3D Laser Scanning & Mechanical Engineering Solutions
In today’s fast-paced engineering and construction industries, precision and efficiency are everything. Whether you’re managing a large-scale infrastructure project in Brisbane, creating a mechanical prototype in Perth, or needing accurate as-built data for a site in the Hunter Valley, 3D laser scanning and expert mechanical design services are game changers.
At Hamilton Design, we specialise in connecting cutting-edge scanning technology with skilled mechanical designers and structural drafting services to deliver seamless, accurate solutions for every stage of your project.
The Power of 3D Laser Scanning
3D laser scanning is transforming the way engineers, architects, and manufacturers work. By capturing millions of data points with millimetre accuracy, laser scanning creates a highly detailed 3D representation of your asset, site, or structure.
Our team provides 3D laser scanning services in Perth, Brisbane, and Melbourne, as well as laser scanning in the Hunter Valley, helping clients save time and avoid costly rework. This technology is ideal for:
Capturing as-built conditions before design or construction.
Supporting plant upgrades and facility expansions.
Documenting heritage structures and complex geometries.
Reducing site visits with accurate digital models.
Reverse Engineering & Mechanical Design
In addition to scanning, we offer reverse engineering services in Perth and beyond. By combining point cloud data with CAD modelling, we can recreate components, optimise designs, and prepare manufacturing-ready files.
Our mechanical engineers and mechanical designers bring years of experience in 3D mechanical engineering, design and manufacturing mechanical engineering, and problem-solving for a wide range of industries. From bespoke machinery to process equipment, we deliver solutions that work.
Structural Drafting & Project Support
No project is complete without clear, accurate documentation. Our skilled drafters in Hamilton and across Australia provide high-quality structural drafting services that integrate seamlessly with your workflows.
Whether you need shop drawings, fabrication details, or BIM-ready models, our team ensures every line and dimension is correct — saving you time and cost on-site.
Why Choose Hamilton Design?
Nationwide Reach: Serving clients with 3D scanning services in Perth, Brisbane, and Melbourne, and supporting projects in the Hunter Valley.
Complete Solutions: From scanning to modelling to mechanical engineering design.
Accuracy & Efficiency: Reduce project risk and improve decision-making with reliable data.
Experienced Team: Skilled mechanical engineers and drafters who understand your industry.
Ready to Get Started?
If you’re looking for mechanical engineering companies that deliver precision, innovation, and reliability, Hamilton Design is ready to help. Whether you need laser scanning in Perth or Brisbane, structural drafting, or full mechanical design services, our team can support your next project from concept to completion.
📞 Contact us today to discuss your project requirements and find out how our 3D laser scanning and mechanical engineering design solutions can save you time and money.
Getting Coal, Hard Rock, and ROM Material Flow Right
Chute design is one of the most critical yet challenging aspects of mining and mineral processing. Whether you are handling coal, hard rock ore, or raw ROM material, chutes and transfer stations are the unsung workhorses of every operation. When designed well, they guide material smoothly, minimise wear, and keep conveyors running. When designed poorly, they cause blockages, spillage, excessive dust, and expensive downtime.
Modern chute design has moved far beyond rules of thumb and back-of-the-envelope sketches. Today, successful projects rely on accurate as-built data, particle trajectory analysis, and advanced Discrete Element Method (DEM) simulation to predict, visualise, and optimise material flow before steel is cut. In this article, we explore why these tools have become essential, how they work together, and where software can — and cannot — replace engineering judgement.
The Challenge of Chute Design
Coal and hard rock have very different flow behaviours. Coal tends to be softer, generate more dust, and be prone to degradation, while hard rock is more abrasive and can damage chutes if impact angles are not controlled. ROM material adds another level of complexity — oversize lumps, fines, and moisture variation can cause hang-ups or uneven flow.
Chute design must balance several competing objectives:
Control the trajectory of incoming material to reduce impact and wear
Prevent blockages by maintaining flowability, even with wet or sticky ore
Manage dust and noise to meet environmental and workplace health requirements
Fit within existing plant space with minimal modification to conveyors and structures
Be maintainable — liners must be accessible and replaceable without excessive downtime
Meeting all these goals without accurate data and simulation is like trying to design in the dark.
Capturing the Truth with 3D Scanning
The first step in any successful chute project is to understand the as-built environment. In many operations, drawings are outdated, modifications have been made over the years, and the real plant geometry may differ from what is on paper. Manual measurement is slow, risky, and often incomplete.
