A new and improved air quality monitoring system developed by startup Maestro Ventilation in Sudbury is already in 40 mines around the world after being on the market for just one year.
The product, Maestro Airflow, collects real-time air quality data and diagnostics from airflow and gas sensors throughout a mine at a fraction of the cost of conventional systems.
Partners Dave Ballantyne of Enfinitiy Inc. and Mike Gribbons ofSynergy Controls pooled their technology and marketing expertise to make it happen.
“We met at a restaurant over lunch to catch up with each other and Dave told me he came up with this really cool way of measuring airflow underground,” recalled Gribbons. “You plug it in directly to a network switch. I said ‘What about the PLCs and all of the other infrastructure.’ He said you don’t need any of it.
Left to right: Don Duval, NORCAT, Dave Ballantyne, Maestro Digital Mine, Michael Gribbons, Maestro Digital Mine, Bill Best, Cambrian College
Sudbury, Ontario – Maestro Digital Mine is being recognized as an innovator in mine ventilation and automation.
The Sudbury-based company was honoured at the 19th annual Bell Business Excellence Awards gala celebration May 12 at the Caruso Club in Sudbury. Hosted by the Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce, the annual awards ceremony pays tribute to entrepreneurs and businesses that demonstrate excellence in their field.
David Ballantyne, vice-president of development and technology and Michael Gribbons, vice president of marketing and sales, were on hand to accept the Innovation Award, sponsored by Cambrian College and Bell Business Excellence Awards.
The Innovation Award is presented to a company that has demonstrated product research, prototype development and environmental innovation. Judging is based on key criteria including Product Research and Development, Environmental Innovation, Marketing of New Innovations and Impact on Community.
Maestro Digital Mine serves the underground mine ventilation and automation sector. Its product line delivers energy savings and productivity improvement while working to provide healthier and safer working conditions for miners.
“So much of what we have accomplished in the last few years is a team effort; listening to clients, analyzing their needs and then implementing solutions,” said Mr. Gribbons.
“When it comes to product development, we also consult with the world’s leading global mining companies, ventilation consultants and VOD integrators.”
Maestro is driven to provide ventilation solutions to improve the underground work environment, essentially extending the lives of miners while still providing economical solutions to increase production, reduce energy consumption and green house gases emissions. Maestro has developed the world's first digital ultrasonic airflow sensor, the first web page based Air Quality Station, the first integrated Ethernet fan monitoring system and the first LED web page and Ethernet driven display.
Maestro has developed ventilation solutions for some of the largest global mining corporations including Barrick Gold Corporation, BHP Billiton, Newmont Gold, Xstrata, Rio Tinto and Vale.
For more information: Michael Gribbons Vice President, Sales and Marketing Phone: +1 705 805-6918 ext 203 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Maestro Digital Mine (a division of High Grade Controls Corporation) 87 Magill Street Sudbury, Ontario P3Y 1K6 Canada www.maestrodigitalmine.com
Michael Gribbons (left) and David Ballantyne (right) of Maestro Digital Mine are proud to receive the Judges’ Choice Award presented by sponsor David Dynes, Area Manager of Small Business TD Canada Trust at the NOBA held on October 6th, 2016.
For more information: Michael Gribbons Vice President, Sales and Marketing Phone: +1 705 805-6918 ext 203 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Maestro Digital Mine (a division of High Grade Controls Corporation) 87 Magill Street Sudbury, Ontario P3Y 1K6 Canada www.maestrodigitalmine.com
SUDBURY, ON - The Ultra-Deep Mining Network (UDMN) held its second annual Symposium for its 76 network members from across Canada and announced the first of many UDMN commercial successes by one of its members, Maestro Digital Mine.
Maestro was presented with UDMN's Outstanding Achievement in Commercialization award for a technical innovation which ensures the safety of underground miners. The rapid commercial sale of this product to some of the deepest mines in the world is a testament that Maestro's efforts combined with UDMN funding and guidance can in fact bring technology faster to market which in turn benefits the mining industry and Canadians.
Maestro's Vigilante AQS™ is currently being used in over 70 underground mines globally.
Underground mines have challenging environmental conditions that include toxic gases from the drill and blast operation or gases given off by the surrounding strata rock. Protecting miners from acute or chronic gas with potential detrimental health conditions is paramount for any responsible mining company. To achieve this, a variety of sensors are required to transmit real time data from the underground workings to the surface control rooms. By using this technology, miners are able to return safely to their working areas quicker allowing significant productivity increases. However, these sensors require frequent maintenance and calibration in order to maintain accurate measurements. The previous technology required underground calibrations at each individual location using test gases. Several physical and environmental challenges prevented an accurate and repeatable calibration.
Maestro, with the support of the UDMN, has tackled this real-life application by designing and developing a digital gas sensor that can be calibrated on surface in a stable controlled environment. The digital sensors then can be "hot swapped" by a ventilation technician without the requirement of any sort of underground calibration.
Built upon the IoT (Internet of Things), the digital sensors have a complete suite of diagnostics to help determine the health of the complete system and provide maximum system uptime.
"This innovation has allowed our Vigilante AQS™ environmental stations to be installed in some of the deepest mines on the planet," states Michael Gribbons, vice-president of Maestro. "Prior to this innovation, the underground miners lacked the confidence of the gas readings since there was no practical method of calibrating the sensors or understanding if the sensors were even working. The IoT digital sensors allow this to become a reality. This will result in major productivity improvements by getting the miners safely back to the face quicker."
Maestro is driven to provide ventilation solutions to improve the underground work environment and extend miner's lives while still providing economical solutions to increase production, conserve energy and reduce greenhouse gases.
For more information: Michael Gribbons Vice President, Sales and Marketing Phone: +1 705 805-6918 ext 203 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Maestro Digital Mine (a division of High Grade Controls Corporation) 87 Magill Street Sudbury, Ontario P3Y 1K6 Canada www.maestrodigitalmine.com
Timmins, Canada – Steve Badenhorst, Glencore’s mine general manager accepts a plaque celebrating an underground mine ventilation control system that provides approximately 25,000 megawatt-hours of electrical energy savings every single year which represents approximately $2,000,000.00 per year.
The mine measures the airflow rate, airflow direction, blast gas concentrations and wet bulb temperature to assure that the miners are kept safe and within the acceptable tolerances using approximately 60 of Maestro’s Vigilante AQS™ Air Quality Stations and approximately 30 U/G Mine Regulators.
Kidd Mine is the world’s deepest base-metal mine below sea level, mining at 9600 feet with shaft bottom at 9889 feet. The mine also has the longest surface-to-bottom ramp in the world. Kidd Mine produces an average of 40,000 tonnes of copper and 70,000 of zinc annually. For the complete article click here
Maestro is driven to provide ventilation solutions to improve the underground work environment and extend miner's lives while still providing economical solutions to increase production, conserve energy and reduce greenhouse gases.
To learn more about how to increase productivity and help keep miner's safe, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
For more information: Michael Gribbons Vice President, Sales and Marketing Phone: +1 705 805-6918 ext 203 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Maestro Digital Mine (a division of High Grade Controls Corporation) 87 Magill Street Sudbury, Ontario P3Y 1K6 Canada www.maestrodigitalmine.com
