3D Animations and Visualizations for Mining

3D animations and visualizations for mining are what we produce for manufacturers of mining machinery, equipment and systems: longwall systems, mobile machines, underground haulage, methane drainage stations, pumps and processing equipment. We show equipment where it works, in an underground roadway, in an open-pit mine or in a processing plant, as well as what cannot be seen from the outside. The material is built from the manufacturer’s CAD documentation and is used in sales, at trade fairs, in tender bids and in training. We have delivered such animations for Exme Berger, Nepean, Mine Master and Carbospec, among others.

Mining and heavy industry are sectors close to us. We have delivered projects for them ranging from single product visualizations to animations of complete mining systems, and manufacturers come back to us with further equipment.

Which mining machines, equipment and systems do we show?

We work for companies that design and manufacture equipment for mines. A 3D animation or visualization shows the viewer how a machine works, how it interacts with the rest of the system and how it looks in its target working environment. These are the areas where we have delivered projects:

• Longwall systems: powered roof supports, longwall shearers, armoured face conveyors. We show how the machines work together at the face and how the whole mining system operates. For Nepean we produced animations of an integrated mining system, from powered roof supports to the haulage of mined material, and for Becker-Warkop a series of 3D visualizations of mining machinery, including longwall equipment.
• Mobile machines: drill rigs and roof bolting rigs, loaders, haul trucks. The animation shows rock drilling, roof bolting and the machine at work on site. For Mine Master we prepared visualizations of the Face Master drill rig and an animation of a drill rig building shelters and tunnels.
• Underground haulage: suspended monorails and floor-mounted railways, transport of mined material, supplies and crews. In the visualizations for Becker-Warkop we showed the components of a mining transport system, and for AZIS Mining Service an animation of products for transporting mined material and supplies underground, together with mining machinery and mine operations.
• Methane drainage, fire prevention, air conditioning and ventilation. Gas processes take place inside closed pipelines and boreholes, so animation is the best way to show them. For Exme Berger we produced an animation of the mine methane drainage process and an animation of a modular methane drainage station that converts captured methane into electricity. In the animation for AZIS we showed a foamed inhibitor being applied near the longwall face.
• Roadway support and longwall decommissioning. For Carbospec we showed the installation of a mesh that secures the roadway from the GRID CARBO system and the TubeCarbo system, whose components are no longer visible after installation.
• Pumps and mine dewatering. For Zamep, a manufacturer of centrifugal pumps used, among other things, for mine dewatering, we prepared a series of 3D visualizations of industrial pumps from production files, for catalogues, trade fairs and the website.
• Mineral processing: screens, vibrating feeders, crushers. For Demetrix we produced a film combining 3D animation of machines with live-action footage.
• Automation, control, communication and explosion-proof equipment. For Becker-Warkop we recreated in 3D a new model of a communicator for underground use, based on photos of the concept. For Eltel we made visualizations of mining equipment.
• Belts, ropes, chains and belt conveyors. Components that work in motion and under load; their design and the conveyor route are easier to show in an animation than in a photo.

Which types of mining do we prepare animations for?

The machine’s working environment determines what the animation needs to show: conditions at a coal longwall face differ from those in a salt mine chamber or in a quarry. We recreate this environment in 3D so that the viewer sees the equipment in real working conditions.

