The modern day business environment in mining and manufacturing is facing the critical challenge of balancing resource sustainability with productivity and environmental responsibility, requiring an increased focus on the sustainable use of scarce resources, in particular the optimal use of electrical energy and water.

The monitoring, reporting and reduction of carbon emissions is also a key driver in business today, together with ensuring minimal negative impact on the environment. 

“Obsolete hardware that does not offer digital integration can come at a huge cost to organisations, leading to lost opportunities to drive operational excellence and sustainability. In most instances, feasible modernisation and migration paths exist to unlock these opportunities,” explains Iritron CEO Alwyn Rautenbach.

While the reduction of the environmental impact of mining and manufacturing, as well as optimising the use of scarce resources, may seem like an impossible paradox, Iritron believes technology and digitisation can help overcome this challenge. At the same time, organisations need to maintain or increase production throughput and quality. Iritron, which was awarded Schneider Electric Certified Alliance Partner status for the mining, minerals, and metals industries last year, is committed to helping organisations meet these seemingly impossible goals.

“At the foundation of such a solution is a connected plant and connected online equipment. The power of a connected plant extends to online condition monitoring, that is essential for preventing downtime, conserving energy, and avoiding environmental incidents. This is made possible by Iritron, in partnership with world-class technology provider Schneider Electric,” notes Rautenbach, adding that by installing modern Programmable Logic Controllers, Variable Speed Drives (VSDs), Smart Sensors and Energy Meters, manufacturers and miners can make process information available digitally to generate critical data.

“This data can be used to make better informed decisions and through consolidation  from different sources into a single digital platform, rich context is created,” he states. A connected plant and equipment further enables online condition monitoring of plants and processes, that can prevent costly downtime, wastage of energy and environmental incidents. 

"Our experience in integrating these systems, combined with the fundamental understanding of processes, complex calculations and networks, as well as hardware and software applications, ensure the delivery of fit-for-purpose and sustainable solutions, resulting in operational excellence,” adds Rautenbach.

Once the data and information is available in a digital platform, additional insight and functionality can be gained by implementing groundbreaking Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) tools. “Early anomaly detection, the automated detection and notification of the smallest variations in processes and the forecasting of process values, coupled with closed loop feedback control, are all examples of standard no code AI functionality available in assisting organizations to drive operational excellence and sustainability,” says Rautenbach.

Other enhancements in technology that can be leveraged is smart online vibration sensors, remote monitoring made possible by the Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT), and energy savings by using the latest generation of Medium and Low Voltage VSDs. Advanced Process Control (APC) and Model Predictive Control (MPC) further ensure that the variability of complex dynamic processes is kept to a minimum and processes always run as close to the desired operating window as possible.

“Our projects range from the detailed design, engineering and supply of electrical equipment, building centralised control rooms that showcase the implementation of smart technology, to the manufacturing and commissioning of process plants. As an engineering and a manufacturing company, Iritron has the ability to analyse customer requirements and engineer a solution accordingly,” notes Rautenbach.