Atlas Copco take SmartROC D65 to the next level
The SmartROC D65 drill rig from Atlas Copco has been upgraded to allow direct communication with the rig’s control system. This includes transferring drill plans to the rig and receiving drilling data log files.
When the SmartROC D65 was launched in 2010 it rapidly became recognized for its power and productivity, as well as for its intelligence and communications capability, provided by its special computer-based Rig Control System (RCS).
At that time drill plans prepared in the mine or quarry office were installed into the rig’s control system via a USB memory stick. Now the SmartROC designers have enabled the rig to download this data directly via the worksite’s own local area network (LAN) or wireless network WLAN.
‘This is an Ethernet application module for SmartROC D65 rigs working in a fixed installation in mines and larger stone quarries,’ explained Olav Kvist, product line manager at the company’s Surface Drilling Equipment division.
The new interface not only makes data transfer simpler and faster, it is also more user-friendly as it allows planners to make changes and last-minute adjustments more easily.
In addition, it paves the way for mines and quarries to install wireless systems and also offers SmartROC D65 owner-contractors a competitive advantage in that they can ‘plug’ straight in to their customers’ networks.
The application was developed by Atlas Copo during the summer of 2011 and has been tested in Australia with excellent results.
SmartROC D65 shares its intelligent platform with all rigs in the SmartROC family, including the Atlas Copco PitViper series. The rig communication standard is entirely based on the International Rock Excavation Data Exchange Standard (IREDES), allowing total management and operational control.
