Nanotechnology Now - Press Release: CEA-Leti and Davey Bickford Enaex Extend R&D Collaboration To Bring More Digital Solutions to Mining and Blasting Industries That Improve Safety for Workers and Increase Productivity

Home > Press > CEA-Leti and Davey Bickford Enaex Extend R&D Collaboration To Bring More Digital Solutions to Mining and Blasting Industries That Improve Safety for Workers and Increase Productivity

Abstract:
CEA-Leti and Davey Bickford Enaex, a worldwide leader in blasting solutions, have extended their joint laboratory for three years to continue development of innovative radio-frequency communication systems that remotely control networks of high-tech wireless electronic detonators.

CEA-Leti and Davey Bickford Enaex Extend R&D Collaboration To Bring More Digital Solutions to Mining and Blasting Industries That Improve Safety for Workers and Increase Productivity

Grenoble, France and Hery, France | Posted on November 17th, 2020

The common lab will build on the partners’ recent success in developing an electronic initiation system without using surface wire that offers increased safety, flexibility and productivity to the blasting market. Like the earlier partnership, the ongoing work will take place in the frame of IRT Nanoelec, a Grenoble-based consortium focused on R&D in the field of semiconductor devices and ICT technologies.

The recently developed system consists of DaveyTronic® electronic detonators with bi-directional radio modules placed on the surface of a mining pit. The wireless network communicates with a digital blasting system located a few kilometers away from the blasting zone and is controlled by a wireless communication protocol specifically developed and optimized to ensure safe, reliable and synchronized operation of hundreds of detonating elements in open pit mines. A key innovation of the new blasting solution is the wireless activation of the detonators.

Addressing Challenges of the Perpetual Search to Guarantee Safety While Increasing Productivity

Most mining operators around the world are striving to cope with the challenges of always guaranteeing the safety of their personnel during blasting operations and always searching for ways to increase productivity. One of the ways to do that is limiting the time spent on the bench while priming the blast. The main safety benefit of a wired electronic initiation system is offering bi-directional communication between the detonators and the blasting equipment. The challenge was to remove the surface wire, generating a significant reduction of the operations on the bench (connecting, troubleshooting), while keeping this two-way communication. This new system, called DaveyTronic Edge®, is paving the way to teleoperated/ automated priming operations.

“As a global leader in blasting solutions, our company is committed to developing innovative pyrotechnic-initiation systems for mining and blasting companies around the world,” said Nicolas Besnard, technologies and systems director of Davey Bickford Enaex. “Our collaboration with CEA-Leti has been a strong, two-way partnership that has helped Davey Bickford maintain its position in the blasting industry, and this extended common lab will help ensure we continue to offer our customers the latest in productive, safe and reliable systems in the digital era.”

“CEA-Leti’s expertise in radio technologies for industry, including radio-frequency system characterization and channel-sounding tools, is a good match for Davey Bickford’s vision of providing digital technologies to the mining and blasting industries,” said Swan Gerome, business development manager at CEA-Leti. “This extension will open the way for us to continue innovating to bring new solutions to those markets.”

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About CEA Leti
Leti, a technology research institute at CEA, is a global leader in miniaturization technologies enabling smart, energy-efficient and secure solutions for industry. Founded in 1967, CEA-Leti pioneers micro-& nanotechnologies, tailoring differentiating applicative solutions for global companies, SMEs and startups. CEA-Leti tackles critical challenges in healthcare, energy and digital migration. From sensors to data processing and computing solutions, CEA-Leti’s multidisciplinary teams deliver solid expertise, leveraging world-class pre-industrialization facilities. With a staff of more than 1,900, a portfolio of 3,100 patents, 10,000 sq. meters of cleanroom space and a clear IP policy, the institute is based in Grenoble, France, and has offices in Silicon Valley and Tokyo. CEA-Leti has launched 65 startups and is a

member of the Carnot Institutes network. Follow us on www.leti-cea.com and @CEA_Leti.

Technological expertise

CEA has a key role in transferring scientific knowledge and innovation from research to industry. This high-level technological research is carried out in particular in electronic and integrated systems, from microscale to nanoscale. It has a wide range of industrial applications in the fields of transport, health, safety and telecommunications, contributing to the creation of high-quality and competitive products.

For more information: www.cea.fr/english

About Davey Bickford Enaex

Davey Bickford Enaex designs, produces and sells initiation systems & associated services for mining, quarries, tunneling & construction. Davey Bickford Enaex offers a full range of initiation products for industrial explosive: electronic , non-electric (shock tubes) and electric detonators as well as detonating cords. We are a pioneer and focus our expertise on electronic initiation systems, which represent the core of our business. The DaveyTronic® digital blasting system has been a reference in the industry for more than 20 years.

Davey Bickford Enaex is part of Enaex, a private Chilean-based company specialized in ammonium nitrate, explosives & blasting services. Enaex is present on all continents with subsidiaries in 11 countries. Enaex either provides solutions directly to end users and also sells products and systems to distributors or to drill & blast contractors. Enaex customers are mainly international companies such as Rio Tinto, BHP Billiton, Anglo American, Vale, Glencore, Codelco, Whitehaven coal, EPC, Forcit, etc. Enaex is heavily involved in generating innovation to the industry with a purpose to humanize mining while removing people away from harsh & hazardous conditions.

DaveyTronic® and DaveyTronic Edge® are registered trademarks of Davey Bickford SAS.

Visit www.daveybickfordenaex.com.

About IRT Nanoelec Research Technological Institute (IRT)

IRT Nanoelec runs multi-partner R&D dissemination and development programs to make the microelectronics sector more competitive. It is based in Grenoble, France, a leading global hub for research and innovation in microelectronics. IRT Nanolec is a consortium of 21 members from the private and public sectors. It is is one of the 8 Technological research institute (IRT) set by French Gouvernement since 2012 to bring together academic laboratories and industries for R&D and innovation. The aim of IRT Nanoelec members is to work together to carry out research and development programs to help businesses create value and grow. Information and communication technologies professionals work in the frame of Nanoelec for the digital transition, energy transition and secure connected systems fields.