Even before CDI was incorporated, its founders were developing breakthrough technologies that have now become industry standards. CDI has always been an industry pioneer that has generated numerous innovations.

Year	Innovation
1998	Los Pelambres project, world's largest downhill conveyor system (3 conveyors, 12.7 km, 1296 m drop, 8700 tph) [link]
1998	Development of SAG, AG and ball mill modeling program (particle dynamics modeling) [ Sold to Metso Minerals ]
1996	Zisco project, world's longest single flight horizontal curve conveyor (15.6 km) [link]
1995	Development 32 bit CPU based drive/brake controller
1994	Development of granular flow for chute analysis [link]
1993	Development of Mine Simulation Program
1992	Morenci project [link]
1992	Design of DAQ-1 Data Acquisition System
1991	Development of new splice patterns 2, 3, 4 and 5 step optimization [link]
1991	Design of UPS-1 Module & DEFT-2
1991	Development of PSTRESS 3, (FEA) [link]
1990	First belt splice study using FEA
1990	Development of BELTSTAT [link], rubber rheological model
1990	Quadrature encoder noise filter with fastest, most accurate analog-digital regulation
1989	Design of DEFT-1 Tachometer
1989	World's first look-ahead preemptive start/stop control - Waihi Gold, New Zealand
1988/9	First curved conveyor - 20.5 km overland with longest horizontal curve arc at 5 km - Channar, Australia [link]
1987	Predicted pulley failures (1987-1993) - Kennecott, Bingham Canyon, USA [link] - Quintette, B.C., Canada [link]- Kennecott, Chino, USA - Syncrude, Alberta, Canada
1987	World's strongest belt splice strength rating (ST-3300N/mm) up to 1996 - Palabora, RSA [link]
1987	First mine-wide PLC System with Graphics - Palabora, RSA [link]
1986	First proportional brake control of head and tail drives - Kennecott, Bingham Canyon, USA [link]
1986	Palabora project [link]
1984	PCURV horizontal curve engineering code
1983	PSTRESS - Triaxial stress and fatigue analysis code for pulleys [link]
1983	BELTFLEX predicts failure at Quintette, Canada [link]
1981	Formed Conveyor Dynamics, Inc., a Delaware-based corporation
1980	Minera Carbonifera Rio Escondido (M.I.C.A.R.E.) 9 km overland with head/tail drive - our first dynamic analysis application - Sonora, Mexico
1980	BELTFLEX - dynamic analysis code with 2-D wave equation [link]
1977	PSHAFT - pulley shell, disk and shaft stress analysis code
1976	First inverter installation for belt conveyors (multiplexed) - La Caridad, Mexico
1975	Load sharing equations for multiple-driven pulleys
1967	Initial development of BELTSTAT Architecture Version 1 based on 1966 CEMA handbook