Sandvik expands battery-electric range with new top hammer longhole drill

Sandvik continues to grow its battery-electric equipment offering with the new fully automated Sandvik DL422iE top hammer longhole drill. The latest unit is equipped with an electric driveline system to eliminate diesel emissions while tramming, increasing productivity while reducing environmental impact and fostering a healthier work environment.

The zero-emission Sandvik DL422iE joins Sandvik DD422iE as the company’s second battery-driven underground drill. Sandvik expects to offer a full range of battery-tramming rigs covering all underground drilling applications by the end of 2021.

The new Sandvik DL422iE is designed for underground mass mining in 4-metre by 4-metre or larger production drifts. It features the latest intelligent technology to enable continuous and unmanned operation, with automation and teleremote for drilling during shift changes and breaks. Through these and other features, combined with comprehensive data collection and transfer through wireless networks, Sandvik DL422iE helps to ensure improved equipment utilization and productivity.

Improved drilling performance

Sandvik DL422iE is capable of drilling vertical and inclined fans and single or parallel 89 to 127 mm diameter longholes that are up to 54 metres deep using ST58 and ST68 tube rods. It is equipped with the powerful 33 kW HF1560ST longhole rock drill, which is based on a proven concept in terms of drilling capacity, reliability and operating cost. With an impact frequency of 40 to 45 Hz and optimized percussion dynamics for ST68 tubes, Sandvik DL422iE delivers optimal bit-to-rock contact for improved energy transfer. This leads to decreased stress level in rock tools, lower coupling/front housing temperatures and extended service life for shank adaptor and tube.

Extensive automation features

As standard, Sandvik DL422iE is equipped with Sandvik’s Platinum drilling automation package for continuous and automated production drilling. This is combined with the i-Class iSOLO drilling control system to maximize productivity and enhance accuracy in drilling fans and parallel longholes. It acts as a full-time stinger control and is used in uploading drill plans to the control system, with drill plan management direct at the user interface to ensure one-hole automation drilling to a predefined depth. Feed and boom positioning to the next hole are automatic, while data is transferred via a WLAN ethernet connection.

In addition to the standard Platinum package, Sandvik DL422iE can be equipped with an optional automatic bit changer, enabling autonomous drilling of complete fans and working through shift changes. In addition to being equipped with MySandvik remote monitoring, units can also be integrated with AutoMine and OptiMine, providing multi-unit control and fan-to-fan remote tramming.

Emission-free carrier and tramming

As the industry’s focus on sustainability increases, Sandvik’s latest drilling solutions specifically address the challenge of providing enhanced operational drilling performance combined with reduced emissions. Sandvik DL422iE is mounted on a C400E four-wheel drive frame steered carrier equipped with an electric driveline system (battery package and electric motor) for zero diesel emissions and reduced operating costs. The batteries can be charged during drilling (a newly patented feature), while electric power can be drawn from the electrical supply system from the mine’s network.

Sandvik DL422iE helps mines reduce overall emissions and ventilation and fuel costs, and to create a healthier working environment. Thanks to shorter cycle times and increased drilling capacity, Sandvik DL422iE has the potential to help mines increase drilled meters per shift by up to 10%. Productivity can increase by up to 20% via improved equipment utilization.

Hole accuracy and versatility in production drilling and air-mist flushing

Sandvik DL422iE is equipped with the ZR35 telescopic boom and horseshoe type boom support with telescopic jacks for maximum drilling stability, the most effective foundation for accurate longhole drilling in mass mining. The wide 3,000-mm total boom offset and 620-mm telescopic extension allows a pivot line height of 2,100 mm, which is typical for a wide range of mining methods. The 360-degree feed roll-over, large boom tilt and swing angles ensure fan drilling versatility in 4 metre by 4 metre or larger cross sections. To ensure maximum accuracy in alignment, the boom is fully instrumented with electronic parallelism. An optional extended boom support allows for up to 45-degree feed tilts in drilling fans or longholes, which increases versatility in downhole drilling in stopes at the end of the orebody, in drilling longholes in the ore/waste contact and in slot raise drilling.

Net penetration rates with air-mist flushing are up to 15% higher on Sandvik DL422iE when compared to water flushing. The drill rig can be equipped with a CT80 onboard screw compressor, which ensures efficient flushing and high net penetration rates. The use of the onboard air supply is a cost-efficient alternative to mine air infrastructure or portable units.

For more information, visit www.rocktechnology.sandvik.