GRUBE-M - A Planning and Information System for Underground

Mining Equipment
1 1
Th Schumacher and R Hunefeld

ABSTRACT Layer
In the field of mining engineering, design and planning are complex tasks,
which require the knowledge of various engineering disciplines. GRUBE 5 Company
(Graphisch-RechnerUnterstiitzter BergwerksEntwurf) is a modular databased
program system, which offers computer aid for all mining departments using
a 3D CAD software as the user interface. Despite the data quantity and
complexity, specific and uniform working conditions have to be applied to the 4 Mine
planning of technical equipment of a pit. With the application of 3D graphics,
complex data stores and their interrelations become 'palpable' for the user by
suitable visualisation. GRUBE-M forms the mechanical operations module of
GRUBE, in which underground locations displayed as three-dimensional 3 Process
graphic models are 'equipped' interactively. Planning alternatives can be Management
created and compared quickly in terms of technical calculations and and Monitoring
economical analysis.
2 Equipment
Control
INTRODUCTION
Over the last 30 years German hardcoal production has decreased Process
from 150 Mio t in 1957 to 70 Mio tin 1990, caused by a surplus on
world energy markets. Because of the high costs of the technical
equipment necessary for excavating hardcoal seams of 1 - 2.5 m
thickness at a depth of 800 - 1000 m, coal from the world market can FIG I - Five layer model of RUHRKOHLE AG.
be imported for comparatively low prices.
Despite many economic disadvantages, local hardcoal is an
important factor in the security of energy supply in Germany. The first three layers concentrate on information of the actual
Therefore, national hardcoal companies have increased their underground operations in a mine, eg monitoring and analysis of
productivity, measureable by a higher performance per manshift. In
underground activities and conditions such as the running time of
1957 the average production was 1.6 t coal per man and shift, which
excavation machines, ventilation data received by sensors, or level
increased to 5.2 t in 1992, caused by higher mechanisation and
automation of underground equipment. control of underground coal bunkers.
RUHRKOHLE AG is the biggest German hardcoal company, Monitoring, control and (draft attached), planning of a whole
running 15 underground hardcoal mines in the Rhein-Ruhr area, the mine in terms of technical and economical aspects such as
industrial centre of Germany. The main mining method is longwal1 equipment planning, human resources, or material management are
mining using shearer loader or ploughs. Each mine has its own integrated in layer 4. Layer 5 consists of central computers for
planning offices for all mining disciplines, but all of them are company tasks, analysis and overall management.
controlled and supported by one head administration and a
management board. Therefore, mining equipment is partly owned by THE PLANNING AND CONTROLLING
the mine itself, but most of it is rented from the central equipment OFFICE OF THE FUTURE
management, part of RUHRKOHLE AG head administration.
This paper concentrates on one part of layer 4, which can be
characterised as 'mine planning'. For this part, RUHRKOHLE AG
over recent years has been establishing the integration concept 'The
THE OVERALL COMPUTER planning and controlling office of the future' (Figure 2), which uses
CONCEPTOFRUHRKOHLEAG networked computer workstations and modular planning software.
Today's productivity in underground working areas cannot be
increased essentially by more technical solutions but by a more The five main departments involved with mine planning are:
effective and qualified planning and control at the surface, leading to surveying, ventilation, operation planning, equipment planning, and
improved operating cycles. Various investigations and studies electrical engineering. These are connected by a local network
concluded that the integration of graphical data processing is a very (Token Ring) and are equipped with one of the following computer
promising software tool for achieving this aim. workstations (IBM RISe System 6000):
MAP: The mine surveying workstation
RUHRKOHLE's concept of computer integration is structured in WTAP: The mine ventilation workstation
five layers (Figure I).
BPAP: The mine operation planning workstation
MTAP: The mine equipment planning workstation
I. Department for Mining and Metallurgy Machinery, Aachen
ETAP: The mine electrical engineering workstation
University of Technology, Wiillnerstr 252056 Aachen, Germany.

APCOM XXV 195 Conference Brisbane. 9 14 July 1995 401

TH SCHUMACHER and R HUNEFELD

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FIG 2 - Planning and controlling office of the future.

