Jord’s task is to develop a safer solution to filter press maintenance. In January, Jord signed a Collaborative Agreement with BHP to design and construct the first prototype of this idea, working hand-in-hand with the maintenance team at BMA’s Caval Ridge Mine, near Moranbah in Queensland.

Jord’s idea is a safer way to perform maintenance on filter presses that remove moisture from coal rejects at the wash plant. It comprises a belt cartridge installer within a self-contained steel frame that holds a new belt and removes the old damaged belt.

Jord’s Mechanical Engineer for Aftermarket and Reliability, Craig Samuel, developed the winning concept and says it eliminates the need for operators to be in physical contact with the filter press.

“Creating a safer environment is the pinnacle of an engineer’s ethos and it’s incorporated in everything we design,” said Mr Samuel.

“We know from experience that efficiency and reliability are critical to mining operations, so I’m proud that this idea will make a traditionally time-consuming task much faster and I’m looking forward to working closely with the Caval Ridge team.”

When developing the award submission, Craig consulted with Jord’s field service team to ensure the concept was practical and rigorous enough to meet the demanding operating conditions.

Jord’s General Manager of Resources, Kevin Barber, says he is proud of his team for having the drive and innovative thinking required to solve this long-standing industry challenge.

“We would like to thank BHP for their recognition and for the opportunity to participate in genuinely collaborative discussions about real challenges faced in the industry.”

“At Jord, we live by the motto ‘ideas engineered’, which means we encourage our people to share new ideas. We often invest in research and development initiatives with a goal to commercialising new products.”

“We look to add value in all our projects, whether it’s increasing safety, reducing risk, producing a higher grade product, increasing plant capacity, minimising environmental impacts, or conclusively proving new industrial processes,” said Mr Barber.

The first belt installer is expected to be in use by June.

For more information, please visit the BHP Website

From left to right: Craig Samuel, Myra Walker, Mark Thomas, Kevin Barber, David Ricapito and Simon Evans.