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An Ericsson Consumer build a delivery organization that responds to very strict Service Level Agreements (SLAs); and gain market awareness of customers deployment challenges and ecosystem properties. Combined revenue from the 40 largest companiesImage source: Boliden3 Ericsson | 5G business valuePutting 5G to the testBoliden has achieved major productivity improvements by implementing automation. This use case demonstrates the significant growth opportunity for both the mining industry and mobile telecom service providers.230m-high machines that drill 17m-deep holes in the rock, 50cm in diameter, which are filled with explosives. A hole blows 8x10x17 cubic meters of rock to pieces for subsequent transportation for further processing. Every blast is guarded with the highest amount of safety, and after the blast, dangerous fumes need to evaporate, and the site needs to be secured before any staff can start excavation workThe opportunity Key features and benefits of mobile communications in the mine are coverage, reliability, low latency, better accuracy in positioning, high bandwidth, and the ability to run many devices, sensors or remotely controlled machines. When mobile communication coverage is offered, the mining industry will be one of the areas ripe for innovation through the development of mobile network-dependent applications.The challenge Aitik is an expanding mine. To get to the copper ore, lots of rock must be removed, and every year an increasing amount of rock is moved around in the system. Depending on where the ore is, the ratio of rock to ore varies; on average there is about 1 metric ton of rock removed for every 1 metric ton of ore. Aitiks current annual production of 36 million metric tons of ore is to be increased to 45 million metric tons, and the rock removed will increase by just as much, if not more. However, given that a mine is a busy place, it is not a straightforward task to increase the number of huge machines required for rock removal, and maintaining the same equipment utilization only adds to the challenge. In addition, every blast creates toxic gases that need to dissipate before humans can enter the area and begin excavation. The solution Automated and remotely controlled machines provide a solution. Automated drill rigs (known as “Pit Vipers”) can move from one drill hole to the next along a predefined path and perform repetitive tasks autonomously, in contrast to having a drill rig operator on site carrying them out manually.2If the task or movement is not predefined, the drill rig is equipped with cameras that enable an operator to control it remotely. Much of the time autonomy is sufficient; however, sometimes only humans can make a proper assessment (for example, during evaluation of rock conditions), and remote or even local assessment is then required.Five drill rigs at Aitik have been retrofitted with autonomous operation and remote-control features. As the current connection bandwidth only allows for medium-quality video streaming, which limits the remote-control capability, this retrofit is limited. A couple of cameras, a control system upgrade for the older rigs and a communication module have been added. 7,000 hours per year 7,000 hours per year of drill rig operation could be achieved through automation, an increase of 2,000 hours or 40 percent.Automating a drill rig could increase operating hours from 5,000 to 7,000 hours per year, in effect enabling Boliden to perform the same amount of blast operations with these 5 modified rigs as they could with 7 or more traditional rigs. This automation also eliminates the need for additional staff, service stations, parking areas, transport on busy access roads and dangerous staff transportation within the mine. As well as solving these logistical challenges, automation carries significant efficiency benefits, as Boliden can handle an increased number of blasts with similar equipment and staffing levels. 4 Ericsson | 5G business value5 Ericsson | 5G business valueEnabled by communicationsFor fully autonomous, remotely controlled equipment, high-performance communications are needed. The communication system used in mining today can handle simple, repetitive tasks in automation, such as drilling holes to certain specifications. The current technology being used for this in the mining industry is Wi-Fi, which is providing acceptable coverage and performance through careful rearrangement, pointing and dedication of Wi-Fi access points. Boliden has installed such a Wi-Fi communication system to enable the use of drill rigs in Aitik. Although it has delivered a new level of productivity, the experience has not been flawless. Wi-Fi is not designed for the wide area outdoor coverage required by an open-pit mine like Aitik, and this solution also severely limits the addition of other automated machines. It has been possible for drill rig connectivity to work as planned with Wi-Fi bandwidth performance and latency have been manageable. Concerns around stability and the use of unlicensed/unprotected radio spectrum, including a recurring drop in Wi-Fi performance due to external spectrum conflicts, have been addressed through modification of the machine control system in a patchwork solution. By modifying the logic of the control circuit, automated emergency stops could be avoided. At the time of writing, the drill rigs are being commissioned for autonomous operations. A 4G mobile communication system would offer a secure, flexible and future-proof solution for Boliden. However, while 4G can support the current identified use case, only 5G can comfortably handle the most demanding requirements bandwidth, quality of service, latency and positioning. With high-performance communications, a whole range of safety and efficiency measures become available to the mine. While some applications only need to send minor amounts of data, others (such as fully remote-controlled machines) need the capabilities and capacity offered through mobile communications such as 4G and especially 5G. However, the mining industry in general and Boliden in particular do not want to stop their automation activities here. There are many more planned steps, such as complex drilling, automated trucks and automated planning and dispatch, where high-performance communications (for example, 4G and 5G) will be required to handle several 3D video streams and manage highly complex tasks remotely.Mobile communications provide the edgeFor autonomous operations, Bolidens communication system needs the ability to: Enable fully remote monitoring, involving very high bandwidth and low latency