What Edge Detection Parameters (EDP) should I use?

When using WipFrag to analyze muck piles, you can use the following guidelines:

Fines = Sliders to the right

Medium = Sliders in the middle

Large = Sliders to the left

Generally, you want to have accurate nets on the small- to medium-sized particles. Once you find a suitable net for this size of material you can manually edit the larger material. Using this method will help provide more accurate results. 

It’s also recommended that you try to keep a similar EDP for images of the same muck pile, or when trying to compare different muck piles.

If finer adjustments are required, you can activate the ‘Show Advanced Controls’ checkbox to access numeric inputs featuring a wider range of finer adjustments than the basic sliders provide.

WipWare Automated Photoanalysis Systems and EDP

In Delta, an advanced version of WipFrag software that runs on WipWare automated photoanalysis systems, we use a process called Best Fit EDP. For online systems, this process is usually done on-site at the time of installation. It is implemented by taking an image of typical material once all hardware and software settings have been completed. We manually trace as many particles as possible and then run the Best Fit EDP feature. The software will then try and match the manual trace of the particles using the available EDP settings. Best Fit EDP outputs a set of numeric values which will be entered into the EDP advanced controls. This method is very accurate and provides our online systems with well suited Edge Detection Parameters. It is rare that an online system EDP will need to be changed, but if so can be done remotely from our headquarters.

Best Fit EDP was recently added to WipFrag software. Because of the time involved in editing an image to produce a good Best Fit EDP, this feature is most practical to reduce the amount of manual editing required if you are going to be analyzing many images (20, 30 or more) of the same material under the same conditions. For most users, where smaller batches tend to be analyzed at once, using the sliders to adjust the EDP is faster.

Within WipFrag, there is also a feature called Auto EDP which attempts to determine the edge detection parameters automatically. This feature works well if the particle size range is narrow.

Read more about WipFrag: https://wipware.com/products/wipfrag-image-analysis-software/

Are you new to photoanalysis technology? Perhaps you have an installation, and would like to investigate other locations to improve efficiencies? Read on past the jump for some of WipWare’s most popular locations.

Where would be an ideal location to install your technologies?

There are 5 main locations where photoanalysis technologies are installed, all of which have a similar theme of analyzing material after it has been reduced in size. I’ve listed a few (of the many) popular locations, from the mine to the mill:

Blast Fragmentation

Unlike conveyor belt technologies, blast fragmentation systems are providing particle sizing data that would otherwise be unquantifiable. As an example: When mine team is asked how they were determining blast performance, they responded with: “Well, we try to compare it just by looking at it”. By putting quantifiable values beside the material being dumped into the primary crusher, we eliminate any bias and baseline the blasting performance.

Now, think for a second how much cheaper it would be, if you could do most of your material breaking in the blasting phase: Reduced crusher needs, less maintenance on equipment, and significantly reduced energy costs to name a few of the benefits of optimizing blasting procedures.

Post-primary/Post-secondary crusher

 Either Jaw, Gyratory, or Cone, whatever type of crusher you use to break down your material, if it’s primary, secondary or tertiary crushing, you should be looking into evaluating the performance of those crushers, in order to a) maximize liner life, b) make crusher gap adjustments, c) change worn out liners before oversize contaminates your stockpile, d) improve overall crusher throughput.

See, most crusher maintenance schedules are based on a fixed timeline, when many variables can affect the lifetime of the liners. Think ore hardness, size, etc.

In fact, going back to a previous blog post, you can actually begin automating that part of your process for maximum efficiency.

Screen Breakages

If you need immediate screen breakage or wearing indicators, photoanalysis technologies can detect oversize material post screening extremely well. Aggregate producers, for example, see significant value in identifying out-of-spec material immediately after a screen failure has been identified.

SAG Optimization

This is probably the location with the biggest potential return on investment, and is the most common first installation: Imagine controlling your stockpile blend based on continuous particle sizing information. Being able to optimize SAG feed can save an operation significant cost in a variety of areas.

Know when to feed from the coarser sides of the stockpile, or from the middle.

Want to read more about our conveyor analysis systems? Click here: https://wipware.com/products/solo-conveyor-analysis-system/

Looking for more information: See our Blast Fragment Optimization LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12895040/

What happens to your blast fragmentation when you have excessive inter-row distance (burden)?

