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