requirements Potentially carry many other autonomous and remotely controlled machines, of different brands and with different control systems Handle an ever-changing production environment and geography Maintain broad coverage for all corners of the mine where machinery or staff could potentially be located Track and coordinate mobile equipment fleets and many sensors and other devices within one communications network IMAGE REQUIRES BRAND APPROVALImage source: BolidenThe economic valueAutomation has meant significantly lower costs for Boliden, saving approximately 1 percent of Aitiks total annual costs. Carrying out drilling and blasting using automation enabled by mobile connectivity, rather than buying 2 more drill rigs, shows an annual EUR 2.5 million net saving for the Aitik mine alone.Boliden believes that significant gains in productivity, quality and safety are attainable through the automation of more machinery, primarily trucks and excavators (see Figure 1). Unveiling the value By enabling automation, mobile communications present economic and sustainability value. The Boliden drill rig case is merely a taste of what is to come; the fully automated mine would multiply these benefits, as utilization levels of machinery like drill rigs and dump haulers break through previously unimaginable limits. The sustainability value The next step in the rollout of automation is automated trucks, which account for approximately 95 percent of Aitiks fuel consumption. By increasing efficiency in this area, huge benefits can be reaped. Fully automated/remotely controlled trucks drive more efficiently, eliminating unnecessary breaks. Smoother transport flow, steadier speed and less movement mean lower fuel consumption, and we estimate this saving potential to be in the range of 10 percent.Figure 1: Yearly potential gains through greater automation of machineryIllustrative future enabled by mobile communications and/or 5G functionalityEUR 2.5 millionAutomated drill rigs in Aitik0%100%Automated trucksDegree of realized automationAutomated excavatorsAutomated planning and dispatchOther3Calculations and assumptions are described in more detail in Ericssons sustainability appendix (document number 1/GFTB-18:001328 Uen) Such an efficiency improvement would reduce Aitiks annual emissions by approximately 9,400 metric tons of carbon dioxide.3 Another advantage from a sustainability perspective comes from the reduced number of rigs and machinery, as impacts related to the production of these are lessened.9,400 metric tonsAn estimated 10 percent saving in fuel consumption corresponds to a reduction of 9,400 metric tons of CO2emissions at Aitik.6 Ericsson | 5G business valueA mobile telecom service provider opportunity there for the taking In addition to the current subscription market, the opportunity in industrial applications such as mining could generate up to 36 percent of additional telecom service provider revenues by 2026.4For that potential to materialize, several challenges need to be overcome: The market is developing fast: Many communications technologies are vying to cater to industrial needs. Wi-Fi is already available and, in several mines, in service for certain types of less demanding use cases; the industry has decades of experience engaging with enterprise customers and acting on market changes. Although Wi-Fi cannot currently deliver everything 5G promises, that does not mean it will stay this way forever. Engagement with customers is required: Understanding how to engage with industrial customers in their core operations might be the greatest challenge. Critical operations have traditionally been controlled in-house, to avoid relying on suppliers to fix serious faults that halt production, so telecom service providers need to create trust and deliver certainty to customers. Delivery models are changing from collective network performance to specific device performance: Telecom service providers need to deal with zero-fault tolerance for each individual customer and sometimes each device. The implications for a telecom service providers current way of working will be significant, if not transformative. Though todays mobile communications solutions can already serve the majority of current use cases, 5G will enable the most demanding remotely controlled applications. For telecom service providers, gaining a foothold in the industry segment will mean adapting to customers who are new to mobile communications and have specific demands. Customers will seek local solutions to data integrity, reliability of independent mobile coverage, security and superior performance (for example, in latency). Telecom service providers will need to meet strict and demanding SLAs, sometimes on a per-device basis.There are many potential business models, but a connectivity-as-a-service model would be a logical choice, given the high reliability, large-scale paradigm and relative complexity of mobile communications. There is likely to be demand for other models, not least because Wi-Fi has educated customers in the ability to buy a system and operate it themselves. Licensed spectrum is a competitive advantage and one that should not be underestimated. For telecom service providers, the tangible benefits of bringing 5G to mining are attainable today.4Ericsson, The 5G business potential Industry digitalization and the untapped opportunity for operators, 2017In order to address the large business opportunity telecom service providers need to: Package an easy-to-buy, off-the-shelf commercial solution Build a delivery organization that responds to very strict SLAs Gain market awareness of the deployment challenges and ecosystem properties affecting customers7 Ericsson | 5G business valueThe content of this document is subject to revision without notice due to continued progress in methodology, design and manufacturing. Ericsson shall have no liability for any error or damage of any kind resulting from the use of this documentEricssonSE-164 80 Stockholm, Sweden Telephone +46 10 719 0000 ericssonGFTB-18:001328 Uen Ericsson AB 2018Ericsson enables communications service providers to capture the full value of connectivity. The companys portfolio spans Networks, Digital Services, Managed Services, and Emerging Business and is designed to help our customers go digital, increase efficiency and find new revenue streams. Ericssons investments in innovation have delivered the benefits of telephony and mobile broadband to billions of people around the world. The Ericsson stock is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm and on Nasdaq New York. ericsson
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