John A. MeechUniversity of British Columbia
Department of Mining and Mineral Process Engineering6350 Stores Road, Vancouver, B.C., V6T 1Z4, Canada
Tel : (604) 822-3984Fax : (604) 822-5599
Email : [email protected] .ca
Intelligent Methods in Mineral Processing - Treating the Mine-Mill Complex as a Factory
OutlineOutline • Background to Problems• Strategies to Follow• Incentives for Integration• Complexity Analysis• Intelligent Manufacturing Systems• IMS Architectures - agent-based / holonic systems• Structure of an Agent• "Swarm" Intelligence• Applications in Mining and Processing• Overview of IPMM• Conclusions and Recommendations
BackgroundBackground
• The mining industry is at a crossroads facing:
– ever-declining commodity prices– difficulties in marketing– high competition from abroad– increasingly complex ores– decreasing ore grades and reserves– a very poor image in society
Strategies to FollowStrategies to Follow
1. continue the routine of cutting costs
– labour-reduction – adoption of new technologies
2. expand the organizational horizon to – integrate activities across the mine and mill
– include value-added down-stream processing
Incentives for Option 2Incentives for Option 2• Impurities and Material Quality Issues
• New Processes
• Local Markets
• Recycling
• Value-added
- may require separate processing
- allow final product production at the mine
- can sustain production of final product
- can create new markets
- additional value ( gold jewellry, Polar diamond)
Incentives for Option 2Incentives for Option 2• Regulations
• Infrastructure
• Design impact
• Local resources
• Delivery costs
- can provide reasons for value-added
- can sustain mining in remote regions
- down-stream processing can affect design decisions
- power, rail, shipping ports, etc. may provide benefits
- savings in transportation costs
An Important Additional IncentiveAn Important Additional Incentive
• Complexity Analysis
– complex, interactive decision-making across an enterprise has not been possible in the past
» poor data-communication » poor data-collection» poor data-analysis
– such is not the case today
The Advent of "Complex" AnalysisThe Advent of "Complex" Analysis• Options can provide flexible response to
– changing commodity prices– competition from other sectors
– complex ore changes (grades and hardness)
– complex technology changes communication systems robotics advanced materials nanotechnology
composite materials vs. superalloys fibre-optics vs. coaxial cable coal vs. petroleum products
aluminum vs. copper
Attributes of an Intelligent Manufacturing SystemAttributes of an Intelligent Manufacturing System
• Collect and manage large amounts of data
• Analyse data to optimize across departments
• Develop simulation models of interactions between independent parts of an organization
• Apply intelligent robots to perform routine tasks
• Simulate assembly lines & plant processes to discover new ways to coordinate processing steps
Flexibility - the Key to Intelligent OperationFlexibility - the Key to Intelligent Operation
Create alternate plans Expand mine production Maintain production costs (or reduce) Change mill circuit layout Adjust product mix and/or quality
Flows in an IMSFlows in an IMS
• Materials and Resources
• Information (messages and/or data)
Interactions between process stages are treated as seller-customer or server-client relationships
Architectural Features of an IMSArchitectural Features of an IMS
• High-level tasks are decomposed
• Simulation conducted at different times/resolutions
• Behaviours are decomposed into sub-functions
• Functions are distributed across the system
ENTERPRISE
PLANT WIDE
SUPERVISORY CONTROL
DIRECT CONTROL
PROCESS INSTRUMENTATION
PROCESS
Traditional System HierarchyTraditional System Hierarchy
NASA/NIST STANDARD REFERENCE MODELING ENVIRONMENT
maps
objects
statevariables
objectivefunctions
programfiles servo
control
SensorProcessing
WorldModeling
TaskDecomposition
detectand
integrate
modelevaluation
planand
execute
TimeScale
UserInterfaces
path planning
operationalscheduling
taskactions
M1
M2
M3
M4
M5
S1
S2
S3
S4
S5
E1
E2
E3
E4
E5 milliseconds
seconds
minutes
hours
days to years
dynamicoperations
Multiple
Intelligent Manufacturing SystemsIntelligent Manufacturing Systems
after Monckton, 1997
Elements of an Intelligent SystemElements of an Intelligent System• rule-based modeling (expert systems)• fuzzy logic inferencing • artificial neural network modeling• genetic algorithm optimization• ability to explain and justify• ability to adapt or learn from experience• management of temporal-reasoning • agent-based architectures• "swarm" intelligence
Real-Time Intelligent Control System ModulesReal-Time Intelligent Control System Modules
User Interfaces Multiple
Inference Engine
InterNet Bridge
Process Bridge
Blackboard
Knowledge Base
Artificial Neural Network
Genetic Algorithm
What is an Expert System?What is an Expert System?