This is where 3D laser scanning changes the game. Using tripod-mounted or mobile LiDAR scanners, engineers can capture the entire transfer station, conveyors, surrounding steelwork, and services in a matter of hours. The result is a dense point cloud with millimetre accuracy that reflects the true state of the plant.
From here, the point cloud is cleaned and converted into a 3D model. This ensures the new chute design will not clash with existing structures, and that all clearances are known. It also allows maintenance teams to plan safe access for liner change-outs and other work, as the scanned model can be navigated virtually to check reach and access envelopes.
Understanding Particle Trajectory
Once the physical environment is known, the next challenge is to understand the particle trajectory — the path that material takes as it leaves the head pulley or previous transfer point.
Trajectory depends on belt speed, material characteristics, and discharge angle. For coal, fine particles may spread wider than the coarse fraction, while for ROM ore, large lumps may follow a ballistic path that needs to be controlled to prevent impact damage.
Accurately modelling trajectory ensures that the material enters the chute in the right location and direction. This minimises impact forces, reducing wear on liners and avoiding the “splash” that creates spillage and dust. It also prevents the material from hitting obstructions or dead zones that could lead to build-up and blockages.
Modern software can plot the trajectory curve for different loading conditions, providing a starting point for chute geometry. This is a critical step — if the trajectory is wrong, the chute design will be fighting against the natural path of the material.
The Power of DEM Simulation
While trajectory gives a first approximation, real-world flow is far more complex. This is where Discrete Element Method (DEM) simulation comes into play. DEM models represent bulk material as thousands (or millions) of individual particles, each following the laws of motion and interacting with one another.
When a DEM simulation is run on a chute design:
You can visualise material flow in 3D, watching how particles accelerate, collide, and settle
Impact zones become clear, showing where liners will wear fastest
Areas of turbulence, dust generation, or segregation are identified
Build-up points and potential blockages are predicted
This allows engineers to experiment with chute geometry before fabrication. Angles can be changed, ledges removed, and flow-aiding features like hood and spoon profiles or rock-boxes optimised to achieve smooth, controlled flow.
For coal, DEM can help ensure material lands gently on the receiving belt, reducing degradation and dust. For hard rock, it can ensure that the energy of impact is directed onto replaceable wear liners rather than structural plate. For ROM ore, it can help prevent oversize lumps from wedging in critical locations.
🖥 Strengths and Limitations of Software
Modern DEM packages are powerful, but they are not magic. Software such as EDEM, Rocky DEM, or Altair’s tools can simulate a wide range of materials and geometries, but they rely on good input data and skilled interpretation.
Key strengths include:
Ability to model complex, 3D geometries and particle interactions
High visualisation power for communicating designs to stakeholders
Capability to run multiple scenarios (different feed rates, moisture contents, ore types) quickly
However, there are limitations:
Material calibration is critical. If the particle shape, friction, and cohesion parameters are wrong, the results will not match reality.
Computational cost can be high — detailed simulations of large chutes with millions of particles may take hours or days to run.
Engineering judgement is still needed. Software will not tell you the “best” design — it will only show how a proposed design behaves under given conditions.
That’s why DEM is best used as part of a holistic workflow that includes field data, trajectory analysis, and experienced design review.
From Model to Real-World Results
When the simulation results are validated and optimised, the design can be finalised. The point cloud model ensures the chute will fit in the available space, and the DEM results give confidence that it will perform as intended.
This means fabrication can proceed with fewer changes and less risk. During shutdown, installation goes smoothly, because clashes have already been resolved in the digital model. Once commissioned, the chute delivers predictable flow, less spillage, and longer liner life.
Why It Matters More Than Ever
Today’s mining operations face tighter production schedules, stricter environmental compliance, and increasing cost pressures. Downtime is expensive, and the margin for error is shrinking.
By combining 3D scanning, trajectory modelling, and DEM simulation, operations can move from reactive problem-solving to proactive improvement. Instead of waiting for blockages or failures, they can design out the problems before they occur, saving both time and money.
Partnering for Success
At Hamilton by Design, we specialise in turning raw site data into actionable insights. Our team uses advanced 3D scanning to capture your transfer stations with precision, builds accurate point clouds and CAD models, and runs calibrated DEM simulations to ensure your new chute design performs from day one.
