IM 2016 November 2016 | Page 53

DRILL CONSUMABLES_proof 26/10/2016 10:31 Page 3 DRILL CONSUMABLES the Hobic and Craelius lines with the latest technology from the Excore line, “the G14 diamond tools group can handle any drilling application on the planet. As a result, contractors can simplify their ordering process, and know they are getting the most productivity out of their core drilling matrices.” Rockmore’s Vector Rod breakthrough Rockmore International officially unveiled its new Vector Rod System to the North American market at MINExpo 2016. Conceived to be a major breakthrough in improving performance and service life of extension drill tools in surface and underground percussive drilling applications, the new line of drill tools “promises tremendous advantages in productivity and reliability”, says the company. “After several years of intense research and development followed up with monitored field tests in various ground conditions, Rockmore engineers developed a new thread design, XT, for the Vector Rod System. The new XT design incorporates revolutionary new guided cylindrical contact zones between the male and female thread joints. These guided surface features are located in the nose and rear of the thread connections and serve various benefits and improvements over traditional threads.” The XT thread profile is based on the traditional trapezoidal “T” thread design and is therefore compatible with industry standard thread types such as T38, T45, and T51. “Thus, one can interchange and connect standard “T” style threaded components with the new XT thread, although the guiding advantages aforementioned would be neglected. For example, a T45 threaded bit or shank adapter can be connected to a XT45 threaded rod with full compatibility. In order to achieve the full engineered benefits of the XT thread, however, one must consider the drill string as a system of connections between the shank adapter, rods, and the bit in extension drilling applications. Thus, the XT thread design employed in the Vector Rod System enables many performance and reliability benefits leading to major overall cost savings in the drilling cycle.” “We specifically targeted an increase in thread service life while enhancing drilling performance in extension drilling applications,” says Pejman Eghdami, Executive Vice President of Rockmore International, in explaining the goal of developing the Vector Rod System. The dual cylindrical contact zones in the nose and rear of the XT threads significantly increase the lateral support between thread joints and stabilise the connections with more rigidity to provide better energy transfer. The enhanced thread support and geometry extends thread life and increases the overall component service life of the shank adapters, rods, and bits with XT threads that comprise the Vector Rod System. “Because the XT thread guide feature improves thread alignment, the impact duration when ‘rattling’ rods, as required in uncoupling connections, is minimised. This leads to lower wasted energy transmission, cooler couplings on rods, and ultimately to longer rod life. Thread PROVEN PERFORMANCE IN THE MOST EXTREME CONDITIONS. Mincon MQ Range of DTH Hammers & Drill Bits At MINCON, we understand that high quality products increase productivity. The New Mincon MQ Range of premium performance DTH hammers and drill bits raise the bar once again for productivity, reliability and longevity in blast hole applications. Utilizing industry standard shanks without need for a foot valve the Mincon MQ Range delivers high performance and greatly reduces downtime. Visit mincon.com to find out