The use of data generated by mining equipment has evolved considerably over the years. Initially coal producers were interested in machines that could generate data on an individual machine basis. Data generated by a machine was used to drive equipment operation and maintenance decisions that resulted in increased equipment reliability. In other words, underground mining companies wanted each machine to provide data that could be used to improve machine efficiency – and mitigate, or even prevent, breakdowns of that machine. However, while very valuable, individual equipment data alone was not sufficient to make a significant impact on a mine’s overall production and operation costs.
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