Austdac Conveyor Monitoring, Control and Communication Systems

Having specialised in mining and material handling solutions for over 25 years, Austdac is a leading global supplier of conveyor monitoring, control and communication systems with installations on every continent.

We have over 1,500 conveyor installations, some having been in operation for more than 15 years. Our commitment to our customers is to offer access to the latest safety technology and solutions and provide backwards compatibility with existing installations, providing upgrade paths to greater functionality and efficiency at a lower cost.

Austdac is now part of the Hubbell ® Harsh and Hazardous Group together with Gai-Tronics, which gives us access and representation worldwide. Our head office is in Sydney, Australia, with branch offices in Mackay Queensland, Pittsburgh in the US and Burton upon Trent in the UK.

Today with over 100 employees behind our products, Austdac provides solutions that are proven, tested and trusted by the world’s largest and most demanding mines. Austdac products are regonised worldwide and have attained IECEx, MSHA, UL, ATEX, GOST, TUV and South African certification.

Conveyor monitoring and control system

The Austdac SILBUS method of conveyor monitoring and control is unique in its one cable approach to both monitoring and control of long distance conveyors of up to 10km in length. Distances and functionality can be further extended using the new galvanic isolating repeater and network bridge. The system is internationally accredited by TÜV – the only one of its kind to be certified SIL3 rating, SIL 2, CAT3 and PL2.

The SILBUS’s unique transmission method allows for the combined transmission of high-integrity SIL3 conveyor emergency stop signals with monitoring and control signals for field devices such as belt alignment switches, tilt switches, belt rip switches as well as analogue values such as bearing temperature and vibration.

Signal monitoring

The range of signals that can now be monitored using the SILBUS range include digital, safety (SIL3), voltage, current, temperature and frequency all in a consistent family of DIN rail mounting or wire in modules.

Fieldbus products for underground mining

Austdac has released a new line of intrinsically safe fieldbus products specifically targeted at hazardous underground mining areas. This new family brings features such as ease of installation, improved ease of customer configuration and diagnostic capability.

SPDT switch for conveyors, crushers and other mining applications

Austdac Pullkey ESS3 SPDT switches are commonly used in applications such as conveyors, coal / ore loaders, longwalls, crushers, material handling and other areas of mining. The product boasts the following features:

• Large wiring cavity
• Four conduit entries
• Tensioned or monitored lanyard versions
• Wide operating temperature range
• Snap action latching operation
• Manual reset
• Passive and active (optional) status indication
• Single or double side acting
• Flexible pull actuators with eyelet (thimble)
• Fully compatible with either a tensioned or non-tensioned system

Intrinsically safe mine telephone system

The ST2 intrinsically safe (IS) barrier 103 model telephone has recently been released into the Australian market. The system barrier is a digital link which isolates the PABX and provides IS lines to the underground phones. The system is monitored via the Phone Manager II GUI which provides the operator with real-time information about the system, including the phone at the end of the line.

Key features of the system:

• The 103 combines the features of the previous models
• The 103 phone is backward compatible to ST/1 series barriers
• Emergency button can store either a tone or dialled number (e.g. 555)
• Longer handset cord, with press switch operation
• Loudspeakers fitted for louder ringing volume (95dB+) and public address announcements from Phone Manager II
• Increased capacity 20 phones per shelf (80 lines per rack)
• Real-time monitored telephone for voltage current, and phone status is all displayed in Phone Manager

GUI interface for mining intercom systems

Austdac’s BMA Exchange provides the operator with a GUI interface to all the intercom systems on the conveyors and long wall. The exchange has the following features:

• The operator can use a standard telephone handset or our specially designed desk top station
• Phone manager GUI display touch-screen optional
• Interfaces to fibre optical cables and the Ethernet
• Send evacuation tone and alarms to all intercoms
• Call queue with hold message