TS. Project Setup Example

Complete the settings listed below to get a valid project.

If you follow these instructions and complete all the setup steps correctly, you will receive the exported reports as shown below.

Open

Result of exporting Tactical Scheduler reports to Microsoft Excel

Project setup

Follow the project configuration as below. Upon completion of each step press the blue play button to run to the next step.

1. Configuration Options step

For this demo project, flag No Extensions, No Drills, No Known Parcels, Do Not Embed Rapid Reserver, No Reserves Hacking and Optimise Product options.

Open

• When ticking Optimise Product checkbox equipment stops when it hits plan targets. There is no limit on equipment hours, it will overflow to reach target. 

2. Create Tables step

Tables should be created for each class of blocks: pits, dumps, and (optionally) backfills. The number of levels in each table should match the level hierarchy of the inventory files, so they can be mapped one-to-one in the Map Fields step.

A table marked Holds Dumps has no reserves information and cannot be mined. If an area must be dumped and reclaimed (such as a land bridge), then the blocks must be imported twice (once as dumps, once as reserves). 

More details on tables configuration see here.

3. Misc Fields step

In the Misc Fields step set block properties such as block type, solid volume, depletion, and location

Click the folder icon on the side and import the sample “.openfields” file to auto-populate the Fields table (or configure manually from the side button menu).

4. Mining Fields step

The default Mining Fields are volume, dry tonnes, wet tonnes and moisture. In addition to the defaults, add any block model fields that are present in the inventory files and which are relevant to scheduling. For example: product grades, contaminants, resource class, geological class, and water table class.

Any field which affects the commercial value of the material should be flagged in the Product Field column (i.e. tonnes and grades).

Click the folder icon on the side and import the sample “.openfields” file to auto-populate the Fields table (or configure manually from the side button menu).

5. Processing Paths step

The Processing Paths step is used to allow product fields to have different values depending on how they are processed, transported, and screened.

• Processing streams are the mutually exclusive paths from pit to product.

• Product points are the changes to the product that occur along the transport path.

• Sub products are the split of product types at each point in each stream.

For example, the ratio of “Lump” to “Fines” sub products may change when handled from rail to ship, and the product grades are different through the wet plant vs the dry plant.

Use the plus and minus buttons to configure the Processing Paths as shown, then press play button to continue.

6. Choose Data Sources step

In the Choose Data Sources step import relevant 3D block solids file, exported from Rapid Reserver in the ".invModel" format.

• You can import multiple inventory models to manage different parts of a mine or project.

• You can refresh an inventory file at any time by pressing the blue refresh icon on that row.

7. Map Fields step

All fields for all Phases must be manually mapped across, by dragging and dropping items from the inventory file headers. 

Incorrect (or incomplete) fields are displayed in red. To fix, drag and drop relevant headers in the red fields.

8. Preschedule step

The Preschedule step is used to completely remove or modify blocks to their anticipated state at the start of the schedule. 

To manually preschedule blocks:

1. Use the Visibility Mode button to toggle between viewing all blocks, or only the currently selected blocks in the tree.

2. Select blocks in the viewport.

3. Press the flag icon from the toolbar.

4. Type in the remaining ratio (50% = 0.5, 0% = 0 (block is fully mined out)).

5. Tick Remove Full Prescheduled Blocks.

6. Press OK.

9. Reserves step

Review records and solids in the Reserves tab and press the blue play button to proceed.

Once all the Reserve Database steps are complete, the results will be visible in the Reserves tab.

 Review the Reserves tab for common errors, such as:

• overlapping solids,

• missing solids,

• zero values in product fields,

• negative values in product fields.

If any such errors are noted, make the necessary changes in Rapid Reserver and re-import the reserves. 

9. Waste Dumps step

Waste dump names and capacities are automatically detected from the Reserve Database steps (in blue). Tables marked as "Holds Dumps" in the Create Tables step will automatically list their contents.

To add point dumps:

1. Go to Haul Infinity > Designer tab:

   1. Find or create a LiftEntry called "Dumps/DP1".

2. Go to the Setup tab and proceed to Waste Dumps step.

   1. Hit the green plus button

   2. Rename the dump to "DP1".

   3. Assign a capacity of 1,000,000,000 cubic metres.

These Haul Infinity nodes will now be treated as point dumps by the scheduler.

10. Phase Adjacencies step

Excavate Phase101 and Phase 102 simultaneously, without undercutting Phase 102 beneath Phase 101:

• Locate "OpenPit/M1/P1/P102" in the Name column.

