Tr uck & Loader

Pr oduct i vi t y
Anal ysi s Sof t war e

Ver si on 9.0
I n t r o d u c t i o n t o T a l p a c

Int r oduct i on t o Tal pac
Runge Lt d 2005 2007 Copyr i ght Inf or mat i on 3
Copy r i ght I nf o r mat i on
Runge Software
Runge Software and associated software products are the copyright of Runge Limited. Use, duplication
or disclosure is subject to the restriction stated in the software license. No part of this document may
be copied or reproduced in any form without the prior written consent of Runge Limited.

Although the software has been tested and the documentation reviewed, Runge Limited offers no
warranty for the quality, performance or fitness of the software or documentation for any particular
purpose. In no event will Runge Limited be liable for direct, indirect, special, incidental or
consequential damages arising out of the use or inability to use the software or documentation.

Runge Limited has a policy of continual improvement to all products and documentation. The
information in any documentation is subject to change without notice.

Introduction to TALPAC, Release 9.0
Copyright Runge Limited A.C.N. 010 672 321
Brisbane, Australia, 2007
All Rights Reserved

XPAC, Autoscheduler, TALPAC, XERAS and DragSim are US registered trademarks of
Runge Limited and/or associated companies.

Formula One and First Impression are registered trademarks of Visual Components Inc.
Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft
Access and DAO are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the USA and other countries.

For further information or additional copies of this documentation contact:
Runge Limited
G.P.O. Box 2774 Ph: Australia (07) 3100 7200
Brisbane, Qld 4001 International (+617) 3100 7200
Australia. Fax No. (07) 3100 7297
E-mail: talpac@runge.com.au
Internet: http://www.runge.com

V25012007


Int r oduct i on t o Tal pac
4 Tabl e of Cont ent s Runge Lt d 2005 2007
Ta bl e of Cont ent s
1. About Tal pac .......................................................................... 6
1. 1. Tal pac Appl i cati ons .................................................................... 6
1. 2. On-Li ne Hel p............................................................................ 7
1. 3. Further Inf ormati on .................................................................... 7
2. Running Tal pac ....................................................................... 8
2. 1. Instal l i ng Tal pac ....................................................................... 8
2. 2. Creati ng a Truck and Loader User Database ..................................... 8
2. 3. Tal pac Proj ects ......................................................................... 9
2. 4. Creati ng a New Proj ect ................................................................ 9
Project Templates............................................................................................... 10
2. 5. Open an exi sti ng Proj ect ............................................................ 11
2. 6. Savi ng a Proj ect ....................................................................... 11
2. 7. Cl osi ng a Proj ect ..................................................................... 12
3. Tal pac Overview .................................................................... 13
3. 1. What i s a Proj ect? .................................................................... 13
3. 2. Haul age System Components ...................................................... 14
Material Type .................................................................................................... 14
Shift Roster ...................................................................................................... 14
Loader Template ................................................................................................ 14
Truck Templates ................................................................................................ 15
Haul Cycle........................................................................................................ 15
3. 3. Overvi ew of Tal pac Anal yses ....................................................... 15
Full Simulation .................................................................................................. 16
Tyres and Fuel ................................................................................................... 16
Haul Cycle........................................................................................................ 16
Cash Flow ........................................................................................................ 16
Incremental Analysis ........................................................................................... 16
Optimisation..................................................................................................... 17
Quick Estimate .................................................................................................. 17
Results Table .................................................................................................... 17
3. 4. Equi pment Database ................................................................. 18
4. Tal pac User Interface .............................................................. 19
4. 1. Tal pac Dat a Ent ry Screen ........................................................... 19
4. 2. Tal pac Menus ......................................................................... 20
Application Menu............................................................................................... 20
Pull Down Menus............................................................................................... 20
4. 3. The Tool bar............................................................................ 21
Int r oduct i on t o Tal pac
Runge Lt d 2005 2007 Tabl e of Cont ent s 5
4. 4. Worki ng wi th Templ ates ............................................................ 23
Overview ..........................................................................................................23
Selecting an Existing Template ...............................................................................23
Creating a new Template .......................................................................................24
Editing an Existing Template .................................................................................24
Deleting a Template.............................................................................................25
Copying a Template .............................................................................................25
Saving a Template ...............................................................................................25
5. Cal ibrating Tal pac.................................................................. 26
5. 1. Why Cal i brat e? ........................................................................ 26
5. 2. How to Cal i brate...................................................................... 26
5. 3. Poi nts to consi der .................................................................... 27
6. Server Edition ....................................................................... 29
6. 1. Shared Fi l es ............................................................................ 29
6. 2. Server Edi ti on Instal l ati on.......................................................... 29
6. 3. Admi ni strator Program ServerAdmi n. exe ...................................... 30
6.3.1. Setting the Shared Directory Name .............................................................30
6.3.2. Setting Talpac in Standalone or Server Mode .................................................30
6.3.3. Adding a new User..................................................................................30
6.3.4. Change the number of users ......................................................................31
6. 4. Connecti ng to shared f i l es .......................................................... 31
6. 5. Updates ................................................................................. 32
7. Runge Contact Information....................................................... 33


Int r oduct i on t o Tal pac
6 About Tal pac Runge Lt d 2005 2007
1 . Ab o u t Ta l p a c

