What computer vision can do
Computer vision (or technical vision) is artificial systems that receive information from video data to detect, track and classify objects using mathematical algorithms for analyzing the streaming image. They imitate the human eye, but allow minimizing the human factor in the management of any technological process.
This digital technology is used for the first time at Metinvest enterprises. One of the stages in the production of iron ore concentrate includes the beneficiation of iron ore, which takes place in the flotation section of the Ingulets GOK concentrating plant. The crushed ore is processed in flotation machines, blowing air through the slurry (mixture of ore and liquid) in the presence of reagents. Iron particles remain in the flotation cell, and waste rock is collected in the foam.
The VisioFroth system consists of eight video cameras for capturing the frothing process in four production lines of the flotation section. Cameras continuously record and transmit an image to a computer, and a specially trained visual analysis system in real time determines the main parameters of the foam: speed, size, color of bubbles, and others. Based on this data, a self-learning expert system automatically adjusts the flow rate of reagents and air to increase the yield of the finished concentrate.
How “digital” will affect production
Computer systems vision is one of the key tools for digitalization of enterprises, which allows you to constantly monitor the technological process at its various stages and promptly provide information for decision-making by a person or an automatic control system, which allows you to reach a new level of efficiency.
General Director of Ingulets GOK Alexander Gerasimchuk:
- Today, Ingulets GOK technologists reactively control the process, tracking the analyzes of concentrate samples that arrive three hours after sampling. The implementation of the VisioFroth system will allow you to move to proactive process control in real time, without waiting for the results of chemical analysis. As a result, we expect to stabilize the process and increase the yield of marketable concentrate already in 2022. The system will be a kind of "cruise control" of production, but in the event of emergency situations, technologists will always have the opportunity to switch to manual control mode and apply their experience to resolve them.
Metso Outotec for the last For 20 years she has implemented such a system in concentrators around the world. Its track record includes companies such as BHP, Rio Tinto, Vale and many others.
However, the cooperation between Metinvest Group and Metso Outotec differs from others: instead of a standard equipment purchase procedure, the companies together looked for a solution to increase the productivity of Inguletsky GOK.
Metinvest has a system for submitting proposals, when employees share ideas on reducing the cost of production, improving its quality, increasing production volumes and receive remuneration for this. This practice has now gone beyond the Group and made possible for its partners as well. At the same time, the size of the partner's remuneration is determined by the size of the economic effect obtained from the implementation of the initiative.
In addition to the computer vision system, this year it is planned to launch a pilot project "Digital Quarry" at Ingulets GOK, and a project on automation of enrichment sections.
