Atlas Copco SmartROC T45 gaining ground

First published in the March 2014 issue of Quarry Management

According to Atlas Copco, the launch of the FlexiROC T45 at the Bauma trade show in Germany last year took surface drilling efficiency to new heights, but the new SmartROC T45 top-hammer rig has proved beyond doubt that it has the edge.

The Swedish manufacturers say the SmartROC T45, which was recently launched in selected countries, has proved to be a milestone in the effort to increase efficiency in aggregate and limestone quarrying.

Working in the hole diameter range of 89–140mm, the rig’s performance has been closely monitored in various climates, ranging from very cold to very hot, and in different applications, all with extremely positive results.

In a quarry near Frankfurt in Germany, the rig proved its capabilities drilling 102mm holes on 20m high benches in very demanding fractured basalt by consistently achieving more than 40m/h, with fuel consumption of less than 21 litres/h.

In Australia it was a similar story. Here, the SmartROC T45 impressed loyal users of the FlexiROC T45 (previously known as ROC F9C) by demonstrating a fuel consumption of less than 20 litres/h, thereby proving that it lives up to its claim to increase profits from the first day of drilling.

Atlas Copco say the big difference with the SmartROC T45 lies in its high level of automation. Many aspects of the operational process, such as aligning the feed and the actual drilling, are automatic, which not only gives continuous satisfactory results, but also exceptional precision.

The rig can be equipped with the hole navigation system (HNS), which makes accurate set-up and collaring extremely easy. Furthermore, the drilling function is automatically adjusted to the precise position of the hole bottom, according to the plan, and the whole process is driven and documented by the rig’s ROC Manager programme, providing detailed information for accurate decision-making.

Mario Santillan, product manager for the SmartROC T45, said: ‘In the long run, it is not the productivity and precision that will pay off, but the consistency delivered. It is the fact that owners will be able to rely on satisfactory results, shift after shift, day after day, irrespective of which operator is at the controls.

‘This winning combination of productivity, precision and consistency is the key to improvement throughout the whole quarrying process chain, enhancing fragmentation, loadability and crushing throughput.’

For further information visit: www.atlascopco.com

Hole navigation system

The hole navigation system (HNS) uses GPS co-ordinates to pinpoint the hole location, with a margin of error of less than 10cm. With HNS there is no need to mark out the holes manually and the accuracy is such that all holes will be parallel.

The operator can navigate the rig to the position for a given hole using the information on the in-cab display. The computer will provide the information needed to place and align the feed exactly over the collar position. The time saved by not having to aim visually to set angles, and by being able to drill more than one hole from a single set-up, results in better rig utilization.

Key benefits of the HNS include:

• Precise drilling ensuring actual holes are drilled as per the design, guiding the operator to the target hole position, including angle and collaring positions.
• Eliminates manual marking of survey hole positions, saving time, reducing labour costs and increasing safety.
• Consistent computer-supervised operation ensures novice operators achieve the productivity of experts in less time, reducing training costs and eliminating operator mistakes.
• Drill multiple holes from a single set-up.
• Faster set-up times and increased productivity.

SmartROC T45 key specifications

Main application:

• mining, quarrying and construction

Max hole depth:

• 28m (folding boom)
• 36m (fixed boom)

Drilling method:

• Top hammer

Hole diameter:

• 89–127mm
• 89–140mm

Rock drill:

• COP 2560 (folding boom)
• COP 3060 (fixed boom)

Drill string:

• Secoroc T51 (89–127mm holes)
• Secoroc T60 (89–140mm holes)

Engine power:

• 242kW (325hp) at 1,900 rev/min

Rock drill output:

• COP 2560: 25kW (33.5hp)
• COP 3060: 30kW (41hp)

Free air delivery:

• 223 litres/s (472ft3/min) at 12 bar

Automation options:

• RCS, AutoDrill, AutoPos, AutoRod, RCS hole navigation system (HPGPS), pre-filtering, reverse camera, radio remote, tele remote, rig remote.

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