Pub. 4 2014 Issue 3

11 MINING FOCUS Efficiencies That Lead To Savings A national consulting firm recently undertook the renova- tion of a hydroelectricpower plant here in Utah. “We needed to evaluate some existing structures, including a powerhouse that is about 100 years old,” the Project Manager explained. “I knew about HDS type of scanning, and thought it would be a good application for the project. So, we engaged an expe- rienced HDS team to do that for us. Their scanning captured all of the information about the building in a very quick and efficient manner, enabling us to plan around the existing struc- ture with very accurate detail.” Shown to the left is a 3D HDS Model Image of a Mineral Processing Product Pile. The pile was scanned in order to de- termine its volume, hence the quantity of product. The entire pile was scanned in about an hour. Alternative conventional surveying methods could have required a person (Rod Man) to climb up the pile in order to survey individual points, the loca- tions of which could be used for volume estimations. Needless to say, LiDAR scanning for this application was about 10-times faster and far more accurate than shooting individual points and estimating the volume. Furthermore, climbing a slope that is at its natural angle of repose can be very hazardous. Many processing facilities, e.g. petroleum refineries, re- quire virtually continuous expansion or modification in order to deal with changing product requirements. Such facilities have a real need for accurate 3D definitions of their pro- cessing units. LiDAR Scanning is a natural choice for this application. The resultant data package can be manipulated to yield precise 3D descriptions of every element in the facil- ity. Hence, modifications or additions of, say piping arrays, can be made with confidence of adequate clearances and/or precise connections. Eliminating Errors Many design and engineering firms turn to HDS technol- ogy because the accuracy of the scans virtually removes the need to work from records that are frequently inaccurate, thus eliminating the need for rework. Another design firm used HDS services for a major retrofit project at an open air equestrian center and events arena in Arizona. The owners decided to enclose and air condition the arena. “This was a large retrofit project,” the engineering firm reported. “We had the interior scanned. The HDS technology enabled us to confidently utilize the resultant As-Builts for design purposes, including retrofit- ting the new HVAC system.” It took one day to complete the scanning, which we estimated could have taken several weeks with a conventional survey team. X Recycling industrial-related scrap metal is one of the things we do best! www.umw.com | 801.364.5679 Utah Metal Works, Inc.