The basic software implemented on these workstations are the GRUBE uses the same software mentioned before with the
IBM UNIX based operation system AIX and AIX window exception of AutoCAD, which is used on the surverying
manager, the graphical editor EAGLE from XEAGLE Ltd and workstation only. The EAGLE graphic software enables the
AutoCAD from AutoDesk and the SQL database management creation, visualisation and adaptation of three-dimensional
system ORACLE from Oracle. Graphical user interfaces are objects such as models of the underground roadway system
implemented using the OSFlMotif toolkit. The five workstations (Figure 3) based on the geometrical data obtained from the
are connected to an interdisciplinary database implemented on a interdisciplinary database. Furthermore, those and other objects,
server, enabling all departments to read in data required for like machine models, can be connected with logical attributes
planning or to write data important for other departments. This such as identification codes and any other data. The information
database forms the foundation for most planning activities,
because it contains all geometrical data concerning mine roadway generated during planning or calculation is partly transferred
systems and deposits. either to one of the department specific databases or to the
interdisciplinary database.
The objectives of the 'Planning and contolling office of the
future' are: Over recent years, certain submodules of GRUBE, in
particular the ventilation module, have been successfully
overall improvement of planning efficiency and quality implemented in mine workstations.
preparation of data required for planning activities
rapid creatio"n and analysis of planning alternatives GRUBEM: A SYSTEM FOR UNDERGROUND
a more detailed and precise planning MINING EQUIPMENT
improved visualisation of planning results through graphics
GRUBE-M forms the mining equipment planning and
decision-making based on qualified and quantified data.
information module. Starting with a defined project, which
requires the employment of machines and equipment, GRUBE-
THE PLANNING AND INFORMATION M enables the user to establish and analyse planning alternatives.
SYSTEM GRUBE The data obtained from the planning activity can be transferred to
the material management department for order and delivery.
A part of the software used 'on the computer workstations is a
database and graphic aided planning and information system Regarding functionality GRUBE-M is structured in five main
called GRUBE, developed by Aachen University of Technology submodules (Figure 4):
and RUHRKOHLE AG. This software is divided into Project planning
submodules according to the structure of the computer Project information
workstations.
Technical calculation
The main components ofGRUBE are:
Assembly of components
GRUBE-Perspe: Software for surveying Documentation
GRUBE-W: Software for ventilation A module for generation and visualisation of rnine layout is
also included and forms the basis for most planning activities.
GRUBE-B: Software for mine operation
planning (time and quantity) At the present, GRUBE-M concentrates on the following
subjects:
GRUBE-M: Software for equipment Belt conveyors
(machine) planning
Chain conveyors
GRUBE-E: Software for electrical Distribution pipes
engineering
Working face equipment
GRUBE-Draft: Software for documentation As mentioned before, the strategy of GRUBE is planning
(maps, etc) for all departments based upon interdisciplinary data.

402 Brisbane. 9 - 14 July 1995 APCOM XXV 1995 Conference

 GRUBE-M - A PLANNING AND INFORMAnON SYSTEM

FIG 3 - 3D GRUBE model of a roadway system.

Project planning
A project is roughly defined by a location, a time and the kind of
activity planned by the mine. Almost every activity of an
underground mine project requires the application of equipment. In
this aspect, equipment means machines of higher value, eg belt
conveyors, chain conveyors, shearer loaders, ploughs, road headers,
drilling carriages, etc. Low-cost equipment such as bearings,
individual props or drill bits is not taken into account, because its
influence on planning is considered negligible.
Before starting project planning the three-dimensional model of
the mines actual roadway system is loaded using the survey data.
New roads and working areas can be planned also by .the equipment
engineer and saved 'locally' in the GRUBE-M database but not back
in the 'global' interdisciplinary database. This means, only the
surveying office is authorised to add or change binding geometrical
data. Each other discipline may change or add underground roads for
the creation of department specific and internal planning
alternatives. However, within the submodule 'project planning', drifts
and working areas related to the project are equipped using
geometrical data from the model for design and technical
calculation, for example while planning a belt conveyor.
The first step of planning a belt conveyor in GRUBE-M is the
definition of drive and return end position by mouseclick on the
graphic model. An algorithm follows the drift line creating a
conveyor belt model and returns geometrical information such as
length, dipping, height of lift, downfold and upfold areas (Figure 5),
etc. Based on this information, the position of belt feeders and
supporting IT-drives may be defined as well as man riding distances.
The conveyor is identified by a location id obtained from the
FIG 4 - Overview ofGRUBE-M. roadway model and a number given by the planning engineer.
Together, these two numbers form an unique identifyer for the
conveyor, which is used in other functions.

