Five Benefits of Implementing DCS in Mining Operations

Today’s mines face mounting pressure to optimize their operations. In many cases, doing so means embracing digital technologies to unlock new levels of efficiency and insight. One of the most impactful of these technologies is the distributed control system (DCS).

What Is a distributed control system?

A distributed control system is an interconnected network of industrial sensors and controllers. It combines multiple industrial control systems and supervisory control and data acquisition systems to bring all processes across a mine together.

Importantly, while all these separate systems are connected, there are multiple control interfaces. Systems and controls for varying processes across the mine remain somewhat independent but still connect to all others in a unified underlying platform.

While 49 per cent of mining companies have made automation and digitization key strategic priorities, many have discovered it takes more than technology to succeed today. A lack of cross-functional alignment is one of the most common barriers. Digital controls and data are of limited utility when they exist in silos, but a DCS brings them together to unlock further possibilities.

Despite not replacing separate control systems with a centralized alternative, a DCS removes these silos. While independent, all systems share their real-time data to create a more cohesive digital ecosystem across the mine.

Benefits of distributed control systems

Distributed control systems are not unique to the mining industry but have extensive benefits in this sector. As demands for optimized mining operations rise, capitalizing on this potential becomes all the more crucial.

1. Increased efficiency

The most obvious benefit of DCS in mining is it drives higher operational efficiency. These productivity gains stem from several improvements in industrial control.

First, DCS makes critical data more accessible. In addition to consolidating data from separate processes within a mine, some organizations have centralized data from multiple facilities into a single server. That way, leaders can get a complete picture of operations without travelling or waiting on responses, enabling faster decision-making.

Distributed control systems typically also have extensive automation capabilities. Automating basic controls and data gathering gives miners more time to spend on other tasks. Manual processes take less time, too, as DCS’ distributed nature means workers can access key controls and data from nearby endpoints instead of going to a centralized control hub.

2. Improved safety

Implementing DCS also helps mines become safer. Mining is a dangerous industry, with workers experiencing 1,317 injuries in 2022 in Ontario alone. Most of these incidents stem from exposure to hazardous conditions and equipment-related accidents, both of which DCS addresses.

Readily available access to real-time data across the mine makes it easier to spot emerging hazards. DCS’s automated features can even automatically alert workers of potential dangers when a sensor detects an anomaly. Connecting these systems to Internet of Things (IoT) gas, temperature and ground sensors makes these early warnings even more comprehensive.

Because these control systems consolidate equipment data, they also enable more timely and relevant maintenance. Optimizing mining machinery repair schedules will reduce the risk of an unexpected breakdown, which could endanger nearby employees. Once again, automation helps in this area, as automated analyses are less likely to miss emerging equipment health factors than humans.

3. Fewer mistakes

DCS solutions can help mining organizations make fewer errors, too. Workplace mistakes typically arise from a lack of understanding of a situation, rushing through a process, or becoming tired and distracted. DCS’s automated features and data availability address all of these categories.

A distributed control system does not just provide real-time data but offers context by connecting that data to information from across the entire mine. Consequently, managers get a complete picture of their operations, informing more accurate decisions. Because accessing this information takes less time, staff can focus instead of rushing, further reducing mistakes.

Automated controls and alerts help by removing the possibility of human error from some workflows. Considering how unsafe human behaviour accounts for between 60 per cent and 90 per cent of all mining accidents, this automation significantly impacts safety, not just efficiency.

4. Increased resilience

A less prominent benefit of distributed control systems in mining is they make mines more flexible. Conditions can change suddenly, leading to significant disruptions if the operation does not adapt quickly. Having real-time data from across the mine through a DCS makes that adaptability attainable.

Communication is at the center of this advantage. Disruptions in one part of the mine will ripple throughout the facility, so downstream processes must recognize them as soon as possible to adapt and minimize the damage. Real-time alerts from other systems and processes streamline communication to enable these responses.

When all equipment across facilities connects, they can act as a cohesive unit instead of a chain of individual events. Consequently, mining operations become more resilient in the face of unexpected disruptions.

5. Better long-term decision-making

Many of these benefits focus on near-term changes. While these improvements are important, mines must also consider their long-term decision-making. A DCS can help in this area, too, as it lays the necessary groundwork for informed strategic decisions.

Data is essential to accurate decision-making, but just 25 per cent of mining companies plan to use advanced analytics in the near future. Organizations must address that gap to get more detailed and reliable pictures of their operations, which starts with better data collection practices. That is where distributed control systems come into play.

DCS solutions provide more insight than conventional control methods by consolidating data from all aspects of the mine. Automating this data collection and organization minimizes transmission and data entry errors, ensuring resulting insights are more reliable. With this wealth of information in hand, mining companies can discover their greatest strengths and weaknesses, and quantify operational improvements.

Distributed control systems are crucial today

Mines today must reach new efficiency, safety, resilience and strategic decision-making standards. Meeting these rising demands requires extensive data-centric workflows, which will not yield necessary improvements if they stay in silos. Implementing a distributed control system is the answer.

DCS technology brings together other Industry 4.0 innovations so mining enterprises can get more out of them. That combination is crucial if organizations hope to use their new technologies to their fullest extent and remain competitive.