(Bluefield)—“Anassa V,” an autonomous ground vehicle developed, designed, programmed, and created by Bluefield State College students, contended for another world championship and finished third, overall, during the recent “2009 Intelligent Ground Vehicle Competition (IGVC) Autonomous Challenge” at Oakland University, MI.  The four-day competition attracted 52 entries from institutions of higher education in the U.S. and abroad.

The BSC student team included Justin Milam, Matthew Duncan, Chris Thompson, Saleh Alobaishi, Justin Pennington, Louis McAllister, and Toni Villanueva. “Our students did an outstanding job,” observed Dr. Robert Riggins, BSC Professor of Electrical Engineering Technology.  “They came really close to winning championships in both the autonomous and the navigation challenges.  Out of 52 robots from around the world, ours was one of three that competed ‘neck and neck’ in the autonomous race.”  It was extremely encouraging, Riggins noted, to see the BSC robot do so well against vehicles developed by teams of students representing major universities and graduate programs.  “We placed third in Autonomous, fourth in Land Navigation, and third overall (Lesko Award). “

“We encountered some challenges, like a thunderstorm at the wrong time, interruptions in electrical power, and the constant threat of rain, but our students worked through them,” Riggins continued.  “Anassa held first place for about three hours during the final day of the competition.  I’m extremely proud of this year’s BSC team.  Our students performed very well in a pressure-filled situation.”   

The fact that Bluefield State College was the smallest school in the competition and was one of only a very few college or universities there without an engineering graduate school makes our performance even more meaningful,” Riggins concluded.

Sponsors and organizations assisting the BSC student team’s research and participation in the IGVC include:  Justin Stiltner, Shawn Anderson, MetalSmithing, Inc, Advanced Auto, Bluewell, ConnWeld Industries, Pemco, Walmart (Bluefield, VA), Miller Associates, and Charlatte America.

By CART, Inc.

(Bluefield)—By developing a “smart system” that anticipates failures and pinpoints problem locations within a conveyor belt system, Fenner Dunlop and the Center for Applied Research & Technology (CART) @ Bluefield State College were named recipients of the “Innovation Award” at the recent Southwestern Virginia Technology Council’s (SWVTC) 10th annual gala, tech expo and awards ceremony.  Lyn McDermid, Senior VP and Chief Information Officer for Dominion Resources, was the featured speaker at this year’s program hosted by Virginia Highlands Community College.

CART and Fenner Dunlop have collaborated for several months at their location in the Bluestone Business and Technology Park to develop the smart conveyor belt system.  The technology permits belt operators to plan repairs rather than just react to failures, saving business owners a substantial amount of money by preventing unscheduled down-time due to unanticipated belt breakage.  “Conveyor belt systems are primarily utilized in this region by the coal industry,” explained Bruce Mutter, CART CEO.  “A single broken belt can result in a production loss of more than $250,000 per day.”

At the Bluestone Business and Technology Park, Fenner Dunlop and CART are working together on the product manufacturing process and they anticipate the start of production later this summer.  Fenner Dunlop has received approximately 50 orders prior to product completion, and a full scale belt is in place at their facility, while the technology continues to be refined and augmented on a daily basis.

In accepting the award on behalf of Fenner Dunlop, their Bluefield, Virginia research team, and CART, Mutter and Mick Twigger, Senior Electrical Engineer, Fenner Dunlop, thanked the SWVTC and Tazewell County officials Sam Wolford and Jim Spencer.  “There is abundant literature suggesting that southwestern Virginia and southern West Virginia are difficult regions from which to create technology innovations,” Mutter said.  “However, our specific experience proves positively different.  We think the uncommon decency, pride, diversity, resourcefulness, adaptability, persistence, resilience, and good common sense of our people has been an excellent foundation for developing quality technology products.”

The Southwestern Virginia Technology Council was organized in 1999 and exists to lead the region’s residents in addressing technology issues for business, education, and government with the purpose of enhancing the vitality and social well-being of Southwestern Virginia.

