INNOVATIVE NEW VOID SCANNER GETS CANADIAN INSTITUTE OF MINING SHOW LAUNCH BY MDL

AN innovative new void scanner for on-the-spot, underground mine surveys is launched by Measurement Devices Ltd (MDL) today (April 29) at the Canadian Institute of Mining Show, Montreal.

The Void Scanner 150 (VS150), is designed, manufactured and distributed by eye-safe laser technology specialist MDL as the latest addition to its range of industrial-quality laser scanners used worldwide in many industrial applications.

Developed mainly for use in underground mining, the VS150 is practical and easy-to-use for the 3D laser scanning of subterranean voids, stopes, tunnels and shafts.

Designed for use by mine foremen, surveyors and engineers, the VS150 weighs only 3.5kgs and is 130mm wide and 490mm long, making it light and easy to carry where access is limited or potentially dangerous.

Versatile use by tripod, boom, mast, crane or wire line is created by mounting points on the VS150 which also has built-in digital 4 axis 'pitch and roll' sensors to automatically correct for dislevelment when deployed either vertically (+/- 70° degrees) or horizontally (+/- 70° degrees).

The VS150 scan rate is 250 points per second with a scan range of 360° degrees horizontal axis continuous and 300° degrees vertical axis continuous. Data output and control (from tablet PC's or PDA's) is via an Ethernet cable of up to 1km length. A Wi-Fi option will be available when the instrument is deployed from robotic unmanned mining machinery.

The launch of the VS150 follows the huge success of MDL’s 50mm-diameter Cavity Autoscanning Laser System (C-ALS) which is used for carrying out remote surveys, from above ground, of subterranean voids and cavities.

MDL founder and managing director, Steve Ball, says: “The success of C-ALS led to demand from the mining industry for a lightweight, rugged, multi-purpose laser scanner which can be used daily to make measurements inside mine workings by staff such as mine foremen or surveyors.

“VS 150 has been created using elements of C-ALS but omitting items such as the camera and navigation system. The instrument has the same performance as C-ALS in that it is capable of producing 3D laser scans allowing visualisation of the shape and size of the cavities and voids, tunnels and shafts and data measured can be exported to most major CAD systems."

“We see VS150’s typical use as being before and after excavations, before or after drilling and blasting and for end-of-shift volumetric measurements to gain a quick, easy, accurate record of productivity. It is easy to use – you do not require technological expertise - and, as such, is a vital new piece of equipment for the modern mining engineer.”

MDL, founded in 1983, has three operational bases. These are a production, design and administration headquarters in Aberdeen, Scotland; a sales and technical support base for the Americas at Houston, Texas and a UK, European, Africa and Asia sales and technical support centre at York, England where the company moved into newly-built multi-million pound premises last year.

For Pricing and availability and details of a dealer nearest to you call MDL on

UK Tel: +44 1904 791 139 email: sales@mdl.co.uk

Or

US Tel: +1 281 646 0050 email: sales@mdl-laser.com

30/04/07 05:44pm