Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions launched the DD322i, a highly automated, compact, twin-boom drill for underground development and small-scale tunneling. The unit has a new carrier design and can tram in small headings, tight corners and intersections, the company said.
The unit features the new SB55i boom, which provides 19.3 m2 side coverage, more than 48% more than its predecessor, the DD321. The booms with two roll-overs ensure improved drilling performance and accuracy, as well as high flexibility to drill crosscut and bolt holes, the company said.
The Boom Control While Tramming option allows the operator to simultaneously control the two booms while tramming, ensuring improved control. The DD322i can also be equipped with a semi-automatic drill bit changer and tele-remote drilling.
The redesigned low-profile cabin is spacious and the larger glass doors give 55% more visibility, the company said. Larger displays provide an improved user interface. Scalable automation packages and tele-remote drilling are available as options. The DD322i is compatible with Sandvik DrillConnect, iSURE, AutoMine, OptiMine and My Sandvik.
Sandvik said the rig offers versatility and flexibility and “sets a new standard for automated features in Sandvik’s underground drilling portfolio.”
Separately, Sandvik launched Alpha 340 asymmetric drilling tools. Alpha 340 is a new thread concept that gives up to 30% longer service life and increased productivity over the predecessor Alpha 330 thread system.
Capable of hole sizes ranging from 43 to 51 mm, Alpha 340 thread is designed for use in face drilling and bolting in mine development and tunneling. It features a new asymmetric thread profile and has a larger diameter on the bit end thread of the drifter rod, reducing stress levels in critical areas. Uncoupling is also easier than in previous designs, saving both time and effort, Sandvik said.
The new thread concept comes with improved drill bits. Sandvik’s successful PowerCarbide grades will be more widely available in the standard assortment, and “many bits get design upgrades with more gauge angles or larger buttons for increased robustness,” the company said.
Alpha 340 will replace Alpha 330 in a phase-out process over the coming quarters. The new products are available for order today.
