Stop Guessing, Start Scanning: How 3D Laser Scanning Prevents Costly Shutdown Delays
The Hidden Cost of Shutdown Guesswork
Every plant shutdown or maintenance outage in the mining and heavy industrial sector carries risk — and cost.
When those outages are built on guesswork, missing data, or outdated drawings, the results can be catastrophic: schedule blowouts, rework, safety risks, and expensive downtime.
In the coal wash plants of the Bowen Basin, in Hunter Valley CHPP facilities, and across New South Wales processing plants, operators know that every hour counts. A misaligned chute, an incorrect bolt pattern, or a pipe section that doesn’t quite fit can push a project from “on time and under budget” to a costly, stressful delay.
That’s why leading operators and engineering managers are turning to 3D laser scanning and LiDAR modelling — the modern way to plan shutdowns with accuracy, confidence, and control.
What Is 3D Laser Scanning?
3D laser scanning (also called LiDAR scanning) uses high-precision instruments — such as the FARO Focus 3D — to capture millions of spatial data points across a plant, structure, or piece of equipment.
Each scan builds a “point cloud”, a digital 3D snapshot of the real-world environment accurate to within millimetres.
When those scans are combined, engineers gain a complete, measurable model of the plant as it truly exists — not as old 2D drawings suggest it should.
At Hamilton By Design, this data becomes the foundation for design, modelling, and mechanical engineering analysis.
From here, the reverse-engineering process begins — translating those point clouds into precise SolidWorks 3D models ready for plant upgrades, fabrication, and installation.
Why Traditional Measurement Fails
For decades, plant engineers relied on manual tape measures, plumb lines, and site sketches. Those methods still work — but only when the environment is simple, accessible, and static.
In a real-world CHPP or processing plant, that’s almost never the case.
Space constraints, elevated structures, and worn or modified equipment make accurate measurement difficult and dangerous. Even small misalignments of 5–10 mm can cause massive fit-up issues once fabrication is complete.
When shutdown access is limited to a few days per year, you don’t get a second chance.
That’s why laser scanning is so valuable — it captures the plant’s geometry as-built, not as imagined. It means engineers can design directly inside that real-world model, preventing surprises that lead to costly rework.
From Point Cloud to Precision: The Hamilton By Design Workflow
At Hamilton By Design, we combine field experience, mechanical trade knowledge, and advanced digital tools to produce design models that fit right the first time.
Here’s how it works:
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Site Visit & Scanning – A portable 3D laser scanner is set up on tripods around the plant. Each scan takes only minutes and captures millions of precise data points, safely from the ground.
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Point Cloud Registration – All scans are combined into a single, fully aligned 3D model, forming an accurate digital twin of your facility.
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3D Modelling & Design – The point cloud is imported into SolidWorks, allowing Hamilton By Design to model new chutes, platforms, conveyors, and pipework directly within the scanned environment.
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Clash Detection & Verification – Before fabrication, we run interference checks to ensure every new component clears existing structures, services, and access zones.
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Fabrication Drawings & E-Drawings – Once verified, the models are converted into fabrication-ready 2D drawings and e-drawings for seamless communication with contractors and fabricators.
This process transforms how shutdowns are planned, reducing unknowns and guaranteeing every component bolts straight in.
Real-World Example: Bowen Basin CHPP Upgrade
A client in the Bowen Basin recently engaged Hamilton By Design to model a replacement transfer chute and associated access platform.
The challenge: the original drawings were outdated, and the plant had undergone multiple ad-hoc modifications over 15 years.
A shutdown window of only 72 hours was available for removal, fabrication, and reinstallation.
Using 3D scanning, we captured the entire structure within a single site day.
The resulting SolidWorks model revealed several misalignments between the old structure and the intended new design.
By adjusting the fabrication drawings before steel was cut, the team eliminated a major fit-up issue that would have delayed the project by at least 48 hours.
The result?
- Installed first time.
- Zero rework.
- Shutdown completed ahead of schedule.
That’s the measurable value of scanning before shutdown — and it’s now standard practice across all Hamilton By Design projects.
Reducing Rework, Improving Safety
Every hour spent cutting, grinding, or welding on-site increases risk — to people, schedule, and quality.
By pre-validating fit-ups digitally, we dramatically reduce the need for hot work and manual modification during shutdowns.
This not only saves time; it keeps your workforce safer.
Crews spend less time working at heights, in confined spaces, or near operational hazards.
The 3D scan becomes a safety planning tool, allowing supervisors to visualise access routes, lifting points, and exclusion zones before the first bolt is loosened.
Applications Across Industries
While 3D scanning is now common in the mining sector, its benefits extend across multiple industries:
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Coal Handling Preparation Plants (CHPPs) – chute and screen upgrades, diverter systems, walkways, and transfer towers.
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Processing Plants – pipework reroutes, pump replacements, and equipment retrofits.
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Construction & Infrastructure – structural steel validation, clash detection for MEP systems, and as-built verification.
