Epiroc’s Explorac RC30 Smart reverse circulation drill rig celebrates the OEM’s knack for innovation.
Epiroc has been a market leader in the automated drilling sphere for years, but the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) has truly outdone itself with its latest Explorac RC30 Smart reverse circulation drill rig.
The Explorac RC30 Smart is fine-tuned for reverse circulation drilling, boasting 30 tonnes of pullback force to drive the drill deep into rock.
“The Explorac RC30 Smart is a high-capacity rig which can achieve the depth of hole geologists demand in Australia and other markets,” Epiroc global product manager – surface exploration David Benton told Australian Mining.
Drill rod changes have been known to be hazardous, requiring operators and offsiders to work close to powerful machinery. Epiroc saw an opportunity to improve safety in the operation of drill rigs and designed the Explorac RC30 Smart to bridge this gap.
While the drilling is still guided by an operator’s trained hand, Epiroc has automated the drill rod changeover in the Explorac RC30 Smart to keep mine workers out of the line of fire.
“Operating a drill rig used to be a two-person operation, with the operator working in tandem with an offsider to sequence rod changes,” Benton said.
“The Explorac RC30 Smart automates that process, allowing the machine to do a full rod changeover sequence with the push of a single button.
“This is a much safer way of doing things since there’s less opportunity for human error.
“The rig’s operating system is constantly monitoring and ensuring that the rod has been handed over to the next part of the sequence. This means the system is constantly on the lookout for errors in the handling sequence.
“In the unlikely event of an incorrectly threaded joint, for example, the drill will enter a safe state and prompt drillers to investigate the situation.
“So, overall, it provides an exceptionally high level of safety and control over the drilling process.
“Automating the rod-handling sequence prevents unexpected operating errors, protecting operators and the customer’s capital asset.
“The control system also ensures that the drill rig is always operating within its design parameters. This can be difficult to manage when you have people operating the machine.”
Operating within set parameters means the Explorac RC30 Smart is performing with optimal efficiency, in turn helping to maximise the lifespan of the asset.
Beyond safety, the Explorac RC30 Smart is built sturdy with a range of smart features, such as feed beam centralisers with variable grip force, automatic deck spanner and break out, all providing a next-level drilling experience.
Epiroc is an OEM known for continual innovation, allowing its products to realise further gains and possibilities as technology and the mining industry itself evolve. As such, the Explorac RC30 Smart is designed with future configuration and scaling in mind, so the rig will keep paying dividends long after it hits a mine site.
“We designed the Explorac RC30 Smart in a way that means we can layer on additional levels of automation over time, safeguarding the customer’s investment,” Benton said.
“We can achieve this through a combination of hardware and software updates, which the Explorac RC30 Smart has been specifically designed to handle.”
Epiroc aims to be the leader as the industry shifts towards automation, digitalisation and carbon reduction. With this comes a strong focus on safety and the Explorac RC30 Smart gives users the ability to safely replace the rods from a distance, without exposure to live work.
Through a raft of intelligent features, Epiroc’s latest drill rig is keeping workers safe, protecting customers’ investments, and delivering heavy-duty drilling to the Australian mining industry.
This feature appeared in the November 2023 issue of Australian Mining.