have been in use since the early 1970s method based on how we store memories symbolic reasoning is central to the method syntax is easy to learn and use symantics of a knowledge base is easy to
understand but difficult to create expertise is acquired incrementally from
interviews with an expert (or experts)
Who or what is an Expert?Who or what is an Expert?
…someone who everyday knows more and more about an ever-diminishing field until the scope of knowledge becomes so small that he/she knows everything about nothing.
…the man from out of town!An expert is…
Einstein
… simply someone who has acquired specific knowledge about a special area acquired over years of working with a process or piece of equipment.
Acquiring KnowledgeAcquiring Knowledge
The man from out of town is not necessarily the expert.
Rather this person is
The Knowledge Engineer
The Knowledge EngineerKnowledge Engineer must work in a collaborative way with the ExpertExpert to extract the gems of knowledge and then …
...code it into a computer program using special AI techniques such as - fuzzy logic
- neural networks - genetic algorithms
Acquiring KnowledgeAcquiring Knowledge
Sometimes special consultants are needed
????
!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!????
????
Acquiring KnowledgeAcquiring Knowledge
…an interrogation
Care must be taken that an interview does not become…..
Acquiring KnowledgeAcquiring Knowledge
Rule-based ModelingRule-based ModelingRule Name: water_valve_high
IF tank level is definitely "high"AND pump speed is "maximum"THEN valve position change is "closed a lot"
DEFUZZIFY (valve position) FIND (pulp flowrate * ) WAIT ("water_valve_high", 120 )
ELSE valve position change is not "closed a lot"
Fuzzy-Logic InferencingFuzzy-Logic Inferencing
Low Medium HighDegree
ofBelief
tank level
00 6 12
100
Fuzzy Associative MapFuzzy Associative Map
tank level
low medium highmed-low med-highpumpspeed
minimum
normal
maximum
openeda lot
notchanged
notchanged
notchanged
closeda little
closeda lot
closeda lot
closeda lot
a lotopened
a littleopened
a lotopened
a littleopened
a littleopened
closeda little
closeda little
Artificial Neural NetworksArtificial Neural Networks
based on the neuronal structure of the brain applied where data exists but no model has true learning capability slow to adapt but fast to operate applications
– predictive monitoring (soft sensors)
– image analysis
– pattern recognition
Artificial Neural NetworksArtificial Neural Networks
W1j
W2j
W3j
W4j
Wnj
input 1
input 2
input 3
input 4
input n
output j
Basic Neuronal Equation
inputs = 0 to 1 outputs = 0 to 1 weights = - to +
Genetic AlgorithmsGenetic Algorithms
high-speed optimization method based on "Survival of the Fittest" data are coded as chromosomes
- 01101 wherein each digit represents a
different variable and its current level
each dataset is combined with another "fit"
dataset to create a "child" solution each generation is "fitter" than the previous one
Operators in GAOperators in GA
Selection for reproduction
Cross-over operator
Mutation operator
Elite strategies (cloning)
Real-Time Intelligent Control System ModulesReal-Time Intelligent Control System Modules
User Interfaces Multiple
Inference Engine
InterNet Bridge
Process Bridge
Blackboard
Knowledge Base
