AS ISO 10816 / 20816 โ€“ Mechanical Vibration

AS ISO 10816 & 20816 โ€“ Mechanical Vibration | Hamilton By Design

Mechanical vibration is one of the earliest indicators that rotating equipment is developing a fault. Standards such as AS ISO 10816 and AS ISO 20816 provide a consistent framework for measuring, evaluating, and managing vibration in industrial machinery.

At Hamilton By Design, we help clients apply these standards in a practical, engineering-led way by connecting vibration data with mechanical design, asset condition, and real-world site conditions.


What Are AS ISO 10816 and AS ISO 20816?

The AS ISO 10816 / 20816 standards define:

  • How mechanical vibration should be measured on machines
  • How vibration severity should be evaluated
  • What vibration levels are considered acceptable, marginal, or unacceptable

These standards are commonly applied to motors, pumps, gearboxes, compressors, fans, conveyors, and other rotating equipment where vibration provides an early warning of mechanical or structural issues.


Why Mechanical Vibration Standards Matter

Using vibration data without a recognised standard often leads to inconsistent interpretation and delayed action. Applying AS ISO 10816 / 20816 helps organisations to:

  • Identify mechanical problems early
  • Reduce unplanned downtime and breakdowns
  • Prevent secondary damage to bearings, shafts, and foundations
  • Improve overall equipment reliability
  • Support condition-based and predictive maintenance strategies

When vibration is assessed against an accepted standard, maintenance decisions become clearer and more defensible.


The Common Gap: Vibration Data Without Engineering Context

Many sites collect vibration data but struggle to connect it to:

  • As-installed geometry and alignment
  • Structural stiffness and support conditions
  • Design intent versus site reality
  • Maintenance and modification history

Vibration issues are often symptoms of broader mechanical or structural problems. Without engineering context, vibration data alone can be misleading.

This is where vibration assessment benefits from being connected to engineering-grade site information.

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How Hamilton By Design Helps

Hamilton By Design connects vibration standards with practical engineering outcomes through a coordinated service offering.

Engineering-Led Vibration Interpretation

We assess vibration results against AS ISO 10816 / 20816 using engineering judgement rather than relying solely on alarm limits. Machine type, operating duty, and site conditions are all considered.

Understanding the Physical Asset

By linking vibration data with mechanical layouts, drawings, and 3D models, we help identify whether vibration is driven by alignment issues, inadequate stiffness, foundation behaviour, or design constraints.

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Analysis Where Required

Where vibration levels indicate potential resonance, flexibility, or dynamic response issues, we support deeper investigation using structural and mechanical analysis tools.

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Clear, Usable Reporting

Our reporting focuses on:

  • What the vibration levels indicate
  • Why the issue matters to the asset
  • What actions are recommended

This ensures vibration results directly support maintenance and engineering decisions.


Where This Approach Adds Value

A connected vibration and engineering approach is particularly valuable in:

  • Mining and mineral processing plants
  • Heavy industrial facilities
  • Energy and utilities infrastructure
  • Brownfield upgrades and asset life-extension projects

Vibration issues are frequently linked to steelwork design, support conditions, or historical modifications that were not fully engineered.

Challenges of Not Consulting AS 3990 โ€“ Mechanical Equipment Steelwork
https://www.hamiltonbydesign.com.au/challenges-of-not-consulting-as-3990-mechanical-equipment-steelwork/

AS 1755 โ€“ Conveyor Safety
https://www.hamiltonbydesign.com.au/as-1755-conveyor-safety/


Summary

AS ISO 10816 and AS ISO 20816 provide the benchmark for assessing mechanical vibration.
Hamilton By Design provides the engineering connection that turns those benchmarks into practical action.

By linking vibration data with 3D scanning, mechanical design, and engineering analysis, vibration assessments become clearer, more accurate, and far more useful across the asset lifecycle.


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Machine Guarding in Australia: A Decade of Lessons for Leaders, Asset Owners, and Engineers

ndustrial machine guarding solutions showing a conveyor system, a robotic cell, and a belt drive with fixed guards designed to prevent access to hazardous moving parts.

Machine guarding examples showing a guarded conveyor, enclosed robotic cell, and belt drive with safety covers

Machine guarding remains one of the most persistent and preventable safety risks across Australian industry.
Despite improvements in automation, safety culture, and regulatory oversight, serious injuries and fatalities involving machinery continue to occur every year, particularly in manufacturing, mining, food processing, and materials handling.

