Epiroc SmartROC drilling analysis
"We’re nine people in the quarry, and produce about 130 000 tons per week working one shift per weekday. A few years ago we switched over to SmartROC C50 and T40 tophammer drill rigs."
"Take the C50, for example – it’s far more efficient than the old L7 we used to have. We’re saving 47 percent on the fuel compared to the former rigs, and Epiroc have increased the service life of the hammer by 50 percent. It’s easier to adjust the airflow, which saves the drill bits. It’s measurably increased the lifespan of the consumables. The C50 has achieved a 40 percent increase to the lifespan of the outer steels and reaches around 20 000 meters, and a nearly four-fold increase to 90 000 meters for the inner steels."
"The C50 is far better on the fuel and on the drill steels, and it’s a lot comfier. It’s a nice environment in the cabin, which is good since I spend the majority of the work day inside it. The RCS4 screen is a lot bigger and easier to use and gives you much more information. I can control more from the cab rather than walk round trying to find problems.
I start the top of the hole manually. When I’m satisfied it’s going well, the automatic drill control will drill the rest of the hole. When for some reason or another we can’t drill at the marked location, the machine will calculate a new angle, azimuth and depth. The bottom of the hole will be in the proper position, even if the top is a couple of meters to the side."
"The rig collects a lot of data about for example rock quality when drilling. This is a huge benefit to us when we plan future blasts."
"Well, we’re high up on a mountain above the sea. About 30 to 40 percent of the time we have really bad mists with a sight of 3–4 meters. Previously, we lost a lot more time due to the weather conditions and surveying but now we can do everything from the cab without putting the operator at risk. In the winter there’s lots of snow, and this is when the GPS really comes into its own by letting us drill at the proper location right through the snow cover. That has made a huge difference in productivity."