Introduction – Excessive Burden

According to Prasad et al. (2017), rock fragmentation size is a very important parameter for an economical point of view in any surface mining. Excessive inter-row distance, often referred to as an increased burden in blasting operations, can occur due to poor drilling operation (human factor, machine factor).

Applying Chapman–Jouguet (CJ) Condition:

The CJ condition holds approximately in detonation waves in high explosives. It states that the detonation propagates at a velocity at which the reacting gases just reach sonic velocity as the reaction ceases. In such case, excessive burden affects explosive energy distribution by diminishing the efficiency of the explosive shock wave travel, which impacts the creation of micro-cracks.

CJ Plane Theory

According to the CJ plane theory, an optimal burden ensures effective shock wave propagation and micro-crack formation, crucial for breaking rock.

With excessive burden, energy dissipates before adequately fracturing the rock, leading to poor fragmentation. This inefficient energy transfer disrupts the detonation process, reducing the effectiveness of the blast and resulting in larger, unbroken rock pieces.

Burden Distance Affects Rock Fragmentation

This article makes use of data from Prasad et al. (2017) to explain further the effect of burden increments from 2.5 to 3m. As shown by the regression line, the analysis revealed that the blast fragmentation size (D50 and D95) increases with more than 50% positive correlation.

This shows that, the larger the burden distance, the bigger the rock fragment generated from the blast. Having excessive burden with the same powder factor will definitely affect the fragmentation size and shape. To account for how your current burden is affecting your fragmentation, you should first assess your borehole condition before charging.

Furthermore, assess your blast results using image analysis software. WipFrag software is the most highly recommended blast assessment software, with a long history in addition to the latest technological innovation. The software offers significant advantages in assessing mine burden effects on fragmentation. Using the app on mobile phones allows for convenient, on-site analysis.

Deep Learning Capabilities

Deep learning capabilities save analysis time by quickly processing images. The boulder detection tool identifies oversized fragments, while the specification envelope helps correlate blast results with downstream primary crusher performance, ensuring optimal fragment sizes for efficient crushing and improved overall operational efficiency.

Follow for Part 3 – You can also find all three parts on Giant Miner’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/GiantMiner

References

Prasad, S., Choudhary, B. S., & Mishra, A. K. (2017, August). Effect of stemming to burden ratio and powder factor on blast induced rock fragmentation–a case study. In IOP conference series: materials science and engineering (Vol. 225, No. 1, p. 012191). IOP Publishing.

Download WipFrag at https://wipware.com/get-wipfrag/

For Part 3 click here: https://wipware.com/effect-of-excessive-burden-distance-on-blasting-result/

Missed Part 1? Here you go: https://wipware.com/effect-of-excessive-burden-distance-on-blasting-result-part-1/

Excessive burden in blasting refers to having too much rock mass in front of the blast holes. This is relative to the designed blast parameters. The burden is the distance between a blast hole and the free face.

If this distance is too large, it can significantly impact the efficiency and effectiveness of the blasting operation. Here are some effects and consequences of excessive burden:

1. Incomplete Fragmentation:

When the blast design has too much burden distance between rows, the explosive energy may not be sufficient to break the rock effectively, leading to large, unbroken boulders or slabs.

2. Higher Vibration and Noise:

Relating ground vibration to this phenomenon, excessive burden can cause more energy to be transferred to the ground as vibrations, potentially causing damage to nearby structures and creating safety hazards (Blair & Armstrong, 2001).

On the other hand, inadequate burden can result in higher levels of air overpressure and noise, affecting the environment and nearby communities.

It’s worth noting that when there is excessive burden in blast design, the energy from the explosives is not used efficiently, leading to wasted explosive material and higher operational costs.

3. Flyrock Hazards:

Excessive burden can cause unpredictable flyrock, posing significant safety risks to workers and equipment.

4. Inefficient Loading and Hauling:

The resulting muckpile from an overburdened blast may have uneven fragmentation. This makes it harder to load and transport the material efficiently.

5. Incomplete Detonation and Misfires:

Excessive burden can cause incomplete detonation of explosives. This leads to misfires and the need for re-blasting, which adds to safety risks and costs.