Over the past decade, regulators, courts, and insurers have consistently reinforced one message:
machine guarding is not optional, not administrative, and not a โ€œfit-laterโ€ activity โ€” it is a core engineering and governance responsibility.

This article examines:

  • The international and Australian standards framework for machine guarding
  • Accident and injury trends over the past ten years
  • Legal and enforcement signals emerging from prosecutions
  • Why machine guarding must be treated as a strategic asset-risk issue, not just a safety task

The Global Framework: International Standards for Machine Guarding

Machine guarding is governed globally through standards developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).


ISO standards portal
Core International Standards

ISO 12100 Risk assessment

ISO 14120 Guard design

ISO 13857 Safety distances

ISO 13849-1 Interlocks & control systems

These standards establish a risk-based engineering approach, requiring hazards to be:

  1. Identified
  2. Eliminated where possible
  3. Engineered out through guards and control systems
  4. Verified through geometry, distances, and fail-safe logic

This methodology underpins CE marking, global OEM compliance, and multinational EPC project delivery.


The Australian Context: AS 4024 and WHS Expectations

Australia adopts and localises ISO principles through AS 4024 โ€“ Safety of Machinery, referenced extensively by regulators under Work Health and Safety (WHS) legislation.

Standards Australia โ€“ AS 4024 Series
Key Australian Standards

AS 4024.1201 Risk assessment

AS 4024.1601 Guards

AS 4024.1602 Interlocks

AS 4024.1801 Safety distances

AS 4024.1501 Safety control systems

While standards themselves are not legislation, courts and regulators consistently use AS 4024 as the benchmark for determining whether risks have been managed so far as is reasonably practicable.


A Decade of Data: What the Accident Trends Tell Us

Australia does not publish a dedicated โ€œmachine guarding accidentโ€ metric. However, national data from Safe Work Australia clearly shows machinery remains a leading cause of serious harm.

Safe Work Australia โ€“ Key WHS statistics:
National Trends (Approximate โ€“ Last 10 Years)

MetricEvidence Source
~1,850+ traumatic work fatalitiesSafework Australia
~180โ€“200 fatalities per yearSafework Australia
Highest fatality rateMachinery operators & drivers
~130,000โ€“140,000 serious injury claims annuallyAustralian Institute of health and welfare
Common mechanismsTrapped by machinery, struck by moving objects

Machinery operators consistently record:

  • The highest fatality rates of all occupation groups
  • Disproportionate representation in serious injury claims
  • Higher exposure to entanglement, crush, shear, and impact hazards

These mechanisms are directly linked to guarding effectiveness, not worker behaviour alone.


What Hasnโ€™t Changed โ€” and Why It Matters

1. Legacy Plant Remains a Key Risk

Many incidents involve:

  • Older machinery
  • Brownfield modifications
  • Equipment altered without re-engineering guarding

Australian WHS law does not grandfather unsafe plant.


2. Guarding Is Still Added Too Late

Common failures include:

  • Guards designed post-fabrication
  • Inadequate reach distances
  • Interlocks added without validated performance levels

This often leads to bypassing, removal, or unsafe maintenance practices.


3. Lack of Engineering Documentation

Post-incident investigations frequently identify:

  • No formal risk assessment
  • No justification against AS 4024 or ISO standards
  • No evidence that guarding was engineered, tested, or validated

In legal proceedings, absence of documentation is treated as absence of control.


Legal and Enforcement Signals

Australian regulators (WorkSafe NSW, WorkSafe VIC, SafeWork QLD, SafeWork SA) have consistently prosecuted machine-guarding failures, particularly where:

  • Hazards were known
  • Improvement notices were ignored
  • Guards were removed or ineffective

Regulator portals:

Courts have reinforced that:

  • Training does not replace guarding
  • PPE does not replace guarding
  • Signage does not replace guarding

Guarding as a Governance Issue

For executives and boards, machine guarding intersects with:

  • Officer due diligence obligations
  • Asset lifecycle risk
  • Insurance and liability exposure
  • Business continuity and ESG performance

Well-designed guarding:

  • Reduces downtime
  • Enables safer automation
  • Improves workforce confidence
  • Creates defensible compliance positions

The Engineering Reality: Geometry Drives Compliance

Modern compliance relies on:

  • Verified reach distances
  • Measured openings and clearances
  • Validated interlock logic

This is why accurate:

  • As-built capture
  • 3D modelling
  • Engineering-grade spatial data

are increasingly essential for brownfield and high-risk plant.