By CART, Inc.

(Bluefield)—The competition was real and the goal was to sharpen life-saving skills. Ten mine rescue teams participated in the third annual Mine Rescue Competition at Bluefield State College recently. The daylong activity was created and coordinated by the National Mine Rescue Association Welch Post 1-Smokeeaters and was hosted by the
Center for Applied Research & Technology (CART) at Bluefield State College.

This year’s champion was Jewell Smokeless Coal’s “Blue” team, with the Massey 1 and Jewell Smokeless Coal’s “Red” teams tied for second place. The Consol “Black” team completed the event in third place, and Southern Pocahontas received “Novice Honorable Mention” recognition. Other teams from the Pinnacle mine, Brooks Run, Consol Red, ICG, and Massey 2 also competed in the event.
Mine rescue competitions are designed to sharpen skills and test the knowledge of miners who may one day be called upon to respond to a real mine emergency, according to the event’s director, West Virginia mine safety inspector, region IV, Mike Plumley. They include a written test, and also require teams to address a simulated problem resulting in trapped miners who must be located and rescued.

“Competition of this kind calls attention to the need for the highest standards in mine safety,” Plumley said. “Participants can hone their mine rescue skills, improve communication with other team members, and develop working relationships with other teams.”

Each team was told of the scenario, then addressed the challenge by working through a course designed to simulate conditions faced in an actual mine rescue situation. The field portion of the meet took place at the June Oblinger Shott Sportsplex, adjacent to Dickason Hall on the BSC campus.

"This is the ideal situation right here because you are training, you don't really have somebody missing. But if you follow the guidelines put forth by mine rescue, it will make you a safer rescuer in actual disasters." explains Richard Crockett, team problem designer.

Team captain, Leslie Clutter adds, "You can never really get the full concept of what a mine emergency was unless you were in it. But this gives us an idea of things we need to look for and things that we need to do and then more or less, work as a team."

“CART is pleased to have the opportunity to support this event,” noted Bruce Mutter, CART CEO. Our involvement in assisting the Mine Rescue Competition is particularly appropriate because of our school’s longstanding commitment to Bluefield State’s Mining Engineering Technology program, participation in robotics-related initiatives, and our more recent collaborations with Fenner Dunlop Conveyor Belting in the Bluestone Regional Business and Technology Center.

The event’s sponsors included Cleveland Cliffs, Heintzmann, Consolidated Coal Company, Jewell Smokeless Coal Corporation, Brooks Run Mining Co, LLC, Southern Pocahontas, Inc., ICG Beckley, LLC., Robert Neal, BSC and CART, Inc.

Market leader Fenner Dunlop Americas understands that education-led economic development is a powerful concept. In April 2008 Fenner Dunlop Americas signed a contract with the Center for Applied Research and Technology, Inc., (CART) at Bluefield State College in West Virginia. Geographically, Bluefield, WV and VA, provides an excellent access point to active coal mining industry in the region, many of whom are Fenner Dunlop customers.  The synergies that exist here provide an obvious advantage to research and development.

“Divisional Director, David Hurd, and I decided we needed an electronic base to develop one of the systems we had,” explained Mick Twigger, Senior Electrical Engineer with Fenner Dunlop. “I talked to Bruce Mutter, CEO, Chair of CART, and then to Jim Spencer, Tazewell County, Virginia, Administrator, who directed us to the “Bluestone Business and Technology Center.”

“The College, CART, and Fenner Dunlop have always enjoyed close working relationships with the coal industry,” said Bruce Mutter. “So it was only natural we should meet Mick through one of our graduates, Mark Myers, and form this deeper partnership.” Myers, currently a Systems Development Engineer with Fenner Dunlop, was hired several years ago by Mick when he observed his work ethic and skills as an intern on another project. Fenner Dunlop recognizes the importance of practical experience and the use of technical knowledge gained by a 4-year degree in a real world environment. This partnership provides a place for applied research and technology development, education and student training while encouraging entrepreneurial enthusiasm. One Fenner Dunlop project assigned to CART was to build a working scale model conveyor for MINExpo 2008 in Las Vegas, NV.  This demonstrates the benefit of the partnership with CART.