Congratulations on purchasing Talpac.
Talpac is used through out the world for independent estimation of truck travel times, production rates
and direct haulage costs. It also includes a very comprehensive database of truck and loader technical
specifications.
Talpac is a software system that is used for determining the productivity and economics of truck and
loader haulage systems, using logic that models real haulage situations. Talpac allows the study of most
factors affecting productivity and the sensitivity of productivity to these factors.
Within Talpac, you specify the haul route the truck is to operate over, which truck or group of trucks is
to be used, the loading unit to be used and the operating limitations (eg. speed limits, surface
conditions, etc). You also specify the loading strategy, material characteristics and work roster
applicable to the fleet.
Talpac takes this raw data and performs a number of functions on it, including production analysis,
loading analysis, discounted cost analysis and optimisation of fleet size, motor power, payload, etc.
1 . 1 . T a l p a c Ap p l i c a t i o n s
Talpac may be used to analyse the performance of existing fleets of equipment or to investigate the
application of new equipment fleets in earthmoving and mining operations. In either case, the
performance of a single fleet may be examined, or a comparison made of two or more different fleets.
Typical Talpac applications are listed below.
Calculation of truck travel time to allow a comparative analysis of haul route or equipment alternatives.
Estimation of fleet productivitys for use in long and short term planning studies.
Estimation and comparison of productivitys using various loading methodologies to determine the
optimum loading technique or loading unit bucket size.
Sensitivity analysis in road design criteria to assess the relative importance of road maintenance.
Calculation of tyre TKPH or TMPH ratings for use in tyre selection.
Estimation of fuel usage.
Determination (using discounted cash flow methods) of haulage costs and contract pricing.
Truck fleet size optimisation to quantify the effect of over and under trucking.
Incremental analyses, in which simulations can be automatically run for a range of haulage segment
lengths and the results used to generate productivity curves.
Equipment loading analysis to optimise loader bucket size, truck capacity and number of passes.
Collation of results from calculations to examine the relationship between variables in the calculation, eg.
haul distance versus productivity, haul distance versus truck fleet size.

Int r oduct i on t o Tal pac
Runge Lt d 2005 2007 About Tal pac 7
1 . 2 . On -L i n e He l p
The On-Line help system describes how to use the Talpac truck and loader productivity analysis system.
It includes information on:
data entry;
data processing;
results of analyses;
menu options;
graphics facilities;
the equipment database
other support utilities

The Online Help system is accessed from within Talpac by selecting Help > Help, or by pressing F1.
1 . 3 . Fu r t h e r I n f o r ma t i o n
There is a tutorial on the CD that can help guide you through creating a new project following step-by-
step.
Try the on-line help inside Talpac where you can browse or search for a particular string. If you can't
find what you need call the Runge Support line where a knowledgeable engineer can assist you in the
operation of the program.
Runge can also offer you training in the use of Talpac and a specialised Truck and Loader course. For
more details contact your Runge office.





Int r oduct i on t o Tal pac
8 Runni ng Tal pac Runge Lt d 2005 2007
2 . Runni ng Tal pac

2 . 1 . I n s t a l l i n g T a l p a c
Please refer to the Talpac Getting Started Guide for information on installing Talpac.
2 . 2 . Cr e a t i n g a T r u c k a n d L o a d e r Us e r Da t a b a s e
Before you can use Talpac, a User Truck and Loader Database is either created or you can link to an
existing one. This database is used to store equipment details that you set up yourself which is kept
separate from the standard equipment details Runge supplies. Please refer to the On-Line Help for
more information on this database.
If you have not used Talpac on your PC before then the following screen will be presented when you
start the program.



The default option is to create a new User database in the Talpac system folder. This option is
satisfactory for stand alone installations where user data is not destined to be shared.
The second option is to create a new User database in a custom directory. This option should be used
the first time Talpac is run at a site. A network folder can be selected that would be accessible by other
members of your workgroup so that a workgroup User database will be created.
The third option is to use an existing User database. This option is used where a workgroup User
database has already been created.
The User Truck and Loader Database is stored in a file named User.mdb .

Int r oduct i on t o Tal pac
Runge Lt d 2005 2007 Runni ng Tal pac 9
2 . 3 . T a l p a c Pr o j e c t s
In Talpac, all of the data that you set up is stored in a single file. This file is called a Project and has a
suffix of tp7. Your Project can be made up of any number of haulage systems, which in turn are made
up of various combinations of material, roster, truck, loader and haul cycle templates.



Once Talpac is up and running, a project selection screen as shown above, is presented. You will need
to create a new project unless you are continuing to work on an existing Talpac project. Files from
earlier versions of Talpac can be imported into a project after the project is created. An example
project can be created to show some of the features of the software.

2 . 4 . Cr e a t i n g a Ne w Pr o j e c t
To create a new project from the Talpac start up screen, you should click on the radio button labeled
Create a New Project.
If you are already in Talpac, you should close the current project first and then a new project can be
created by selecting File from the application menu and New Project from the pull down menu.
You are then presented with a list of Talpac project templates that contain example data to help you
get started, as shown in the following screen.

Int r oduct i on t o Tal pac
10 Runni ng Tal pac Runge Lt d 2005 2007


Select a template from the list. If you would like to begin with a blank project, then choose Create an
Empty Project.
You will then be given the opportunity to name the project and locate the project in a suitable folder
using the following screen.



Use the Look in pull down to select a folder to locate you new project. You can also create a new
folder using the button. Enter a suitable name for the project in the File name field and then press
Open to continue to the main Talpac screen.

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You do not need to enter the file name extension (tp7) as this will automatically be assigned.

