Equipment & Technology

LASE Australia’s LiDAR technology is laser focused on accuracy

LASE Australia’s LiDAR technology is providing the mining industry with accurate measurements for its saleable materials.

Michael Jeffrey travels around Australia, visiting bulk material handling sites in WA, QLD and NSW to find the pain points businesses are experiencing.

While each industry is different, there are some common obstacles in the mining industry that he can assist with.

“Often, when a mine is transporting bulk product (such as iron ore or coal) on a conveyor-belt, train, truck or even loading it onto a ship, the weight of the material is typically different when it arrives,” he said.

“This is often due to excess water weight, which evaporates by the time it gets to the end customer, making the product lighter. Conversely, if it’s been subjected to rain along the way it will be heavier. Regardless, the inaccuracies incurred in measuring ‘weight’ can have a profound affect on what the product should or should not be sold for.”

“That’s where LASE Australia comes in. We can install Light and Detection Ranging Sensors (LiDAR) together with our patented software to accurately measure volume of the material. If we know the density of the product, we can also present the weight of that product”

LiDAR scanners measure the topography of a product, such as iron ore on trucks, gold on a conveyor belt or coal in a train wagon, to determine how much material is being shipped. For truck measurement, a scanner is positioned on a swivelling platform above the vehicle that measures the vehicle when empty and when it is filled with product. The system then compares the two to calculate the volumetric measurement of the truck.

LASE’s Truck Volume Measurement device is contactless and requires little calibration. Variants of the technology can be installed on larger vessels, such as train cars or above ships, where mounting a weightometer could be difficult.

The sensors are designed to handle conditions over 50°C and are resilient when it comes to dust.

Jeffrey said the system benefits from LASE’s 30 years of experience designing specific sensors and software.

“For the life cycle of a mine, LASE focuses its expertise on production, transportation, and processing of saleable products. However, LASE is always excited to bring on new challenges and welcome any applications that warrant our experience,” he said.

“In our 30 years of existence, we have evolved and will continue to do so with cutting edge software and robust hardware that can fit client needs for accurate throughput data and improved efficiency.”

The company also uses the technology in its collision avoidance systems to halt moving machinery before it can cause damage.

Jeffrey said LASE plans to continue supporting the mining sector in Australia and hopes to grow significantly in that market.

“In the longer term, we are looking to expand into further industries and materials,” he said.

“We have an arsenal of engineers and other smart individuals based in Germany we can call on for commissioning and after sales support, and we’re looking to continue growing down under.”

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