Tag Archives: PowerCarbide

Sandvik completes rotary drill bit offering with ‘cutting-edge’ RR340

Mining consumables, Mining equipment, Mining services, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , ,

Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions is introducing the new Sandvik RR340 single seal roller bearing rotary drill bit in an effort to, it says, boost service life and lower drilling costs.

Sandvik’s rotary bit offering has consisted of the standard air bearing bit Sandvik RR240 and the ultra-premium Charger™ RR440 and RR450 bits. The Sandvik RR340, a premium single seal roller bearing bit, now completes the company’s rotary offering. Its single seal roller bearing technology and optional PowerCarbide® inserts ensure reliable and efficient drilling with 45% longer service life compared with standard products, the company says. More bearing hours mean fewer bit changes and an added sustainability benefit, with reduced risk exposure and environmental impact from production and shipping, it added.

“[The] Sandvik RR340 rounds out our offering within rotary bits, ensuring that customers in all segments and applications can find the ideal choice for their operation,” Sandra Arman, Product Manager Rotary Bits at Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions’ Rock Tools Division, said. “Field tests have demonstrated significant cost savings potential. Compared to equivalent standard air bearing bits, a typical surface mine drilling 1.5 million meters per year could expect to save more than $800,000 annually with Sandvik RR340. This is truly the single seal effect.”

Some of the technology that provides the Sandvik RR340 single seal bit with its longevity includes an abrasion-resistant radial seal. Its shape delivers extended bearing hours and greater reliability compared with conventional seals, according to the company. In addition, the Sandvik RR340 features a low friction bearing, which minimises friction and heat generation, which can otherwise cause wear and reduce efficiency.

“There is significant research and development that lies beneath the surface of Sandvik RR340, with several cutting-edge design and material innovations,” Arman said.

The Sandvik RR340 is currently available in sizes ranging from 6.75 in (171 mm) to 12.25 in (311 mm).

Sandvik brings new Alpha thread profile to top hammer drilling applications

Equipment maintenance, Mining equipment, , , , , , ,

Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions is launching Sandvik Alpha™ 340 asymmetric drilling tools, a new thread concept within its top hammer drilling offering for mining and tunnelling that replaces the Sandvik Alpha 330 thread system.

The new concept delivers up to 30% longer service life and increased productivity, according to the company.

The new Sandvik Alpha 340 thread is designed for use in face drilling and bolting in mine development and tunnelling, with hole sizes ranging from 43-51 mm. It features an entirely new asymmetric thread profile and has a larger diameter on the bit end thread of the drifter rod, reducing stress levels in critical areas, according to the company. Uncoupling is also easier than in previous designs, saving both time and effort.

Perhaps the biggest potential lies in the increased service life of the drill rod: with Sandvik Alpha 340, customers can achieve up to 30% longer service life – significantly increasing productivity and reducing cost per metre advanced, Sandvik says.

Robert Grandin, Product Manager Top Hammer Underground Rock Tools at Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions, said: “The Sandvik Alpha 330 concept has served our customers extremely well over the past 20 years, ensuring highly reliable and productive drilling. With the launch of its successor, we create a revolutionising new way of working with top hammer rock tools, thanks to its asymmetric design. This new concept will deliver both immediate and long term value for our customers.”

The new thread concept also comes with improved drill bits. Sandvik’s 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 new system is the driller’s choice,” Grandin said. “It is very user friendly and provides easy uncoupling – which saves a lot of frustration for the driller – but also increases productivity, leading to better drilling results.”

The new Sandvik Alpha 340 thread concept will replace its predecessor Sandvik Alpha 330 in a phase-out process over the coming quarters.

Sandvik extends grinding intervals and service life with new rock drill carbide grades

Equipment maintenance, Industrial minerals, Mineral exploration, Mining consumables, Mining equipment, , , , , , ,

Sandvik has launched what it calls the most significant carbide innovation in the rock drilling industry for decades, with the two new additions to its PowerCarbide family.

The two new carbide grades extend grinding intervals and service life by up to 30% compared with standard carbides, according to the company.

The GC80 (Gradient Carbide) and SH70 (Self-Hardening) PowerCarbide grades give users several other benefits, such as lower cost per drilled meter, less time for changing bits and improved safety.

Robert Grandin, Product Manager for Underground Top Hammer at Sandvik Rock Tools, said: “Sandvik was the first company in the drilling history to manufacture rock tools with cemented carbide, and we are working continuously on developing new and more advanced solutions. The new PowerCarbide grades are based on an improved knowledge about the wear of the drill bit in different types of rock.”

The GC80 is developed for abrasive ground conditions with high silica levels in the rock, Sandvik said. A new, unique method makes it possible to produce buttons that are wear-resistant on the outside, while the centre provides a toughness that pushes the service life and grinding intervals even further.

The SH70, developed for hard, competent ground, is a grade with homogeneous properties throughout the material. It is called “self-hardening” because the enhanced deformation hardening makes it more wear resistant as you drill. “The surface hardness is continuously ‘refilled’, which means that the hard top never wears off,” Sandvik says.

Sandvik says it has more laboratory capacity and human resources for cemented carbide development than any other company in the industry.

Grandin added: “Controlling the whole chain, all the way from our own tungsten mine to the production of drill bits, is a unique enabler for developing groundbreaking rock tools. Since we have the most advanced range of carbides, we almost certainly have something in our product range that is perfect for each customer’s conditions.”

Earlier this month, Sandvik introduced a new drilling tool system, the Alpha 360, and what it believes to be the fastest drill bit in the industry, Speedy bit.