NORDIC SUPPLIERS
The Doofor DF560L can drill up to 89 mm holes and be equipped with one or two Danfoss OMS-type rotation motors
year sales growth of 50 %, thanks to growing demand for robust , world-renowned , trusted hydraulic rock drill products for the drilling industry , the company said . To answer this demand , Doofor has commenced construction on a new workshop and office , with the new premises set to significantly expand the company ’ s logistics and warehouse capacity , as well as broaden its human resources functions .
New innovations in the company ’ s hydraulic rock drill product line include improved bearing functionality and durability , as well as added surface resistance , Doofor noted . These
enhancements have made its product lines that much durable , with the Doofor DF560L series , which received updates in 2021 , epitomising this . The DF560L rock drill , depending on the version , can be used for open-pit or underground applications . The rock drill can drill up to 89 mm holes and be equipped with one or two Danfoss OMS-type rotation motors .
Doofor ’ s latest hydraulic rock drill model is the DF530XS in the new 10 kW power range . This rock drill is unique as it supports compatibility with both female and male drill steels such as R25 , R28 , R32 , FR25 , FR28 , FR32 , HEX7 / 8 ” and HEX1 ”, the company says . The DF530XS can use water or air flushing systems and , thanks to the superior Doofor flushing unit design , the user does not need to waste time replacing flushing seals . The rock drill is capable of drilling holes of up to 51 mm in diameter .
High torque and reliability
The Hägglunds name has been attached to parent company Bosch Rexroth for close to 10 years , but a rebranding exercise means the Hägglunds brand will , again , be front and centre .
The refreshed and revitalised Hägglunds brand appeared at the MINEXCHANGE 2022 SME Annual Conference & Expo in Salt Lake City earlier this year alongside a new product that , Hägglunds says , is answering customers ’ plugand-play drive system needs .
Hägglunds Fusion sees an entire hydraulic direct drive system mounted on the torque arm , making Hägglunds drive system advantages even more attractive for a wide range of applications , it said .
Everything from the hydraulic motor and pumps , to the cabinet that houses them , is mounted on the torque arm , providing high torque and total reliability from a single unit – in a footprint that was previously unthinkable , the Sweden-based company says .
Wolfram Ulrich , Vice President of Sales for Hägglunds products and solutions , said : “ Hägglunds Fusion brings everything together on the torque arm . Not only is there no gearbox or foundation ; there are no alignments or even hydraulic pipes or hoses to consider . A Hägglunds Fusion drive system is as compact it gets .”
For owners of equipment in lower power ranges , such as apron feeders , belt feeders , belt conveyors and infeed conveyors , the Hägglunds Fusion benefits are especially clear , the company says . Streamlined installation means easier access to Hägglunds strengths , which save money and time compared with electromechanical drives .
“ These applications have much to gain from a Hägglunds hydraulic solution , due to their many starts , stops and reversals ,” Ulrich said . “ Choosing Hägglunds gives them maximum torque from zero speed and built-in protection from torque peaks , which ensures high productivity and low cost of ownership . Now we add easier installation to the mix .”
For owners of equipment in lower power ranges , such as apron feeders , belt feeders , belt conveyors and infeed conveyors , the Hägglunds Fusion benefits are especially clear , Hägglunds says
Mission-critical connectivity
Autonomous vehicle technology , internet of things sensors and analytics , machine learning and artificial intelligence all hold tremendous promise , taking mining automation to the next level . All these technologies – and automation more generally – hinge on having a robust communications network across the mine site .
Nokia has been helping miners in the Nordic region and globally with this task , delivering mission-critical wireless connectivity .
With a large-scale , low-grade deposit , Boliden Kevitsa in northern Finland places extra focus on productivity and efficiency , with automation and electrification two key areas of development .
Antti Eskelinen , Finance Manager , Boliden Kevitsa , said wireless connectivity is the main enabler for automation down in the pit .
“ For example , today we have tele-remote drilling , but we are planning to move towards autonomous drilling ,” he said . “ In hauling , we can ensure quality control , such as programming the system to follow what type of material is loaded and trigger an alert when the driver is going to the wrong place to dump it .
“ In addition , the maintenance team can monitor vehicle information and receive alerts to prevent potential failures and other issues . For us , Wi-Fi is not an option . With private wireless , we only need four access points to cover the 14 sq . km pit area , whereas , with Wi-Fi , we would need at least 10 times as many .”
The digital transformation of mines requires wireless connectivity , but point solutions , such as Wi-Fi , have limited capabilities , according to Jaime Laguna , Head of Nokia ’ s Mining and O & G Business .
Private wireless networks come with 4.9G / LTE and 5G mobile technologies , which meet the requirements and set the standard for even the most ambitious digital mining applications , including autonomous haulage , Laguna says .
“ Nokia industrial wireless solutions can support all mission and business-critical applications on a single network ,” he said . “ Typical applications include push-totalk and push-tovideo , highdefinition video , low latency edge computing for remote , automated and autonomous operations and support for low power sensor networks , telemetry and IoT applications and analytics .” Edzcom has been the long-term partner
36 International Mining | MAY 2022