Whether you’re working with coal, hard rock, or ROM ore, we help you deliver designs that fit first time, reduce maintenance headaches, and keep production running.
Contact us today to see how our integrated scanning and simulation workflow can make your next chute project safer, faster, and more reliable.
How 3D Laser Scanning is Redefining Reality for Design, Construction & Heritage
Imagine standing before a centuries-old cathedral, where every carved arch, every stained-glass pane, every weathered stone holds centuries of stories. Capturing its true form and condition with tape measure and camera? Tedious and prone to errors. But with 3D laser scanning, you can digitally freeze every detail—down to the imperfections—turning reality into an exact, manipulable model.
In an age where precision, speed, and data-driven decisions are non-negotiable, 3D laser scanning is no longer “nice to have”—it’s essential. Let’s explore what it is, why it’s transformative, where it’s being used most powerfully, and how you can harness its potential.
What Is 3D Laser Scanning?
At its core, 3D laser scanning sometimes called terrestrial laser scanning, (TLS) is the emission of laser pulses toward surfaces, recording the time it takes for those pulses to bounce back. From that comes a dense “point cloud” — billions of precise data points mapping shape, texture, orientation, and distance.
These point clouds become high-fidelity models, maps, meshes, or BIM ready files. Whether you’re scanning building exteriors, interiors, or industrial components, the result is more than just imagery—it’s measurable, analyzable geometry.
How It Works — The Process
Preparation & Planning
Define what you need: the level of detail (LOD), resolution, range, and whether external conditions (light, weather) will interfere.
Data Capture
Position the scanner at multiple stations to cover all surfaces. Use targets or reference markers for alignment and capture with overlapping scans.
Processing & Registration
Merge scans to align them properly, clean noise, filter out irrelevant data (like people, moving objects), calibrate.
Post-processing & Deliverables
Convert point clouds into usable outputs—floorplans, sections, elevations, 3D meshes, BIM models, virtual walkthroughs. Run analyses (clash detection, deformation etc.).
Integration & Use
Use the data in design, restoration, facility management, or documentation. The quality of integration (into BIM, GIS, CAD) is key to unlocking value.
Key Benefits
Benefit
What It Means in Practice
Real-World Impact
Extreme Precision
Sub-millimetre to millimetre accuracy depending on the scanner and conditions.
Less rework. Better fit for retrofit, renovation, or mechanical systems in tight tolerances.
Speed + Efficiency
Collect large amounts of spatial data in far less time than traditional measurement.
Faster project turnaround. Reduced site time costs.
Non-Contact / Low Disruption
Good for fragile structures, hazardous or difficult-to-access places.
Preserves integrity of heritage buildings; safer for workers.
Comprehensive Documentation
Full visual & geometric context.
Informs future maintenance. Acts as an archival record.
Better Decision Making & Conflict Detection
Early clash detection; scenario simulation; what-if modelling.
Avoids costly mistakes; helps build consensus among stakeholders.
Enhanced Visualisation & Communication
Stakeholders can see exactly what exists vs. what’s being proposed.
Facility Management: Digital twins, maintenance, asset tracking.
Environment & Surveying: Terrain mapping, forestry, flood risk mapping (especially when combined with aerial systems or mobile scanning).
Challenges & Best Practices
Nothing is perfect. To get the most out of 3D laser scanning, anticipate and mitigate:
Environmental factors: Light, dust, rain, reflective surfaces can introduce noise.
Data overload: Massive point clouds are large; need strong hardware & efficient workflows.
Alignment & registration errors: Overlaps, control points, and calibration are vital.
Skill & Planning: Good operators + good planning = much better outcomes.
Key best practices:
Use reference targets for precise registration.
Capture overlap of 30-50% between scan positions.
Break project into manageable segments.
Clean noise early.
Think ahead about deliverables and how clients will use the data (design, BIM, VR etc.).
Case Studies & Stories
Heritage in Danger: A cathedral in Europe threatened by pollution and structural decay was laser scanned. The point cloud revealed minute deformations, enabling an accurate restoration plan—saving costs and preserving history.
Infrastructure Efficiency: A civil engineering firm reduced design clashes by 80% on a complex highway project by integrating scans with their BIM workflow.
Industrial Switch-Over: Manufacturing plant layout was reconfigured using scan data; downtime reduced because the virtual model matched reality better than the old blueprints.
