Towards unravelling of the universe.

Analyzer to evaluate 1.6 Tbps transmission system of radio telescope.

The National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ) has selected the Anritsu 400G Tester and Optical Spectrum Analyzer MS9740B for the evaluation of a new data transmission system (DTS) for the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) located in Chile. The Network Master Pro MT1040A of the 400G Tester was used to evaluate the DTS communication function with 1.6 Tbps data transmission.

NAOJ is deeply involved in the operation of ALMA, which is overseen by a global partnership of 22 countries and territories, including Japan, and is responsible for the improvement of the performance of the radio telescope to take it into the 2030s (Wideband Sensitivity Upgrade (WSU)). NAOJ is cooperating with the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) in the USA to enable the communication of large amounts of observational data between the antennas (radio telescope) and the correlator (supercomputer) using the 400ZR * standard and, currently, is considering high-speed communication at 1.6 Tbps. The MT1040A, which is compatible with the 400ZR standard, was selected for DTS evaluation; the MT1040A has a feature that displays the physical layer measurement results at one-second intervals, allowing the detailed evaluation of the quality of the transmission of large amounts of astronomical data. In addition, the MS9740B has been selected to monitor the optical wavelength of the transmission signal during DTS evaluations.

Anritsu will contribute to improving the performance of ALMA, the unravelling of the universe, and the development of science.

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@Anritsu @AnritsuEMEA @NapierPR #TandM #SpaceExploration #Chile

Pioneer installation in digital mining.

The enterprise-grade digital platform ABB Ability™ Genix Industrial Analytics and AI Suite is being installed to enable Gold Fields’ Salares Norte project in Chile to drive efficient, sustainable and remote operations.

The gold and silver mine is located in the Atacama Desert, among the highest peaks of the Andes mountain range with elevations of between 4,200m and 4,900m. It is 1,300km from the Chilean capital of Santiago where the ABB Ability™ Genix suite is located in a remote monitoring center for the mine. With the technology, Gold Fields will gain data insights that will help them to increase industrial productivity and operational excellence, while reducing costs. Remote connectivity will help reduce the number of people needed at the actual mine location, thus improving safety.

ABB Ability™ Genix combines the power of industrial analytics and artificial intelligence to integrate 25 engineering, operational and information technology systems across different functional areas, including the mine, processing, geology and exploration, asset management, finance, legal, and human resources.

Starting with data capture and integrating cross-functional data, ABB Ability™ Genix connects operational, business and engineering systems. It then collects, contextualizes and converts data through advanced analytics into meaningful information to unlock productivity improvements by driving smart business decisions.

ABB Ability™ Genix will help visualize and analyze all information required to support Gold Fields’ reporting and drive its environmental commitments, helping the company to make a world of difference by achieving its vision of becoming the global leader in sustainable gold mining.

“Salares Norte deploys a high level of digital industrial software and technology. This is critical to this project due to its remote location – the nearest town being Diego de Almagro, 180km away, the altitude of the project and adverse weather conditions which make site access and fieldwork challenging,” said Max Combes, Project Director of Gold Fields. “It demanded a solution for the remote monitoring center in Santiago that could integrate and contextualize information from many systems, including some common to Chile, as well as perform data analytics. ABB is already a proven digital partner and ABB Ability™ Genix will further unlock the power of data at this project.”

“ABB will deliver a comprehensive integrated electrification, automation and digitalization solution at Salares Norte,” said Iván Villegas, Hub Product Marketing Manager Automation - South America, ABB. “ABB Ability™ Genix, set to be fully commissioned in record time, will help Gold Fields to use their data from operations better, by combining it with engineering and information technology data for multi-dimensional decision making.”

The ABB Ability™ MineOptimize solution has already been deployed to supply an integrated power and automation system at Salares Norte comprising six electrical rooms and a suite of process and power controls, all under ABB Ability™ System 800xA distributed control system (DCS). These include Power and Process Control Library and Camera Connect (the ABB video system embedded in the control platform for optimized process monitoring). ABB Ability™ Knowledge Manager is also used to manage information production through Plant Information Management System (PIMS), alongside ABB Ability™ Asset Vista Condition Monitoring.

ABB's scope includes Dynamic Process Simulator, which reviews plant control logics, reducing commissioning times and allowing Gold Fields to train operators to acquire the skills required to achieve high-quality operations.

Salares Norte is expected to produce 3.7 million ounces of gold over an initial mine life of 11 years. The operation involves drilling, blasting, loading, and hauling methods for ore extraction, and has an installed production capacity of two million tons per annum.

@ABBgroupnews @abb_automation @GoldFields_LTD #PAuto #Chile

Serving Chile.

The new 2,300-square-meter facility for Endress+Hauser in Chile, opened recently, contains modern office space, an auditorium, conference rooms, a training center and a calibration laboratory. Customers and employees can expect a high-quality infrastructure and excellent work environment.

Left to right: Carlos Behrends, Corporate Sales Director, South America, Matthias Altendorf, CEO, Endress+Hauser Group, Susana Torres, Managing Director,  Endress+Hauser Chile, Klaus Endress, Supervisory Board President, Endress+Hauser Group, & Edgar Dörig, Swiss Ambassador to Chile, cut the ribbon.

The new three-story building, costing €5million, also includes a parking garage. It was officially opened during a celebration attended by numerous guests from industry and government.


“The new offices support a flexible and collaborative work model. We want to efficiently structure the collaboration between our employees and also with our customers and partners,” says Susana Torres, Managing Director of Endress+Hauser Chile. “With the new building we are laying the foundation for further growth and increased productivity.”

