Our Products
PDS Mining Asset Management Software products help you reduce unplanned downtime, maximise productivity and increase profitability.
PDS Mining Asset Management Software products help you reduce unplanned downtime, maximise productivity and increase profitability.
In 2006, our founder, Peter McCurdy established Productivity Development Solutions, an engineering consultancy business, now more commonly known as PDS.
Sadly, on 25 February 2019, Peter passed away unexpectedly while on holiday in Canada. This tragic event was devastating not only for Peter’s family and the PDS team but also for our customers, many of whom had developed strong, long-lasting friendships with him.
Peter graduated from the University of Newcastle in the mid 1990’s, with a Degree in Mechanical Engineering, though his passion for technology, efficiency advancement and his amazing ability to work an excel spreadsheet, was always driving him towards software development.
Peter’s experience in the field, both before and after establishing PDS, inspired him to seek a more efficient method of capturing asset health data ‘in the field’. He was determined to move away from the traditional paper-based inspection method, dreaming of a digital approach to reporting on assets.
The journey from Peter’s original vision to where PDS stands today did not happen overnight. Peter’s commitment to building strong relationships with customers to ensure our technology meets their specific needs is why it is what it is today! Listening to and collaborating with customers has always been at the forefront of our work and continues to drive the development of our products.
Peter was undoubtedly one of the forefathers of digital transformation in the mining industry.
In January 2007, Peter began developing CcMS (Component Condition Management Software), an industry tool for monitoring the condition of conveyor components. By mid-2007, CiRS (Conveyor Inspection Reporting Software) was introduced, providing planners with a reporting tool that used colour-coded priority indicators and belt maps to easily identify assets needing attention.
By early 2008, CcMS was diversified to create a customised EcMS (Equipment Condition Monitoring System) for a local steel manufacturer.
In 2010, industry trials began for CcMS.Mobile (Idler Management) in the field. The development of a PDA application enabled failures recorded in the field to synchronise with the desktop application, streamlining the management of idler and structure failures and marking a significant step in the evolution of CcMS.
This marked the beginning of the mobile revolution for PDS.
By 2012, growing customer interest in CcMS led to the development of a new Inspections module, allowing users to define, digitally capture, and complete both scheduled and unscheduled routine maintenance tasks.
By the end of 2013, the software had been rebuilt to be a secure, PDS-hosted web solution. At the time, PDS was the only company in Australia providing a PDA-based idler management solution configured to run on Underground Zone 1 (methane) approved IS-rated devices.
As demand for PDS products increased and customer feedback continued, Wear Management was developed. This feature enabled reporting on surface thickness, eliminating guesswork in predicting the lifespan of wear components. Its capabilities soon expanded to track wear on a range of assets, including shuttle wheels, HPGR rollers, and chute liners.
The next innovation was Complex, which enabled simple point-and-click data entry for assets with multiple wear surfaces, such as transfer chutes. This was particularly valuable in operations where tracking individual wear plates and tiles allowed for more accurate stock procurement and handling.
PDS has always focused on innovation and delivering benefits to customers. A significant new release of the PDS Software suite was launched at the end of 2018. By this time, Peter had successfully implemented PDS Software across a multitude of mining sites in Australia. The cost savings and benefits were widely evident, and word of mouth remained our most effective marketing tool. As our customer base grew, so did our team, which remains close-knit and supportive. Peter encouraged the involvement of all team members in software development, fostering a collaborative environment that still defines our ethos today.
The PDS Software suite today comprises the following modules:
Peter’s vision for a user-friendly, field-oriented PDS Software system has become a reality. PDS continues to lead the market in providing simple, real-world solutions.
Now that you know our history, and you want to know more, please visit our Product pages. Please also feel free to contact us and/or request a demo, so we can show you the benefits our products can deliver for you and your Company.
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