Software, Tools & Ecosystem
While scanners are vital, the software ecosystem is what unlocks value. Tools that turn raw data into actionable insights include:
Reality capture tools (processing point clouds).
BIM / CAD integration (e.g. Revit, AutoCAD).
Visualization tools (VR, AR, walkthrough).
Data sharing & collaboration platforms.
Cloud storage / processing if large point clouds.
SaaS/cloud-based workflows are increasingly important to share among remote teams, facilitate stakeholder review, and ensure data is accessible beyond just technical users.
Why It Matters Now
Global pressures (heritage, sustainability, faster build cycles, remote work) are raising the bar.
Regulatory compliance and “as-built” requirements are stricter.
Digital twins & smart infrastructure demand high fidelity data.
3D laser scanning acts as a bridge: between physical world and digital twin; between heritage past and future; between design promise and build reality.
If you have a survey scan and want to make sense of point cloud data, contact Hamilton By Design
Why Engineers, Designers & Project Managers Are Turning to 3D Scanning and CAD Modelling
In engineering and fabrication, the margin for error is razor-thin. A few millimetres off can mean costly rework, delays, or worse — safety issues. At Hamilton By Design, we believe the future of precision engineering lies in combining smart data capture with expert design workflows. That’s why more businesses are moving away from guesswork and toward 3D laser scanning and CAD modelling as standard practice.
We’ve put together a detailed overview of our services and methods in a recent blog post that explains how we help industry clients across Australia deliver with confidence.
Traditional site measurements and hand-drawn markups are time-consuming, error-prone, and hard to communicate between disciplines. With 3D laser scanning, we can capture complex geometry quickly and accurately — from plant layouts and piping to structural steel and mobile machinery.
Using FARO laser scanning technology, we generate high-resolution point clouds that form the foundation for everything that follows — whether that’s clash detection, fabrication detailing, or a full digital twin.
It’s fast, accurate, and incredibly efficient — especially on live sites where access is limited and downtime is costly.
🧩 CAD Modelling That Fits — Literally and Logically
Once the scan is complete, our team of experienced mechanical designers converts that data into solid CAD models, tailored to your workflow.
Whether you need:
Accurate as-built documentation
Reverse-engineered mechanical components
Custom fabrication-ready drawings
Plant modification layouts
We deliver models that integrate seamlessly with your existing systems — whether you use SolidWorks, Inventor, Revit, or MicroStation.
Our CAD modelling isn’t just visual. It’s functional. It’s engineered for fit, fabrication, and future upgrades.
👷♂️ Real-World Applications Across Industry
Our clients range from mining operations and water utilities to fabrication shops and site-based engineering firms. In all cases, the common problem is the same: they need to understand what’s really there before they design what comes next.
Some recent use cases include:
Replacing worn mechanical components with no existing drawings
Planning plant upgrades where outdated PDFs weren’t reliable
Creating fabrication models from legacy assets
Capturing geometry for safety reviews and clearances
If your team still relies on measurements taken with a tape measure or outdated hand sketches, there’s a better way.
📌 Don’t Guess. Scan. Model. Deliver.
At Hamilton By Design, we’ve been providing CAD modelling since 2001, and offering 3D scanning since 2017. We’ve built our reputation on doing it right the first time — with engineering logic, practical experience, and technology that works.
If you want to understand how 3D laser scanning and CAD modelling can reduce risk and deliver better results, we invite you to read our full blog post:
There are two things we’ve always believed at Hamilton By Design:
Accuracy matters.
If you can model it before you make it, do it.
That’s why when the FARO Focus S70 hit the scene in 2017, we were early to the party — not just because it was shiny and new (though it was), but because we knew it would change how we support our clients in mining, processing, and manufacturing environments.
The S70 didn’t just give us a tool — it gave us a superpower: the ability to see an entire site, down to the bolt heads and pipe supports, in full 3D before anyone picked up a wrench. Dust, heat, poor lighting — no problem. With its IP54 rating and extended temperature range, this scanner thrives where other tools tap out.
And we’ve been putting it to work ever since.
“Measure Twice, Cut Once” Just Got a Whole Lot More Real
Laser scanning means we no longer rely on outdated drawings, forgotten markups, or that sketch someone did on the back of a clipboard in 2004.
We’re capturing site geometry down to millimetres, mapping full plant rooms, structural steel, conveyors, tanks, ducts — you name it. And the moment we leave site, we’ve already got the data we need, registered and ready to drop into SolidWorks.
