VRT announces the release of LongView® to the Australian market

LongView is a packaged supervisory control and management solution tailored for longwall mining operations. It is based on an integrated software stack, comprising components specifically built and tested to meet the demands of longwall mining. Based on the industry de-facto standard, CitectSCADA, LongView is faster to deploy, lower-cost and risk to implement, and lower-cost to operate than CitectSCADA systems built from scratch. LongView also extends visibility of operations beyond the control room, with an integrated reporting solution and web based management dashboards.

Longwall Mining

Longwall Mining places demands on monitoring and control systems not found in other industries. Due to the nature of underground mining equipment, specialist suppliers provide various plant and often come supplied with their own monitoring capabilities or “standard” SCADA configurations. This is just the first of many challenges in building a coherent, consistently implemented control system.

The workforce and plant equipment are widely distributed and constantly on the move. As equipment moves and changes configuration, the monitoring and control system must be updated to reflect the state of the plant. This adds to the whole-of-life cost, and can also make it difficult to maintain a consistent implementation over the lifetime of the control system.

The LongView Solution

Over the years VRT has built and supported control and monitoring systems in numerous coal mining operations, eight being longwall mines. The lessons learned from the implementation and long-term support of these systems has gone into the development of a packaged solution for Longwall mining – LongView.

LongView is a packaged supervisory control and management solution tailored for longwall mining operations. It is based on an integrated software stack, comprising components specifically built and tested to meet the demands of longwall mining. Based on the industry de-facto standard, CitectSCADA, LongView is faster to deploy, lower-cost and risk to implement, and lower-cost to operate than CitectSCADA systems built from scratch. LongView also extends visibility of operations beyond the control room, with an integrated reporting solution and web based management dashboards.

1. LongView Reference Architecture

The LongView Reference Architecture is a framework designed to encourage consistent, multi-vendor supply of control system components and configuration services. The Solution is far more than a just a software stack, beginning with template designs and specifications:

  • SCADA system reference design – tag, screen and component naming and design standard templates.
  • OEM Supplier specification templates to assist in managing supply of consistent control system elements (e.g. PLC and SCADA configuration and programming). The templates are backed up by SCADA validation tools to ensure that supplied SCADA configurations (tags etc.) actually conform to the agreed standards. 
  • Comprehensive library of standard Longwall equipment graphics, which can be provided to OEM suppliers to ensure supplied SCADA work all has a consistent look and feel.
  • Hardware and Software architecture – Optimised CitectSCADA architecture, with redundant servers, dedicated control room stations, Microsoft Terminal Server access for occasional users, and a replicated Microsoft SQL-Server database for reporting and configuration management.
  • Change and Configuration management systems to automate rollout and rollback of changes across the system, maintaining a consistent state across all nodes.

2. Longwall Equipment Modules

Pre-built CitectSCADA components designed for longwall mining operations. In traditional Citect SCADA systems built from scratch, each equipment move or change requires the SCADA system to be updated. This requires Citect-trained Engineers to update configuration tables and graphics displays, recompile the system, test and distribute changes to all SCADA nodes. This is a laborious, time-consuming and error-prone process that adds significantly to the total cost of ownership of the CitectSCADA system.

LongView Equipment Modules cover all aspects of the Longwall mining operation. Where equipment is mobile or changes regularly, the components contain the ability to be moved or updated online without changing the CitectSCADA graphics, recompiling or restarting the system:

  • Longwall – Standard components provided for longwall equipment, including roof support, shearer and AFC systems. Longwall position (progress in the current panel) updated online.
  • Conveyors – LongView conveyor screens allow conveyor extensions and retractions online. Signal Line systems (DUPLINE/IMac etc.) configured and reassigned online.
  • Gas Monitoring – LongView gas monitoring allows sensor locations and gas types to be configured and relocated online.
  • Ventilation
  • Pumping (Dewatering) – Mobile pump unit identity changed online, allowing labels and alarm descriptions to be instantly updated.
  • Fixed and mobile substations and distributed control boards – Mobile substation identity/location changed online.

3. Reporting Services

Provides a reporting layer to the system, including a standard set of longwall-specific reports to cover production, availability, event recording, ventilation and gas monitoring. These can be readily tailored to specific mine needs and additional reports designed using Microsoft Report Services (in-house if desired).

4. Enterprise Portal

View key data from more places, more easily. While there will always be staff (and situations) that require full access to a SCADA client node, there are many situations where staff simply need quick access to key information. LongView includes a Web based information portal that provides a central point for all staff seeking plant information:

  • Management dashboards to provide an overview of critical equipment status, KPIs, SCADA system health and any other items of interest.
  • Reporting services – access to plant reports as web pages, or in PDF or print form.
  • Access to full CitectSCADA Terminal Services client sessions (security controlled).
  • Online Training Packages – A comprehensive set of multimedia user training material for CitectSCADA operation (Adobe Flash videos).
  • Support – Remote configuration and diagnostics tools, to enable trained on-site technicians or VRT support staff to provide enhanced remote support.

Benefits and Features

  • Lower Implementation Cost

  • Reduced system design overhead.

  • Reduced Engineering labour cost – component library and templates.

  • Commissioning templates and test sheets.

  • Faster Deployment

  • Integrated templates for PLC and SCADA specifications.

  • Modular, reusable components.

  • Final system documentation templates .

  • Lower Project Risk

  • Integrated design, pre-tested modules (common software framework).

  • Project change management and version control.

  • Consistent quality from multiple suppliers - templates and specifications for managing OEM SCADA contibutions.

  • Improved security.

  • Higher reliability - replication.

  • Lower Operating Cost

  • Reduced ongoing re-configuration labour & services.

  • Automatic rollout of updates across the system.

  • Streamlined architecture (MS SQL, terminal services, zero footprint clients, etc.).

  • Common user interface (above and below ground) - reduced training cost.

  • On-line help and interactive, graphical training system.

  • Low system maintenance – rich diagnostics.

  • Superior Functionality

  • Purpose built for longwalls and punchwalls.

  • Enhanced alarm and trend modules.

  • Web based reporting, querying and diagnostics.

  • Management reports (ESO, KPI, ventilation officer report, production, equipment utilization)

  • Mobile device clients (zero footprint)