• Underground hard coal mining, longwall method: longwall systems, powered roof supports, shearers and armoured face conveyors, suspended monorails, longwall support and decommissioning. Projects: Nepean, Exme Berger, AZIS.
• Methane mines and gas hazards: methane drainage, methane capture and utilisation, drainage stations, equipment operating in explosion hazard zones. Projects: Exme Berger.
• Underground metal ore mining, room-and-pillar method: drill rigs and roof bolting rigs, loaders, haul trucks and other mobile machines, scaling and roof bolting, haulage of mined material. Drill rigs and roof bolting rigs used, among others, in room-and-pillar mining are manufactured by Mine Master, for whom we prepared visualizations and an animation of a drill rig.
• Salt and chemical raw material mining: chambers and roadways, mobile machines, haulage, roadway support.
• Surface lignite mining: excavators, spreaders, long-distance belt conveyors, pit dewatering.
• Aggregate and rock quarries: quarries, gravel and sand pits, limestone mines; crushers, screens, feeders, conveyors, loaders and haul trucks.
• Mineral processing and beneficiation: processing plants, screening, classification, crushing, hydraulic transport. Projects: Demetrix.
• Mine dewatering: multistage pumps, pump units and pipelines. Projects: Zamep.
• Shafts and mine construction: shaft sinking, shaft hoists, roadway driving. For Tauron Wydobycie we produced an animation for the inauguration of the construction of the Grzegorz shaft in Jaworzno.
• Tunnels, underground construction and defence: rock drilling, bolting, construction of shelters and protective structures. Projects: Mine Master.
• Mines in closure and reuse of infrastructure: longwall decommissioning and a second life for underground infrastructure. For JSW and Energoprojekt Katowice we prepared an animation of the concept of a pumped-storage power plant in the infrastructure of the decommissioned Krupiński mine.

What does 3D animation show better than a photo or a data sheet?

Mining equipment usually cannot be filmed where it works or brought to a trade fair stand. 3D animation solves both problems:

• Work where a camera cannot go: underground roadways, the longwall face, explosion hazard zones, the inside of a pipeline or borehole.
• The whole system instead of a single machine: how the equipment interacts with the roof supports, the conveyor, haulage and the rest of the mine infrastructure.
• Cross-sections and operating principle: mechanisms inside the housing and processes broken down into successive stages, as in the methane drainage animation for Exme Berger.
• Assembly, service and procedures: assembly sequence, components hidden after installation, maintenance tasks, training material for the crew.

Manufacturers use these materials at trade fairs, in sales meetings, in tender bids, in catalogues and on websites, as well as at events such as a shaft construction inauguration. The same 3D model produces catalogue renders and frames for manuals. If training requires interaction, the model can be used in a VR application, as in the VR mine project for health and safety training with JSW Innowacje and the Central Mining Institute (GIG).

How do we prepare an animation of a mining machine?

The starting point is the manufacturer’s documentation, most often CAD files in STEP format, as well as IGES, Parasolid or native CAD files. They let the 3D model match the production version of the machine. We accept documentation after signing an NDA. If CAD files are not available, we rebuild the model from technical drawings and photos. Details are in our guide to STEP files.

We model the working environment, that is the roadway, roof supports, adjacent machines and mine infrastructure, based on documentation and materials from the client. We consult the script and the technical accuracy of the animation with the manufacturer’s specialists throughout the project.

We prepare a quote within 24 hours of receiving the materials. Read more about animations of how devices and processes work on our 3D technical animation page, and see examples of our work in mining industry projects.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Who do you make 3D animations for mining for?

Primarily for manufacturers and suppliers of machinery, equipment and systems for mines who want to present their equipment to customers. We have also produced material for mining companies and design offices, for example an animation for a shaft construction inauguration and an animation of a pumped-storage power plant concept in a decommissioned mine.

Are the animations only for hard coal mining?

No. We show equipment for underground hard coal, metal ore and salt mining, surface mining, aggregate and rock quarries and processing plants, as well as for shaft sinking, tunnelling and underground construction.

What files is an animation of a mining machine made from?

Ideally from the manufacturer’s CAD files: STEP, IGES, Parasolid or native CAD files. They give the most accurate model and the most accurate quote. Without them we rebuild the model from technical drawings and photos, which extends the project.

Is our technical documentation safe?

Yes. We accept documentation after signing an NDA, and we can sign it before you send any files.

How much does an animation or visualization of a mining machine cost?

Animation projects start from EUR 1,500 net, and a typical animation falls between EUR 1,500 and EUR 4,500 net. Visualizations start from EUR 30 net per shot, with the 3D model quoted separately based on the files. The price depends mainly on the complexity of the machine, the length of the material and whether you have CAD documentation. Sample calculations are in our article How much does visualization and 3D animation cost?

How long does an animation take?

Usually 3 to 8 weeks, from storyboard approval to delivery of the finished material. We prepare a quote within 24 hours of receiving the materials. You can send an enquiry through our contact form.