How to Go About Networking a Mine
Written by Patrick Chown, The Network Installers
Gone are the days when mining operations relied solely on hand tools and simple machinery. Modern mining operations today rely on digital tools to handle mining operations and communication. A robust communication network is required to use digital tools in any industrial sector. Modern machinery is also internet-enabled which again requires a reliable network for their operations.
Building and maintaining a strong, reliable network within an industrial environment is challenging. This challenge is exacerbated when you have to network a mine that typically operates in harsh conditions. The network infrastructure will have to stand up to the challenging environment and deliver reliable network connectivity to ensure mining operations continue without interruptions.
Networking a mine
When you want to install a communication network in an existing or a new mine, you need to factor in the requirements and conditions of the particular installation. The operating environment, devices that need to be connected to the network, area to be covered, and etc. all have to be considered. The following sections cover important factors and considerations you need to have when you go about installing a network in a mine.
Assessment
The first step to networking a mine is assessing the needs of the mine to be networked. The area of the network and the existing physical infrastructure of the mine has to be assessed. You also need to consider the devices that must be connected to the network at present. Project the future requirements of the mine and factor them in for the network assessment. The first stage should give an overall visibility of the mine and its network requirements.
Network design
Once you have the complete assessment of the mine in place, the next step is to design the network. The constraints and requirements for the mine should be the major factors that determine the network topology. In general, people and machinery are constantly moving. Completely wired networks do not make sense in such an environment. You will have to install and deploy wireless networks for the machinery and devices to be able to connect to a network.
At the same time, mines cover a very large area. Wireless networks do not have the range to cover such a large area. Other physical obstructions in mines also limit the range of wireless networks. So, you will need structured cables to deliver network connectivity to different parts of the mine. You have to design a hybrid network where ethernet cables are used to connect various Wi-Fi routers to the central network hubs. You can also rely on building mesh networks where devices and machines communicate with each other wirelessly to create a communication network. But this option is technically challenging to implement.
While creating the network design, you should also provide for power supply for the network devices. You also would need provision for voltage stabilizers and power protection units depending on the quality of power you have at the mine. Another factor you have to provision for in the design phase is thermal management. Network devices generate heat and there should be adequate provision to dissipate this heat. Some network devices like hubs and switches do not have the best performance in the typical operating environment of a mine. You need to make provision for air conditioning for such devices to eke out the maximum performance.
Devices
The commonly available network devices are designed to operate in regular commercial environments. Such devices deteriorate fast in the harsh environment of a mine. You have to pick rugged devices to power the network infrastructure for your mine. Most vendors of networking equipment have rugged offerings and you should choose the devices that suit the operating environment of your mine. Rugged devices are costlier than regular devices, but they have a high life cycle.
Protection
You need to build enclosures and conduits to house network elements such as structured cables, routers, switches, and hubs. This reduces the chances of any accident knocking out the network. You need to ensure the enclosures have visibility to check up on the operational and warning lights of network devices. This helps to know the status of the devices without unlocking the enclosures. Enclosures also help to reduce the deposit of dust and other particulate matter on network devices. This helps to have a longer life cycle for the devices.
Maintenance
Once you have installed the network infrastructure, you have to invest effort in the upkeep of the infrastructure. In the harsh environments of a mine, devices degrade and break down fast. You need to replace these devices at regular intervals and perform preventive maintenance to avoid unscheduled breakdowns.
In a nutshell…
Modern mining operations require robust network infrastructure. The network infrastructure for a mine cannot be built like the network of a commercial building. The brutal environment of a mine will eat away regular network devices. You need to consult expert network installation vendors to design, implement, operate, and maintain the network in your mine. Operating in a mine is not a cakewalk. The same for networking a mine and you need experienced hands to make it easier.