Catching the attention of the engineering industry, the Queensland Mining and Engineering Exhibition (QME) has announced an engineering-exclusive masterclass series to be held at the 2024 event.
Alongside exhibitions, networking, and events, the 3 free-to-attend masterclasses will mark another reason for engineers across the sector to make their way out of the office and to the Mackay Showgrounds from July 23-25.
QME, Australia’s largest regional mining exhibition, offers free, expert-led, professional development presentations specifically targeted at engineering CPD. The 2024 series will cover pragmatic approaches to supervision, practical hazard identification, and optimising belt conveyor systems.
Hosted at the gateway to the Bowen Basin in Mackay, the biennial QME attracts thousands of attendees. With over 300 exhibitions and multiple networking events, engineers can see and touch the latest innovations in mining technology and decarbonisation, meet other like-minded professionals and leaders in their field, and gain insights from across the mining industry.
The 2024 engineering masterclasses are relevant to different aspects of the role of engineers. In the session focused on supervision, Statutory Trainer and Assessor Hamish Beattie will speak to the broad number of personnel responsible for safety, welfare, productivity, and compliance. He will discuss how a mining organisation can plan for efficiency and profitability through effective supervision. Mr Beattie will also present a masterclass on hazard identification, including a roadmap for improved hazard identification and risk perception, to implement effective and reliable controls.
In a more practical workshop on bulk material handling, engineers will explore the role of belt conveyor component testing in designing and optimising conveyor systems, as well as typical issues and how they can be prevented. Dr Priscilla Freire of TUNRA Bulk Solids, a non-profit specialised consultancy based at the University of Newcastle, says that the masterclasses planned for QME are designed to be practical, engineering-specific and made to complement some of the technologies on display at QME.
Speaking about the 2-hour TUNRA Bulk Solids workshop, Dr Freire says, “When you’re attending an event like QME and being exposed to new technology, gaining an understanding of how the combination of material and components affects belt conveyor utilisation is important, especially to optimise and streamline your belt conveyor operations.”
QME Exhibition Director Samantha Martin says that the engineering masterclasses are the icing on the cake of what was already an ideal event for engineers at every level.
“The 2024 exhibition is set to break records across multiple indoor and outdoor exhibition areas. Engineers will love the large-scale mining equipment on display this year from Hastings Deering, Komatsu, and Hitachi Construction Machinery. They will also get a chance to see the latest innovations paving the way for future mining technology in the decarbonisation showcase, and can have face-to-face conversations with major mining companies, including Anglo American, BHP + BMA, Bravus, BUMA, Glencore, Mackellar Group and Whitehaven Coal in the Mining House Pavilion.”
If hundreds of exhibition stalls and a dedicated opportunity for CPD weren’t enough, engineers can build important career-strengthening connections and unwind at QME’s multiple networking events, such as the QME Opening Party and the Queensland Mining Awards.
Entry to QME 2024 is entirely free, but the masterclasses require registration. The sessions will benefit engineers at every level, from students and graduates to management and site personnel. See the full program and register to attend at www.qmeexpo.com.au.