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Water Treatment & Utilities – accurate plant mapping for future expansion or asset management.
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Energy & Manufacturing Facilities – digital twins for predictive maintenance and capital planning.
If your work involves precision fit-ups, confined spaces, or legacy infrastructure, scanning is your best insurance against downtime.
The ROI of 3D Scanning: Measured in Days, Not Dollars
It’s tempting to view 3D scanning as an added cost.
In reality, it’s one of the most cost-effective risk mitigation tools available to plant owners.
Consider this:
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A CHPP might produce $15,000–$40,000 in product per hour.
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A single day of lost production equals $360,000–$960,000 in lost revenue.
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A full-site scan typically costs less than 1% of that.
When scanning prevents just half a day of rework, the investment pays for itself many times over.
That’s why more maintenance superintendents, project planners, and reliability engineers are integrating scanning into every outage plan.
The Competitive Advantage for Maintenance Engineers
In today’s mining and industrial landscape, efficiency is a competitive advantage.
Sites that adopt laser scanning not only deliver better outcomes — they win repeat work, improve contractor coordination, and enhance their reputation for reliability.
For maintenance engineers, it’s also a career advantage.
Being able to show management and clients a 3D point cloud, a digital twin, or a verified as-built model elevates your credibility instantly.
You’re no longer hoping your measurements are right — you can prove it.
Integration with Digital Engineering & Asset Management
Laser scanning isn’t just a field tool — it’s the foundation of digital asset management.
When combined with SolidWorks, FEA analysis, and BIM integration, scanned models can support a full lifecycle view of equipment and infrastructure.
That means:
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Every future modification can be modelled accurately.
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Asset data can be visualised and shared across teams.
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Maintenance histories can be tied to 3D geometry.
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Predictive maintenance can be planned around real geometry, not assumptions.
For organisations embracing Industry 4.0 and digital twins, this is a critical first step.
Hamilton By Design: Bringing Field and Engineering Together
What sets Hamilton By Design apart isn’t just the technology — it’s the combination of engineering experience and trade background.
With over 25 years in mechanical design, fabrication, and site work, we understand both the digital and physical sides of engineering.
We’ve been in the shutdown trenches, worked with riggers, fitters, and fabricators, and know that precision matters when the clock is ticking.
That’s why our scanning and modelling process is practical, fast, and focused on real-world fit and function.
Whether you’re a CHPP Superintendent, Maintenance Engineer, or Project Planner, we deliver one clear outcome:
Confidence that your design will fit — first time.
Serving Australia’s Mining and Industrial Heartlands
Hamilton By Design proudly supports projects across:
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Bowen Basin
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Surat Basin
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Hunter Valley
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Newcastle & Central Coast
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Western and Central NSW coalfields
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Sydney and Greater NSW industrial facilities
From remote shutdowns to metropolitan infrastructure projects, our approach remains the same — accuracy first, rework never.
When Should You Scan?
Many clients ask when scanning should occur.
Here’s the simple rule: if accuracy matters — scan first.
Ideal times include:
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Before any major shutdown or outage.
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When installing new equipment into existing structures.
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During retrofits or brownfield upgrades.
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Prior to fabrication or steelwork ordering.
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For as-built verification after project completion.
Even a short scanning session can prevent weeks of frustration later.
A Visual Example: From Field to Fabrication
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Laser Scanner in the Field:
Engineers position the scanner near key equipment — conveyors, chutes, or tanks. The scanner sweeps across the plant, collecting millions of measurements per second. -
Point Cloud Processing:
The captured scans are combined into a unified model, creating a true-to-life digital twin.
Visual overlays show areas of interference and available space. -
3D Modelling in SolidWorks:
The design team inserts proposed upgrades directly into the scanned model, ensuring perfect alignment before fabrication. -
Fabrication & Installation:
The verified drawings go to the workshop. Components arrive on-site ready to install — no cutting, no grinding, no guesswork.
The Future of Shutdown Planning
As scanning technology becomes more accessible and portable, it’s quickly becoming an industry standard.
In the near future, plant owners won’t ask “should we scan?” — they’ll ask “who’s scanning this?”.
For Hamilton By Design, this future is already here.
We help Australian industry transition to data-driven design, integrating LiDAR, FEA, and digital engineering into a seamless process that saves time, improves safety, and increases ROI.
Conclusion: Don’t Gamble with Shutdown Time
Every hour of downtime costs money — sometimes millions.
If your next project involves a retrofit, replacement, or upgrade, the smart choice is simple:
Stop guessing. Start scanning.
Hamilton By Design provides:
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3D laser scanning and LiDAR data capture
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Point-cloud modelling and SolidWorks integration
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Reverse engineering and fabrication drawings
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FEA design verification and mechanical consulting
Let’s make your next shutdown your most efficient one yet.
Book a site scan before your next shutdown.
Visit www.hamiltonbydesign.com.au to discuss your project or contact us directly for a capability statement.
