Dyno Nobel’s Use of Differential GPS Technology is Changing the World of Blasting

Differential GPS (DGPS) is the first ever tagging and hole identification method using Differential Global Position System.
High Accuracy DGPS (Differential Global Positioning System)
The DGPS is a high accuracy (sub 3.28 feet / one meter), new addition to the CE4 Commander blasting system. The market leading CE4 Commander system has been further enhanced with the DGPS technology to accurately detect blast hole positions.

Dyno Nobel DGPS

High accuracy differential GPS will revolutionize the deployment and tagging of the 4G detonators for surface mining. Potential human error with regards to incorrect blast hole identification or incorrect delay assignment is practically eliminated.

Dyno Nobel DGPSFEATURES

  • Using the “Plan Mode” the CE4-Tagger automatically detects the blast hole location using the GPS co-ordinate from ViewShot 3D and automatically assigns the correct delay to the detonator as per the blast design.
  • The tagging process does not need to follow a specific tagging path.
  • When drill rigs are not equipped with GPS logging, the DGPS Tagger can be used to accurately log the blast hole positions.

BENEFITS

  • The CE4 Commander DGPS system is a ground-breaking technology advancement which:
  • Eliminates potential human error by semi-automnomous tagging of blast holes essential to improve blast outcomes.
  • Ensure accurate tagging of blast holes to improve blast outcomes.
  • Easy, reliable and fast deployment to speed up the blasting process.

What is the difference between regular GPS and Differential GPS?
Normal GPS provides a position of an object on earth. It uses signals generated by satellites revolving around the earth.

GPS technology uses standalone receivers where the location is directly calculated but is also prone to errors such as satellite orbit errors, multi-path errors and clock errors. As a result, GPS can gain a nominal accuracy of 32 – 50 feet (10 – 15 meters).

Therefore, normal GPS accuracy is not suitable for blast hole positioning. This is why Detnet has developed a user-friendly Differential-GPS (DGPS) system which is fully integrated with the CE4 Tagger and Commander system. The system provides sub one-meter accuracy for accurate blast hole tagging/logging.
DGPS is a vast improvement to GPS. It reduces or eliminates signal degradation, resulting in improved accuracy.

The accuracy in DGPS is achieved by using a reference receiver (Commander) at a known (surveyed location) position that broadcast correction data to one or more rovers (Taggers). The rovers then adjust their ‘perception’ of where they are using the correction data from the reference station.

Dyno Nobel DGPS

ViewShot 3D
The ViewShot 3D blast software facilitates the planning, design and simulation of a blast through a flexible and feature-rich user interface.

With using DGPS in “plan mode”, drill rig blast hole GPS coordinates is transferred to ViewShot 3D to do the final blast design timing sequence. The blast plan & timing sequence is then downloaded onto the DGPS tagger ready for tagging on the bench in “Plan Mode”.

Alternatively, if drill rigs are not equipped with GPS accurate blast hole coordinates can now be logged by the DGPS tagger on the bench and then be transferred to the ViewShot 3D to provide for an accurate layout of the blast hole positions used in the blast design.

Future application of this technology*

  • Stand alone module enabling DGPS capability on other equipment, MPU’s etc.
  • Common detonator list updated in real-time as multiple users or machines tag detonators.
  • Centralised user interface – real time graphical update on deployment process.

Dyno Nobel continues to strive towards excellence in electronic initiation. As a world leader in our field, we aim to deliver world-class safety, the latest technology and consistent quality; resulting in improved loading and fragmentation, to ensure mining becomes more sustainable today and into the future.

*This technology is in the design/development phase and currently not available to end users.



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    6440 S. Millrock Drive, Suite 150 Cottonwood Heights, UT 84121
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    Dyno Nobel is a global leader in the commercial explosives industry with over 3,770 employees, including some of the most highly trained blasters and technical experts in the industry. They manufacture over 54 million pounds of packaged explosives and over 1.2 million tons of ammonium nitrate with 32 manufacturing facilities on three continents (including state-of-the-art initiation systems facilities in the United States, Australia and Mexico). Their Engineering and Technology team support domestic and export product sales as well as the use of their cutting-edge technologies around the world.

    Dyno Nobel has customers in the mining, quarry, construction, pipeline and geophysical exploration industries. The company operates in Australia, Canada, the United States, Africa, Indonesia, Mexico, South America, Papua New Guinea and Turkey. Dyno Nobel manufactures a full line of commercial explosives, including ammonium nitrate, bulk explosives, packaged emulsions, dynamite, detonators (electric, nonelectric and electronic), cast boosters, and detonating cord, as well as surface and underground loading systems and Portable Modular Emulsion Plants. They also offer services, including blast design, shot loading, shot service, vibration control, airblast, flyrock and NOx reduction, through DynoConsult, a specialist consulting division of Dyno Nobel.