Conclusion

In their paper for the 2nd World Conference on Explosives and Blasting Technique in 2003, Onederra and Esen stated that there is usually a discrete element of time that has elapsed from the time of explosive detonation to mass burden displacement. This time is designated as the minimum response time (Tmin) and is dependent on the burden mass, explosive and dynamic material response to the explosive stimulus. Generally, but not always, Tmin can be decreased by employing small burdens, using higher energetic explosives or a combination of both.

References

Blair, D. P., & Armstrong, L. W. (2001). The influence of burden on blast vibration. Fragblast, 5(1-2), 108-129.

Onederra, I., & Esen, S. (2003). Selection of inter-hole and inter-row timing for surface blasting—an approach based on burden relief analysis. In Proceedings of the 2nd world conference on explosives and blasting technique, Prague. Taylor & Francis (pp. 269-275).

Read more – Part 2: https://wipware.com/effect-of-excessive-burden-distance-on-blasting-result-part-2/

Download WipFrag at https://wipware.com/get-wipfrag/. Assess your blasting results, spot regions with poor fragmentation and trace back to your drill and blast design.

Visit Giant Miner’s Facebook page for more information about WipFrag 4 capabilities: https://www.facebook.com/GiantMiner

A Quick Summary on WipFrag version 4 and its New Features

Overview

Mining is the extraction of valuable materials called ore or sometimes industrial minerals from the earth crust, using appropriate technology with the aim to provide raw materials for industrial use.

The materials exist in massive form and must therefore be broken into handable size through blasting operation or other safe and productive ways. The use of explosive to break rock into smaller sizes had been adopted several years due to it well know advantages.

Image analysis had been proven as the way forward to enhancing blasting and improving downstream operation efficiency through accurate visualization. Image analysis is a technique use to evaluate blasting output and to monitor material flow during mineral processing.

WipFrag Image Analysis software is a powerful tool for analyzing particle size distribution (PSD) in digital images collected from various blast muck-pile, including fresh phase muckpiles after blasts, time series stockpile samples, and even drone or UAV images.

Features and Advantages

Let’s delve into its features and advantages:
1. Instant PSD Analysis: WipFrag 4 provides instant PSD analysis of the captured images. Whether you’re assessing post-blast muckpiles or analyzing stockpile samples, this software delivers accurate fragmentation data.

2. Auto-Scaling Capabilities: With auto-scaling capabilities, WipFrag 4 ensures precise measurements. It’s a cost-effective solution that saves time and resources.

3. Cross-Platform Compatibility: Seamlessly analyze images across multiple platforms, including iOS, Android, and Windows. Share results effortlessly and optimize blast performance.

4. BlastCast Blast Forecast Module: This module, included in the software, helps predict fragmentation when used alongside WipFrag particle size data. It’s a valuable tool for blast planning.

5. Deep Learning Edge Detection: This amazing tool will increase accuracy from our previous Simple edge detection and almost eliminate the need to manually edit your images.

6. Integration with WipWare Photoanalysis Systems: WipFrag 4 also controls sixth-generation WipWare Photoanalysis Systems. Monitor conveyor belts or heavy-duty vehicles in real time, providing continuous particle size data to your portable device 24/7.

WipFrag Software Options Available

WipFrag 4 offers flexible licensing options to suit different operational needs, whether you require continuous blast fragmentation analysis or occasional assessments. Here’s a quick overview of what’s available:

1. Annual Subscription

Ideal for operations requiring consistent fragmentation analysis, the annual subscription allows up to 10 simultaneous device activations per license. This is a cost-effective solution for teams working across multiple sites or needing frequent analysis.

2. Pay-Per-Use (PPU) Option

For users who need WipFrag on a project basis or for occasional assessments, the PPU image credit is a great option. This model offers flexibility, enabling you to pay only when you use the software without committing to an annual plan.

3. UAV/Orthomosaic Image Analysis:

This is included in the annual subscription with unlimited analyses for the year. If credits are preferred, a minimum of 3 credits is required to unlock the analysis results. Number of credits is determine by hectare.