Artificial Neural Network
Genetic Algorithm
Intelligent User InterfacesIntelligent User Interfaces
• Process mimic diagrams
• Trend diagrams of data vs. time
• Windows to view and log messages
• Explanation and Justification Abilities
• Message filtration into classes for each user type
Agent-based IMS Structure• Holonic manufacturing systems
- A holon is an individual element of a whole
- Holons can be made up of other holons- resource holons- product holons- order holons- control holons
• Modeling methodology can be applied to a hierarchy to create a heterarchical system in both time and space
Holonic Manufacturing SystemHolonic Manufacturing System
Object B
machine
Holonifier
Customer
" I want Object C ”
Information
Holon
Transport
Holon
Material flowInformation flow
AGVSystem
Holonifier
AssemblyRobot
Holonifier
after Monostori and Kadar, 1999
Object C
Holonic system
Object A Object A'
Structure of a resource agentStructure of a resource agent
Registrationmechanism
LocalDatabase
Material flow
Communicationagent
Message processing
Inputbox
Output box
KnowledgeBase
Incoming message Sent message
MaterialProcessing
Resource supervisoragent
after Monostori and Kadar, 1999
Data Models and Communication
• Product Data Management systems
- STEP system under ISO 10303
• CORBA Communication Protocol
- Common Objects Request Broker Architecture
- developed by the Object Management Group
Architecture of a CORBA Architecture of a CORBA Communication Protocol SystemCommunication Protocol System
after Nicoletti, 1999
DynamicInvocation
IDLStubs
ObjectAdapter
ORBInterface
DynamicSkeleton
IDLSkeleton
ORB Core
ORB CoreClientObject
Implementation
Agent Types and System DesignAgent Types and System Design• There are 4 agent types:
- problem-solving agents
- information agents
- service agents for other agents
- translation agents
• Aspects of designing an agent system are:
- number of agents required
- number of types of agents
- number of actions performed (complexity)
System Design IssuesSystem Design Issues Structure - level of self-containment of an agent
Communication - protocols & interchange language
Group formation - persuading machines to participate in
a group -- reward/penalty systems
Configurability - addition/deletion of machines/groups
Scalability - scale-up to the extended enterprise level
Global vs. local optima - dealing with 'selfish' agents
1. Virtual Rapid Prototyping on the Web - interactive automation tools to simulate conceptual design
2. Enterprise Information Integration Agent System - a collaborative infrastructure for large-scale integration
3. Multi-Agent Framework for "Lean" Manufacturing - customer-driven with globally synchronized-scheduling
4. Internet agent-based Infrastructure for Mass Customization - Internet supports global communication between
customers and manufacturers
Intelligent Manufacturing and the WebIntelligent Manufacturing and the Web
after G. Nicoletti, IPMM-2001
Web-based Collaborative Engineering Design
- Adaptive Modeling Language (AML) demo by TechnoSoft Inc.
- developed from a single-user, single-computer environment used to model complex engineering problems
- a Dual Use Science & Technology (DUS&T) agreement Air Force Research Laboratory,
Lockheed-Martin Electronics & Missiles, and TechnoSoft Inc.