APCOM XXV 195 Conference Brisbane, 9 - 14 July 1995 403

TH SCHUMACHER and R HUNEFELD
r- Band 01In 2440
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FIG 5 - Contour line of a belt conveyor.
The result of this planning activity is a table, describing belt
conveyor segments, which forms the foundation for later technical
calculation of performance and driven traction.
Project information
Effective equipment planning and operation activities require fast
and easy access to a variety of data sources such as databases, files,
drawings, maps, documents, etc. Therefore, within this submodule
information can be added to or interrogated from various data
sources depending on the planning subject. A high quantity of
information can be linked to a conveyor model using, for example
data panels as graphical user interface for GRUBE-M database
communication. Data can then be visualised in the graphic on request
(Figure 6).
Furthermore, detailed technical 2D-CAD drawings as well as
standart specification sheets and various documents related to the
project can be visualised on the screen and used as an additional
information source.
Overviews and analysis of underground equipment forms
additional support for the engineer. GRUBE-M offers answers to
several kinds of questions related to machine engineering, which can
be displayed either graphically or in tabular form.
Technical calculation
Technical calculation forms one of the bases of equipment.
engineering. During the planning period several calculations based on
operational requirements and space related situations are necessary
for design and dimension of the equipment to be installed. A useful
planning result requires detailed consideration of technical
alternatives.
To return to our belt conveyor planning example: As mentioned
before, the belt conveyor segments were defined in the submodule
'project planning' . All the data necessary for technical consideration
are present, thus enabling the calculation of the required electrical
capacity and the driven traction of the belt for
404 Brisbane. 9 - 14 July 1995
start up, operation and braking. The optimisation of a technical
design is an iterative process realised by changing input parameters
and analysing output. An unsatisfactory result, such as belt tension
values beyond security limits, requires one or a combination of the
following activities in the 'project planning' mode:
1. Installation of a belt of higher quality
2. Installation of TI-drives while decreasing main drive power
3. Installation of two belt conveyors instead of one.
The calculation of various technical alternatives within GRUBE-M
is fast and uncomplicated, as all geometri~al data are transferred
automatically from the 3D model into the calculation submodule. For
example, just after positioning an additional TI-drive with a certain
performance on the graphic conveyor model, the calculation program
provides the engineer with actual results.
Similar calculations based on a 3D roadway model that provide
real geometrical data are very useful in the area of machine
anchorage and piping.
Assembly of machine components
After equipment planning by means of technical considerations, the
organisation and disposition of single components is a subsequent
duty of the engineer. Each part required for building an installation
has to be described by its technical attributes and identified for order
at the central equipment management. Because of the wide variety of
available equipment, describing a single component for clear and
unambiguous identification can be difficult. Especially in cases of a
machine breakdown during operation, the ordering of spare parts has
to be carried out rapidly. This occasionally leads to the wrong part
being ordered leading to extenaed and more expensive machine
downtimes. In order to avoid losses in production, detailed
information management and an easy access to data describing
equipment components forms the basis for more efficient planning
and operation.
APCOM XXV 1995 Conference
 GRUBE-M - A PLANNING AND INFORMATION SYSTEM

FIG 6 - Graphical model of a belt conveyor system in GRUBE-M.