• Select "OpenPit/M1/P1/P101" in the Adjacent Stages dropdown list.

Blocks in Phase 102 will check for vertical dependencies to Phase101.

11. On Bench step

Set dependencies between blocks on a bench/lift. There are options to use automatic dependencies, manually created dependencies, or a combination of the two.

Set "OR" dependency type in Auto Rule Type for Dumps lifts (Blasts - Or [0]).

Note, that “OR” dependency is not automatically displayed in the Auto Rule Type dropdown.

1. Using Auto Rule Type column dropdown select “Blasts” as dependency for Dump1.

2. Extend Dump1 tree to its Lifts levels.

3. For each Lift select “AND” dependency from the dropdown.

4. In the Viewport Display area you’ll see selected Lift with pink arrows, showing “AND” auto rule type dependencies.

5. Toggle upwards red Dependency Type arrow (last icon) to switch from “AND” to “OR” dependencies type.

6. This icon will become pointing downwards and dependencies arrows on a Lift will be shown in blue.

7. Now you can see “Blasts - Or” dependency type in this Lift dropdown.

8. Repeat for other Dumps Lifts.

• Dependencies will be created blasting out from the start point(s) created by the user,

• More than one block will be available at once.

• Dependencies for trim shots are automatically created.

12. Between Benches step

Step Between Benches allows user to plan multiple benches mining in a single phase.

• A zero expand distance allows vertical walls.

• A positive expand distance forces a minimum running track between crests and toes.

• In the Max Active Benches column limit a bench from being mined until the Nth bench above it is completely mined out.

• In the Max Agents on Bench column limit how many Agents can be active on a given bench.

• In the Max Agents on Block limit individual blasts from having more than the specified number of Agents on them at a time.

13. Custom step

1. Press the clipboard icon to add a New Dependency Set.

2. Rename the Dependency Set to “Backfills”.

3. Using the tree hierarchy on the right, select the successor record and double click on the predecessor.

   1. Successor > Backfills > Pit2 > click, then Predecessor > OpenPit > M1 > P2 > double click.

   2. Successor > Backfills > Pit1 > click, then Predecessor > OpenPit > M1 > P1 > P101 > double click.

14. Swell Factors step

The Swell factors step is used to calculate loose volume from bank volume, for the purposes of dump capacity calculations. Swell factors for haulage calculations can be configured in Haul Infinity under the Materials setup task. 

By default, swell factors are applied to the <All Parcels> group. To create new material groups follow the steps below:

15. Periods step

1. Click on the wizard icon to open the Generate Periods Wizard. 

2. Use the blue plus icon to add new periods.

3. Use the dropdowns to set repeating time intervals and overall duration.

4. Inspect the results in the Preview Results table on the right.

5. Toggle the options and naming conventions as required. 

6. Press OK to finish.

16. Stockpiles

1. Press the green plus button to add the stockpiles:

   1. “ROM1_1”,

   2. “ROM1_2”,

   3. “LT_1”,

   4. “LT_2”.

2. In the Capacity Field column for all of them select “Mining_wetTonnes”.

17. Crushers step

1. Press the green plus button to add the crushers:

   1. “CR1_DRY”, and

   2. “CR1_WET”.

2. Select relevant Processing Streams.

3. Set “Planned Availability (PA)” type.

4. Set capacity to “Mining_wetTonnes”.

18. Truck Types step

Every project must have at least one truck type, which is used to calculate fleet numbers, engine hours and fuel burn. 

1. Press the green plus button to add a new Truck Type.

2. Rename it to match the Haul Infinity name.

3. Select from Availability Types to Specify column dropdown “Planned Availability” and “Use of Availability” types for each truck (Availability types explained here).

4. Flag in Adjust Cycle Time Factor by Time introduces a new row in the calendar, so cycle times can be factored faster or slower in different periods (ie. wet weather period). 

19. Loader Types step

Same as for the previous step, loaders types must be present in Haul Infinity.

1. Press the green plus button to add loaders R9400, R9250, EX2500, EX3600, and CAT994.

2. Select for each of them “Planned Availability” and “Use of Availability” types.

3. In column Loadable Trucks specify which trucks to be loaded by the selected loader type.

4. Flag in Use as Agent column creates a 1:1 mapping between an Agent and a Loader. Refer to TS. Haul Infinity Inputs for more information.

