Article from Mining & Construction

The SmartROC D65 brings full computerization to DTH drilling in

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For more than 10 years, Atlas Copco’s ROC L8 drill rig has been the most successful DTH crawler in open pits around the world – largely due to its robust construction, high performance and proven reliability.
Now miners can combine the advantages of the ROC L8 with those of the SmartROC; robustness and high performance matched with automation and intelligence. Enter the SmartROC D65.

A mining milestone
According to the developers, the new rig is an evolution in surface drilling that represents a milestone for the mining industry.
“The SmartROC D65 is the future when it comes to small-hole drilling in open pit mining,” says Olav Kvist, Product Manager, Atlas Copco. “The ROC L8 and the SmartROC now come together to combine the best technologies that each one has to offer, creating a completely new drilling experience.”
In practice, this means that in addition to the strength, power and reliability that made the ROC L8 famous, the SmartROC’s computerized rig control system (RCS) enables it to support the full drilling cycle, from hole navigation with automatic angle set-up, through to drilling, the adding and extracting of drill tubes and simultaneous time logging of performance.
The rig integrates with the mine office planning system, reducing the need for surveyors working on the bench. The log files support on-site communication, lessening the risk of communication errors between operators and the office.
 
Safety on the bench
Safety improvements are also an important plus-point. As the SmartROC D65 automatically adds and retracts drill tubes, the operators are relieved of this tedious task and are free to prepare materials on the bench while the rig completes the hole by itself.
Designed for the 110–203 mm hole range, the SmartROC D65 uses Secoroc COP 44, COP 54 or COP 64 hammers and drills holes up to a maximum depth of 54 m (long feed version).
A Caterpillar C15 engine running at 402 kW, 539 hp provides the power and an onboard Atlas Copco XRX10 compressor delivers a full working pressure of 30 bar.