Tag Archives: Ryan Siggelkow

HARD-LINE and Polymath Robotics team up to automate dozer operation

15th March 2023Automation, Mining equipment, Mining events, Mining safety, Mining services, Mining softwareautomation, autonomous dozing, CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2023, Hard-Line, Polymath Robotics, Ryan Siggelkow, Stefan Seltz-AxmacherDaniel Gleeson

Polymath Robotics and HARD-LINE, on the opening of CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2023 in Las Vegas, USA, have announced a collaboration on a solution for autonomous dozing.

In line with this collaboration, HARD-LINE has been added to Polymath’s network of hardware integration partners and Polymath has joined HARD-LINE’s software integration ecosystem.

HARD-LINE is an OEM-agnostic leading supplier of automation, teleoperation and remote-control technology. Polymath Robotics makes safety-critical autonomous navigation software for heavy machinery.

Stefan Seltz-Axmacher, CEO of Polymath Robotics, said: “We are excited to add HARD-LINE to our network of hardware integration partners and join their software ecosystem. Our collaboration brings autonomous solutions to the heavy equipment industry as part of each other’s partner ecosystems.”

The dozing technology is vehicle agnostic and can be implemented on any heavy equipment regardless of make, model, or type of machine, according to the companies. The solution leverages HARD-LINE’s hardware integration, remote operation capabilities, and machine control API, integrated with Polymath’s autonomous navigation tools.

The companies said: “The autonomous dozer is built to tackle important but repetitive tasks, like dewatering, planting and heap leaching. This exciting new technology will be made available for any bulldozer, whether new or existing.”

Ryan Siggelkow, SVP Technology at HARD-LINE, said: “We are proud to have Polymath join our software integration ecosystem, in addition to collaborating on an autonomous solution for remote dozer operations. We see these solutions as a way to further enhance productivity and efficiency by bringing remote autonomous dozing to the market.”

Polymath and HARD-LINE are collaborating on the implementation and are taking pre-orders expected to ship in the second half of 2023, they say. They will be demonstrating elements of the autonomous dozer solution during the event, which runs from March 14-18.

HARD-LINE introduces Auto Rockbreaker at MINExpo 2021

14th September 2021Automation, Communications in mining, Mining events, Mining safetyHard-Line, MINExpo, Phil Pelland, Ryan SiggelkowDaniel Gleeson

Today at MINExpo 2021, HARD-LINE released a revolutionary mining product that, it says, will change the way mining companies use rockbreakers, with Auto Rockbreaker.

The latest autonomous HARD-LINE product allows operators to automate various rockbreaking tasks that have yet to be done.

“Our team has come up with solutions that make one of the more difficult mining methods, much easier,” HARD-LINE Senior VP of Technology, Ryan Siggelkow, says. “A major benefit is that the system does not require a highly trained operator, which will make it easier for companies to attract talent.”

HARD-LINE’s VP of Sales, Phil Pelland, has been in mining for more than 40 years and has seen the slow evolution of rockbreakers, until now.

He says: “Besides the fact it removes operators from dangerous environments, Auto Rockbreaker provides operator solutions for limited visibility and poor depth perception. It is compatible with all rockbreaker makes and models, and it is designed to be retrofitted for existing breakers.”

At MINExpo, HARD-LINE is hosting simulations where delegates are witnessing features such as autonomously parking the hammer and deploying it, known as auto park and auto deploy. The new rockbreaker technology uses a series of sensors, including cameras to survey the environment. The sensor data is then processed by computer vision and machine learning algorithms to recognise the rockbreaker’s surroundings.

As the system continues to advance, HARD-LINE says it is looking to partner with more mine sites to further augment the system’s unique capabilities.

HARD-LINE expands into new NORCAT underground facility

1st April 2021IoT, Mining safety, Mining services, Mining softwarecollision detection, Don Duval, Hard-Line, intelligent steering assistance, Jim Doyle, LHDs, mining simulators, NORCAT, NORCAT Underground Centre, Ryan Siggelkow, TeleOp AssistDaniel Gleeson

A long-time partner of NORCAT, HARD-LINE says it is evolving its remote-control systems in a new space at NORCAT’s surface facility at the former Fecunis mine site in Onaping, Ontario.

HARD-LINE, a global technology company specialising in remote and tele-remote-control solutions, uses drift space at NORCAT’s underground site.

Inside HARD-LINE’s new office is a TeleOp control station that allows the tele-remote operation of heavy machinery and, in this case, an underground LHD at the test site.

“This new space is a welcomed addition to an already impressive site,” HARD-LINE’s Senior VP of Technology, Ryan Siggelkow, says. “The bigger space will allow for more people to meet in our office and ultimately let us test products in a more efficient manner, including new tech like our TeleOp Assist.”

The Assist system is new to market and equips the TeleOp base system with intelligent steering assistance and collision detection to keep LHDs off walls. It also increases tramming speeds, and no pre-scan of the drift is required, according to HARD-LINE.

HARD-LINE’s Supervisor of Technology Implementation, Jim Doyle, is often at the new facility and underground site testing different types of mining equipment. Doyle credits the NORCAT partnership in advancing HARD-LINE’s technology.

“Our relationship with NORCAT is really beneficial,” he said. “We’ve seen growth and improvements in our products over the years because of it.”

The partnership dates back to 2012 when HARD-LINE helped formulate the Underground Centre’s strategy and customer value proposition.

NORCAT CEO, Don Duval, said: “We are excited to build on our existing relationship and support HARD-LINE as they expand into our new surface facilities at the NORCAT Underground Centre. With HARD-LINE’s TeleOp control station, we have seen operators given the ability to control underground heavy machinery from the safety of an office at the Underground Centre. This technology is not only enhancing productivity and safety but also it is transforming the definition of work in the global mining industry.”

Just last month, NSS Canada announced a new partnership with NORCAT and the addition of a new NSS Canada office in the NORCAT Underground Centre.