ABSTRACT
The word “automation” in longwall mining has been used loosely in the coal industry; it means different things to different people. Modern longwall mining employs three machines, shearer, armored face conveyor (AFC), and shields, to produce and move coal. Automation means those three machines function automatically themselves without human intervention. Since longwall mining consists of three major machines, shearer, AFC, and shields, there are two types of “automation”: “automation” for each machine and “automation” for the longwall system. Since each machine has its level of automation developed at certain specific time period, the precise level of automation for the whole system at any instant is difficult to specify. Automation of shield consists of individual and then multiple shields from a few to all shields in a longwall face. Sensor control becomes more precise enabling higher level and maturity of automation.
