CADDS Group Enhances Safety and Reduces Costs in Iron Ore Facilities with Innovative Guarding System

• Platform as a Service (PaaS) - Application Development Platforms
• Sensors - Temperature Sensors

• Cement
• Mining

• Facility Management
• Product Research & Development

• Time Sensitive Networking
• Virtual Prototyping & Product Testing

• System Integration
• Testing & Certification

Rio Tinto Iron Ore (RTIO) operates a network of integrated iron ore mine and port facilities across the Pilbara region of Western Australia. To optimize workforce safety, RTIO engaged CADDS Group to conduct site guarding audits for all 17 iron ore plants, complete site verification for high risk assets, and replace or update those assets. The AUD 80 million project required CADDS to obtain data and documentation of existing infrastructure at all sites and complete the guarding work within the plants’ scheduled 12-week shutdown cycles. Prior to this project, CADDS would send a team of drafters to the site to create 2D drawings of the existing facilities. From these 2D drawings, designers would create 3D as-built models. The team used these often-inaccurate models to design and fabricate the new guarding, which was expensive because unique components were required for every install. Furthermore, once on site for the install, CADDS usually found that the new guarding did not fit, resulting in time-consuming, costly rework.

CADDS Group is a leading engineering and design consultancy providing diverse services across multiple industries, including mining. They were engaged by Rio Tinto Iron Ore (RTIO) to conduct site guarding audits for all 17 iron ore plants in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. The project involved complete site verification for high risk assets, and replacing or updating those assets to optimize workforce safety. The project was estimated to cost AUD 80 million and required CADDS to obtain data and documentation of existing infrastructure at all sites and complete the guarding work within the plants’ scheduled 12-week shutdown cycles.

CADDS Group decided to digitalize workflows to optimize site investigation and develop a modular design that was standardized, easy to install, eliminated on-site welding, and allowed for condition monitoring. The team invested in 3D laser scanning to capture the site and imported the point clouds into MicroStation and Descartes for processing to create usable, digital reference files for existing on-site structures. This improved modeling accuracy, and with Bentley applications the team could quickly transfer even the largest point cloud files. The team introduced ContextCapture for the Dampier, Parker Point site audit, sending surveyors to the location equipped with digital cameras for data acquisition. The photogrammetric investigation identified 700 issues that required rectification due to missing or damaged guards, poor deflection, excessive gaps, or insufficient signage. Using Bentley’s reality modeling application enabled the creation of a multiresolution reality mesh from the captured images, reducing reliance on expensive 3D scanning and accelerating design time.

• The implementation of Bentley’s 3D BIM and reality modeling applications allowed CADDS to develop a connected digital platform to optimize production. This data-centric approach enabled the company to close the gap between stakeholders, reduce costs, minimize waste, and eliminate rework. Having required deliverables for each discipline on a digital platform allowed CADDS to record and retain data, models, and design information. This integrated workflow also permitted the organization to respond to design issues in real-time, enhancing quality control and mitigating risks of costly on-site errors during installation. The new modular design improved on-site safety at mining facilities and reached a wider market than has previously been possible with Bentley technology as the foundation for its workflow processes.

• Bentley’s digital, standardized design solution saved CADDS an estimated AUD 24 million across all RTIO mining sites.
• MicroStation, OpenBuildings Designer, and ContextCapture helped achieve a 10% reduction in design and fabrication costs.
• Altering the designs within the 3D model space saved 12 weeks otherwise associated with on-site installation modifications.