20. Fleets step

Fleet Assignments provide means to switch between different truck-and-loader groups for given times, locations, materials and destinations.

Fleets can be added by clicking the clipboard icon and configuring the “Loader-Truck” pairing.

• Click on the ”Loader-Truck Pairing” field.

• The Configure window will open, where you can add loaders and pair them with relevant trucks.

21. Agents step

In the Agents step assign Images and Quantity Fields to each Agent.

22. Incentives step

Each new incentive adds rows to the Calendar to weight the ranking of blocks by the Agent. 

• Attractiveness incentives cause certain locations to be ranked higher by the Agent. 

• Seek Parcels incentives cause certain material types to be ranked higher by the Agent. 

• Seek Grades incentives cause certain material qualities to be ranked higher by the Agent.

• Priority incentives are used to directly paint a preferred mining sequence over the available blocks.

Detailed explanation of incentives and priorities see here.

23. Destination Logic step

Destination Logic describes the resting place of material at the end of the period.

Each rule lists the destinations for transactions that match its filter criteria:

• Code Filters: may differentiate destinations by some custom logic.

• Period Filters: may differentiate pre- and post- plant commissioning.

• Agent Filters: may differentiate autonomous and crewed tipheads.

• Source/Destination Filters: may differentiate ore and waste sources/destinations by pit.

Set Dependency Logic for High Grade Expit

1. Click the folder icon to add a new rules folder.

   1. Name it “Expit”.

2. Click the clipboard icon to add a new node.

   1. Name it “hg”.

3. Click in the Sources field to open the Configure window.

• Untick Stockpiles checkbox to show only Open Pit as a source.

• For parcels, tick “hg”, “hgha”, “hghs” to include in the rule.

• Press OK.

4. Click on the Destinations field to open the Configure window.

5. Set a destination to the Crusher Feed.

6. Press the blue plus icon to add a crusher feed and select from its dropdown “ROM1_1” stockpile and “CR1_DRY” crusher. Press OK.

New Destination Rule for High Grade Expit has been added.

7. Use blue arrows icons from the toolbar to move “hg” rule to the top in the Expit list.

• alternatively, drag and drop it in the location pointed by the blue arrow.

Set destination logics for mg, lg1, as well as for waste, contamination and reclaim as shown below.

24. Steps Logic

Each rule lists the Steps for transactions that match its filter criteria:

• Period Filters: may differentiate changes in movement pathways.

• Agent Filters: may differentiate autonomous and crewed fleets.

• Source Filters: may differentiate ex-pit from rehandle fleets.

• Destination Filters: may differentiate trucks that can use the overpass, or fit in the crusher bin. 

Set the Steps Rule for Crewed Rules:

1. Click the folder icon to add a new rules folder.

   1. Name it “crewed”.

2. Click the clipboard icon to add two new nodes.

   1. Name them “direct expit” and “indirect feed”.

3. Assign Agent Filters R9400, R9250, EX2500 and EX3600.

4. Assign <All Parcels> as Sources.

5. Set destinations: Dumps, Backfills and Stockpiles for the direct expit rule, and Crushers for indirect feed.

6. Configure steps using Source, Destination and Fleet Assignment dropdowns. Direct Expit rule should follow steps from <current source> to <current destination> by <current agent>, while Indirect feed should go from <current source> to <Stockpiles/ROM1_1> as a destination by <current agent>, and from <Stockpiles/ROM1_1> as a source to <current destination> by the rehandle fleet.

Detailed explanation of the Steps Logic see here.

Logic errors

Any errors or warnings that may occur while configuring logics will be listed in the Errors panel at a bottom of a screen.

Example of resolving missing record subset error:

“The specified record subset (CREWED) does not exist in rule (direct expit)”.

This type of error arrears when selected Record cannot be mapped properly or wasn’t created.

To fix:

1. Go to the Reserves tab.

2. Locate the Records panel and press the gear icon to open Configure Record Subsets window.

3. Review the CREWED record subset configuration, if any.

4. If CREWED record subset doesn’t exist, then press the green plus icon to add it and tick relevant pit levels in the tree on the right.

5. Press OK, return to the Setup tab and run to the next step. This type of error should be removed from a list.

25. Constraints step

An Agent action may be limited by the following constraints (selected from Add Constraint button dropdown):

• Standard Constraint: limits the material sent to destinations from specified areas. (The Agent may still mine and send the material to alternative destinations.)