For business to be successful there must be a talented workforce that can adapt to not only current but anticipated demands of industry. James Craig, Brett Butler, and Elizabeth Hawkins graduate respectively in 2009, 2010, and 2009. Craig, already a licensed electrician and Butler have both assisted with CAD drawing documentation. Hawkins also worked on Fenner Dunlop drawings during the fall semester. “These students have the initial start on several aspects of Engineering,” Twigger said. “With a one-on-one relationship with either Mark Myers or me, they are taught skills from the technical world that will be required to apply themselves in the real world of Industrial Engineering.” 

“Fenner Dunlop could be doing research anywhere in the world and be associated with a larger university,” said Jim Spencer. However, for several reasons they chose a rural community. First and foremost, this community of 42,000 has a built-in knowledge base.  Second, human capital is supported by a solid infrastructure. Tazewell County operates a business incubator and serves as a conduit for information between business and support services to find expansion capital and training sources. Third is the affordability of the region.

“CART contracts with companies and agencies for applied research solutions in fields such as mining, architectural, civil, electrical, mechanical, and computer science,” Mutter added. “Interns gain valuable experience and do receive course credits and have been paid as they develop invaluable experience. One of the advantages of our small college is that this process works rather seamlessly.” Fenner Dunlop Americas recommends to suitable students that they apply for jobs with them that will be made available as the market improves and expands. Because they are already trained they will be in an excellent position to be hired although they must also obtain all the qualifications required by any particular position. Mutter stressed, “It is essential for students to rely on lessons learned in class or lab for application at the Fenner Dunlop R&D facility. Working in a real-world setting also teaches safety skills and builds confidence; indispensable traits for an Engineering Technology graduate.”

Fenner Dunlop Americas’ three core company principles are demonstrated daily in this region. Research and development provides excellence in product quality and
customer service. Membership in Bluefield Chamber of Commerce, involvement with Friends of Coal and the Eastern Coal Council, as well as local charitable giving, confirms their loyalty to and support of community. Locating R&D facilities in a nontraditional area shows Fenner Dunlop’s firm commitment to the entire workforce.

The Bluefield site will grow to become a production site for the belt monitoring systems and R&D will spread its scope of work to include new belt condition systems, belt weighing systems, and more. “Our partnership with Bluefield State College and CART has given Fenner Dunlop the opportunity to accelerate the research and development of important technology soon to be available to the mining industry,” states Twigger.  “We are ideally positioned to contribute to the education of our future mining engineers while offering our customers the safest, most reliable electronic systems in the industry.”

(Bluefield)— CONSOL, Inc. recently made a $25,000 donation in support of Bluefield State College’s mining engineering technology program.  Since 1980, CONSOL has supported BSC’s mining engineering technology program on a continuing basis.  

“The support provided by CONSOL makes a very positive difference in the lives of our students,” noted Frank Hart, Dean/BSC School of Engineering Technology & Computer Science.  “This most recent gift brings to more than $275,000 the total amount of CONSOL’s contributions to the program.”  Nearly 100 BSC students have benefited from CONSOL’s scholarship support over the past 27 years, and more than 60 BSC graduates have accepted employment with CONSOL.

CONSOL also makes available special scholarships for minorities and women.  These scholarships are granted individually as students are recruited and choose careers in the mining industry.

By CART, Inc.

(Bluefield)—Approximately 60 students from four Mercer County high schools took part in the second annual “Girls’ Day in Engineering” program at Bluefield State College, November 3. The ninth grade students from Bluefield, Montcalm, Princeton, and PikeView high schools spent time in the BSC School of Engineering Technology and Computer Science through a program arranged by event organizer Don Bury, BSC Professor of Architectural Engineering Technology, in collaboration with Mercer County Career Connections, the WomenTech Academy, high school math and science teachers and BSC Engineering Technology students.

