On Friday, September 17, the delegation of BELAZ company paid a working visit to Mining University. In the course of the meeting with the rector Vladimir Litvinenko, the parties discussed the implementation of the cooperation agreement signed last April.
This document is based on an agreement to create a unique BELAZ Center of competence on the platform of the St. Petersburg university. In addition to training simulators of some elements of dump trucks and other machines made in Belarus, for example, an operator workstation will be set up there to remotely operate the mining equipment in real-time.
As part of the roadmap, the delivery of equipment has already begun today, in particular, the “Experimental Mechanics and Fluids” and “Electric Drive" test benches have arrived at Mining University. Shortly, the University is expected to receive several other laboratory benches, complexes for express analysis of lubricants, a dynamic vehicle simulator, software for the automated control system of mining transport complexes, and other equipment.
Vladimir Litvinenko emphasized the importance of further integration of higher schools of the two countries, as well as the development of cooperation with industrial enterprises of the Republic, especially in light of the recent agreements between the heads of states.
BELAZ representatives presented the mining dispatching system developed jointly with the Digital Robotics company. It is designed for automated control of drilling rigs, dump trucks, excavators, and other machines. In addition, a virtual simulator of remotely controlled equipment in use at mining enterprises was demonstrated.
Yuri Homich, head of the official dealer of BELAZ Avtotehinmash, emphasized the interest in cooperation with Mining University. First of all, in the context of creating educational programs and infrastructure adapted to the real mining conditions for training students and upgrading the skills of existing employees.
"Where else but at the St. Petersburg Mining University - the flagship of the higher mining school - to train highly qualified specialists? On its basis, a driver can grow that will transform the entire mining industry. The synergy is achieved due to the fact that the university was the initiator of the Nedra Consortium and its resource base can be used by representatives of seventy Russian higher educational institutions," said Yuri Khomich.
It should be noted that in the nearest future about 200 BELAZ specialists will come to Russia's oldest technical university to improve their skills in the field of mining engineering and digital technologies. These agreements were also reached during the talks.