Jon Torpy, General Manager and President for Epiroc USA, says the company is heading into its first CONEXPO-CON/AGG as “an experienced company committed to driving the future of intelligent infrastructure development, quarrying and mining”.

The company plans to showcase its surface drilling automation expertise at the Las Vegas show, taking place on March 10-14, with several “innovative and productive offerings” set for their North America debut.

The new Epiroc SmartROC D60 down-the-hole (DTH) surface drill rig for quarrying, mining and construction (pictured) will get a showing. This rig has been updated with Epiroc’s innovative automation-ready platform, with the D60 offering the “intelligence and power to consistently and efficiently drill high-quality blast holes with accuracy and precision”, Epiroc says.

It is loaded with smart features such as automated drilling and rod handling that increase safety, efficiency and consistency for a lower total cost of ownership, according to the company.

The automation-ready platform also includes the new Auto Feed Fold feature. With a single action, Auto Feed Fold enables the operator to fold the feed for tramming or position it for drilling. This also comes in handy when operating one or more drill rigs remotely with the BenchREMOTE option, Epiroc said.

The D60 can drill holes of 4.6-7 in (11.68-17.78 cm) in diameter and to a maximum depth of 182 ft (55.47 m). “All these features and flexibility are packed in a rig that is economical to run due to the intelligent control of the compressor and engine rpm,” Epiroc said.

The SmartROC D60 also uses 79 gallons (359 litres) less hydraulic oil than previous versions and features fewer hoses and pumps, according to the company. This helps to further reduce costs and makes servicing easier, while increasing sustainability and reducing the environmental impact of the rig.

Alongside the SmartROC D60 rig at the Epiroc CONEXPO-CON/AGG stand will be the PowerROC D60 Tier 4 Final surface drill rig.

This hydraulic DTH surface drill rig for mining and quarrying not only drills the largest holes in the PowerROC family, it is equipped with an engine that meets Tier 4 Final emissions regulations to reduce its environmental footprint, the company says.

The rig can drill large holes ranging from 4.31-7 in. In addition, the 5+1 Rod Handling System makes it possible to drill holes down to a depth of 98.5 ft, according to the company.

“The rig features a pilot hydraulic system and straightforward electronics which make the PowerROC D60 both easy to operate and simple to service,” Epiroc says. “The powerful rotation unit ensures that the rig can operate reliably in all types of rock conditions. In addition, a highly effective dust collection system ensures that the work environment is kept clean and safe, which protects both machine and personnel.”

The last big rig to go on display will be the Epiroc DM30 II.

Built off the same platform as the DM45 and DML blasthole drill rigs, the Epiroc DM30 II is suitable for a variety of multi-pass rotary and DTH drilling applications, Epiroc says. The compact yet heavy-duty design of the DM30 II delivers powerful performance and easy transport between benches or even between properties, according to the company.

A crawler-mounted, hydraulic tophead-drive rig, the DM30 II can achieve a clean hole depth of 28 ft for single-pass applications and up to 148 ft for multi-pass applications with a starter rod under the rotary head. It also features a 30-ft drill pipe change and a four-rod carousel. It is designed to handle 4-6.5 in drill pipes with a pulldown of up to 30,000 lbf (133,446.7 newtons) and a hole diameter of 5.5-7.875 in.

The mainframe and layout of the machine has been updated for 2020 to better assist customers needing a small-profile machine for tight drilling conditions or transit between sites, Epiroc said. Reductions include: working width (to 14.16 ft); transport width with ladders and non-cab side jack removed (12.3 ft); and height, tower down (15.4 ft).

Customers can choose a low- or high-pressure compressor to create the right configuration for their drilling operation. The DM Series drill rig can be equipped with on-board technology capabilities with the optional Epiroc Rig Control System (RCS) Lite for added safety and productivity.

The company will also use the show to talk up its new digital fleet management solution, My Epiroc.

My Epiroc is available on web and mobile devices with features for increasing fleet efficiency and safety. The platform enables mining and infrastructure operations to optimise fleet performance, with the solution to be demonstrated at the Epiroc booth.

“Regardless of role – a fleet manager focusing on uptime, a machine operator getting the job done, or a member of the service team keeping on top of equipment performance, safety and reliability – My Epiroc is built to assist in accomplishing jobs and improving work flow,” the company said.

Epiroc will also exhibit rock drilling tools solutions for integration with the FlexiROC T30 R, PowerROC D60 and SmartROC D60 drilling rigs, while presenting its TCO supervisory agreement to improve fleet maintenance and lower total cost of ownership.