Atlas Copco unveiled five new products for underground miners at the bauma 2013 exhibition held this week in Munich, Germany. The new series of Boomer E rigs for underground face drilling features the new COP 4038, a fast and powerful rock drill. It also displayed the new COP 1800+ series.
The new Boomer E-series also features a new Rig Control System and a new version of Atlas Copco’s advanced Underground Manager System with improved user interface that takes planning and evaluation to the next level in performance and efficiency. A new dry drilling system provides totally water-free face drilling.
The COP 4038 is 20%-30% faster than the nearest contender and optimized for hard rock conditions, according to Atlas Copco. It comes with a COP Care Pro service agreement that safeguards reliability, availability and sustainable productivity. The 40 kW machine drills 43- to 64-mm drifter holes. It uses Atlas Copco’s high-frequency technology together with an efficient double damping system to absorb reflex shock waves—making it possible to drill exceptionally fast without increasing wear on the drill steel.
The COP 1800+ series extends recommended service intervals by 50%. This provides great savings with increased equipment availability, and less time and money spent on maintenance. It also means a reduction in costs associated with parts and safety risks posed while maintaining the machinery. The COP 1800+ series promotes environmental sustainability through reduced parts consumption. All Rig Control System functions have been grouped in nine blocks under a new tree structure for easy navigation within the system. Together with the new touch screen display, operation is streamlined and training time is reduced for new operators.
“The new Boomer with its updated Rig Control System has as much better interface and a more user-friendly screen,” said Göran Manell, site manager, Rock Excavation NCC. “It’s much faster for operators to work with than its predecessor. The new RHS Rod Handling System has given us a big advantage. Everything works much smoother and we have a much safer working environment.”
The new rig control system also includes two new multifunctional joysticks with primary functions for drilling grouped in the top of the joystick. These highly functional joysticks allow the operator to focus on drilling instead of searching for functions on the keyboard or display.
All over the world, demands for documentation and follow-up are on the rise. This prompted Atlas Copco to create its new Underground Manager, taking planning and evaluation to a higher level. The Underground Manager provides support for all Atlas Copco underground machines. The user interface is new, modern and easy to use. The system contains a new drill plan generator, complete 3-D view of the tunnel, smart interpolation of contours, and an improved log and report function. A new dry drilling system is now available on the Boomer XE3 C.
For the first time, Atlas Copco is able to deliver a three-boom face drilling rig that is totally water-free. The system uses compressed air for keeping the hole free from cuttings and a suction nozzle around the drill string to eliminate dust. The suction hose then returns the dust to a filter unit and a sealed container for simple dust logistics. The dry drilling system is ideal for projects where water is scarce or where it’s not possible to use water due to rock conditions or surrounding temperatures.
