Lighting as a Conduit for Technological Disruption

Digitisation is the ultimate goal of the rapidly evolving and seemingly limitless world of IoT. Each new technology brings game-changing value to the table and disrupts the industry. Explore how the fixed plant can be digitized and future-proofed through lighting.

Mine sites invest in digital transformation in pursuit of cost reductions, productivity gains and safety improvement. The main aim of site digitisation is to link every piece of equipment, plant infrastructure and personnel together, forming a giant digital model that is fully transparent and can be used to accurately assess and predict operational disruptions in real-time; keeping people safe and plant operating efficiently at the top of its productive output.    

However, while the digitisation of industrial processing plants is worthwhile, it is challenging to achieve due to the complex and hazardous environment. Running cables and setting up Wi-Fi coverage is challenging, costly, and disruptive to operations, while radio signal propagation is often impossible due to the presence of massive steel and concrete infrastructures, as well as constant electromagnetic noise from various types of equipment.   

That’s why Coolon Brilliant Connected Lights come fitted with smart wireless mesh networking nodes inside.   

Lighting is naturally positioned to provide the best radio coverage, by being mounted in elevated positions, constantly powered, located throughout the site, routinely inspected and essential to any facility. For the last 19 years, Coolon has been developing and locally manufacturing robust light fittings specifically for the harsh conditions of mining sites. With a proven track record of flawless, uninterrupted operation of over 10 years, the sophisticated electronics and virtually indestructible Coolon fittings provide the perfect host for innovative IoT nodes.    

Coolon smart lights contain nodes inside the fittings, which enables almost “plug-and-play” capability, offering immediate and effortless digitization for mining and industrial sites, regardless of the size or complexity of the infrastructure. Once installed, the lights can automatically create a wireless mesh network that covers the whole site, solving connectivity challenges: one node only needs to service a limited area around itself and pass the data onto its neighbour for re-transmission.

Coolon Brilliant Connected Lights not only represent disruptive innovation but provide a backbone for thousands of emerging IoT-dependent services and technologies to be implemented on a mine site. Customers have access to an ecosystem of technologies that can seamlessly piggyback on Coolon’s mesh network, without the need for complex installations.  All that is needed to implement digitisation on any massive, complex mining and industrial sites is to choose Coolon’s Brilliant Connected range of lights throughout the plant. This can be done progressively, as part of routine lighting maintenance, without the need for networking experts on site.  

Here are some services that become available with Brilliant Connected Lights: 

Safety: 

Personnel Locating:  Coolon lights make it possible to instantly account for everyone on site, locating missing workers and sending help directly to those in need in case of an accident. The mesh network enables real-time visibility into areas without the need for GPS, mobile or CB radio coverage, ensuring the safety of all site personnel, even in the most secluded areas of the facility.   

Visual Emergency Status  Propagation: Emergency status alerts such as lightning proximity or evacuation can be propagated through the lighting network in real-time across the site with built-in colour-changing visual warning indicators. In case of an emergency, the warning indicator will switch to a pre-defined flashing colour pattern, alerting the personnel of a specific emergency status and making sure no one is caught unaware.   

Every light can also act as an emergency light: Every single light is equipped with a battery, providing the power backup for both lighting and networking functions, ensuring a safe and smooth evacuation process in case of a power outage. Superior illumination uniformity and a reduction in shadowing also enhance hazard perception and visibility, maximising the safety and smoothness of the evacuation process.

Efficiency 

Asset Tracking: The mesh network offers the ideal backbone for asset-tracking service providers to roll out their services with high accuracy and low latency. Gaining real-time site-wide visibility enables site management to instantly locate any tagged item anywhere on site, including indoors and underground, with relative precision, maximising asset utilization efficiency and productivity.    

Machine Condition Monitoring: A range of inexpensive, battery-powered sensors enable real-time condition monitoring of many critical machines around the site. This helps maintenance engineers find early warning signs of oncoming malfunctions and allows them to schedule preventative maintenance, and eliminate unexpected, costly downtime. The equipment is constantly monitored and reported on, immediately alerting the operators of any deviations and anomalies, allowing to schedule maintenance before a malfunction occurs and preventing any accidents.

Watch this vide to learn more about the Coolon Brilliant Connected Lights: Brilliant Connected Lights by Coolon