Engineering-Led LiDAR & Mechanical Design for Mining | Hamilton By Design
Hamilton By Design provides engineer‑led LiDAR scanning and mechanical design services purpose‑built for mining and heavy industrial environments. Our work focuses on brownfield assets, live plant conditions, and shutdown‑driven projects where accuracy, constructability, and risk reduction matter.
This is not survey‑only scanning. We integrate reality capture with mechanical and structural engineering to deliver fabrication‑ready, fit‑first‑time outcomes for asset owners, operators, and project teams.
Why Engineering‑Led LiDAR Matters in Mining
Mining and heavy industry sites present challenges that generic scanning services are not designed to handle:
- Incomplete or outdated drawings
- Multiple generations of modifications
- Restricted access and safety constraints
- Tight shutdown windows
- Zero tolerance for fabrication errors
Our approach combines engineering judgement with high‑accuracy LiDAR scanning, ensuring captured data is suitable for design verification, retrofit engineering, and construction planning — not just visualisation.
Integrated Scan‑to‑Engineering Workflow
We deliver a single, accountable workflow:
- Site‑based LiDAR scanning by engineers who understand plant layouts, equipment function, and constructability constraints
- Point‑cloud processing aligned to engineering tolerances and modelling intent
- Mechanical and structural CAD modelling (SolidWorks‑based) built directly from scan data
- Fabrication‑ready drawings and documentation suitable for workshop use
- Engineering support through fabrication, installation, and shutdown execution
This workflow reduces interface risk between surveyors, designers, fabricators, and constructors.
Mining & Heavy Industry Experience Areas
Brownfield Engineering & Existing Assets
Most mining projects are not greenfield. We specialise in brownfield environments where:
- As‑built information is unreliable or missing
- Legacy equipment has been modified over decades
- Clearances, access, and interfaces are critical
LiDAR allows existing conditions to be captured accurately, while engineering oversight ensures the data is applied correctly during design.
Shutdown‑Driven Projects
Shutdowns demand certainty.
We support shutdown planning by providing:
- Pre‑shutdown scanning to eliminate site measurement during outages
- Clash‑free models for new steelwork, platforms, and equipment
- Verified interfaces for conveyors, chutes, and plant modifications
This approach reduces rework, site delays, and safety exposure during critical windows.
CHPP & Bulk Materials Handling
Coal Handling and Preparation Plants present some of the most complex brownfield conditions in mining.
Our work commonly supports:
- Conveyors and transfer stations
- Hoppers, chutes, and bins
- Crushers and screens
- Walkways, access platforms, and guarding
LiDAR combined with mechanical engineering enables accurate redesign, compliance upgrades, and replacement works without relying on assumptions.
Heavy Plant & Large Equipment
We support projects involving large, complex plant where traditional measurement methods are impractical:
- Stackers and reclaimers
- Bucket‑wheel and continuous handling equipment
- Large rotating and structural assemblies
Engineering‑led scanning ensures critical interfaces, envelopes, and movement zones are properly understood before design decisions are made.
Risk Management in Mining & Brownfield Engineering
Risk management is central to every mining and heavy-industry project. In brownfield and shutdown environments, the greatest risks are rarely theoretical — they are unknown conditions, missing information, and incorrect assumptions.
Engineering-led LiDAR scanning is a risk control measure.
Our approach reduces project risk by:
- Eliminating reliance on outdated or incomplete drawings
- Capturing existing conditions before design decisions are made
- Identifying clashes, access issues, and constructability constraints early
- Reducing site rework, hot works, and last-minute field modifications
- Supporting safer shutdown execution through pre-validated designs
By combining accurate reality capture with mechanical engineering judgement, risks are addressed upstream, where they are cheapest and safest to control.
This approach supports:
- Better cost certainty
- Reduced shutdown overruns
- Improved fabrication accuracy
- Safer site execution
What Makes Our Approach Different
- Engineer‑led scanning — not technician‑only data capture
- Mechanical and structural design capability in‑house
- Mining and heavy industry focus, not generic building surveys
- Fit‑first‑time philosophy aligned to shutdown and brownfield risk
- Single point of responsibility from scan through to design output
Typical Deliverables
Depending on project scope, deliverables may include:
- Registered point‑cloud datasets
- Engineering‑grade 3D CAD models
- Mechanical and structural drawings
- Interface and clearance verification
- Fabrication and installation documentation
All deliverables are developed with downstream use — fabrication, installation, and operation — in mind.
Who We Work With
Our services support:
- Mining asset owners
- Operations and maintenance teams
- Project engineers and managers
- Fabricators and constructors
- Engineering consultancies requiring specialist support
We work either directly with asset owners or as part of multi‑disciplinary project teams.
Talk to an Engineer
If you are planning:
- A brownfield modification
- A shutdown‑driven upgrade
- A CHPP or bulk materials project
- Heavy plant replacement or retrofit
We can support your project with engineering‑led LiDAR scanning and mechanical design.
Contact Hamilton By Design to discuss your site, constraints, and project objectives.