Sheri Webb, BSC Professor of Architectural Engineering Technology provided an overview of career opportunities in engineering, detailing some of the opportunities girls have to succeed in engineering careers.  Highlights also noted some of the achievements of BSC student teams in engineering-related academic competitions.

Dr. Bob Riggins and several students discussed the design and development of the autonomous robotic vehicles built by BSC student teams during the past two years. The College’s entry won the 2008 Intelligent Ground Vehicle Competition’s “Grand Challenge.”

The girls also competed for fun and prizes construct bridges assembled using toothpicks and marshmallows to realize the bridge’s abilities to support surprisingly heavy amounts of weight.

Bruce Mutter, BSC School of Engineering Technology, made introductions by observing that engineering firms are now actively recruiting women engineers because they want their perspective in designing and machining new products. “Women are real problem-solvers. They have strong organizational skills, and they handle stress well,” he said. The success of the initial “Girls Day in Engineering” program in 2007 has prompted organizers to make it an annual event. 

(Bluefield)—The Center for Applied Research and Technology (BSC-CART) at Bluefield State College will receive more than $48,000 through an agreement with the Marshall University Research Corporation on behalf of the Nick J. Rahall, II Appalachian Transportation Institute (RTI). 

This supports BSC-CART’s costs effort to provide campus coordination services for the Rahall Appalachian Transportation Institute. The Institute was established at Marshall University through a $12 million grant funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Research and Special Program Administration as a University Transportation Center (UTC). RTI is one of 33 UTC’s funded by the Department of Transportation and includes BSC among three collaborative institutions of higher education. 

Among CART’s duties as a campus coordinator is the coordination of all activities related to the program at BSC, acting as a liaison between the Rahall Transportation Institute and its staff at Marshall and other collaborative institutions, and representing RTI at various public and private meetings.

By CART, Inc.

(Bluefield)—A demonstration model conveyor belt monitoring system developed by the Center for Applied Research & Technology (CART) at Bluefield State College and Fenner Dunlop (F-D) attracted significant interest during the recent MINExpo quadrennial exhibition in Las Vegas.

The Fenner Dunlop exhibit featured a conveyor belt model developed and built by a team of Bluefield State College students and CART research faculty, working for the Fenner Dunlop Research and Development team. Fenner Dunlop Conveyor Belting, the world’s largest manufacturer of conveyer belting for mining and industrial applications, has built a research center adjacent to the 680 acre Bluestone Technology Park in Tazewell County. This facility features a large scale 65-foot test conveyor system.

“The monitoring system applies sensor technologies that detect potential belt rips and tears and monitor its overall condition,” explained Bruce Mutter, CART President and the College’s Associate Dean for Applied Research, “and it can help to prevent significant operating losses.” These systems are based on the principle of magnetic flux leakage, and monitoring the belts’ magnetic signature yields information essential to determine when the belt’s strength and integrity are compromised.

“The automated monitoring system helps to optimize the efficiency of the process and can provide information that identifies when preventive maintenance needs to take place,” Mutter continued. The Fenner Dunlop facility’s test belt conveyor system is designed to replicate the system used at a longwall mine. “Our experiences with autonomous vehicle robotics has been very helpful as we apply the lessons learned to an industrial process, looking at current state-of-the-art measurement methods and considering refinements that measure belt wear and tear,” he added.

MINExpo 2008 is one of the world’s premier exhibitions of mining equipment, technology and services.

(Bluefield)—A research initiative at the new Tazewell County Business and Technology Park near Bluefield, VA could have a powerful and positive impact throughout the mining industry.  Fenner Dunlop Conveyor Belting, the world’s largest manufacturer of conveyer belting for mining and industrial applications, is building a research center adjacent to the 680 acre Bluestone Technology Park in Tazewell County.  The facility features a 65-foot test conveyor system.  At the same time, the Center for Applied Research and Technology (CART) at Bluefield State College is helping create an “intelligent” steel cord belt monitoring system and providing technical support in Fenner Dunlop’s belt monitoring system research.