Pr o j e c t T e m p l a t e s
Project templates are stored in the Templates folder under your Talpac system folder. When the
templates are used to create a new project, they are copied from this directory so that they are always
available for use. If you want to add your own project templates to this list, simply copy a project to the
Templates folder.
Int r oduct i on t o Tal pac
Runge Lt d 2005 2007 Runni ng Tal pac 11
2 . 5 . Op e n a n e x i s t i n g Pr o j e c t
To open an existing project from the TALPAC start up screen, click on the radio button labeled Open
an Existing Talpac Project.



You then have the choice of selecting a project from the list of Most Recently Used Files or using the
Browse button to search your directory structure for the required project.
If you are already in Talpac, you should close the current project first and then an existing project can
be opened by selecting File from the application menu, followed by selecting Open Project from the
pull down menu. Alternatively, the most recently used files are listed at the bottom of the File menu.
Once you have located the project that you want to open, click on the OK button to proceed to the
main Talpac window.

2 . 6 . Sa v i n g a Pr o j e c t
Whilst working in Talpac, data for a project is not automatically saved. You will need to save data
regularly. There are a number of ways that you can save your current active project.
Click on the toolbar to save the project under its current name.
Select the Save Project option from the File menu to save the project under its current name.
Select the Save Project As option from the File menu to save the project under a new name.
Close the project or Talpac and, if changes have been made since your last save, you will be asked to save the
project or lose your changes.

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Talpac projects should not be saved in the folder where the program is installed or any associated sub-
folders. The reason for this is that when upgrades of the program are supplied, they will be copied into
the program installation area and there is a risk that your project files will be overwritten or deleted.
Int r oduct i on t o Tal pac
12 Runni ng Tal pac Runge Lt d 2005 2007
2 . 7 . Cl o s i n g a Pr o j e c t
When you have finished working on a project, there are a number of ways that you can close it. In each
case, if the projects have not been saved, you will be asked if you would like to save them before
closing.
Select the Close Project option from the File menu to close the current active project.
Close down Talpac and the open project, by selecting the Exit option from the File menu.
Close down Talpac and all open projects, by clicking on the top right of the Talpac window.









Int r oduct i on t o Tal pac
Runge Lt d 2005 2007 Tal pac Over vi ew 13
3 . Ta l p a c Ove r v i e w
This chapter is aimed at giving you an overview of the data components within a project, the equipment
database and the analysis options available. Even if you are familiar with previous versions of Talpac,
you should briefly peruse this chapter and take note of the changes especially in regard to the
organisation of project data.

3 . 1 . Wh a t i s a Pr o j e c t ?
In Talpac, all of the data that you establish for as specific study is stored in a single project file. Your
Talpac project can be made up of any number of haulage systems. A haulage system is in turn made up
of a material type, an operational roster, one or more trucks, a loader and a haulage cycle.
You can give your project file a name as it is created and it will always have a suffix of tp7.
The only Talpac data that is not stored within the project file is the truck and loader technical
information that is located either in the Standard equipment database or in the User equipment
database.
You can locate one or more project files in a folder or you can reserve an individual folder for each
project.

HAULAGE
SYSTEMS
MATERIAL
TYPES
TRUCK
TEMPLATES
HAUL
CYCLES
SHIFT
ROSTERS
LOADER
TEMPLATES

Structure of a Talpac Project

Int r oduct i on t o Tal pac
14 Tal pac Over vi ew Runge Lt d 2005 2007
3 . 2 . Ha u l a g e Sy s t e m Co mp o n e n t s
A haulage system is a set of data that can be used to perform a production analysis within Talpac. The
data for a haulage system has been grouped into five components as follows:
material type;
shift roster;
loader data;
truck data
haul cycle
Each set of data is stored in a template that can be saved and used by any number of haulage systems
within the current project.
Each combination of these five elements makes a unique haulage system. By changing one item you are
simulating a different haulage system.
Ma t e r i a l T y p e
The physical characteristics of the material being transported in the haulage system govern the capacity
of the trucks and the loader. The physical properties of the material are stored in the material type
template. Typical data includes in-situ bank density, swell factors and fill factors. Specifications for a
number of standard materials are supplied or you can set up your own material template.
Sh i f t Ro s t e r
The operating and working time for the haulage system are specified in the shift roster template. You
have the ability to specify when operating and non-operating delays occur, as well as when shifts start
and finish. The timing of such disruptions is important when considering queuing delays.
Working time is used to determine the actual time within each shift that production occurs and
therefore the time for which Talpac simulates fleet productive activity. Operating time is used to
derive operating hours which are used in deriving result productivity rates and discounted average costs.
L o a d e r T e m p l a t e
The loader template contains physical, performance and costing data for the loading unit. Default
values for some of this data are obtained from the loader database (eg. bucket size). All of the data can
be modified to represent your particular loader. The data contained in the loader template includes the
loader bucket cycle time, the loader bucket payload, the availability of the loader, the loading
methodology and hourly capital and operating costs.
Int r oduct i on t o Tal pac
Runge Lt d 2005 2007 Tal pac Over vi ew 15
T r u c k T e m p l a t e s
Up to three different truck types may be included in the truck fleet for your haulage system. Data for
each truck type is stored in a separate template, though they can all access the same list of truck
templates. You must specify the number of trucks for each truck type.
The truck template contains physical, performance and costing data for each truck type. Default values
for some of this data are obtained from the truck database (eg. truck weights). All of the data in the
templates can be modified to represent your particular truck.
Each truck template contains a link to the truck database. Data such as the rimpull and retard curves
and the weights on each axle are not stored in the truck template, rather they are accessed from the
truck database via this link.
Ha u l Cy c l e
The haul cycle is divided into segments for modeling in Talpac. These segments may be fixed time
events (such as spotting, loading, fixed delays and dumping), or they may be haul route segments. A
haul route segment is simply a section of the haul road that is considered to have uniform properties for
the purpose of travel time analysis. Each haul route segment can be allocated a name and is defined by
a distance, grade, rolling resistance, allowable speeds and loaded state of the trucks.
3 . 3 . Ov e r v i e w o f T a l p a c An a l y s e s
The analyses carried out within Talpac all relate to production analysis, however the results are
presented in a number of formats:
The full simulation and quick estimate calculations both analyse the production of a single fleet of
equipment on a single haulage route.
The average truck tyre loadings and fuel consumption are reported for your haul cycle.
Haul cycle analysis shows truck load times, speeds and travel times for each segment in your haul cycle.
A discounted cash flow of the truck and loader fleet is generated using the productivity calculations and
equipment costs. The discounted average cost of production for the fleet is determined from the cash flow.
Incremental analysis is used to examine the effect of varying components of the haul cycle on the fleet
production.
The optimisation calculations are used to examine the effect of varying the fleet size, motor power,
transmission speed, traction coefficient, payload or rolling resistance, on the fleet production.
Production results from many different analyses may be tabulated using the results table facility.


