Roc-Drill diverted three Epiroc SmartROC T40 rigs with Noise Reduction Kit originally destined for New Zealand to start work in the new pit. But going forward, it needed to source a higher capacity drill with the same noise suppression capabilities. Epiroc stepped up to the plate. Account Manager for Eastern Australia David Green liaised with Roc-Drill while Business Line Manager for the Australian Surface division Craig Marsh worked with Epiroc’s Product Company in Örebro, Sweden, to develop a solution that took the boomassembly and Noise Reduction Kit typical of a SmartROC T40 and fitted it onto a larger SmartROC T45 carrier.
The new rig would have a higher capacity with a 250-kilowatt engine versus a 168-kilowatt engine and a 223 liters-per-second compressor versus a 153 liters-per-second compressor, but with the relatively lightweight, hydraulically powered Noise Reduction Kit of the T40, which slashes the noise of drilling and rod changes by a gamechanging 10 decibels.
“Craig worked with the factory [in Örebro, Sweden] to take the kit from the SmartROC T40 and fit it to the bigger frame of the SmartROC T45, so it’s got more air, more horsepower,” Prince says.
Epiroc has a long history of developing tailored solutions for its customers, but creating a hybrid machine in today’s stricter regulatory environment is no easy feat. “Something like this is very challenging,” Prince says. “You need to be able to support the machines with operational manuals, parts books and software, so there are a lot of flow-on effects.”