“The monitoring system applies sensor technologies that detect potential belt rips and tears and monitor its overall bent condition,” explained Bruce Mutter, CART President and the College’s Associate Dean for Applied Research, “and can help to prevent significant operating losses.”  Mining operations rely on conveyor belts to move mined material from the working face to a processing plant.  Longwall mining operations can generate revenue at a rate of $1,000/minute and a halt in operations often lasts for four hours or more, resulting in a $240,000 loss in revenue.

“By developing an automated monitoring system, we can help optimize the efficiency of the process and can provide information that identifies when preventive maintenance needs to take place,” Mutter continued.  The Fenner Dunlop facility’s test belt conveyor system is designed to replicate the system used at a longwall mine.  “Our experiences with autonomous vehicle robotics has been very helpful as we apply the lessons learned to an industrial process, looking at current state-of-the-art measurement methods and considering refinements that measure belt wear and tear,” he added.  “In phase two, we will research even further improvements to the process, by utilizing emerging technologies.

“Our goal is to develop an advanced belt monitoring system, utilizing several known techniques and technologies, to gain as much information on belt condition as possible,” explained Mick Twigger, Senior Electrical Engineering Manager at Fenner Dunlop’s Tazewell County facility.  “CART is researching areas that can help Fenner Dunlop in developing an advanced system to gain market leadership.”

Mark Myers, a Bluefield State College graduate and a former team leader of the College’s Intelligent Ground Vehicle Competition and CART’s  DARPA Grand Challenge teams a few years ago, is now a lead engineer with Fenner Dunlop, and Jim Spencer, also a BSC alumnus, is Tazewell County Public Service Administrator.  “We are proud that Fenner Dunlop decided to come to Tazewell County to conduct this research,” he stated.  “The concept behind the Bluestone Business & Technology project is to create technology-related jobs.  What better way to do this than research partnering CART and Fenner Dunlop?

“Our region is uniquely positioned to help our country regain most of its energy independence and working with Fenner Dunlop creates an outstanding opportunity for CART to apply ingenuity to the industry most vital to its economy,” Mutter added. 

By CART, Inc.

(Bluefield, WV)—Although the disaster isn’t real, the response will be. This Saturday, 11 outstanding mine rescue teams from throughout the region will gather at Bluefield State College to compete in the 2nd annual Mine Rescue Competition. The event was created and is coordinated by the National Mine Rescue Association Welch Post 1-Smokeeaters and is hosted by the Center for Applied Research & Technology (CART) at Bluefield State College.

Mine rescue contests are designed to sharpen skills and test the knowledge of miners who may one day be called upon to respond to a real mine emergency, according to the event’s director, Mike Plumley. The meet includes a written test, and also requires teams to address a simulated problem resulting in trapped miners that must be located and rescued.

Each team will be told of the scenario, then must address the challenge by working through a course designed to simulate conditions they could face in an actual mine rescue situation. Mining experts will evaluate each team as they work through their rescue problems in the simulated mine environment. The field portion of the meet will take place at the June Oblinger Shott Sportsplex, adjacent to Dickason Hall on the BSC campus.

“Competition of this kind calls attention to the need for the highest standards in mine safety,” Plumley said. “Participants can hone their mine rescue skills, improve communication with other team members, and develop working relationships with other teams.”

Vendors whose businesses are related to the mining industry will be on site, as well. “CART is pleased to have the opportunity to support this event,” noted Bruce Mutter, CART Director. Our involvement in assisting the Mine Rescue Competition is particularly appropriate because of our commitment to Bluefield State’s Mining Engineering Technology program, participation in robotics-related initiatives & our collaboration with Fenner Dunlop Conveyor Belting in the Bluestone Regional Business and Technology Center.

The event’s sponsors to date include the Cleveland-Cliffs Foundation, BrickStreet, CONSOL, UMWA Local 1713, Lee Supply Company, A.T. Massey, Strada Products, and CART, Inc.