- multiple users interact simultaneously with a unified parts model over a network of geographically-distributed machines
Chemaly, IPMM-2001
Matrix of Launch Vehicle Design DisciplinesMatrix of Launch Vehicle Design Disciplines- Zweber et al., IPMM-2001- Zweber et al., IPMM-2001
Lockheed-Martin's Missile Design NetworkLockheed-Martin's Missile Design Network- Zarda et al., IPMM-2001
Optimization-based Design:Optimization-based Design:The Multi-Process Design ExecutiveThe Multi-Process Design Executive
- software package to design multi-stage materials processes
- based on the Adaptive Modeling Language (AML)
- integrates models of materials, geometry, processes, equipment, and cost with optimization algorithms
- a tool for preliminary selection of manufacturing processes
- to evaluate alternate processing sequences and parameters at early design stages, when decisions have the greatest influence on cost
- demo-ed processes to manufacture Ti-alloy turbine engine disks
E. Medina and W. G. Frazier, IPMM-2001
Processing Sequence Design Processing Sequence Design ProblemProblem
Process Sequence Object
Initial Workpiece
Final Workpiece
P1 P2 Pi Pn
Optimization Objects
D1 F1
Design System Main Control Object
Ai
Di Fi
Bi
Virtual Manufacturing Environment
Web-based interface to integrate material process design and analysis modules
models of various manufacturing processes
module to view the output as a 3D model in a web browser
interface for headgear and Data-Glove to provide an interactive, immersive environment
B. Mehta, IPMM-2001
Swarm IntelligenceSwarm IntelligenceAnt Colonies exhibit
"collective" intelligence
The Civil or Mining Engineers
of the Insect World
Ants can FarmAnts can Farm
• Harvesting food• Storing food• Feeding their young• Serving their Queen
WHAT IS SWARM INTELLIGENCE?WHAT IS SWARM INTELLIGENCE?
Refers to a higher-level "intelligence"
autonomous agents acting in their natural environment
each with local low level behaviour
collective action results in an "apparent" intelligence
Swarm Intelligence and ModelingSwarm Intelligence and Modeling
• Can help solve complex problems by providing- a distributed model- an adaptable model- a flexible and robust model- an extremely fast optimization algorithm
• Fits in well with agent-based models- a centralized program is replaced by an emergent
and distributed set of autonomous functional entities
ANT COLONY OPTIMIZATIONANT COLONY OPTIMIZATION
Applications
– Travelling Salesman Problem– Telecommunication Channel Assignment– Vehicle Routing (shovel/truck scheduling)
ANT COLONY OPTIMIZATIONANT COLONY OPTIMIZATION
Benefits
– Solve extremely large-scale problems– Faster than Genetic Algorithms– Highly adaptable to changing conditions
Adaptability of AntsAdaptability of Ants
Adaptability derives from cooperation of individuals (not intelligence) because of 2 factors:
1. Pheremone signals between ants
2. Stimulus-response of each ant
The collective response guarantees survival of the colony
Block 1
Block 2
Block n
Maintenance/ Emergency repairsMaintenance/ Emergency repairs
TargetTarget
Analogy Between Ants and Shovel-Analogy Between Ants and Shovel-TrucksTrucks
Applications in MiningApplications in Mining
• Systems Design and Simulation
• Orebody Modeling
• Long-Range Planning of Production Options
• Mine Planning and Scheduling
• Optimization Studies on Mine/Mill Interface
Applications in MiningApplications in Mining
• Improvements in Environmental Control
• Vertical Integration Opportunities
• Strategic Planning of Investment/Expansion
• Intelligent Stockpiles
• Enhanced Comminution Systems
Applications in MiningApplications in Mining
• Coordinated Real-Time Maintenance
• Tele-remote Operations
• Enhanced Data Communication Protocols
• Discovery of New Ideas
• Value-Added Production at the Mine
Example 1: Highland Valley CopperExample 1: Highland Valley Copper
• Optimized comminution requirements- blasting (fragmentation)- primary crushing (10" > 4")- semiautogenous grinding (SAG)
• Benefit - increased throughput by up to 30%
• Discovery- SAG milling is not a legitimate unit process
Example 2: Mount Isa Mines Example 2: Mount Isa Mines
• Examined orebody to provide stable mill feed- ore hardness (variance reduced by 10%)- head grades (variance reduced by 25%)- ore reserves reduced by 25%
• Benefits - increased throughput by 15%- improved recovery by 5%
• Discovery- new methods to treat lost reserves
Example 3: Harmony Gold MineExample 3: Harmony Gold Mine
• Installed new process to produce 99.99 % Au- refining stage after bullion production- new process for gold bars (powder metallurgy)- jewelry production at mine site
• Benefits - new opportunities for local labor force- increased marketing opportunities
• Discovery- can market gold to consumers on the InterNet
Example 4: Ekati Diamond MineExample 4: Ekati Diamond Mine
• Invested in jewelry production outside of CSO- set up new facility in Yellowknife- marketing the "Polar Diamond"- about 20% of total production
• Benefits - new job opportunities for local labor force- increased marketing opportunities
• Discovery- can market diamonds directly to consumers
Example 4: Globalcoal.comExample 4: Globalcoal.com
• Joint Venture by 4 of the largest mining companies- Anglo American- Billiton- Glencore International - Rio Tinto
• Created a single online marketplace for thermal coal- set to begin February 2001- will be expanded to iron ore and base metals- threatens conventional markets such as LME- provides opportunity to market to many customers
Example 5: Internet CommerceExample 5: Internet Commerce
• Australian mining companies have set up a B2B market web site to provide auction opportunities for multiple suppliers and consumers of raw materials
• BHP is planning to sell "rough" uncut diamonds over the Internet to wholesalers wishing to take their stones to a jeweller to have them cut and designed the way they want, bypassing numerous intermediaries. GST payments are reduced as well.
