Mining machinery manufacturer Joy Global has officially opened its first Australian remote access facility at the University of Wollongong's innovation campus.
The facility provides Joy Global with a direct data link to all of its longwall equipment at its customer's coal mine sites.
"A large video wall screens data from customer mine sites, enabling engineers to quickly review data, diagnose, and provide technical support," the company explained.
It is part of the manufacturer's new operations site, which officially opened in April earlier this year.
These new offices house Joy's sales, control & automation, safety & certification, smart services and longwall teams, as well as its new high-tech remote access facility.
It chose the university as it is close to miners such as Gujarat NRE and BHP Billiton Illawarra.
Brad Neilson, Joy Global Australasia's VP of Hard Rock Mining Systems, said it is looking to work closely with its customers as well as the university.
"At the Innovation Campus we have a beautiful, modern office environment for our team, Neilson said.
"Its accessibility means we can easily demonstrate the benefits of having remote access to mine equipment to our customers, and we are in an excellent position to attract graduates. We plan to increase our R&D collaboration with both our customers and the University of Wollongong, particularly given its research strengths in engineering, mining and information technology.
“While we are an engineering-based company, we’re part of a global team and are increasingly reliant on technology. Our location on the Innovation Campus provides excellent access to high-speed data and network infrastructure, as well as a community of high-tech companies who we hope to collaborate with in the future."