Spotlight Feature Articles SURFACE DRILLING | Page 5

SURFACE DRILLING application where multi-pass drilling at an angle calls for speed and precision. This is also a new market for Komatsu drills, which triggers things like change management for new products with new technology. Interestingly, Komatsu says it found that users commented that the 77XR was “really easy to learn.” Things like general ergonomics, such as joystick configuration with buttons in reach, using ISO symbols, screen placement, visibility, indicators, are all things that enable operators to become quickly proficient. “That combined with new features, like the Auto Bit Changer and easy accessibility to service points like the location of the machine’s hydraulic pumps, make for a nice design layout.” Overall Komatsu has also continued its research and development with drill automation as a top development project, leveraging the larger Komatsu portfolio of technology businesses and products, along with dedicated data solutions experts that are integrated into the business. “We are committed to incremental technology releases that keep us on pace for a fully autonomous drill. The team has been working together with Modular and MineWare Phoenix drill control to use lessons learned and implement advanced sensor capabilities for best- in-class solutions.” Sandvik’s SICA at the core IM spoke to Demetre Harris, Sandvik Product Manager, Automation who is overseeing the company’s development of a fully autonomous drill offering. Currently full tele-remote functionality has been completed and the project is finalising areas such as auto-tramming, path planning, auto-pipe handling and other aspects of full autonomy. Harris said that Sandvik is preparing to move its full autonomous program to Site Acceptance Testing, and that demonstrations with customers have already taken place on their test rig located on proving grounds near the Sandvik mining drills factory in Alachua, Florida. For the next stage, Sandvik has several customers who are expressing interest in completing the assessment at their operations. At the core of Sandvik’s automation solution is its Sandvik Intelligent Control System Architecture (SICA), effectively the company’s command/control platform. Unlike others on the market, SICA is being used across all automated product lines within the company including surface rotary and DTH drills to underground face drills and longhole/ITH drills. This gives it unique component to component communication and extends functionality across entire fleets of drills for example. SICA also offers a high degree of interoperability. Harris says: “Both SICA combined with the drill’s design not only enable automation functionality; but are a core difference between our solution and the other solutions on the market. Software between solutions, with time, can be duplicated, transferred, or improved; but changes to the core architecture and machine design are a bit more permanent. Sandvik opted not to rush out a solution and instead has worked hard to get the architecture and design right; which are geared towards automation but also maintainability and performance.” On the main blasthole drill range, the latest model release from June 2019 was designed to improve efficiency and deliver dependable penetration in the world’s harshest mining conditions especially in large copper and gold operations. The Sandvik DR416i delivers a single- pass capacity of 21 m, the longest single-pass mast in its class. Constructed for large diameter (406 mm rotary drilling, the Sandvik DR416i is automation-ready, scalable, and the company says supplies the highest rotational torques and pulldown forces at the lowest possible operating cost. It’s also equipped with the patented Compressor Management System (CMS), designed to reduce the compressor load allowing the operator to manage air volumes and pressures to maximise efficiency and reduce fuel burn thereby also reducing CO 2 footprint and extending engine and compressor life. Sandvik is now completing factory acceptance testing of an autonomous drill at its test quarry near Alachua. This shows monitoring of autotramming of a DR412i Revathi Equipment looks overseas again India’s leading manufacturer of mining blasthole drills is Revathi Equipment Limited (REL) based in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. The company reminded IM of its unique history, as it was founded in 1977 as Revathi CP Equipment Ltd (RECP) following support in the form of financial and technical collaboration from Chicago Pneumatic in the US. Atlas Copco then bought RECP in 1987. Then when Atlas Copco bought Ingersoll Rand in 2002, the Delhi, India-based Renaissance Group acquired REL. In 2004 the company began collaborating with Bucyrus, which ran to October 2010 and saw Bucyrus 33, 35 and 37 DTH drills made in India and sold worldwide with Caterpillar engines. Customers included Vale in Brazil, Kinross Gold, OCP in Morocco and several Australian miners. When Bucyrus bought Terex in 2010 the agreement was not extended because of conflicts of interest then Bucyrus itself was bought by Caterpillar. The point is that under CP and Atlas Copco, then through the tie-up with Bucyrus, the company acquired a vast amount of design and technology experience. It was also using top quality components, and it has carried this forward to the business today. Some 70% of Revathi drill components are still imported from suppliers in the US including motors, pumps and some steel structures as well as Cat 18 and Cummins QSK series engines. APRIL 2020 | International Mining