New drilling products from Atlas Copco

Atlas Copco Rock Drills have recently introduced two new models into their range of heavy-duty rock drills designed for continuous drilling in the 89mm to 127mm hole range.

The COP 2160 and COP 2560 have been purpose built for use on ROC surface drill rigs with Secoroc T51 and the new ThunderRod T60 drill steels (see below).

Both models are designed for prolonged uninterrupted production. The 21kW COP 2160 has a lower impact frequency than the 25kW COP 2560 and both are equipped with a dual damping system that allows higher impact without compromis-ing the service life of the drill steel.

The powerful rotation motor develops a drill steel torque of 1,810Nm, which minimizes the risk of jamming. The rock drills can also be supplied with a powerful hydraulic extractor which saves time and drilling consumables.

Hydraulic oil lubrication of the gear mechanism has replaced manual lubrication, which reduces maintenance and improves cooling, thereby allowing higher power utilization and decreasing wear under prolonged loading. Furthermore, separate lubrication of the shank adaptor and front bushing ensures adequate lubrication and cooling during heavy use and prevents contaminants from penetrating the drill at the front end.

Both models have three easily replaceable diaphragm accumulators — the inlet accumulator, damping accumulator and return accumulator. Together, these smooth out pressure variations, reducing wear on the rock drill, the feed, the boom and the rig’s hydraulic system, resulting in greater availability and production and lower maintenance costs.

Sister company Atlas Copco Secoroc have recently launched a new heavy-duty top-hammer drill string. Designed for increased productivity, the ThunderRod T60 system is not only designed to deliver more energy, it is also made to withstand the most powerful hydraulic drills on the market. Specially designed for 102mm to 152mm holes, the T60 product facilitates the drilling of larger and fewer holes per blast compared to conventional T51 equipment.

Designed for easy coupling, while at the same time keeping energy losses to a minimum, the male/female threads on the ThunderRod T60 are suitable for blasthole drilling using 4in to 6in bits.

Featuring a cross-section that is 40% bigger than the T51 rods, the new drill string is designed to reduce hole deviation in all rock formations, which means fewer and straighter holes per blast with improved fragmentation and reduced secondary drilling. The flushing hole is also bigger, ensuring a 10% increase in flushing capacity.

The new shank adaptors for the ThunderRod T60 system are made to withstand the impact power of the latest rock drills, using an optimized balance of core and surface properties to deliver high levels of fatigue and wear resistance.

Meanwhile, in an effort to achieve higher productivity in soft-to-medium-hard rock formations, such as shale and limestone, Atlas Copco Secoroc have also recently introduced a new range of down-the-hole bits. Specifically designed for softer rock applications, Rocket bits are said to penetrate faster, provide more reliability and durability, and last longer than equivalent solutions.

The key to productivity in down-the-hole drilling is to crush and remove rock from the hole as quickly as possible, with as little interruption as possible. This is where the Rocket bit’s special front design comes into effect. Generous spacing around the ballistic buttons minimizes re-crushing of the rock and allows the cuttings to escape easily.

The forged-steel body of the Rocket bit provides extended service life, while the abrasive action of the cuttings helps to ‘self-grind’ the forged-steel bit front. This in turn reduces the time needed to sharpen the bit, which minimizes servicing and maximizes productivity.  

The new Rocket bit is currently available in 110mm and 115mm diameters with ballistic buttons and DHD340 shanks. More sizes and designs will be made available later this year.

Atlas Copco Construction & Mining Ltd, Swallowdale Lane, Hemel Hempstead, Herts HP2 7HA; tel: (01442) 222100; fax: (01442) 234467.