Which, by the way, we’ve been using since 2001.
Yes — long before CAD was cool, we were deep into SolidWorks building models, simulating loads, tweaking fit-ups, and designing smarter mechanical solutions for complex environments. It’s the other half of the story — scan it, then model it, all in-house, all under one roof.
Safety by Design – Literally
Here’s the part people often overlook: 3D laser scanning isn’t just about accuracy — it’s about safety.
We’ve worked across enough plants and mine sites to know that the real hazards are often the things you don’t see in a drawing. Tight access ways. Awkward pipe routing. Obstructions waiting to drop something nasty when a shutdown rolls around.
By scanning and reviewing environments virtually, we can spot those risks early — hazard identification before boots are even on the ground. We help clients:
Reduce time-on-site
Limit the number of field visits
Minimise exposure to high-risk zones
Plan safer shutdowns and installations
That’s a big win in any plant or processing facility — not just for compliance, but for peace of mind.
From Point Cloud to Problem Solved
Since 2017, our scanning and modelling workflows have supported:
Brownfield upgrade projects
Reverse engineering of legacy components
Fabrication and installation validation
Creation of digital twins
Asset audits and documentation updates
And when you pair that with 24 years of SolidWorks expertise, you get more than just a pretty point cloud — you get practical, buildable, fit-for-purpose engineering solutions backed by deep industry knowledge.
Thinking about your next project? Let’s make it smarter from the start.
We’ll scan it, model it, and engineer it as we have been doing for decades — with zero guesswork and full confidence.
In the 1980s through to the early 2000s, AutoCAD ruled
supreme. It revolutionised the way engineers and designers approached 2D
drafting, enabling technical drawings to be created and shared with speed and
precision across industries. For two decades, it set the benchmark for visual
communication in engineering and construction. But that era has passed.
Today, we live and work in a three-dimensional world — not
only in reality, but in design.
From 2D Drafting to Solid Modelling: The New Standard
At Hamilton By Design, we see 3D modelling not just
as a tool, but as an essential evolution in how we think, design, and
manufacture. The transition from 2D lines to solid geometry has reshaped the
possibilities for every engineer, machinist, and fabricator.
With the widespread adoption of platforms like SolidWorks,
design engineers now routinely conduct simulations, tolerance analysis, motion
studies, and stress testing — all in a virtual space before a single part is
made. Companies like Tesla, Ford, Eaton, Medtronic,
and Johnson & Johnson have integrated 3D CAD tools into their
product development cycles with great success, dramatically reducing rework,
increasing precision, and accelerating innovation.
Where 2D design was once enough, now solid models drive
machining, laser cutting, 3D printing, automated
manufacturing, and finite element analysis (FEA) — all from a single
digital source.
At Hamilton By Design, we work with and alongside these
firms — and others — to deliver scalable, intelligent 3D modelling solutions to
the Australian industrial sector. From laser scanning and site
capture to custom steel fabrication, we translate concepts into
actionable, manufacturable designs. Our clients benefit not only from our
hands-on trade knowledge but also from our investment in cutting-edge tools and
engineering platforms.
So What’s Next? The Future Feels More Fluid Than Solid
With all these tools now at our fingertips — FEA simulation,
LiDAR scanning, parametric modelling, cloud collaboration — the question
becomes: what comes after 3D?
We’ve moved from pencil to pixel, from 2D lines to
intelligent digital twins. But now the line between design and experience
is beginning to blur. Augmented reality (AR), generative AI design, and
real-time simulation environments suggest that the next wave may feel more
fluid than solid — more organic than mechanical.
We’re already seeing early glimpses of this future:
Generative
design tools that evolve geometry based on performance goals
Real-time
digital twins updating with sensor data from operating plants
AI-driven
automation that simplifies design iterations in minutes, not days
In short: the future of 3D design might not be “3D” at all
in the traditional sense — it could be interactive, immersive, adaptive.
At Hamilton By Design — We’re With You Now and Into the
Future
Whether you’re looking to upgrade legacy 2D drawings,
implement laser-accurate reverse engineering, or develop a full-scale 3D model
for simulation or manufacturing — Hamilton By Design is here to help.
We bring hands-on trade experience as fitters, machinists,
and designers, and combine it with the modern toolset of a full-service
mechanical engineering consultancy. We’re not just imagining the future of
design — we’re building it.
Let’s design smarter. Let’s think in 3D — and beyond.