Int r oduct i on t o Tal pac
16 Tal pac Over vi ew Runge Lt d 2005 2007
Fu l l Si m u l a t i o n
Full simulation involves a probabilistic simulation of a fleet of trucks and a loader on a particular
haulage route. The probabilistic approach allows for the variation of key fleet attributes from one event
to the next. These attributes include the truck travel time, truck dump time, truck fleet availability,
loader bucket cycle time and loader bucket payload. Their variability can have a considerable effect on
productivity.
Full simulation calculates individual equipment productivity as well as the combined production of the
whole fleet. Different loading philosophies may also be investigated, such as single and double sided
loading and full bucket or full truck strategies.
T y r e s a n d Fu e l
The average fuel consumption for the selected truck over the haul cycle is reported each time a full
simulation or quick estimate are run.
Tyre loadings in the form of TKPH or TMPH ratings are also reported for each axle. The tyre loadings
can be compared to the manufacturers tyre ratings to assess whether the tyres are being over-loaded on
the haul cycle.
Ha u l Cy c l e
When a full simulation or quick estimate are run in Talpac, the haul cycle results are also presented.
The haul cycle results are for each segment in the haul cycle. For truck loading, queuing, spotting,
dumping and fixed delay segments, the average duration and their proportion of the total cycle time is
reported. For travel segments, a range of parameters are reported including distance, travel time,
proportion of cycle time, maximum speed attained, average speed, etc.
Graphs can also be generated from the haul cycle results, showing the relationships between time,
distance, velocity and acceleration.
Ca s h Fl o w
If you have supplied capital and operating cost data for your truck and loader, then it is possible to
display a discounted cash flow table for your fleet of equipment. The cash flow table is generated each
time you run a full simulation or quick estimate productivity analysis.
Talpac uses the calculated truck numbers and the fleet productivity, as well as the supplied costs, to
calculate the cash flow over time and the discount average cost of production. The discount average
cost is also split into a capital and an operating component.
I n c r e m e n t a l A n a l y s i s
Incremental analysis is used to run a series of full simulations, while automatically varying two haul
segment lengths. Any two segments can be selected for variation, however typically one segment would
be a ramp and the other would be a flat segment. The equivalent reverse segments are also varied. You
are able to specify the incremental values for each of the segments.
This type of analysis is valuable when modeling variations in productivity across a mining block layout.
The results of the incremental analysis may be obtained as either a graph or a table of data.

Int r oduct i on t o Tal pac
Runge Lt d 2005 2007 Tal pac Over vi ew 17
Op t i m i s a t i o n
The following haulage system parameters may be optimised in Talpac:
Fleet Size;
Motor Power;
Transmission Speed;
Traction Coefficient;
Payload
Rolling Resistance
In each optimisation process, a series of production analyses are performed for a range of values of the
parameter. The production analyses may be either full simulations or quick estimates.
The results of the optimisation indicate the sensitivity of productivity and costs to the parameter being
optimised and in some cases may provide the optimum value for the parameter based on costs or
productivity. Any productivity parameter can be reported for an optimisation, for example, fleet
productivity, discounted average cost, truck travel time, etc. The relationships can be used to indicate
where efforts should be directed to improve fleet productivity and costs.
Qu i c k Es t i m a t e
The quick estimate of productivity involves a deterministic simulation of a fleet of trucks and a loader
on a particular haulage path. The deterministic approach for calculating the productivity of a fleet
assumes that the components of the haulage system do not vary greatly from one event to another.
This assumption may under-estimate delays from queuing that arise due to the variability of haulage
system components. A full simulation can be used to more accurately model such delays and queuing,
and thus to more accurately estimate the fleet productivity.
Re s u l t s T a b l e
The results table is a facility for tabulating and reporting results from a series of Talpac production
analyses. This includes results from:
Full simulation;
Incremental analysis;
Optimisation;
Quick estimate
For each production analysis, the results table stores all the parameters which you may want to report
(approximately 250 of them), however only a selected list of parameters are displayed. You are able to
add to and delete from this list, to display the data in which you are interested. This is done by defining
the fields to be reported within a Report Template. Several default Report Templates are supplied with
Talpac.
The results table allows you to complete many analyses quickly and to record only the data which is
relevant to your current project. There are also facilities available in the results table for graphically
displaying your data as well as the ability to export the data in several file formats.