Looking Ahead: The Next Decade

Trends indicate:

  • Greater scrutiny of legacy machinery
  • Stronger linkage between standards and prosecutions
  • Higher expectations for engineering evidence
  • Increased use of digital engineering to prove compliance

Organisations that integrate guarding early into engineering workflows will be better protected legally, operationally, and reputationally.


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Final Thought

Machine guarding is not about mesh and fences.
It is about engineering intent, risk ownership, and accountability.

The last decade of Australian data, prosecutions, and standards alignment is clear:
when guarding fails, the outcomes are predictable โ€” and preventable.

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#Machine guarding standards Australia #Machinery safety best practices #AS/NZS 4024 machine guarding #Workplace safety machinery #Industrial safety compliance #Machine guarding lessons for engineers

Stop Reacting โ€” Start Engineering

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How Smart Mechanical Strategies Extend CHPP Life

Every coal wash plant in Australia tells the same story: constant throughput pressure, harsh operating conditions, and the never-ending battle against wear, corrosion, and unplanned downtime. The reality is simple โ€” if you donโ€™t engineer for reliability, youโ€™ll spend your time repairing failure.

At Hamilton By Design, we specialise in mechanical engineering, 3D scanning, and digital modelling for coal handling and preparation plants (CHPPs). Our goal is to help site teams transition from reactive maintenance to a precision, data-driven strategy that keeps production steady and predictable.

Workers guiding a crane-lifted yellow chute into position at a coal handling and preparation plant, with conveyor infrastructure and safety equipment visible on site

Design for Reliability โ€” Not Reaction

Reliability begins with smart mechanical design. Poor geometry, limited access, and undersized components lead to fatigue and repeated downtime. Instead, modern CHPP maintenance programs start by engineering for fit, lift, and life:

  • Fit: Design components that align with the existing structure โ€” every bolt, flange, and mating face verified digitally before fabrication.
  • Lift: Incorporate certified lifting points that comply with AS 4991 Lifting Devices, and ensure clear access paths for cranes or chain blocks.
  • Life: Select wear materials suited to the physics of the process โ€” quenched and tempered steel for impact, rubber or ceramic for abrasion, and UHMWPE for slurry lines.

Itโ€™s not just about parts; itโ€™s about engineering foresight. A well-designed plant component is safer to install, easier to inspect, and lasts longer between shutdowns.


Scan What You See โ€” Not What You Think You Have

Over time, every wash plant drifts from its original drawings. Field welds, retrofits, and corrosion mean that โ€œas-builtโ€ and โ€œas-existsโ€ are rarely the same thing.

Thatโ€™s where LiDAR scanning transforms maintenance. Using sub-millimetre accuracy, 3D laser scans capture your plant exactly as it stands โ€” every pipe spool, every chute, every bolt hole.

With this data, our engineers can:

  • Overlay new models directly into your point cloud to confirm fit-up before fabrication.
  • Identify alignment errors, corrosion zones, and clearance conflicts before shutdowns.
  • Generate true digital twins that allow for predictive maintenance and simulation.

LiDAR scanning isnโ€™t just a measurement tool; itโ€™s an insurance policy against rework and lost production.

3D LiDAR point cloud of a CHPP plant showing detailed structural geometry, equipment, platforms, and personnel captured during an industrial site scan for engineering and upgrade planning.

Corrosion: The Hidden Killer in Every CHPP

Coal and water donโ€™t just move material โ€” they create acidic environments that eat through untreated or aging steel. In sumps, launders, and under conveyors, corrosion silently compromises strength until a structure is no longer safe to walk on.

Regular inspections are the first line of defence. At Hamilton By Design, we recommend combining:

  • Daily visual checks by operators for surface rust and coating damage.
  • Thickness testing during shutdowns to track wall loss on chutes and pipes.
  • 3D scan comparisons every 6โ€“12 months to quantify deformation and corrosion in critical structures.

With modern tools, you can see corrosion coming long before it becomes a failure.


From Data to Decision: Predictive Maintenance in Action

A coal wash plant produces a river of data โ€” motor loads, vibration levels, pump pressures, liner thickness, and flow rates. The key is turning that data into insight.