• Source Constraint: limits the material mined at the source, in the form of a Calendar table by pit, stage or bench. 

• Bench Advance Constraint: limits the vertical advance between the lowest elevation in the last period and the lowest elevation in the current period. 

• Drill Standard Constraint: limits drilling in one area. 

• Drill Source Constraint: limits drilling in multiple areas, in the form of a Calendar table by pit, stage or bench. 

• Agent Assignments: creates a table of loader assignment limits for each pit, stage or bench. (This option requires Use as Agent option ticked for required loaders).

To create Agent Assignment constraint for the Stage Loaders:

1. In the Constraints step press the Add Constraint button and select “Agent Assignment” option from the dropdown.

2. Change new assignment name to “StageLoaders”.

3. Checkbox in the Use Constraint column should stay ticked.

4. Click anywhere in the Configuration field area to open Configure window.

5. In the Agents / Drills section tick R9400, R9250, EX2500, EX3600 loaders to apply constraints to.

6. Select “Stage” from the Level dropdown to limit work area to a stage selected.

7. Tick Limit Number of Active Agents in Area to limit number of loaders performing work on that stage.

8. In Inline Reporting section, press the blue plus button to add new report field.

9. Rename it to “Mined”.

10. Press the gear icon on the right to configure report fields.

11. Make sure all the parcels, destinations and agents are ticked.

12. Press OK to confirm.

Exercise:

Add “Standard” and “Sources” constraints the same way.

26. Product Specifications step

The Product Specifications step allows the user to define the rules of the optimization. Each rule becomes a new row in the Calendar.

To add crusher grade target specification:

1. In the Product Specifications step press the Add Product Specifications button and select “Crusher Grade Target” option from the dropdown.

2. Rename it to “Rail_fines_fe”.

3. Checkbox in the Use Spec column should stay ticked.

4. Click anywhere in the Configuration field area to open Configure window.

5. Open the Grade Field dropdown, scroll down and select “Output>rail_SubProducts_fines_grades_fe” option.

6. Flag Specify Min, Specify Target and Specify Max checkboxes.

7. Select CR1_DRY and CR1_WET crushers as destinations.

8. Press OK to confirm.

Detailed description of each of the Product Specification types see here.

Exercise:

Add Crusher Grade Targets type Product Specifications for Rail_fines_si, Rail_fines_al and Rail_fines_p, and Crusher Cash Flow type Product Specifications for IncentiviseDry, IncentiviseWet, HGtoDry and LGtoWet.

27. Haulage Configuration

1. Flag Export Key Column from Chrono Reports option if you want to export key column from Chrono reports.

2. Flag Export Units Column from Chrono Reports option if you want to export units column from Chrono reports.

3. Select a truck type to use as a default truck (it must be a valid truck that exists in Haul Infinity).

4. Select a loader type to use as a default loader (it must be a valid loader that exists in Haul Infinity).

5. Select haulage materials mutex parcel group.

6. Select a valid haulage quantity type.

7. Select a haulage metric for fill sequencing. Note that “Distance” is faster, “Travel Time” is more accurate).

8. Enable Process Optimised Stockpiles Last option, if required/ Unticked by default.

9. Set up blasting so it can only run on one blast at a time by ticking Use Serial Blasting Delays option. This approximates a bomb crew that cannot be on more than one shot at once.

10. Choose from the dropdown the hatching style which will represent drilling areas in the Animation tab.

28. Dynamic Haulage step

• Flags are imported from Haul Infinity.

• In Configuration column set for Start Off initial flag state:

  • AllMined - The trigger is fired when ALL blocks specified have finished mining.

Reserves

In the Reserves tab you can review reserves and dumps solids as well as set their parcel subsets.

• Mutex Record Subsets allow categories (such as “Ore” or “Waste”) to be created and managed in a single place, so that any changes here propagate to all other references in the Setup.

• Parcel Subsets are listed and configured in the Data panel, right of the viewport in the Reserves tab.

• Click on the Parcel Subset field dropdown to open a list of preconfigured subsets.

Parcel Subset Configuration exercise

1. In the Reserves tab > Data panel press the gear icon, right to Parcel Subset filed dropdown.

2. The Configure Parcel Subset window will open, where you can add/delete/move up and down and assign parcels subsets and mutex groups.