Int r oduct i on t o Tal pac
18 Tal pac Over vi ew Runge Lt d 2005 2007
3 . 4 . Eq u i p me n t Da t a b a s e
The equipment database contains technical information on a large number of Trucks and Loaders. The
data includes a range of physical and performance characteristics, much of which is used within Talpac
simulation calculations. The database is made up of two separate data sets. These are Standard
equipment and User Equipment.
Standard equipment is supplied with Talpac and cannot be modified by you. There are over 300 Trucks
and over 200 Loaders in the standard Talpac database. This data is sourced from published information
supplied by equipment manufacturers and/or distributors.

Standard Trucks and Loaders in the equipment database include major equipment used in open cut mining
operations and in earthworks.

If you maintain a Talpac service and support agreement with Runge, your standard equipment database will be regularly updated
as part of that service for no extra cost. Alternatively, you can purchase updates of this data as required.

User defined equipment is created by you and can be modified at any time. Standard equipment can also
be copied to a user defined item of equipment and then modified. User defined equipment is stored in a
separate file to the standard equipment. Consequently, the user equipment data can be copied to other
computers so that other Talpac users can make use of the equipment you have created. User defined
equipment will not be overwritten nor modified during subsequent Talpac installations or database upgrades.

The Standard equipment database is named Standard.mdb and is located in the Talpac program folder.
This file is password protected and no attempt should be made to modify it in any way.
The User equipment database file is named User.mdb and is located as required by you when prompted
upon first running Talpac on your PC. You can share this file with other members of your workgroup,
in which case it should be located on a network server. This file is not password protected, however to
ensure that the data is not corrupted, you should only modify it using the Talpac equipment database
editing screens.


Int r oduct i on t o Tal pac
Runge Lt d 2005 2007 Tal pac User Int er f ace 19
4 . Ta l pac Us er I nt er f ac e
This chapter is to give you an overview of the Talpac user interface. The interface follows the Common
User Access guidelines in common with many other Windows products. This ensures that you can easily
locate options and reduces learning time.
You should note that the Right-Click Menu, activated by selecting a screen object such as a data field
or pull down list using the mouse pointer and pressing the right mouse button, can be used in many
places for accessing options quickly.
4 . 1 . T a l p a c Da t a En t r y Sc r e e n
The main screen within Talpac is called the project Data Entry screen. This is the screen that is
displayed when you first open a project and it is the screen that you return to after viewing the results
of Talpac analyses. Following is an example of the project Data Entry screen.

Refer to on-line Help for further details on:
Haul Cycle
Material Type
Shift Roster
Loader Data
Truck Data
Int r oduct i on t o Tal pac
20 Tal pac User Int er f ace Runge Lt d 2005 2007
4 . 2 . T a l p a c Me n u s
A p p l i c a t i o n Me n u
Across the top of the Talpac window is a menu bar, referred to as the application menu. The options
available on this menu will vary depending on where you are within the program.
The application menu can be accessed in the following ways:
Using the mouse.
Using the Alt key and the underlined letter within each option. The Alt key is held down and the underlined
letter is pressed.
Using the Alt key and the cursor keys. After pressing the Alt key once, the left and right cursor keys are used
to highlight the required option. The Enter key is then pressed to select the highlighted option.
The options on the application menu will either open a pull-down menu (eg. Edit) or perform some
action (eg. Result Table).


Pu l l Do w n Me n u s
Most of the options on the application menu access a pull down menu where further options are
available. These options will vary depending on where you are within the program.
The options on the pull down menus can be selected as follows:
Using the mouse
Pressing the underlined letter in the option name
Pressing the up and down arrow keys
Some of the options on the pull down menus can be selected using short cut keystrokes. These
keystrokes are listed to the right of the option on the pull down menu. For example, the Print option
can also be selected by holding the Ctrl key down and then pressing P. This keystroke is written as
Ctrl+P.

Int r oduct i on t o Tal pac
Runge Lt d 2005 2007 Tal pac User Int er f ace 21
4 . 3 . T h e T o o l b a r
Underneath the application menu are the Talpac tool bars. The buttons on the tool bars provide a
quick way to access the most commonly used options. The tool bars can be moved anywhere on the
Talpac window using drag and drop.

A brief description of each tool bar button is provided below.

Title Button Action
Save

Save the current project.
Print

Print information relating to the current screen.
Print Preview

Preview the data to be printed.
Truck & Loader
Database

Open the Truck and Loader Database.
Edit Haul System

Edit the current Haul System.
Edit Material

Edit the current Material template.
Edit Roster

Edit the current Roster template.
Edit Loader

Edit the current Loader template.
Edit Truck

Edit the current Truck template.
Help

Open the TALPAC Online Help.
Add

Add a new template.
Edit

Edit the selected template.
Delete

Delete the selected template.
Copy

Copy the selected template.