RUHRKOHLE AG maintains the database systems BIS-K and GRUBE-M IN INTERDISCIPLINARY PLANNING
DABm, which contain the data necessary for equipment
management. The BIS-K database contains on the one hand As mentioned before, GRUBE-M is a part of an interdisciplinary
classification of equipment component groups and on the other hand planning system. This means GRUBE-M reads in data from
tables containing specific technical characteristics of each group, other disciplines important for equipment planning and transfers
providing a clear technical description of each component, and a planning results useful for other departments into the
unique component identification number for order.
interdisciplinary database.
Elementary information for equipment planning are:
DABIB contains economical data such as costs for renting and
maintanance for each component identification number available at geological data: seam thickness, strength of coal
RUHRKOHLE AG. By combining the data of both these (BIS-K and features of surrounding rock,
and DABm) systems into the planning and information system etc.
GRUBE-M, the mining engineer is able to analyse installations in
terms of economy. During planning, the technical description of all geometrical data: dipping of roads and deposit,
the single components of for example a belt conveyor results in a length of drifts and roadway cross
list of component identification numbers from BIS-K representing section, etc.
the key for cost data in DABm. Together with the quantity of each mine planning data: project describtion, time limits,
component this information is associated with a single installation. aimed production, mining
All useful technical alternatives can be compared in economical method, etc.
terms to support
further decisions. During operation, a list of all single ventilation data: temperature, gas content, air
components of a conveyor belt can be generated within seconds, cooling, etc.
thus enabling fast ordering of the required spare part in case of Information transferred into the interdisciplinary database are:
machine breakdowns. technical data: power requirements, generation
of heat, etc.
Documentation
economical data: costs, manpower requirements,
The documentation submodule contains functionality for the etc.
creation, visualisation and output of machine application lists,
graphical equipment maps, circuit diagrams, technical drawings, SUMMARY
etc.
For example, information from the 3D project planning can be Today's productivity in underground working areas cannot be
transferred to a 2D map of the roadway system and presented increased essentially by more technical solutions but by a more
with symbols. Lines, text, etc can be added by a graphic editor, effective and qualified planning and control at the surface,
which contains further symbols for conveyors, excavation leading to improved operating cycles. Various investigations and
equipment, piping, etc (Figure 7). studies concluded that the integration of graphical data
processing is a very promising software tool for achieving this
aim.

APCOM XXV 195 Conference Brisbane. 9 14 July 1995 405

TH SCHUMACHER and R HUNEFELD
FIG 7 - Equipment application map in GRUBE-Draft.
RUHRKOHLE AG over recent years has been establishing the
integration concept 'The Planning and controlling office of the
future' for mine planning, which uses networked computer
workstations and modular planning software.
The five main departments involved with mine planning are
surveying, ventilation, operation planning, equipment planning,
and electrical engineering. These are connected by a local
network (Token Ring) and are equipped with computer
workstations.
A part of the software used on the computer workstations is a
database and graphic aided planning and information system
called GRUBE, developed by Aachen University of Technology
and RUHRKOHLE AG. This software is divided into
submodules according to the structure of the computer
workstations. GRUBE-M forms the mining equipment planning
and information module. Starting with a defined project, which
requires the employment of machines and equipment, GRUBE-M
enables the user to establish and analyse planning alternatives.
The data obtained from the planning activity can be transferred to
406 Brisbane, 9 - 14 July 1995
the material management department for order and delivery.
GRUBE-M is a part of an interdisciplinary planning system, ie
GRUBE-M reads in data from other disciplines important for
equipment planning and transfers planning results useful for
other departments into the interdisciplinary database.
REFERENCES
Broderius, T, Friedeheim, K and Hiinefeld R, 1993. GRUBE-MS - Das
markscheiderische Modul des Bergbauplanungssysterns GRUBE.
Das Markscheidewesen 100,2:394-400.
Heiermann, H, 1994. Von der Mechanisierung zur Automatisierung -
Bergtechnik bei der RUHRKOHLE AG, VoIl7, Essen,
Seeliger, A, Kopyczynski, F and Ruschitzka, C, 1994.
Rechnerunterstiitztes P1anungs- und Informationssystem GRUBE-W.
G1iickauf 130, 7: 444-450.
Seeliger, A and Kopyczynski, F, 1993. Computer-based ventilation
planning in German coalmines, in Proceedings APCOM XXIV,
3:335-342, Montreal.
APCOM XXV 1995 Conference