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alpha academy continued chased simulators from both 5DT and Immersive Technologies. "We like different aspects of both companies," Hainer said. "As far as underground equipment, we have two continuous miner simulators, a roof bolter and a shuttle car. We also have a Cat 785 rock truck because it was most representative of the surface mining equipment we operate." Using the data collectors, the trainers can catalog operator errors. "We can see where they started and how they finished and what they retained," Hainer said. "The trainer can change the environment and trigger failures. Then they monitor how the operators react to a hazard, such as an engine fire, a tire rupture, or a mechanical or hydraulic failure. "When we standardize our operations, we minimize risk exposures, which increase safety and production," Hainer said. The Alpha Academy has the latest Joy 14CM15 simulator set up with proximity detection from Immersive Technologies. It can also be set up with hazards such as methane and fire. Cable management is an important part of the program. The operator acknowledges the position of the continuous miner cable by illuminating it with his cap lamp. The cable turns green and moves July 2013 This simulator recreates the conditions roof bolters would encounter working with a J.H. Fletcher machine. out of the way. The operator signals a shuttle car operator and flags him forward with his cap lamp and waves him off. All of the levers on the 5DT roof bolter simulator are arranged just like a J.H. Fletcher roof bolter. "The great thing about this simulator is the timing," Hainer said. "Teaching muscle memory is an art form. The importance of the mix time, hold time and set time is vitally important. We can't teach that underground in an operating coal mine unless the trainer is standing beside each new bolter operator with a stopwatch. Here we can get someone to see how they should set and get a feel for proper time through repetition. These are simulators. We still have training when we get to the face." www.coalage.com 31