Engineering, Equipment & Technology, Mining and Heavy Industries

Linear Engineering makes innovation in real time

Linear Engineering is pioneering a new collaborative design method with a Queensland-based bulk-handling client.

When opportunity strikes, fortune favours the bold, so the saying goes.

Linear Engineering noticed one such opportunity when conventional original equipment manufacturers (OEM) exited the Australian market for reclaimers and balance machines.

The Brisbane-based engineering consultancy had previously designed an array of bulk-handling equipment but had yet to deliver a fully detail-designed reclaimer.

Geoff Hargreaves, managing director, Lee Williams, principal engineer, and Dr Peter Wilson, senior mechanical engineer at Linear Engineering, spoke to ABHR about the project and its methods.

“Recently, in the OEM market, there has been a bit of a pullback from supplying this equipment to Australia,” Williams said.

Customers noted the change, too.

Last year, a Queensland-based bulk-handling client approached Linear Engineering to design a reclaimer. It had a different design in mind and, due to its extensive experience, was prepared to take on the reclaimer’s fabrication, construction, and installation.

“It created an opportunity for Linear, as a design house, to step into that market, whereas traditionally, the role of a design house in this market would be as a design checker or an auditor,”  Williams  said.

“This gave us the opportunity to design the machine from scratch and then support the client during the construction phase rather than just the auditing.”

It is Linear Engineering’s first fully detail-designed reclaimer. Image: Linear Engineering

Linear Engineering collaborated with sub-consultants and partnered with an electrical firm to deliver its “holistic” reclaimer design.

Since its establishment in 2014, Linear Engineering has adhered to its motto of ‘client-first engineering’. With this in mind, Linear Engineering developed a design process that incorporated a real-time 3D model.

With this feature, the client can watch via cloud technology, as Linear Engineering designs the machine with the opportunity for actively providing feedback and input instead of waiting for rigid design reviews as was the traditional method.

“That’s probably the most significant innovation of the design process,” Hargreaves said.

“It is a more collaborative way [to design]; we’re incorporating some workshopping with the client as we progress the design. The previous delivery models have been more siloed and turnkey, and you’d normally just have a few meetings during the design process and get a machine at the end.

“We’re working as a more collaborative team, identifying the owner’s needs and their operational needs throughout the process. We’ve been developing the design mostly in 3D and then producing 2D review drawings only when we need to, which is another thing that is different to the older-school formats.”

Live 3D modelling is a new approach for Linear Engineering. It is being road-tested in real time as the company’s engineers work towards completing the reclaimer’s design phase. 

“Fundamentally, I think it is very transparent with the client, and definitely a win-win because they understand exactly where we’re coming from, and we understand exactly what they’re after,” Dr Wilson said.

“They can comment on the design at any time. It is very easy to show them potential issues, ask them questions, or ask for their advice or preference on certain things when you can bring up the 3D model.”

In part, the two-way process is possible due to the technical knowledge of the Queensland-based client, which Linear Engineering has used throughout the design process.

“It helps to have a client who is very knowledgeable and confident [enough] to split the project up into a design [phase] and then have the confidence that they can manage the construction and fabrication themselves,” Williams said.

Linear Engineering is using a collaborative approach with the client. Image: Linear Engineering

Linear Engineering’s specialised team has played a significant role in the design of the reclaimer.

Williams, with decades of experience in the bulk materials sector, has led a team of engineers on the project, while Dr Wilson designed and set up a series of comprehensive simulations of the reclaimer’s material flow. The simulations optimise the reclaimer’s performance while reducing blockages and spillage. 

In addition, the live 3D modelling has enabled Linear Engineering’s team to do real-time walkthroughs of the virtual reclaimer model with the client’s key representatives, including their fitters and on-site workers. This lets the key stakeholders see the design in greater detail compared to interpreting conventional 2D drawings which is the more traditional approach.

“That has been a real positive of the 3D environment because it is essential to get the site’s input as well. This isn’t the first reclaimer they’ve got on that site; they have lots of machines and experience on that site,” Williams said.

“It’s been a good learning exercise for us as we’re able to capture those learnings from the team who are actually going to be maintaining and working on the equipment.

“They’ve been able to give us feedback straight away, and we can tell if something is going to work or not really early into the design phase.”

Going forward, after the design phase, Linear Engineering will provide the client with full support throughout the fabrication and construction stages and until the reclaimer is operational.

In the meantime, the Brisbane-based engineering firm may have charted a new path forward for heavy industry and bulk material handling clients requiring quality material handling equipment.

“I think we’ve disrupted the traditionally siloed client-consultant model by doing it this way, and we’re taking a bold step which will ultimately lead to the best outcome for the terminal. We see that the benefits far outweigh the risks,” Hargreaves said.   

“Hopefully, it will lead to a better, more authentic experience for the client as well, and together we can build upon this collaborative approach to deliver more and more machines this way.”

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