Sandvik Mining & Rock Technology highlights new and forthcoming surface drill technologies

Sandvik Mining and Rock Technology is launching three new i-Series intelligent surface drills over the coming months. Scheduled to be released in the first half of 2018, the Sandvik DR416i rotary blasthole drill will be the largest surface drill in Sandvik’s portfolio, capable of drilling up to 406mm holes while, Sandvik says, offering the highest rotational torques and pulldown forces at the lowest possible operating cost. The Leopard DI650i, due to be launched at Electra Mining Africa, September 10-14
Breaking, Drilling & Blasting / April 27, 2018
Sandvik Ranger DXi.jpg
A Sandvik new Ranger DXi series top hammer drill rig

460 Sandvik Mining and Rock Technology is launching three new i-Series intelligent surface drills  over the coming months.

Scheduled to be released in the first half of 2018, the Sandvik DR416i rotary blasthole drill will be the largest surface drill in Sandvik’s portfolio, capable of drilling up to 406mm holes while, Sandvik says, offering the highest rotational torques and pulldown forces at the lowest possible operating cost.

The Leopard DI650i, due to be launched at Electra Mining Africa, September 10-14 2018, is said to offer superior mobility, excellent operator comfort and serviceability and an intelligent DTH control system which can be scaled up in the future with more automated features.

Meanwhile, the DR410i, due for release in 2019, is designed for rotary drilling applications with a hole range of 200-225mm and down the hole applications with a hole range of 152-225mm. High and low pressure versions are available, offering a single-pass maximum hole depth of 14 metres and multi-pass maximum hole depth of 56 metres.

All i-Series products are built around an advanced CANbus design with enhanced control systems. Surface drills equipped with Sandvik’s patented Compressor Management System (CMS) are said to save customers up to 30% on fuel with a proportional increase in engine and compressor life.

The new i-Series intelligent surface drills follow on from the recent successful launch of Sandvik’s Ranger DXi top hammer drill rig series.

Showcased at steinexpo 2017 in Germany, the Ranger DXi series is said to push boundaries with several new high-performing features for improving the drilling process: improved drilling coverage equipped with new powerful rockdrill, Sandvik-style intelligence and high fuel efficiency make this drill rig the most powerful and efficient top hammer drill rig in its class. It represents a totally new generation of Ranger product family.

Ranger DXi models offer drilling coverage of 55m³, saving work time and minimising the need to reposition the rig. Despite the drill rig's ability to rotate 290°, its counterweight structure ensures stability by maintaining weight opposite the boom.

Joanne Cooke, president, Surface Drilling & Exploration, Sandvik Mining and Rock Technology said: ” We continue to evolve our product offering to meet the ever-changing technology landscape but more importantly to make sure we are delivering exceptional value to our customers. The products we have released to the market along with the soon to be released products reinforce our culture of aggressive innovation and our never-ending focus on our customers whose feedback we have used in the development of these new products.”

For more information on companies in this article