With particularly abrasive rock and a heavily used production chain, SCVN wanted to better understand the real impact of each blast across the entire production chain.
The teams already had machine data, but it was scattered across several manufacturer portals, with no unified view and no direct link to the blasts.
Under these conditions, it was impossible to precisely measure cycle times, finely compare blasts with one another, or quantify the effect of a blast pattern on mucking, crusher performance, fuel consumption, downtime and idle time, and ultimately cost per ton, as well as the carbon footprint of operations.
A poorly calibrated blast could result in insufficient rock fragmentation, impacting the production chain: more oversized blocks to rehandle, more material trips to the crusher, leading to accelerated equipment wear.
To overcome these limits, SCVN drew on EPC France's expertise and the data collected by Hiboo to establish a direct link between equipment data and the actual performance of each blast across the entire production chain.
Hiboo automatically collects raw data from quarry machines, whatever the brand, via the Caterpillar, Komatsu, Epiroc, and Connectic sources. This data is harmonized and then sent to Explore™, the analytics and monitoring platform developed by GTS, a specialist in blast-optimization solutions.
For each blast, Explore™ retrieves machine positions, working and idle times, fuel consumption, and CO₂ emissions from Hiboo.
In practice, SCVN no longer just tracks its machines: the company links each blast to its direct consequences on mucking, crushing, cycle times, and environmental impact. Yield losses, crusher waiting times, and the effect of a blast on fragmentation and the associated operational costs become visible much faster.
At the heart of the setup, GTS developed within EXPLORE™, the data-analytics platform, an algorithm based on the positions provided by Hiboo.
This algorithm:
Teams thus have a simple benchmark: aim for a "haul + dumping + return" time shorter than the loading time. As soon as this ratio tips out of balance, it becomes possible to review haul-road layouts, adjust the number of machines, rethink traffic organization between the working face and the crusher, or adapt the blast pattern to limit oversized blocks and improve fragmentation.
This approach makes it possible to increase the amount of material moved for the same number of cycles and the same machine fleet.
In parallel, Hiboo collects fuel-consumption and CO₂-emission data for each machine. Cross-referenced with cycles and volumes produced, this data makes it possible to target and reduce unproductive idle time, limit crusher waiting times and empty trips, and compare blasts with one another from a "productivity + energy impact" angle.
Fewer unnecessary trips, less downtime, and less idling mean that, for the same quantity of aggregates produced, fuel consumption drops, as do CO₂ emissions per ton extracted, without changing the teams' practices in the field. Blast quality is a major lever for energy and environmental performance.
From the data collected by Hiboo, EPC France calculates an operational-efficiency indicator for each blast. The technology solutions developed by GTS make it possible to carry out high-value-added blasts.
The operational-efficiency rate is not just a result, but a genuine decision-support tool. It lets teams track the impact of each blast on the site's overall performance (new blast pattern, corrective measures, machine-fleet reorganization).
Thanks to this indicator, field teams and operations managers now rely on concrete data, making it easier to analyze performance, productivity, and site profitability.
Thanks to the data collected by Hiboo and its analysis on the EXPLORE™ platform developed by GTS, SCVN has moved from a monthly-reporting logic to effective steering of every blast: cycle times, machine performance, fuel consumption, CO₂ emissions. 100% of targeted blasts are now correlated with equipment field data.
Thanks to the positions collected by Hiboo and to the EXPLORE™ platform, the average cycle time is now quantified at around 13 minutes. This time, previously impossible to measure without manual timing, becomes a benchmark for immediately spotting drift, targeting haul roads that are too long or saturated, and measuring the effect of blast adjustments on output and material throughput.
EPC France calculates operational efficiency based on a ratio between usage rate and idle time. Thanks to the data collected by Hiboo, the company gained visibility on this KPI. At the Vignats quarry, it is now estimated at 72%, with a target set at 80%. The technology solutions developed by GTS make it possible to carry out high-value-added blasts and ensure their efficiency, blast after blast.