By integrating scanning results, maintenance records, and sensor data, plant teams can identify trends that point to future breakdowns. For example:

  • Vibration trending can reveal bearing fatigue weeks before failure.
  • Load monitoring can detect screen blinding or misalignment.
  • Scan data overlays can show sagging supports or displaced chutes.

When you understand what your plant is telling you, you move from reacting to problems to predicting and preventing them.


Industrial shutdown scene showing workers monitoring a mobile crane lifting a large steel chute inside a coal processing plant, with safety cones and exclusion zones in place

Shutdowns: Planned, Precise, and Productive

Every shutdown costs money โ€” the real goal is to make every hour count. The best shutdowns start months ahead with validated design data and prefabrication QA.

Before you cut steel or mobilise cranes, every component should be digitally proven to fit. Trial assemblies, lifting studies, and bolt access checks prevent costly surprises once youโ€™re on the clock.

At Hamilton By Design, our process combines:

  • LiDAR scanning to confirm as-built geometry.
  • SolidWorks modelling and FEA for mechanical verification.
  • Pre-installation validation to ensure bolt holes, flanges, and lift paths align on day one.

Thatโ€™s how you replace chutes, spools, and launders in a fraction of the usual time โ€” safely, and with confidence.

Hand-drawn infographic showing the shutdown workflow from LiDAR scanning and FEA verification through SolidWorks modelling, pre-install validation, trial assembly, lift study, and execution, including ITP and QA checks, safety steps, and onsite installation activities

The Payoff: Reliability You Can Measure

The plants that invest in engineering-led maintenance see results that are tangible and repeatable:

Improvement AreaTypical Gain
Reduced unplanned downtime30โ€“40%
Increased liner lifespan25โ€“50%
Shorter shutdown duration10โ€“20%
Fewer fit-up issues and rework60โ€“80%
Improved safety performance20โ€“30%

Reliability isnโ€™t luck โ€” itโ€™s engineered.


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Your Next Step: A Confidential Mechanical Assessment

Whether your plant is in the Bowen Basin, Hunter Valley, or Central West NSW, our team can deliver a confidential mechanical and scanning assessment of your wash plant.

Weโ€™ll benchmark your current maintenance strategy, identify high-risk areas, and provide a clear roadmap toward predictive, engineered reliability.

๐Ÿ“ฉ For a confidential assessment of your current wash plant, contact:
info@hamiltonbydesign.com.au

Stop reacting. Start engineering. Build reliability that lasts.

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Lessons from a Landmark Case:

The Importance of Robust Structural Design Review

In 2024, SafeWork SA concluded a landmark case involving a spectator-roof collapse during a football club redevelopment project in South Australia. While no life-threatening injuries occurred, the incident highlighted how critical it is for design, review, and certification processes to work together to ensure safety on site.

This was the first successful design-related prosecution under South Australiaโ€™s Work Health and Safety Act, sending a clear signal to the engineering and construction sector: design decisions carry legal and safety obligations, not just technical ones.

Infographic titled โ€œLessons from a Landmark Case,โ€ showing engineers reviewing a design, icons highlighting robust review procedures, proper certification, time-pressure risks, and legal design responsibilities. The lower illustration depicts a structure collapsing after four column failures with two workers falling, emphasising the message โ€œSafety starts at the drawing board

What Happened (Briefly)

During roof sheeting works in late 2021, four of seven supporting columns of a cantilevered spectator roof failed, causing two apprentices to slide down the roof sheets. SafeWork SAโ€™s investigation found that the anchor bolts specified for the column base plates were inadequate and did not meet the requirements of the National Construction Code (NCC).

An independent compliance review also failed to detect this issue, allowing the error to pass unchecked into construction. The result was a collapse that could have had far more severe consequences had the roof been fully loaded or occupied.

Key Learnings for the Industry

This case underscores several important lessons for engineers, designers, project managers, and certifiers:

1. Design Responsibility Is a WHS Duty

Under the WHS Act, designers have a duty to ensure their work is safe not just in its intended use, but during construction. This means bolts, connections, and base plates must be designed for real-world loads โ€” including wind uplift, combined shear and tension, and concrete breakout limits per NCC and relevant Australian Standards.

