Equipment focus: Drilling & blasting

Redesigned cab enhances safety, adds comfort

Sandvik’s DR461i drill rig was developed from its predecessor, the DR460. The DR461i is a rotary blasthole drill that can also be equipped to drill via the down-the-hole method.

One upgrade on the DR461i is a new cab that’s designed around the operator for maximum comfort and ease of operation, the company says. The windows on the cab were designed with an outward 5-in. tilt, reducing glare from sunlight when it hits the window, helping with visibility and keeping the temperature down in the cab. Also, all equipment was removed from the roof, eliminating the need for maintenance personnel to climb onto it. The cab roof also has a canopy that sits above the actual roof. The air gap between the canopy and the roof helps to keep the temperature in the cab down to a comfortable level.

Controls are located on each armrest. A graphical user interface (GUI) system digitally displays the various components of the drill while the operator is drilling or tramming. Running off the CANbus system on the drill, the GUI system acts like a production-monitoring and rig health-monitoring system in one, Sandvik says. It collects raw data from sensors in different parts of the machine, such as the engine, compressor and rotary head, and then transforms it into usable information through an interactive touchscreen. The operator can easily scroll through the data in order to keep track of the condition of the drill, the company adds. It can also show how it is drilling, whether it needs maintenance and more.

In addition, the DR461i operator can monitor levels of various components, including the engine, undercarriage, mast and more. The engine start screen, for example, shows the status of the engine, the air pressure, oil, water and coolant levels. On the left-hand side of the screen, the operator can constantly monitor the feed pressure on the drill, the rotation and the flushing pressure. Additional data that is visualized on this screen includes the engine hours, water temperature and rotation, air temperature and pressure in the compressor, and hydraulic fluid temperature, as well as the fuel levels.

As a standard feature, the DR461i has cameras mounted on the side of the pipe loader, on the cab and at the top of mast so the operator can monitor the pipe-loading sequence from within the cab. The DR461i also has a number of control interlocks in place to enhance safety and allow for a longer machine life, Sandvik says. These interlocks can be used as training examples on good operational skills, as every time an interlock is activated, a message appears and is logged into the GUI system.

mining.sandvik.com