Sustainable building design
The modern architecture and environmentally friendly building concept reflects the family-owned company’s pursuit of quality and sustainability. Solar collectors help to produce warm water while photovoltaic panels supply electricity for the parking garage lighting. The new building furthermore meets stringent requirements with respect to earthquake protection.

Growing customer requirements
The Santiago-based sales center, which was created in 2000 and is currently home to 44 employees, supplies customers in the primaries & metals, food & beverage, power & energy and chemical industries. “We have enjoyed above-average growth in South America over the past several years, and that also includes our service offerings. With our new building in Chile, we can continue to provide optimal service and support to our customers,” says Matthias Altendorf, CEO of the Endress+Hauser Group.

@Endress_Hauser  #PAuto #Chile

Chilean office opened!

National Instruments has announced the official opening of an office in Santiago, Chile. The NI Chile office provides direct field engineers, training and the strong Alliance Partner Network to customers in a variety of industries including mining, defence, academia and energy. Working with NI since 2006 as a direct distributor for NI, Sociedad de Innovación y Transferencia Tecnológica Limitada will now work with NI as an Alliance Partner offering complete solutions and high-quality products based on graphical system design.

“We are excited to officially open an office in Chile because of the rapidly growing number of customers using NI products and the increased regional interest in NI test, measurement and control solutions,” said Rodrigo Riquelme, Branch Manager of NI Chile. “With an office in Chile, NI can more effectively serve the needs of customers in the Cono Sur region, including Argentina, Bolivia, Perú, Uruguay and Paraguay.”

John Graff, NI Vice President of Sales and Marketing for the Americas, said “NI Chile expands the presence of NI in Latin America, which includes direct sales offices in Brazil, Colombia and Mexico with a shared operations centre in Costa Rica. We doubled our headcount in Latin America over the last two years because of exciting opportunities to equip local engineers and scientists with tools for innovation and discovery.”

Mining order from Chile

Automation and power to maximize energy efficiency at Codelco’s new open pit copper mine
ABB has won an order worth $47 million from Corporacion Nacional del Cobre de Chile (Codelc0), the world’s biggest copper producer, to provide gearless mill drives and electrical systems to increase productivity and lower energy consumption at a new mine in northern Chile.

Codelco’s major investment includes a new open pit mine and concentrator that is expected to produce 170,000 metric tons of fine copper per year. The Mina Ministro Hales mine is scheduled to start production in 2013 and will be located 6 kilometers north of Calama, at an altitude of 3,000 meters, in the Atacama desert.

ABB’s gearless ore-crushing mill drives are more reliable and energy efficient than traditional mill systems, providing increased productivity. The scope of supply includes three drive systems, one 12 megawatt (MW) system and two 8.9 MW systems. In addition, the order includes 220 kilovolt (kV) gas insulated switchgear, and three containerized rooms to house 23kV gas insulated switchgear, auxiliary services and power transformers as well as project engineering, installation and training.


“Our comprehensive automation and electrical infrastructure offerings, combined with industry specific expertise, help our customers establish a strong foundation for energy efficiency as well as increase reliability and productivity,” said Veli-Matti Reinikkala, head of ABB’s Process Automation division. “ABB pioneered the development of gearless mill drives that address the production challenges faced by mine operators.”

The world’s first gearless mill drive was delivered by ABB in 1969 and is still in operation providing cost-effective, energy-efficient performance with proven long-term reliability.

Improved electric grid in Chile

AES Energy Storage has commissioned a 12MW frequency regulation and spinning reserve project at AES’ Los Andes substation in the Atacama Desert, Chile. Combining an inverter and control system provided by the SSD Drives Division of Parker Hannifin with a lithium ion battery system from A123 Systems, the project will improve the reliability of the electric grid in Northern Chile.

System operators need effective frequency regulation and spinning reserve to help them manage fluctuations in demand for power. One of the biggest challenges in electric grid management is that the amount of power generated and the amount consumed must be in exact balance at all times. When imbalances occur, the frequency of electricity (50/60Hz) required by users is not maintained, resulting in grid instability. Effective frequency regulation keeps the grid in balance.

Alongside frequency regulation, the spinning reserve is the extra generating capacity available immediately to meet peaks in demand or to cope with disruptions in supply such as when a generator goes down.

The newly commissioned Los Andes substation combines Parker SSD inverter drives in the power conversion section with lithium-ion batteries for energy storage, all housed in climate controlled containers. Alternating containers of batteries and inverters make up the total 12MW system, with each inverter container housing 2MW of capacity. The system represents the largest of several projects that have used Parker Hannifin power conversion equipment in utility scale installations.

The technology delivers frequency regulation in a less expensive, more responsive and more accurate method than either the traditional alternatives of pumped hydro and compressed air, or the emerging flywheel energy storage technology which is being trialed for electricity grid applications. The solid state system installed at Los Andes offers the advantages of high efficiency, high speed of response and minimal maintenance. In addition, because the project frees up spinning reserve and replaces unpaid reserve from the power plant, AES can receive payment for its full output capacity by selling directly to the national grid.

The project was officially put into commercial operation on 16 November 2009, with a ribbon cutting ceremony that included Marcelo Tokman, Chilean Minister of Energy. And further upgrades are planned for other substations: a 20MW power station upgrade in 2010 will free up 5-10% spinning reserve to be sold to the national grid, while a 100MW upgrade within the next three years will free up a further 5-10% spinning reserve to be sold to the grid and provide connection of regional grid power systems in Northern, Central and Southern Chile.

This is Parker’s first project with AES Energy Storage outside the U.S. and is also the first lithium-ion battery system to be deployed to the electric grid in Chile. In 2008 a Parker SSD system was used on a 1 MW Ancillary Services unit in the Northeast. Earlier this year a system was provided for a 2 MW Hybrid-APU at one of AES’ Southern California power plants to help meet reserve requirements.