Int r oduct i on t o Tal pac
22 Tal pac User Int er f ace Runge Lt d 2005 2007

The following buttons are available from the Edit Haul Cycle window.
Add

Add a segment to the haul cycle.
Delete

Delete the highlighted segment.
Copy

Copy the current segment.
Paste

Paste the copied segment
Paste Reverse

Paste the segments in reverse order.
Reverse All Haul
Segments

Creates a reverse copy of all of the Haul Segments
Undo

Undo the last change
Redo

Redo the last change
Export

Export the Haul Cycle
Print

Prints the Haul Cycle


Int r oduct i on t o Tal pac
Runge Lt d 2005 2007 Tal pac User Int er f ace 23
4 . 4 . Wo r k i n g w i t h T e mp l a t e s
Ov e r v i e w
Templates are used in Talpac to store sets of data. The data stored in these templates includes:
Material Types;
Shift Rosters;
Loader Data;
Truck Data; and
Haul Cycle.
When you set up templates, they are specific to the current project and there is no limit to the number
of templates that you can store in a project. The same template may be accessed from many different
haulage systems, which means data need only be entered once and need only be updated or changed in
one place.
Templates are created, edited, deleted and copied in a project using the right-click menus.
If there is no template attached for a particular template type, the template name will be listed as
Undefined.
Se l e c t i n g a n Ex i s t i n g T e m p l a t e
To select an existing template, the down arrow to the right of the template box is used. Click on this
arrow and the template drop down list will appear. If there are a lot of templates in the list, you may
need to use the scroll bar to view them all. When you have located the required template, click on its
name to select it. The list will then disappear and the chosen template name will be in the template box.
A template drop down list can also be accessed using the F4 function key. Before pressing the F4 key,
your cursor must be positioned on the required template type.
The following window shows a drop down list for Material Type.



Int r oduct i on t o Tal pac
24 Tal pac User Int er f ace Runge Lt d 2005 2007
Cr e a t i n g a n e w T e m p l a t e
You can add a new template to your project using the right-click menu. Position your cursor within the
required template box. Click the right mouse button and then select Add from the right-click menu.
Depending on the template type you will either be asked to supply a name for the new template or asked
for some other information about the new template (and later asked for the template name).
This new template will now be added to the list of templates in the current project.
You can also create a New template by selecting the Template type, then
Clicking on the button on the tool bar
Pressing the Insert key.
Ed i t i n g a n Ex i s t i n g T e m p l a t e
You can edit existing templates using the right-click menu. Position your cursor on the required
template type. Select the template that you want to edit and then click the right mouse button. Select
the Edit option from the menu and the template window will be displayed.
For the material, roster, loader and truck templates, the current template can be edited by clicking on
the button to the left of the drop down box. For example, click on this button

to edit a Truck Type Template.
Existing templates can also be edited in other ways. With the following two ways, your cursor does not
have to be on the template type. The currently selected template for the type will be the one that is
edited.
On the tool bar, there are icons which can be used to edit the material , the roster , the loader and
the truck ; or
From the Edit menu select the Edit template type option.
Following are other ways of editing templates, however these require your cursor to be placed on the
required template type and the template that you want to edit should be selected.
From the Edit menu select the Edit option; or
Click on the button on the tool bar; or
Press the Enter key.

Int r oduct i on t o Tal pac
Runge Lt d 2005 2007 Tal pac User Int er f ace 25
De l e t i n g a T e m p l a t e
You can delete templates using the right-click menu. Position your cursor on the required template
type. Select the template that you want to delete and then click the right mouse button. Select the
Delete option from the menu and the template will be deleted from the list.
Templates can also be deleted in other ways, however your cursor must first be placed on the required
template type and the template that you want to delete must be selected.
From the Edit menu select the Delete option; or
Click on the button on the tool bar; or
Press the Delete key.
Co p y i n g a T e m p l a t e
You are able to copy templates to a new name using the right-click menu. Locate the template that you
wish to copy and make it the current template for that type. Right click within the template box and
select the Copy option. The template will be opened and automatically given a new name. This will be
the same as the old template but prefixed by Copy of. You can change this name as required.
Templates can also be copied in other ways, however your cursor must first be placed on the required
template type and the template that you want to copy must be selected.
From the Edit menu select the Copy Item option; or
Click on the button on the tool bar.
Sa v i n g a T e m p l a t e
When you have finished assigning data to your templates, you should click on the OK button to return
to the main TALPAC window.
Templates are not permanently saved until you save the project they are within. The current project,
and hence the templates in that project, can be saved as follows:
Click on the button on the tool bar;
From the application menu select File and then select Save Project from the pull down menu.
If you are setting up a lot of data you should remember to save it regularly to avoid losing the data.

