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TAMPERE, FINLAND, SEPTEMBER 2013: AutoMine® Surface Drilling, part of the Sandvik AutoMine® expanded suite of automation products announced at MINExpo INTERNATIONAL 2012, applies the technology and experience used to develop the company’s underground automated mining systems used successfully in hard rock operations around the world.
According to Riku Pulli, Vice President, Mine Automation at Sandvik Mining, AutoMine® Surface Drilling provides a suite of flexible and scalable automation options to meet every mine’s requirements.
Advantages include increased safety and efficiency, real-time process control to enable consistent productivity levels, superior drilling accuracy and more effective use of what has traditionally been non-productive time.
AutoMine® Surface Drilling is available for the existing Sandvik DPi series of surface drill rigs, as well as the company’s Next Generation Pantera drill range released at Finland’s EuroMining 2013 exhibition in September.
“Because it is based on our highly successful AutoMine® concept, AutoMine® Surface Drilling is a proven solution for automated and tele operated drilling,” Pulli said. “It provides improved safety and efficiency for all surface drilling operations. A key aim of AutoMine® Surface Drilling is increasing mining personnel safety by minimizing the need for employees to access hazardous areas.”
How it works
AutoMine® Surface Drilling consists of:
“The wireless network connection provides continuous, reliable real-time video and data communication between the drill rig and the operator station,” Pulli said. “The operator station has been designed to be easily installed on a range of mobile platforms – in a van or a trailer, for example – enabling simple and quick relocation from one operational area to another.”
Operator station hardware consists of two large touchscreen displays, along with drill rig controls identical to those in the rig itself.
All drilling controls and equipment status are displayed on a graphical screen, while direct visual contact to the rig is provided by seven on-board video cameras, which transmit real-time images on the operator station’s displays, eliminating blind spots in the drilling area.
“Because it is completely integrated with the drill rig’s control system, personnel in the remote operator station can carry out exactly the same tasks, using the same controls as conventional manual operation – but with none of the potential hazards and health risks,” Pulli said. “This makes training of operators for AutoMine® Surface Drilling applications a simple and straightforward process, as all controls and procedures are identical to manual operation.”
This includes remote 3D-navigation to precise hole locations, automated feed rail aiming and automatic one-hole drilling.
Safety advantages
Pulli said that with Sandvik Mining giving safety its top priority when designing equipment, AutoMine® Surface Drilling had been built around thoroughly tested and proven technology. This includes a comprehensive evaluation program at the factory and in real mining conditions.
“Removing operators from the drilling area significantly reduces their exposure to risks related to the drilling operation, including ground collapses, rock falls, dust, noise and vibrations,” he said. “In addition, by offering greatly improved visibility over the entire working area around the rig, unlimited flexibility in where the remote operator’s station is located and reducing fatigue, AutoMine® Surface Drilling delivers significant operator health and safety benefits.
“And because the system allows drilling in areas inaccessible to manually operated drill rigs due to safety concerns, previously inaccessible resources can be more readily accessed – significantly adding to mine production levels,” Pulli added.
Benefits of AutoMine® Surface Drilling at a glance
“Sandvik Mining is the world’s leading provider of mine automation solutions with more than 16 automation systems deployed in seven countries around the globe,” Pulli said. “All Sandvik AutoMine® products are built on the same core technologies providing configurable, expandable automation solutions to streamline and standardize workflows while increasing production.”
