Last year, Wenco reset the bar for mine productivity, intelligence, and technical interoperability with the release of its latest fleet management system (FMS) — Wenco System 6. The sixth version of what it calls “the leading open FMS for mines “added new usability, data handling and analytics features that drive users to extract even more unrealised value. Now, Wenco has taken the next step forward with the release of System 6.1. In the first major update since last spring, Wenco says it has advanced the performance and scalability of System 6 with a more powerful architecture, improved data filters, and enhanced system integration.

The biggest update in System 6.1 involves Wencomine’s new 64-bit architecture. Under the hood, this update enables the FMS to support more equipment units and larger operations than ever before. Each background service now has more memory allocation, which allows the Wenco Core Service, the Wenco User Service, and other essential processes to run with greater performance.

“The transition to 64-bit also comes with support for ActiveMQ — a more modern, robust, and reliable way of sending messages between Wenco software components. Along with the more powerful architecture, this enhanced messaging service enables support for remote operations. Mines can now monitor and control multiple mines across multiple networks all from one centralised location — a growing trend as mining gets more and more digitised.”

“Usability has always stood as a hallmark of Wenco solutions and the updates in System 6.1 take it even further. New filtering options throughout the system’s monitoring and control application, Fleet Control, let dispatchers quickly and easily focus on the exact units, locations, or status categories they need to observe more closely.”

Route Management has also added filters. Users can now refine displayed routes by equipment status categories, reducing screen clutter by hiding options for loading units that are down or idle. When those shovels or loaders come back online, Fleet Control automatically refreshes the route list to keep dispatchers up to date. Playbacks now have filters as well. When creating playbacks of shift activity, dispatchers can filter by haul cycle, allowing them to link dig and dump points to the route travelled for each cycle. This feature makes it easy to trace material as it moved from dig point to dump, providing answers about any loads delivered to the wrong location.

The new updates to System 6 also bring deeper integration between Wencomine and the Wenco Drill machine guidance system. Mines using Wenco Drill are now able to run the FMS’s onboard application, MDT, in tandem with it on their touchscreens. This integration offers three big advantages:

• Improved situational awareness in the pit;
• Stronger data handling in the head office; and
• One less monitor in the already crowded drill cab.

“By integrating Wencomine and Wenco Drill, drill operators can pay attention to a single monitor for all of their shift activities. Auto-switching between drill operation screens and the MDT on a single monitor reduces the distraction possible with an abundance of onboard systems. Plus, there’s no longer a need for an additional monitor to run the Wenco Drill application, freeing space in the cab.”

Integrating the two systems gives even further process enhancements, says Wenco. “In System 6.1, drill operators can badge-in through the onboard touchscreen and easily access pre-start checklists, text messaging with other operators and dispatchers, and options for receiving status change updates from Fleet Control. Drill KPIs show on the MDT screen too, for at-a-glance views of hole counts, average rates of penetration, and other important indicators. Dispatchers can view drills in Fleet Control, staying aware of drilling progress and communicating with drills as needed.”

“These updates join a host of other enhancements in System 6.1, all working to advance Wenco’s vision — a fully interoperable pit-to-port mining experience, grounded in openness and partnership with other leading solution providers.”