Set up a Blend Template

Security Note: You need the Allow blending template maintenance security right in the Blending domain security rights group for this activity.

Activity Steps

  1. Select the Supply Chain panel in the Solution Explorer.
  2. Expand the Blend Categories node.
  3. Right-click a blend category and select New » Blend Template Definition from the menu.

    The Blend Template Definition displays.

  4. Update the name of the blend template node if required.
  5. Select whether to Auto Refresh Stockpile List on Blend. If checked, if stockpiles have been added to a stockpile location, and the stockpile location is used in the blend, then the new stockpiles are automatically available for inclusion in the blend. Similarly, the list of stockpiles associated with the source of a process flow or the loading location of a route are updated.

    Note: 'Stockpile' in this activity includes mine sources and WAG, FIFO or LIFO stockpiles. WAG, FIFO or LIFO stockpiles can only be used as blend sources if the current state of the stockpile has analyte values. Blending calculations do not take into account the layers in FIFO or LIFO stockpiles. Therefore, the use of FIFO or LIFO stockpiles as blend sources is not recommended.

  6. Select whether to Show All Stockpiles. If checked, all stockpiles from the source location(s) are available for a blend created from the blend template.
  7. Select Stockpile Statuses if required from the from the Stockpile Status list items defined in the List Editor. If statuses are selected, the sources in the Source Stockpiles table are pre-filtered by the Stockpile Status column so that only stockpiles with a matching status display.
  8. Select a Shift Definition and Date Option if required. For the shift definition, select from shift definitions defined on the Supply Chain panel of the Solution Explorer. For the date option, select from Any, Start Of Shift, End Of Shift, Start Of Previous Shift and End Of Previous Shift.
  9. Configure the display of analytes in the Source Stockpiles table with any combination of the following settings:
    • Only Show Included Analytes—If checked, only those analytes that have Include checked in the Specifications table display. If unchecked, all specification analytes with values display. Default: Checked.
    • Analyte Group—Select from the analyte groups defined on the Quality panel of the Solution Explorer. If selected, only analytes in that group display.
    • Hide Analytes Without Values—If checked, the analyte columns only display if at least one source has an analyte value. If unchecked, all analytes applicable to the sources display. Default: Checked.
  10. To display contributors in the Source Stockpiles table, select a Contributor Group. The contributor values are read-only.
  11. Add sources to the blend template. Right-click in the Source Stockpiles table and select the applicable option and objects as required from the menu:
    • Add Stockpile—Adds the selected stockpile as a blend source. Select from mine sources and stockpiles configured on the Supply Chain panel of the Solution Explorer.
    • Add Stockpile Category—Adds all stockpiles in the selected stockpile category.
    • Add Stock Location—Adds the selected location. Stockpiles at the selected location display when you use the template to create a blend. Select from locations that have stockpiles.
    • Add Product—Adding a product or brand as a blend source represents material that is expected to be in transit to the blending location. Only products and brands with specifications are applicable. Select from products or brands configured on the Material panel of the Solution Explorer.
    • Add Product Category—Adds all products or brands in the selected product category.
    • Add Specification—Adding a specification represents material that is expected to be available with that quality. Select from specification templates configured on the Quality panel of the Solution Explorer.
    • Add Specification Category—Adds all specification templates in the selected specification template category.
    • Add Process Flow—Adds all stockpiles at the source location of the process flow. Select from bulk material process flows configured on the Supply Chain panel of the Solution Explorer.
    • Add Route—Select from routes configured on the Transport panel of the Solution Explorer. When you create a blend using this template, despatches that meet all the following criteria display for possible inclusion in the blend:
      • The despatch uses the route.
      • The despatch has at least one loading transaction before the blend date.
      • The despatch does not have an unloading transaction before the blend date.

    Note: You can enter text at the top of the tree list to filter the list in the menu. Alternatively, you can drag locations that have stockpiles, or stockpiles from the Supply Chain panel of the Solution Explorer; or products or brands from the Material panel of the Solution Explorer, as required. For more information about the configuration of blend sources and blend specifications, see Calculated Blends.

  12. For each source:
    1. Select whether to Include the source in blend calculations.

      Note: If you filter data in the Source Stockpiles table, the sources that display after filtering are the only sources that can be included in the blend. That is, for any sources that are filtered out, Include is effectively unchecked. For more information about filtering functionality, see Sort, Filter and Group Data in Tables.

    2. Enter a Minimum Reclaim if required. If the source is included in a blend created using this template, at least this amount will be included.
    3. Select or enter the Desirability (on a scale of 1 to 10) of using the source.
    4. Enter a quantity for Forced Usage if required. If entered, exactly this quantity from this source must be included in blends created using this template.
  13. Add specifications to the blend template. Right-click in the Specifications table and select the applicable option and objects as required from the menu:

    Note: You can enter text at the top of the tree list to filter the list in the menu. Alternatively, you can drag products or brands from the Material panel of the Solution Explorer; or specification templates from the Quality panel of the Solution Explorer, as required. Setting new specifications replaces existing target specifications.

  14. For each analyte in the specifications:
    1. Select whether to Include the analyte in blend calculations.
    2. Select or enter the Weighting (on a scale of 1 to 10).
    3. Update the Target, Minimum, Lower Warning Limit, Upper Warning Limit and Maximum if required.

      Note: There is a right-click context menu option to Revert Targets and Limits. This option reverts the Target, Minimum, Lower Warning Limit, Upper Warning Limit and Maximum values for all analytes.

  15. Enter the default Target Tonnes; that is, the amount of material required for blends created using this template. Only editable if the blend template has specifications. The default value can be changed when creating blends.
  16. Select the Sensitivity from:
    • Stockpile Desirability
    • Target Analytes
  17. Click Save.