Tag Archives: Cat Terrain for drilling

Ausdrill commissions automation-ready Cat MD6250 drill at Boggabri

Automation, Coal technology, Explosives and blasting, Mine operation news, Mineral project development, Mining equipment, Mining services, Steel and iron ore, , , , , , , ,

Ausdrill says it has just commissioned the first of four new Caterpillar MD6250 drills at the Boggabri coal operations in New South Wales, Australia.

The machine has been successfully commissioned on site four weeks ahead of the contract start date, according to the Perenti company, with the help of the WesTrac team at Tomago, NSW.

These M6250 drills come with the next level of drill automation and driller assist, Ausdrill says, including one touch auto levelling and auto drilling functions combined with Cat MineStar Terrain for drilling to improve safety, productivity, reliability and accuracy.

Back in February, Perenti reported its Surface Mining Industry Sector Group had been awarded A$155.5 million ($113 million) in new and extended contracts. This included a three-year contract (with options to extend) for production drilling services with Boggabri Coal Operations (a part of Idemitsu Australia Resources Group) at Boggabri.

The MD6250 is designed for both down-the-hole drilling in hard rock and rotary drilling in softer rock. The blasthole drill carries out single-pass drilling and multi pass, as well as angle drilling, according to Cat.

MACA is currently running an MD6250 at the Bluff coal mine, in Queensland, while AngloGold Ashanti Australia, with support from Flanders and Tropicana Mining Alliance partner, Macmahon Holdings, now has five autonomous Cat MD6250 drill rigs as part of its drilling fleet at the Tropicana gold mine, in Western Australia. Thiess, Cat and WesTrac have also introduced an MD6250 drill rig with autonomous drilling capability at Mount Pleasant, in New South Wales, in a phased 12-month pilot project.

Caterpillar releases new blasthole rig for large-scale mining

Automation, Equipment maintenance, Explosives and blasting, Mining equipment, Mining safety, Mining services, Mining software, , , , , ,

Caterpillar says its newest ultra-class rotary blasthole drill rig provides the optimal mix of on-board air, feed force, rotary torque and machine mobility.

Designed for large blasthole production drilling, the MD6380 can deliver a hole diameter range of 251-381 mm, single-pass hole depth of 19.8 m and multi-pass hole depth of 39.5 m, according to the company.

The MD6380 powertrain is designed to efficiently manage loads generated by the compressor and hydraulics, delivering superior fuel economy, Cat says. The compressor is configured with electronic regulation and variable volume air control, allowing the driller to match compressor output with drill tool and application needs. It also lowers standby pressures while the machine is in idle, further improving fuel efficiency.

The MD6380 is capable of pulldown force of 49,895 kg and rotation torque of as much as 20,880 Nm, Cat says, adding that the Cat 3512C diesel engine produces 960 kW and delivers emissions performance equivalent to US EPA Tier 2 and EU Stage II. The powertrain offers extended durability and high availability to help boost use and lower costs, the company added.

Controlled through Cat electronics, the MD6380 has integrated machine protective features and interlocks to help keep operators safe and the machine up and running by preventing potential failures or misuse. Cat Electronic Technician makes troubleshooting quick and easy, the company said. Drill electronics also provide a common platform for the integration of automation solutions.

The MD6380 features a spacious cab that offers superior operator comfort and machine control, Cat says, while an intuitive multi-function joystick controls and touchscreens promote efficient operation.

Display screens are adjustable to suit the driller’s reach and line of sight, and the driller can easily tram from a seated position, according to the mining OEM. “With a full-length driller window, large pane glass around the cab and four standard high-definition cameras, operators have excellent views of key areas,” Cat says.

The machine also features Drill Assist, which delivers automated functions including auto level, auto retract jacks, auto raise and lower mast, and auto drill. The drill depth monitoring system helps to reduce both over- and under-drilling.

The MD6380 incorporates Cat Terrain for drilling, with the MineStar™ technology providing precise hole location, production reporting and strata reporting. Terrain seamlessly connects to Cat Command, offering a path to remote operation and autonomous drilling, Cat added.

