Sandvik, which has been working with mining customers on mine automation and remote monitoring
of machines for more than two decades, says its agreement with IBM will create additional
value for its customers.

Sandvik, in making the announcement, pointed out that improvements in onboard instrumentation and data gathering capabilities in heavy equipment offer opportunities to employ advanced analytics and models to identify and resolve productivity issues and improve process optimization and performance. Sandvik cited a recent McKinsey Global Institute report that predicts deployment of digital technologies will create as much as $100 billion of value to resource-producing companies by 2035.

The two companies said they are already working jointly with selected customers to pilot the concept and commercialize specific solutions. The first phase of work will focus on loaders and trucks, connecting up to 15 units and integrating live data from multiple onand off-board systems to run analytic algorithms.

The collaboration will involve the use of advanced analytics, remote monitoring and cognitive technologies to allow companies to combine equipment and application data from disparate resources and identify patterns to improve performance and productivity.

The combination of information services, remote data collection and data analysis is expected to improve effectiveness by increasing productivity, cutting costs and reducing time wastage. Sandvik said it has already seen cost per ton decreases of 20%–50% after implementation of the latest digital technologies, and with new analytical capabilities aims to further increase potential gains.

“Sandvik has been working with mining customers on mine automation and remote monitoring of machines for more than 20 years. Our OptiMine and AutoMine solutions are also important systems for data collection and consolidation that provide us with a great platform to get a flying start with IBM analytics solutions. So it is a natural step for us to collaborate with a company like IBM — experts in advanced analytics cognitive computing and modeling — to create even more value to our customers,” said Lars Engström, president of Sandvik Mining and Rock Technology.

“This collaboration fits well with our service portfolio, which is based on traditional life-cycle, enhanced technical, and business services, all of which are aligned to improve safety, secure competences for mine operations and increase our customers’ productivity.”