3. Press the green plus button five times to add five parcel subsets.

4. Name them as “Ore”, “Waste”, “None”, “Other”, and “Low Grade”.

5. Flag relevant parcels for each of them, using common sense:

• For “Ore” subset, select “bg”, “hg“, “hgha“ and “hghs“.

• For “Waste” subset, select “minw” and “w”.

• For “None”, all checkboxes should be unticked.

• For “Other”, set any other settings.

• For “LowGrade”, select “lg”.

6. Using blue arrows move parcel subset “None” to the end of a list and place “LowGrade” between “Ore” and “Waste”.

7. Configure Mutex Parcel Groups, that will divide parcels into mutually exclusive sets.

• Press the green plus button two times to add two mutex groups.

• Name them as “Haulage” and “OreWaste”.

• Assign relevant Subset Names to each Parcel:

  1. For parcels “bg”, “hg”, “hgha“, “hghs”, “lg” set subset name to “Ore”.

  2. For parcels “minw” and “w” set subset name to “Waste”.

8. Press OK to confirm.

9. Click on the Parcel Subset field dropdown and you should see these subsets in the list of preconfigured subsets.

Schedule tab

The Schedule tab is the main section for scheduling, reviewing and reporting.

Before starting any scheduling and in order to view animation and populate any reports you should run period/scenarios/full schedule.

Calendar and Animation

Populate your project parameters in the Calendar and Run the scenario.

In the Animation tab, move the slider in the bottom Animation panel to see work progress across the periods.

Open the hidden Current Stage tab to see detailed data about each agent movements at the current stage.

Chrono Report

Creating Chrono reports is a useful feature of Alastri Tactical Scheduler. These reports are used to create static report tables to match business standard templates.

• Add a new report in the Reporting tab by clicking Add Report button on the left and selecting “Chrono Report” option from its dropdown.

• Click in the name field and rename to "Summary".

1. Open the Table Setup tab and fill it in to match your data set, as shown below.

2. Go to the Table tab to review Trucks performance across different periods.

3. Open the Chart Setup tab to set a chart based on previously added fields.

• In the Charts panel press the blue plus button to add a new chart. Name it “Trucks”.

• In the Primary Axis section add a caption “Trucks”.

• In the Series panel add five truck types and name them accordingly: “CAT793_AHS”, “CAT793_CREW”, “KOM830E_AHS”, “KOM830E_CREW” and “CAT785D”.

• From the Fields dropdown select a relevant field for each truck.

• Set a series type to be shown in the main Charts tab. In this exercise we use “StackedBar” type, but you can use the one you like better, and change it at any time.

• Select a desired color for each series using the Color dropdown.

4. When completed, and no errors left in the Error List, you can open the Charts tab and review graphical representation of the data populated, based on trucks performance by given periods.

Exercise 1.

Create a Chart to display Plant Feed tonnes, based on wet and dry tonnes feed and target limit.

1. Fill in the Plant Feed data in the Table Setup tab as shown below.

2. Preview results in the Table tab.

3. Create “Plant Feed” chart with a capture “Tonnes”, “#,##0” format and add “Target”, “Wet” and “Dry” series. Set relevant fields, types and colors for each series.

4. Go to the Charts tab and review the result. If all data was populated correctly, your Plant Feed chart should look like in the example below.

Exercise 2.

Create a Chart to display Fe and Si percentage, based on Plant Production Rail.

1. Fill in the Plant Production data in the Table Setup tab as shown below.

2. Preview results in the Table tab.

3. Create “Rail Fe” and “Rail Si” charts with captures “Fe, %” and “Si, %” accordingly. Choose “#,##0.000” format and add “Rail Fe” and “Rail Si” series. Select relevant fields, types and colors for each series.

4. Go to the Charts tab and review the results. If all data was populated correctly, your Rail Fe and Rail Si charts should look like in the example below.

Exercise 3.

Repeat the same steps to create a chart, showing Excavators Utilization, based on Loaders types and their state (active or idle).

If you complete all the exercises correctly, your final Charts tab will look as shown below:

Exporting Report

Alastri Tactical Scheduler provides user with different export options.

1. You can export capture of Table and Charts tabs data, by pressing the Copy Image button.

The Copy Image button will save the capture to the clipboard, ready for pasting in users reports, presentations or any other documents.

2. Use the Export Manager button to export selected reports in “.xlsx” format.

3. Select a report required and press Export Selected button to export one report in “.xlsx” format.

• Specify the saving path and a file name.

• Open saved report in Microsoft Excel - you should see Table and Charts data tabs views.