“The drill features a best-in-class working envelope with a low centre of gravity and ample approach angles,” Cat claims. These attributes aid manoeuvrability, allowing it to navigate quickly and efficiently hole-to-hole and bench-to-bench.

The Cat excavator-style undercarriage has grease lubricated track pins, positive pin retention and automatic track chain tensioning – all to help the undercarriage deliver extended durability and optimal performance on grades and in tough operating conditions, the company says.

The MD6380 is designed to be rebuilt multiple times for lowest lifecycle costs.

“With parts, maintenance services, condition monitoring and component rebuilds, Cat dealers help ensure high productivity and lowest cost per tonne,” the company said.

Caterpillar looks to solve transportability issues with MD6200 rotary blasthole drill

Automation, Base metals, Coal technology, Equipment maintenance, IoT, Mineral processing, Mining consumables, Mining equipment, Mining maintenance, Mining safety, Mining services, Mining software, Precious metals, Steel and iron ore, , , , , ,

The new Cat® MD6200 rotary blasthole drill has flexibility at its core; being designed as a production drill with the flexibility to do pre-split drilling. And, all of this is in a package that is Caterpillar’s most transportable rotary drill yet.

The MD6200 can perform rotary or DTH drilling in single-pass or multi-pass modes and can drill holes of 127 mm to 200 mm (5-7.87 in) in diameter.

It can drill at a negative angle up to 15°, which enables matching the slope of the highwall for pre-split drilling. This results in cleaner highwalls with less waste material going to downstream operations, according to Cat.

For traditional production drilling, the mast can tilt from vertical out to 30°, while the operator can adjust the mast angle in increments of 5° from the touch screen in the cab — with no special setup required.

Transport

The MD6200 can be transported over the road with the mast on, so can roll onto a truck when it’s time to move to another site. The new drill also has the smallest shipping envelope of any drill in its class, says Cat. In some configurations, parts outside the shipping envelope can be removed without the use of lifting tools, allowing two people to prepare it by hand for shipping.

“The drill also offers best-in-class manoeuvrability,” the company says. “Its compact working envelope and powerful undercarriage get it into position faster, reducing the time spent accessing drill patterns and moving between holes.”

A Cat 336 excavator-style undercarriage provides superior durability, tractive effort and drawbar pull, Cat adds.

The MD6200 also benefits from the integration of a Cat C18 engine, available in US EPA Tier 4 Final configuration and in US EPA Tier 2-equivalent configuration to suit regional needs.

Both high pressure and low-pressure compressor configurations offer variable volume air control, matching the compressor output to the drill tool and application needs. The system also lowers stand-by pressures while the machine is idle, further improving fuel efficiency, according to Cat.

The MD6200 also comes with Cat electronics, offering technicians the same architecture used on the company’s other machines. They also provide a platform for automated controls.

“Integrated machine protection features and interlocks help keep operators safe and the machine up and running by preventing potential failures and operating errors,” Cat says.

Product Link™ Elite allows drill health metrics and performance to be easily downloaded and tracked in real time.

The Cat cab

When it comes to the cab, the MD6200 is designed to promote operator comfort and productivity.

Ergonomic controls help the operator remain productive and efficient through the entire shift, while optional upgrades, such as a heated, ventilated seat with heavy-duty suspension and dual-pane glass, provide comfort on long shifts, according to Cat.

“Multifunction joystick controls and touchscreens are intuitive to use, and three standard cameras give the operator awareness of the work area,” Cat says.

The technology options that come with the MD6200 make it more productive and efficient. Drill Assist offers a number of automated functions, including auto level, auto retract jacks, auto raise and lower mast, and auto drill. Meanwhile, the drill depth monitoring system helps to reduce over- and under-drilling, boosting productivity and fragmentation.

The MD6200 is also ready for Cat Terrain for drilling, which uses guidance technologies to help operators drill holes in the exact location specified by the plan, resulting in smoother, safer and more efficient blasting.