/BB
EDITORS: THIS FILM IS EMBARGOED. NOT TO BE USED BEFORE 1100 G.M.T. ON 12 JULY, 1965.
Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
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R.O.L.F
Jan 17, 2015 2:31:17 GMT -5
Post by johnh on Jan 17, 2015 2:31:17 GMT -5
Hi guys, yes I still work for the company now fully owned by Caterpillar, I started with the AB. Rea which was the Australian arm of Anderson Strathclyde. And continued thorough the multiple acquisitions of Anderson ( Long Airdox, DBT, o
and now CAT) I continue to work with a few guys that may be known to some those people being Andrew Walker, Mick Young, Parker Cullen, Neil Whitaker plus some guys based in Germany those being Alan Tilley and Al Reid, I have also worked in the past with Alec Downie, Hugh Paul and Tony Scott.
my current position is Product Support Engineer for the LW shearer. And I have been with the company 27 years now.
We currently have faces that use extensive automation of shearer, roof supports although no one supplier of LW equipment can yet claim to have a complete remote/ automated manless face, there are still to many variables to have people completely removed off the face. At Narrabri we utilise high level shearer automation with the main focus of removing drivers from the dust not the face, this along with roof support automation then In turn provides better cutting/shear consistency and thus improved production output. The sensors used to allow this to happen are much improved and continue to improve with one of the main shearer sensors now being a type of 3 dimensional GPS device. However even with all this technology the equipment still needs operator input. And from time to time adjustments. Think of an auto pilot system on a plane we know it is very accurate and reliable but we still have people sitting in a cockpit,
What I can say is all OEMs are aiming for the ultimate manless face but we are still some way off this being fully achieved.
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R.O.L.F
Jan 17, 2015 8:32:02 GMT -5
Post by John on Jan 17, 2015 8:32:02 GMT -5
Having driven a shearer, got quite competent at it too, even as the face electrician..LOL I found the hardest part was cutting out into the gate ends, then lowering the drum and making sure I didn't cut the gate end floor too low or leave a "hump" . So I can see one major design headache in computer control of the shearer.
Another spot was keeping the drum on the correct cutting horizon, the experienced drivers told me to watch a different coloured "leaf" in the seam and make that the roof. That could be done the same as in the past with nucleonic(sp) sensing of the seam. BUT, from what I recall, the hydraulics weren't fast enough on the bedframe steering jacks in the old ROLF shearers and caused undulations in the floor and roof of the face. As we use ranging arms today, I wonder if that would still create the same problems???
I see Joy have a plough face that is truly ROLF, but in the past the only problems setting a plough ROLF face was powered supports, setting to correct pressures, push over and chock advancing to correct distances.
Those problems are sorted with modern shields.
And with modern electronics, the face can be monitored with CCTV throughout the face.
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