Autonomous crushing with SBM: Right on schedule

Futuristic stealth design, ultra-compact machine concept with modular full equipment – the REMAX 600 already made it clear at its presentation in 2022 that the future belongs to it! The 80-tonne plant is a central component of the "Autonomous Crushing" project, which is set to revolutionise mobile processing. SBM Mineral Processing, in collaboration with experts from the University of Leoben, is working hard to make this ambitious project a reality. The "Autonomous Crusher" is expected to be ready for the market by 2026.

The processing industry is facing an array of exciting challenges, including constantly increasing environmental requirements, extreme cost pressure due to rising energy prices, a shortage of skilled labour, and unchanged high demands on production conditions and quality.

In response to these challenges, the Austrian processing specialist SBM Mineral Processing has launched the "Autonomous Crushing" project together with the Chair of Processing at the renowned University of Leoben. The partners have been working on the necessary "reactive" plant technology for a good four years and are developing innovative sensors to recognise the feed material and reliably check the end products. At the same time, they are creating a global 24/7 network for the fundamentally new AI-supported processing of material and process-relevant data. This is being done on the basis of powerful cloud-based communication in a constant exchange between the crushers on site, their "digital twins" in the SBM base and the databases in Oberweis and Leoben, which are constantly fed with new global reference results.

From automation to autonomy

The path to "autonomous crushing" is comparable with the development steps and stages towards self-driving cars. The driver's workload is already being reduced by largely automated control and assistance functions (cf. engine and vehicle status, cruise control). New sensors are already enabling controlled "hands-free" driving in some cases. In autonomous automobility, the vehicle is ready with a full tank of petrol in good time, has preselected both the route and driving mode according to the destination and desired arrival, and takes its passengers to their destination safely, economically, environmentally friendly and, above all, without a steering wheel.

"Translated into processing practice, this means that the customer can optimally equip their systems before use based on the starting material and the desired end products – regardless of whether they want to complete the job as quickly as possible or as economically as possible," states SBM Sales Director Processing Helmut Haider . "Before a planned job, the operator also knows whether maintenance work is due within the duration of the job or the expected production tonnage, or whether individual tools are reaching their wear limit. This significantly increases availability."

The autonomous SBM crushers will also be able to drive without a steering wheel. "The main task of a wheel loader or excavator operator is to continuously feed the crusher, quickly reload the stockpiled end products and, in many companies, also load their own or customers' delivery vehicles at the same time. If he also has to screen the loading material for the correct composition, oversizes or foreign materials, this significantly reduces productivity." Accordingly, autonomous SBM crushers will also take over the incoming material inspection at the feed hopper. The AI-supported sensor system will correctly recognise raw materials or different types of construction waste.

Well on schedule

The CRUSH CONTROL plant control system, which was presented back in 2018 and is now used in its second generation as standard in all SBM crushers, provided an important basis for the development work. The PLC-based system makes full use of the advantages of the largely electrified main and auxiliary drives and continuously records all load conditions, crusher settings and weighing data. By specifically adjusting the feeder speed, for example, CRUSH CONTROL automatically controls the production process according to preset parameters, ensuring trouble-free operation. All settings and automated routines (e.g. start/stop functions) can be selected intuitively via a large 10-inch display, which also provides continuous information on the operating status. CRUSH CONTROL already offers a proven cloud-based communication platform with personalised app access and extensive telemetry support.

In addition to the large amount of rock and process-relevant data from the SBM test laboratory and the Leoben archives, the current operational data forms an indispensable basis for AI-supported "autonomous crushing". The first machine-specific values were already collected during the prototype tests of the REMAX 600. At the same time, the developers made a significant breakthrough last year in the optical real-time detection of grain sizes produced, which are recorded by a specially developed sensor system on the main discharge conveyor in front of the screening module. The new unit was put through its paces in comprehensive 1:1 tests under typical quarry and recycling conditions. At the same time, the analysis process and its algorithms were optimised for fast recording and processing, particularly taking into account the applicable quality requirements (including DIN EN 932/933). All results were successfully validated using weighing belt data and product tests.

A new fully hydraulic crushing gap adjustment system for the impact crusher of the REMAX 600 is currently being integrated. This system was developed in collaboration with the University of Leoben. The new system enables fully automatic adjustment of the crushing characteristics to the feed material or the desired end products. This reliably prevents excessive wear, while special sensors also record the condition of the tools and ensure continuously high end product quality. An important development stage concerns the categorisation of the feed material. Here, too, the development partners rely on an AI-supported detection system that evaluates the production-related properties of the source material (degree of hardness, size distribution, filler content, etc.) in real time.

Transparent information

SBM will also continue to optimise its information network until the planned market maturity of the machine technology innovations in 2026. Cloud-based data connections will then ensure that every 'autonomous' crusher worldwide is continuously connected to the SBM control centre. This may appear to be a contradiction in terms, but it is the basis for AI-supported production on site, which is accompanied by a "digital twin" with full access to the ever-growing data pool. Furthermore, the plant owner is granted comprehensive insight into the machine and its production data. The enhanced access to individual processing steps or machine components, in comparison to the current situation, ensures uninterrupted availability, regardless of the unit's location.