Award winning innovation for the resources sector
Veris has won the award for Innovation & Commercialisation at the 2020 WA Asia-Pacific Spatial Excellence Awards for its Rail Runner system.
Conceptualised, designed, and built by the Veris team in the Pilbara in response to a regular problem confronted by surveyors working on mining assets in the region, the innovative Rail Runner system eliminates working at height risks, while also minimising costly shutdowns of production assets.
Brenton Tidow, Manager of Karratha operations for Veris, led the development of the Rail Runner system.
By using base materials, a rolling trolley and some ingenuity, a mechanism was designed and fabricated that utilises a system to enable auto-levelling of the survey prism to occur.
Commenting on the innovation, Brenton said, “Usually, to utilise the prism the operator must look down on the bubble, and therefore requires direct access to the top of the rails.
“The Rail Runner eliminated the need to work on a platform ladder near the conveyor as well as working at heights risks, and instead, a safety step is all that’s needed.
“Also, because there is no requirement to have access to view the bubble on the prism, the survey works can be completed more efficiently.”
With the support of a major iron ore producer in the Pilbara, the innovation has been deployed with great results.
Used on rails that were 670 metres in length, the Rail Runner removed the need to gain direct access to the rail, eliminating work at heights and manual handling risks whilst delivering increased productivity.
The client was so impressed with the innovation, it requested it be used as a ‘Celebrating Success’ moment to be shared internally.