2. Review Procedures Must Be Robust โ€” and Followed

Having a documented review procedure is not enough if it isnโ€™t rigorously applied. Independent verification and internal peer review are critical to catching design errors before they reach site.

3. Certification Is Not a Rubber Stamp

Independent certifiers play a key role in safeguarding public safety. They must actively verify that designs meet compliance, rather than simply sign off on documentation.

4. Time Pressures Can Compromise Safety

Compressed project timelines were noted as a factor in missed opportunities to catch the error. Project teams must resist the temptation to shortcut review steps when schedules are tight โ€” safety must remain non-negotiable.

5. Documentation & Traceability Protect Everyone

Maintaining calculation records, checklists, and review signoffs creates a clear audit trail. This helps demonstrate due diligence if something goes wrong.

Infographic titled โ€˜Lessons From a Landmark Caseโ€™ displayed on a clipboard. It highlights key learnings from a structural failure case: design compliance, safety standards, bolts failure, and adequate specifications. At the centre is a simple line drawing of a collapsed structure, with arrows pointing to four labelled boxes describing the importance of regulatory compliance, workplace safety standards, anchor bolt failures, and using suitable components to meet project requirements

Why This Matters

The collapse at Angaston Football Club was a relatively small incident with minor injuries โ€” but it could easily have been catastrophic. By learning from cases like this, the industry can improve its processes and prevent future failures.

As professionals, our role is to design for safety, verify rigorously, and document clearly. Doing so protects workers, end-users, and our own organisations.

Legal & Ethical Considerations

This post is intended as a learning resource, not as an allocation of blame. The case referenced is a matter of public record through SafeWork SA and SAET decisions, and all commentary here focuses on general principles of safe design and compliance.

We recommend that other practitioners review their own QA and certification procedures in light of this case to ensure compliance with the National Construction Code and WHS obligations.

More Information —> The Advertiser / Adelaide Now

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Maximising Uptime at Transfer Points: How Hamilton By Design Optimises Chutes, Hoppers, and Conveyors for the Mining Industry

In the mining industry, system uptime isnโ€™t just a goalโ€”itโ€™s a necessity. Transfer points such as chutes, hoppers, and conveyors are often the most failure-prone components in processing plants, especially in high-wear environments like HPGR (High Pressure Grinding Rolls) circuits. Abrasive ores, heavy impact, fines accumulation, and moisture can all combine to reduce flow efficiency, damage components, and drive up maintenance costs.

At Hamilton By Design, we help mining clients minimise downtime and extend the life of their material handling systems by applying advanced 3D scanning, DEM simulation, smart material selection, and modular design strategies. This ensures that transfer points operate at peak efficiencyโ€”day in, day out.

Hereโ€™s how we do it:

Optimised Flow with DEM-Based Chute & Hopper Design

Flow blockages and misaligned velocities are among the biggest contributors to transfer point failure in the mining industry. Thatโ€™s why we use Discrete Element Method (DEM) simulations to model bulk material flow through chutes, hoppers, and transfer transitions.

Through DEM, we can simulate how different oresโ€”ranging from dry coarse rock to sticky finesโ€”move, compact, and impact structures. This allows us to tailor chute geometry, outlet angles, and flow paths in advance, helping:

  • Prevent material buildup or arching inside hoppers and chutes
  • Align material velocity with the conveyor belt speed using hood & spoon or trumpet-shaped designs
  • Reduce wear by managing trajectory and impact points

Optimised flow equals fewer shutdowns, longer equipment life, and better plant throughput.

Wear-Resistant Liners & Material Engineering

Not all wear is the sameโ€”and neither are the materials we use to combat it. By studying the abrasion and impact zones in your chute and hopper systems, we strategically apply wear liners suited to each application.

Our engineering team selects from:

  • AR (Abrasion-Resistant) steels for high-wear areas
  • Ceramic liners in fines-rich or ultra-abrasive streams
  • Rubber liners to absorb shock and reduce noise

This approach reduces liner replacement frequency, improves operational safety, and lowers the risk of unplanned shutdowns at key transfer points.

3. Dust and Spillage Control: Cleaner, Safer Operation

Dust and spillage around conveyors and transfer chutes can lead to extensive cleanup time, increased maintenance, and health hazards. At Hamilton By Design, we treat this as a core design challenge.