Int r oduct i on t o Tal pac
26 Cal i br at i ng Tal pac Runge Lt d 2005 2007
5 . Ca l i b r at i n g Ta l p a c
5 . 1 . Wh y Ca l i b r a t e ?
Talpac is a proven tool for conducting Haul Simulation, however it benefits greatly from being properly
calibrated to match the actual operating conditions at your site. Although Talpac comes with a detailed
database that is updated with each release, it is not possible to guarantee that the information in the
database will match the operating conditions and environment at every mine site. Variations in material
characteristics, operating environment, equipment modifications and mine operating procedures can all
have an impact on the Truck and Loader fleet performance. Calibrating Talpac ensures that the results
you receive better reflect the individual conditions of your operating environment, allowing you to
calculate and report with confidence in the results.
5 . 2 . Ho w t o Ca l i b r a t e
1. Open your Project in Talpac and verify that the correct Haul Cycle, Loading Unit and Truck
Types are selected.
2. Click on the All Parameters button in the Talpac Data Entry screen and print out the list of
parameters. This print-outs list all of the data that you will need to gather in order to calibrate
Talpac.
3. Gather representative real-world data from your mine site for each of these parameters. Possible
sources of data include:
control and dispatch reporting systems
Manufacturer supplied specifications for the equipment at your site
"Time and Motion" field studies
4. Set up the Talpac model. Compare the gathered data to the values in Talpac and adjust as necessary
to ensure that the Talpac model reflects the actual equipment and conditions.
5. Run some test simulations and compare the results to real-world performance data from your site.
Ideally the performance data will be for a whole shift for a particular haulage system (otherwise a
few repetitive timings of a particular haulage system can be used). Adjust as necessary to ensure that
the Talpac results are in line with actual performance data.
Some of the adjustments that you might make:
Truck Travel Time
Compare travel times segment by segment with those in the Haul Cycle Report
Vary the rolling resistances in the Haul Cycle
Vary the Travel Time Correction Factor
Truck Cycle Time
Set calculation mode to Quick Estimate (rather than Full Simulation) to eliminate variability in
parameters during calibration
Check Truck queuing time (and number of Trucks)
Check Truck spotting time and First Bucket Pass Delay
Int r oduct i on t o Tal pac
Runge Lt d 2005 2007 Cal i br at i ng Tal pac 27
Truck Productivity
Vary the non-operating shift delays and operating shift delays (Roster Template) to achieve the
actual working hours
Set Truck Availability to 100% for the calibration exercise
Loader Productivity
Ensure that the Number of Passes to Fill Truck reflect actual data
6. Re-calibrate at frequent intervals.
5 . 3 . Po i n t s t o c o n s i d e r
Here are a few points to consider when gathering the calibration data for your site:
Material Characteristics
What is the In Situ Bulk Density and how is it measured?
What swell factors are included in the data - In Situ into the Bucket?; In Situ into the Truck?; In
Situ onto the Dump destination?
How well does the Loader dig? What is the Bucket Fill Factor?
Seasonal variations in Material characteristics (e.g. Wet Weather, Snow)
Is there "carryback" of sticky material in the empty Trucks?
Working Roster
What are the site values for Shifts/Day for each day of the week?
What are the site values for lost days per year (e.g. Weather, Industrial, Public Holidays)?
Are there Shift Delays that do not occur every shift (e.g. Blasting)?
Equipment Physicals
What equipment types are available at the site?
Do they differ from the Manufacturers Handbook Specifications (i.e. have they been customised)?
Was all equipment purchased at the same time (differences in Operating life will result in variations
in performance)?
Has the equipment been maintained in accordance with the Manufacturers recommended
Maintenance Schedule?
Haul Route
What are the operating conditions on the site?
Do seasonal variations affect the Haul Route and Truck performance (e.g. Wet Weather, Fog,
Snow)?
What speed restrictions apply?
What is the productivity of the Truck drivers?
What are the segment distances and grades?
Int r oduct i on t o Tal pac
28 Cal i br at i ng Tal pac Runge Lt d 2005 2007
Real World Performance Data
Actual Haul Profile and Speed Limits
Actual Truck travel times (empty & loaded) for each segment of the actual profile, including Truck
loading, spotting, dumping and queuing times
Actual Truck payload
Actual number of Loader passes to fill Truck
Actual number of working hours per shift
Actual probability distributions for Truck travel time, Truck dumping time, Truck availability,
bucket payload and bucket cycle time


Int r oduct i on t o Tal pac
Runge Lt d 2005 2007 Ser ver Edi t i on 29
6 . Ser ver Edi t i on
This section describes the Server Edition components of Talpac and is intended for the Talpac
administrator. This is a designated person who is responsible for installing and maintaining Talpac at
the site.
By using the Talpac Server Admin program, equipment database and Project Template files can be
shared across a network. Files may be accessed by all users, or username/password restrictions can be
imposed to restrict access to particular users.
To allow sharing of equipment, there is a database called GROUP.MDB. You will find options on the
database edit screen where equipment can be copied to and from the Group database.
6 . 1 . Sh a r e d Fi l e s
For this release of Talpac there are two files that are shared:
Template.tpm - Contains the Master templates. All users have the ability to use these templates.
Group.mdb Contains the equipment that has been copied from the user database to the group database.
This database can be useful if you have set up a truck or loader to match the exact specifications of the
equipment at your site. Equipment copied to the Group database is accessible by all users of Talpac.
6 . 2 . Se r v e r Ed i t i o n I n s t a l l a t i o n
To share Talpac files from a Server:
1. Create a shared directory on the Server machine for the Talpac files and enable permissions for this
directory to permit read/write access to Talpac users.
2. Install Talpac onto a client PC.
3. Copy the files Group.mdb and Template.tpm from the Talpac program directory on the client PC
to the shared directory on the Server.
4. Run the program ServerAdmin.exe from the Talpac 9\Admin program directory on the client PC.


5. Select Set the Shared Directory.
6. Enter the directory path for the shared directory on the server.

Int r oduct i on t o Tal pac
30 Ser ver Edi t i on Runge Lt d 2005 2007


7. Select Set Talpac in Server Mode.
8. Select Edit the User List and create User accounts as required. Refer to section 6.3.3 Adding a
New User for more information on this task.
9. Install Talpac on each remaining client PC.
10. Copy the file group.def from the Talpac program directory on the first client PC (where you created
the User List) to the Talpac program directory of the other client PCs.
Talpac should now be ready to access the shared files on the Server.