ConclusionConclusion
• Alternate strategies to cost-cutting are required
• Opportunities exist to apply Intelligent Manufacturing Systems based on Agent or Holonic principles
• IMS can provide data collection and data analysis at various time and resolutions to conduct simulation modeling
• Value-Added production at the mine site can be examined using an IMS system
• High-tech Internet applications can lead to significant improvements in the industry's image and competitiveness
IPMM-2001IPMM-2001
Conference Theme"Cross-Disciplinary Research in IPMM
- an Essential Ingredient for Innovation!”
A Brief History of IPMMA Brief History of IPMM
Founded in 1997 in Gold Coast, Australia. In 1999, the 2nd International Conference
was held in Honolulu, Hawaii. Now we have completed the traverse of the
Pacific arriving at the home of IPMM -
Vancouver, British Columbia
What is IPMM ?What is IPMM ? An eclectic group of scientists, engineers, and researchers with a wide variety of backgrounds
• materials science & engineering, mechanical & electrical engineering• mining, processing & metallurgical engineering• computer science & engineering and biological computing• manufacturing & industrial engineering• chemical engineering and civil engineering (structures & transportation)• environmental sciences & engineering• astronomy and space exploration• HMIs & ergonomics / psychology (emotions in decision-making)• image analysis & vision analysis / measurement & instrumentation
Bill Reid’s Jade Canoe - The Spirit of Haida
Gwaii
"...The Spirit Canoe…is an exploratory vessel, sailing an unknown course through unknown seas. Beings looking for other beings to speak to, feast with, trade with..."
Bill Reid - 1992
Background to IPMMBackground to IPMMsimilar to the creatures in the Jade Canoe, IPMM Members are also travelling:
• an uncertain odyssey to an unknown destination
• looking for – new ways to understand materials– new processes to fabricate products
• we focus on applications but there is always room in the boat for new theories and ideas
• we gather every two years to share in our new knowledge and experience
SomeSome people may ask:
“Why should a mining or processing engineer participate in a conference with an astronomer?”
“How can a scientist studying manufacturing techniques possibly gain anything from listening to a psychologist?”
“What can a ‘soft’ scientist learn from a mining engineer?”
“I'm a materials researcher. Why should I care about these so-called "intelligent" methods?”
Legitimate Questions - here are some answers
the world has become a much more complex place in which to work and study.
no single person or group can adequately hope to find the "right" answer any more.
there may no longer even be a "right" solution. "intelligent" methods derive from single minds operating in
a collaborative environment. issues must be addressed using a multi-dimensional
approach – one which lends itself to input from cross-disciplinary
teams.
Collaboration Collaboration – the Key to – the Key to InnovationInnovation
Ideas spring from a single mind. Even the best minds freely admit that they
performed at the top of their abilities when they were "collaborating".