We design chutes and hoppers with:

  • Tight flange seals at interface points
  • Enclosed transitions that contain dust at the source
  • Controlled discharge points to reduce turbulent material drops

This reduces environmental risk and contributes to more consistent plant performanceโ€”especially in confined or enclosed processing facilities in the mining industry.

4. Modular & Accessible Designs for Faster Maintenance

When liners or components need replacement, every minute counts. That’s why our chute and hopper systems are built with modular sectionsโ€”each engineered for fast removal and reinstallation.

Key maintenance-driven design features include:

  • Bolt-on panels or slide-in liner segments
  • Accessible inspection doors for safe visual checks
  • Lightweight modular components for easy handling

These details reduce labour time, enhance safety, and keep your plant online longerโ€”especially critical in HPGR zones where throughput is non-stop.

5. Precision 3D Scanning & 3D Modelling for Retrofit Accuracy

One of the most powerful tools we use is 3D scanning. In retrofit or brownfield projects, physical measurements can be inaccurate or outdated. We solve this by conducting detailed laser scans that generate accurate point cloud dataโ€”a precise digital twin of your plant environment.

That data is then transformed into clean 3D CAD models, which we use to:

  • Design retrofits that precisely match existing structure
  • Identify interferences or fit-up clashes before fabrication
  • Reduce install time by ensuring right-first-time fits

This scan-to-CAD workflow dramatically reduces rework and error margins during installation, saving time and cost during shutdown windows.

Real-World Application: HPGR & Minerals Transfer Systems

In HPGR-based circuits, transfer points between crushers, screens, and conveyors experience high rates of wear, dust generation, and blockagesโ€”particularly where moisture-rich fines are present.

Hereโ€™s how Hamilton By Designโ€™s methodology addresses these pain points:

  • DEM-based flow modelling ensures the HPGR discharge flows cleanly into chutes and onto conveyors without buildup.
  • Hood/spoon geometries help track material to belt velocityโ€”minimising belt wear and reducing misalignment.
  • Strategic liner selection extends life in critical wear zones under extreme abrasion.
  • Modular chute designs allow for fast liner swap-outs without major disassembly.
  • 3D scanning & CAD design ensures new chute sections fit seamlessly into existing HPGR and conveyor frameworks.

By designing smarter transfer systems with these technologies, we enable operators to reduce downtime, increase liner life, and protect critical assets in high-throughput mining applications.

Uptime Benefits at a Glance

Performance AreaImpact on Mining Operations
Smooth bulk material flowFewer clogs, improved throughput, longer operating cycles
Velocity-matched dischargeLower conveyor belt wear and downtime
Robust wear protectionLonger life, fewer liner replacements
Modular designFaster maintenance turnarounds during scheduled shutdowns
3D scanning & CAD integrationPrecise fit, reduced installation time, fewer errors during retrofit

Final Word: Engineering That Keeps the Mining Industry Moving

At Hamilton By Design, we combine mechanical engineering expertise with 3D modelling, material flow simulation, and smart fabrication practices to deliver high-performance chute, hopper, and transfer point systems tailored for the mining industry.

Whether youโ€™re dealing with a problematic HPGR discharge, spillage issues, or planning a brownfield upgrade, our integrated design process delivers results that improve reliability, extend service life, and protect uptime where it matters most.

Looking to retrofit or upgrade transfer systems at your site?
Letโ€™s talk. We bring together 3D scanning, DEM modelling, practical engineering, and proven reliability to deliver systems that workโ€”from concept through to install.

Reach out at contact@hamiltonbydesign.com.au

#3DScanning #MiningIndustry #Chutes #Hoppers #TransferPoints #3DModelling #MechanicalEngineering #HPGR #PlantUptime #HamiltonByDesign

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Maximizing Equipment Efficiency with ISO 18436.2 Maintenance Strategies

At Hamilton By Design, we know that keeping your equipment running efficiently isnโ€™t just about quick fixes; itโ€™s about adopting the right maintenance strategies to ensure long-term reliability and performance. With advancements in condition monitoring and diagnostic techniques, the ISO 18436.2 standard has become a cornerstone for effective maintenance practicesโ€”and itโ€™s at the heart of how we help our clients optimize their operations.

In this blog post, weโ€™ll explore the major maintenance strategies aligned with ISO 18436.2 and how they can transform your plantโ€™s productivity.

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What is ISO 18436.2?