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You should delete ServerAdmin.exe from the program directory after making these changes if
you want to prevent the client PCs from entering Standalone Mode or altering the User List.
6 . 3 . Ad mi n i s t r a t o r Pr o g r a m Se r v e r Ad mi n . e x e
This program is located under the Talpac program directory in a directory called Admin.
In this program you can
Set the directory where the shared file(s) are located
Set Talpac to be in Standalone mode or Server mode
Add new users, passwords and set their access rights
6 . 3 . 1 . Se t t i n g t h e Sh a r e d Di r e c t o r y Na m e
The name of the shared directory can be typed in or click on Browse to find the directory. The
directory should be created first and the shared files moved to the new directory. The shared files are
Template.tpm and Group.mdb. By default they are created in the program directory.
6 . 3 . 2 . Se t t i n g T a l p a c i n St a n d a l o n e o r Se r v e r Mo d e
Select Set Talpac in Standalone Mode from the Server Administrator to activate Standalone Mode. In
this mode the username / password option is not required, and the restrictions will not apply.
However, the shared directory functions are still enabled. To re-enable the usernames and access
restrictions, select Set Talpac in Server Mode.
6 . 3 . 3 . A d d i n g a n e w Us e r
The users default name when they start Talpac will be their system login name. It will be easier for
them if you use this name for them to connect to Talpac. Each user is allocated a password. They can
get any of the following permissions:
Int r oduct i on t o Tal pac
Runge Lt d 2005 2007 Ser ver Edi t i on 31
Copy to Group templates
Copy to Group database
Create/edit material templates
Create/edit roster templates
Create/edit loader templates
Create/edit truck templates
Create/edit haul cycles
Can run disconnected from server



6 . 3 . 4 . Ch a n g e t h e n u m b e r o f u s e r s
The maximum number of users is determined by your Talpac license. If you purchase additional user licenses
Runge will send you a TalpacUserCount.dat file. To change the number of users, copy this file to the Talpac
program directory on a client PC, run ServerAdmin.exe and select Change the number of users.
To update the number of users on the remaining client PCs, simply copy the group.def from the Talpac
program directory to the program directory of the other client PCs.
6 . 4 . Co n n e c t i n g t o s h a r e d f i l e s
When Talpac is run in Server Mode, Talpac will show a username and ask for a password at the start-up
screen - the default username comes from the user's network logon name. Once logged in, the user will
see the master templates in the template lists preceded by [MST>] and templates from the current
project proceeded by [PRJ].
Int r oduct i on t o Tal pac
32 Ser ver Edi t i on Runge Lt d 2005 2007
Equipment from the Group database can be identified from the equipment selection screen by the
letters GRP in the first column.
You can verify that Talpac is accessing the shared files by selecting File > Project Properties. The
paths for the shared files are shown in the Current Master File and Group Database fields.



6 . 5 . Up d a t e s
Talpac will check the web for an update every 2 days and if an update is found, the program update
procedure will appear. It is important that this is run only when you can be sure there are no other
users running the Talpac at the time and that you have read/write access to the Talpac program
directory.




Int r oduct i on t o Tal pac
Runge Lt d 2005 2007 Cont act Inf or mat i on 33
7 . Ru n g e Co n t a c t I n f o r mat i o n

HEADQUARTERS
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USER SUPPORT
TALPAC is designed, developed and supported by Runge Limited, a specialist consulting and software
development group working in the Australian and I nternational mining industries.
Support email: support@runge.com.au
Website: www.runge.com
Phone: +61 7 3100 7200
I n addition to rigorous in-house and mine site testing, TALPAC is used extensively by Runge Business Analysts
and Consulting Engineers.
TRAINING
Runge provides professional Training for the Mining I ndustry, covering software operations and background
theory. For more information on our Training Courses contact your local Runge office.
RUNGE LIMITED
Runge is a global leader in specialist mine business planning. Runge Limited offers the following unique range of
products and services:
M Mi in ni in ng g E En ng gi in ne ee er ri in ng g C Co on ns su ul lt ti in ng g S Se er rv vi ic ce es s
Runge provides systematic, integrated mine planning and strategic solutions for the mining industry worldwide.

S So of ft tw wa ar re e P Pr ro od du uc ct ts s
Runge develops, supports and markets worldwide a range of software packages for mining, contracting and
quarrying applications.
XPAC Database and Scheduling
Automated Scheduling and Blending
Advanced Destination Scheduling
Underground Coal Design
Opencut Design
Xact Short Term Scheduling
XERAS Financial Modeling and Budgeting
TALPAC Truck and Loader Productivity Analysis
DragSim Dragline Rehandle and Productivity Analysis
Facets Underground Face Time Simulator

T Te ec ch hn ni ic ca al l T Tr ra ai in ni in ng g C Co ou ur rs se es s
Design of I ntegrated Open Pit Coal Mines
Mine Design and Scheduling
Geological and Resource Planning
Planning and Operation of Truck and Loader Mining Systems
Planning and Operation of Dragline Mining Systems
Mining Economics
I nventory Management for Mining
Mining for Non Miners

HEADQUARTERS
AUSTRAL I A
Runge Limited
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345 Queen Street
BRI SBANE QLD 4000
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Phone: +61 7 3100 7200
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Email: sales@runge.com.au
Website: www.runge.com