The question is - "how can we create environments whichcapture the best of truly ‘great’ collaboration?"
The Return of the Generalist The Return of the Generalist
"You can lead a person to knowledge, but you can't make them understand it.”
"While the Internet may have democratized the availability and access to Knowledge, Intelligence
is a commodity that can never be distributed uniformly
- it must be shared to be useful and to be used!"
Concern for People is Key Concern for People is Key
• sharing comes from mutual respect and trust
• a collaborative system must do more than simply provide a common work space
• it must not inhibit creativity and innovation
• searching for "intelligence" must be the goal
• an individual reward system is essential
Paper-Recycling and the Paper-Recycling and the InternetInternet
The goal of the University of Newcastle
Paper Usage Action Plan is
To reduce the consumption of paper products.
with a 4-point plan:– Reduce paper consumption for University communication.
– Maintain & establish programs for recycling and reuse of paper products.
– Encourage "environmentally-friendly" stationery and business equipment.
– Encourage "environmentally-friendly" bathroom paper products.
The Paperless OfficeThe Paperless Office
The Internet was supposed to give us the Paperless Office. Instead paper use has increased steadily - Why is this? In migrating from one paradigm to another, change is resisted and we continue using paper
- even more so, as we search for the "perfect" draft! As more people use the new tools, paper use goes up. As our comfort-level with the environment increases, slowly we
stop using paper naturally and entirely! – no hard copy reports – only email communication or wireless cell phones
IPMM and Paper UseIPMM and Paper Use
InterNet--
Year
1997
1999
2001
2003
Pages
220015501750
?
hard copy--
CD-ROM--
Price ($ US)~ 20,000~ 15,000
~ 500~ 0
in 2003 the Proceedings will be entirely on the Internet
Paper-Recycling and the Paper-Recycling and the InternetInternet
» Rules should be made for the benefit of the group in total, not for a single individual or sub-group
» Rules should not stifle creativity and innovation
» The World is made up of three main groups the Sergeants (or Bosses/Decision-makers) the Anarchists (or Thinkers/Rebels) the Uppers (or Workers/Believers)
» I submit - we must find the "intelligence" in these activities -- who are these systems designed for?
Why legislate something that is a natural evolution?
Other ExamplesOther Examples
» The Vancouver "Air-Care" Program» "Blue-Box" Programs» Regulating the Internet
"There is nothing more useless than doing efficiently what shouldn’t be done at all "
- Peter Drucker
Why legislate something that is a natural evolution?
The Evolution of the InternetThe Evolution of the Internet Year Number of hosts Innovation1965 2 ARPA(DARPA)1968 4 ARPANET1971 8 Telnet, Ethernet1974 32 TCP/IP - UUCP - FTP1978 100 USENET1983 1,000 DNS1987 10,000 T11989 100,000 World Wide Web/HTML1992 1,000,000 T31995 10,000,000 first e-business1999 100,000,000 first software agent
soon there will be more host computers than people
"If you can hang on until 2016, you will never die!" - J.W. Lewis
The Age of MachinesThe Age of Machines
BenefitsDemocratization of Information and the advent of "Empire"
"a fluid, infinitely expanding and highly organized system
encompassing the world's entire population." - Michael Hardt and Antonio Negri
Computers outperform Humans in thinking and in emotionsNanotechnology will combine with Computational IntelligenceNo more Human "Wet" Diseases
Closing
» organizing biannual meetings to discuss "intelligent" methods for material production and manufacturing
» providing a collaborative environment to share in new ideas across multiple disciplines
» creating a society that understands the importance of "intelligent" approaches to processing and
manufacturing of materials» promoting the use of "intelligent" thinking in the
important technical activities of the 21st Century
IPMM is fulfilling an important function byIPMM is fulfilling an important function by
IPMM’03IPMM’03
The 4th International Conference on
Intelligent Processing and Manufacturing of Materials
Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
May 18 - 23, 2003
Theme:
Nanotechnology for the 21st Century
– do good things really come in small packages?
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