It began in mid-2013 with the search for a suitable software solution. The requirements defined by the legislator could no longer be met manually in the classic way via a stock ledger in paper form.
Setting Common Requirements
There had to be an EDP solution that would meet the requirements of both open pit and mining operations. In joint meetings, the following list of requirements for the electronic stock ledger and the required hardware was defined:
Furthermore, the solution should integrate into the workflow in such a way that no additional work steps are required, e.g. at the end of the day by reworking the data collected during the day (e.g. by synchronizing the devices).
Development Partnership
“We had been looking around intensively on the market for a solution for quite a while, but hadn’t found anything suitable,” says Anke Adler, IT manager at maxit Baustoffe GmbH. This gave rise to the idea of entering into a development partnership with the company Ontaris GmbH & Co. KG from Wuppertal, with whom they have been working together very successfully for a long time. The goal was to develop a solution that would meet the previously defined requirements.Together, the work processes were analyzed in detail, starting with the order, through delivery, storage and consumption. The equipment to be used was selected and tested together and the program interface was defined. The result was a program that works on a robust 9”-TabletPC with a handy scanner, connected via Bluetooth.
Dialogue with the authorities
As it is the responsibility of the individual state authorities to review the implementation of the labeling directive, direct contact at an early stage was important. “We have a very good relationship with our responsible supervisory authority and discussed the implementation with them at an early stage,” says Wolfram Lisker, Head of Mining at maxit Baustoffwerke GmbH.
The first practical test
The time had come at the beginning of April. For the first time, the delivery of explosives was to be received and accounted for using the new system. The XML file from the supplier containing all IDs for the entire shipment was delivered by email the day before. The next day, when the delivery of the explosive took place, it was used for the electronic receipt of goods and to carry out the sampling.
“It was a very exciting moment to work with the system for the first time. Everything we had thought about beforehand now had to prove itself in practice,” says Wolfram Lisker; But before the time came, the first hurdle arose. The XML file from the manufacturer could not be loaded with the software. The structure did not yet comply with the FEEM standard. During the analysis of the file by the Ontaris team, the cause was quickly found and corrected in such a way that the goods acceptance could be carried out the next morning after all.
Direct dialog with the manufacturer
“Up to that point, the manufacturers were in a situation where they were able to generate the XML files, but did not yet have a customer for them. It was therefore not surprising that there were still a few things to be corrected,” summarizes Martin Schüßler, Managing Director of Ontaris. Thanks to the direct communication between the developers at Ontaris and the responsible developers at the manufacturers, the errors could be rectified quickly and unbureaucratically, so that future deliveries can be booked with the electronic stock ledger without any problems.
Dealing with hardware and software
“Before we started developing the software, we sat down with a few friendly companies and considered together which devices would be the least disruptive to our work in the quarry. We had all the devices in our hands once and then jointly decided on the solution with a small handheld scanner,” summarizes Wolfram Lisker. “The first practical test confirmed this positively.”
The tablet PC could be placed on a stack of boxes while working, and the handheld scanner quickly disappeared into your pocket when you needed both hands. Furthermore, the entire software can be operated with the finger. No mouse or any other additional tool is needed.
Authentication via ID card
An important issue that had to be clarified with the representatives of the authorities was how to deal with the electronic stock ledger and the legal requirement for the type of record keeping. An exemption is no longer needed for electronic record keeping. For the authentication of the warehouse manager, a PIN code is enough to protect access to the software from unauthorized access.
For the issuance, it was decided to use a badge, which is given to each employee authorized to blast. When the storekeeper issues the explosives to another person authorized to blast, the latter shall show his blasting identification card. A data matrix code is applied to this, which is scanned with the hand-held scanner and thus uniquely identifies the person authorized to detonate.
This is automatically noted in the explosives stock book and can be verified during a subsequent inspection. Thus, the signature of the user can be omitted.
The stock book
The concept of working with a self-sufficient tablet PC automatically meets the official requirements that every movement in the explosives store is immediately and fully automatically entered into the stock book. Completion of the stock ledger at the end of the day on the PC in the operations office is therefore no longer necessary.
Conclusion
“The first practical run-through was very reassuring,” says Wolfram Lisker. “It was clear that there would still be a few hiccups here and there, but that’s just the finishing touches now.” The feared extreme increase in workload due to the implementation of the labeling directive has not materialized. On the contrary: when recording the data with our new system, we can save a considerable amount of time compared to the previous manual management of the stock ledger.
Ms. Anke Adler is also very satisfied: “For us, it was the right decision to go down this path together with Ontaris. In many joint meetings and workshops, in cooperation also with other companies, a simple, clear system was created that fully complies with the legal requirements – We are ready for April 01, 2015!”