4. MailFrag Single or UAV/Orthomosaic Image Analysis:

MailFrag is our online service when customers need a third party to analyze their images. Single image analysis is 3 credits and UAV/Orthomosaic image analysis is a minimum of 9 credits based on hectare. MailFrag is only available for use with credits. It is not included as an option with the annual subscription.

Which License is Right for You?

If you’re unsure which license best fits your needs, contact us to discuss your application and explore the best solution for your operation. Whether you need continuous monitoring or occasional analysis, WipFrag has an option that works for you!

Remember that credits can be transferred to other WipWare Account users. Additionally, UAV/orthomosaic images must be analyzed with the Windows version and be in GeoTIFF format.
In summary, WipFrag 4 offers a cost-effective and accurate solution for fragmentation analysis, making it an essential tool for professionals in various industries.

Multiple Language Options

WipFrag 4 has multiple language options available for our customers. The following nine languages are now available:

English, French, Spanish, German, Portuguese, Russian, Chinese, Italian and Hindi.

To change your language preference in WipFrag 4, please follow these steps:

Click on your Profile Icon

Click on the Settings button

In Settings, click on Language to access the drop-down menu

In the drop-down menu, there are 9 language options available

For more information about our WipFrag 4 Image Analysis Software, please visit our WipFrag page.

How Low Can You Go?

One of the most common questions we receive is, “How small can you analyze?” The answer depends on multiple factors, but with the right imaging, WipWare’s systems can measure down to micron levels. However, when analyzing material on conveyor belts, additional considerations impact the minimum particle size that can be accurately measured.

Over the years, we’ve worked with a vast range of conveyor belt applications from highly quality-controlled 10-inch belts to massive run-of-mine conveyors that are several metres wide as is normally found in global copper, iron ore mine operations. Our fully adjustable frames are customized before shipping to ensure seamless integration into your operation.

Key Considerations for Conveyor Belt Analysis

When it comes to analyzing material on conveyor belts, a few fundamental factors come into play:

• Fixed Camera Position – The camera is mounted at a consistent distance from the belt, usually within a metre or so (a few feet).
• Controlled Lighting – Conveyor belt environments generally offer stable lighting conditions, improving image accuracy.
• Material Spread – The material stream typically covers a predictable portion of the belt rather than the entire conveyor surface, allowing the camera to focus specifically on the material.
• Controlled Flow – Conveyed material has a known source and destination and moves at a controlled speed and direction, making variables easier to control.

With these stable conditions, WipWare’s systems can precisely determine the size ranges they analyze for each application.

Real-World Examples

Let’s explore two real-world examples using WipWare’s Solo system:

From the comparison table above, we see that ABC Company’s larger conveyor widths require the particle sizing system to be mounted higher to capture the full material spread. This setup means the system focuses more on coarser size fractions than fines – which is good: If a 3-metre belt is in use, and the material is raw primary crusher output, it’s unlikely that the material is 100% fines.

In contrast, Company XYZ deals with crushed and pre-screened materials, meaning the belt carries smaller particles. Since the conveyor is smaller in width, the system mounting height is closer to the material and can therefore analyze smaller size fractions.

Note: These are real-world examples with their own unique challenges which affect the detectable size range and goals which determine the focus of data collection. Your own application could have very different detectable size ranges depending on similar factors at your operation.

Expanding the Size Range: What are the options?

If you need to adjust the minimum or maximum detectable particle size, consider the following:

1. Calibrate for Unseen Fines – Using sieve data and manual belt cuts to measure unseen and unresolvable fines and calibrate the system output accordingly. This is good for known and predictable material streams.
2. Reduce the Field of View – Narrowing the system’s focus by adjusting the position or changing the type of lens used to view a smaller area. This in turn may limit the ability to capture coarser sizes.
3. Increase Camera Locations – Using multiple cameras on the same material stream to capture different ranges of material, ie. a “fines” camera and a “coarse” camera.
4. Tailored Solutions for Your Operation – The technology itself can change for your specific needs, such as increasing the camera resolution or changing the mounting solution.

If you’re wondering how effective a WipWare analysis system would be for your operation, contact us! Our technologies have helped mining operations worldwide achieve better process control.

Have a unique application? We love a challenge — send us the details, and we’ll be happy to assist!