ISO 18436.2 is an internationally recognized standard that defines the competencies required for personnel performing condition monitoring and diagnostics. It focuses on advanced tools like vibration analysis, helping engineers identify equipment issues before they lead to costly downtime.

At Hamilton By Design, our team is ISO 18436.2-certified, meaning we bring the highest level of expertise to your maintenance needs.


Maintenance Strategies That Deliver Results

ISO 18436.2 aligns with several key maintenance strategies designed to improve reliability, minimize downtime, and optimize equipment performance. Hereโ€™s how they work:

1. Reactive Maintenance

Reactive maintenance is the traditional โ€œrun-to-failureโ€ approach where repairs are made after a breakdown. While not ideal for critical assets, tools like vibration analysis can still play a role by identifying root causes post-failure. This can help inform more proactive strategies in the future.

2. Preventive Maintenance (PM)

Preventive maintenance involves scheduling regular maintenance tasks to prevent failures. While effective to some extent, PM can lead to over-maintenance. By incorporating vibration analysis and other condition monitoring techniques, preventive measures can be more precisely targeted, reducing unnecessary downtime.

3. Condition-Based Maintenance (CBM)

Condition-Based Maintenance uses real-time equipment data to identify issues as they arise. This strategy is central to ISO 18436.2 and includes tools like vibration analysis, thermography, and ultrasonic testing. CBM ensures that maintenance is performed only when necessary, saving time and money.

Benefits:

  • Reduces unplanned downtime.
  • Optimizes maintenance schedules.
  • Extends equipment lifespan.

4. Predictive Maintenance (PdM)

Predictive Maintenance takes CBM a step further, using data trends and analytics to predict when failures are likely to occur. With the expertise of ISO 18436.2-certified personnel, PdM uses advanced tools to detect subtle signs of wear or stress, allowing for intervention before a problem becomes critical.

Key Tools:

  • Vibration analysis for early detection of imbalance or misalignment.
  • Infrared thermography to spot heat anomalies.
  • Ultrasonic testing to identify leaks and material defects.

5. Reliability-Centered Maintenance (RCM)

RCM focuses on understanding the specific failure modes of critical assets and tailoring maintenance strategies accordingly. This approach integrates condition monitoring insights to prioritize tasks that align with operational goals.

Benefits:

  • Aligns maintenance efforts with production priorities.
  • Reduces the risk of unexpected equipment failures.

6. Proactive Maintenance

Proactive maintenance identifies and addresses root causes of recurring issues. By analyzing data from vibration and other diagnostic tools, engineers can resolve underlying problems like misalignment, improper lubrication, or material fatigue.

Impact:

  • Prevents repetitive failures.
  • Improves long-term equipment reliability.

7. Total Productive Maintenance (TPM)

TPM involves a plant-wide effort, from operators to management, to ensure optimal equipment effectiveness. ISO 18436.2-certified personnel can support TPM by providing actionable condition monitoring insights and training operators in basic diagnostic techniques.


How Hamilton By Design Helps

At Hamilton By Design, we bring these strategies to life through tailored maintenance solutions that align with your plantโ€™s needs. Hereโ€™s how we can help:

1. Advanced Condition Monitoring:
Our team uses state-of-the-art tools to monitor equipment health, including vibration analysis, thermography, and ultrasonic testing.

2. Tailored Maintenance Plans:
Every plant is unique. We develop maintenance strategies based on your specific equipment, production goals, and operational priorities.

3. Expert Training and Certification:
We empower your team by offering ISO 18436.2 training, giving them the skills to sustain and enhance maintenance programs.

4. Ongoing Support:
Maintenance is a journey, not a destination. We provide continuous support to refine and optimize your practices as your operations evolve.


The Hamilton By Design Advantage

Adopting advanced maintenance strategies aligned with ISO 18436.2 isnโ€™t just about improving equipment reliabilityโ€”itโ€™s about unlocking greater productivity and profitability for your business.

With our expertise, you can transition from reactive to predictive maintenance, reduce unplanned downtime, and extend the lifespan of your critical assets.

Ready to take your plantโ€™s maintenance strategy to the next level? Contact Hamilton By Design today to find out how we can help.

Visit us at: www.hamiltonbydesign.com.au
Email us: info@hamiltonbydesign.com.au
Call us: +61 0477 002 249

Hamilton By Design


Hamilton By Design | Transforming Maintenance | Elevating Performance