Tag Archives: Stage V

Sandvik LH202 joins the Toro family and moves to Stage V engine configuration

Environmental, Equipment maintenance, Mining equipment, Mining services, , , , , ,

Sandvik is upgrading its three–tonne loader for narrow-vein applications, offering the newly rebranded Toro™ LH202 with an EU Stage V compliant engine.

The Toro LH202 loader is, Sandvik says, a reliable workhorse designed specifically for narrow-vein underground mining applications. With its robust structure, very compact size and three–tonne payload capacity, the loader is tailored to meet productivity targets in challenging environments and is optimised to fit tunnel widths between 2 m and 2.5 m, to reduce dilution.

In addition to underground narrow-vein mines, the Toro LH202 is suited for tunnelling.

Due to its relatively light weight and the possibility to disassemble the equipment for transport, the Toro LH202 is ideal for projects located in remote areas with challenging access, according to the company.

The new Stage V engine from Deutz on board the machine delivers best in class MSHA and CANMET ventilation rates with ultra-low-sulphur diesel fuel while maintaining performance and fuel efficiency, Sandvik says. The Stage V engine aftertreatment is a diesel particulate filter (DPF), which uses passive regeneration during normal engine operation to oxidise the soot trapped in the DPF core. The other available engine configuration is a 50 kW air-cooled turbocharged direct injection diesel engine, also from the engine manufacturer Deutz, with catalytic purifier and muffler, the company added

In addition to traditional fossil diesel fuel, the Stage V engine can use paraffinic diesel fuels, meeting the requirements of EN 15940, which reduces emissions of CO, CO2, HC, NOx and diesel particulates. Further, these engines can also use biofuel blends (such as FAME) meeting requirements of EN 590. Higher blends may also be used after consulting with Sandvik representatives, the company says.

Sandvik introduces new tophammer drill rig for drill and blast contractors

Automation, Explosives and blasting, Mining equipment, Mining services, Mining software, , , , , , , ,

Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions is launching what it says is a new, even more productive and sustainable top hammer drill rig, designed especially for drilling and blasting contractors.

The redesigned Dino™ DC420Ri will replace its predecessor, the Dino DC410Ri, although the proven overall concept – namely the biggest coverage area in its class and powerful rock drill – will remain, Sandvik says. In addition, the new Dino DC420Ri will feature a wider carrier for improved stability and a Stage V engine for lower emissions, together with a drill rod carousel and one-hole automation for increased productivity.

During the span of just a few years, the Dino DC410Ri top hammer drill rig has become a popular choice for urban contractors and others such as small mine sites and quarries looking for productivity and mobility in the 51–76 mm hole size range, according to Sandvik. The boom system has the largest coverage area in this drill rig category and the powerful 14-kW RD414 rock drill enables high-capacity drilling, it says.

Upgrades were, however, needed to ensure its proven concept remains competitive for years to come, in terms of both productivity and sustainability, Sandvik said.

Several of the key features on the newly-introduced Dino DC420Ri have been completely redesigned. A Stage V diesel engine now provides regulatory compatibility for the markets where this low-emission engine standard is required and the rig carrier is wider, offering better stability – thereby improving operator safety in difficult terrain and at challenging work sites, Sandvik said. The third major upgrade is the actual drilling system, which can now be fitted with an optional three-rod carousel cassette to enable longer holes, up to a depth of 14 m. Future upgrades will add the option of one-hole automation, making full use of the potentially longer holes and improved productivity made possible by the addition of the drill steel carousel.

In addition to the most significant upgrades to the tracked carrier, drilling system and engine, the Dino DC420Ri will also feature several other smaller, but nevertheless significant, new features, Sandvik says.

Operators of the new machine will enjoy a new 7 in (178 mm) touchscreen and a control system and screens with the same look and feel as cabinless Sandvik drill rigs Commando™ DC130Ri and DC300Ri, offering a unified user experience, ease of training and other commonality benefits, the company said. The drill navigation system is updated to the TIMi version and the electric systems have been redesigned to improve overall robustness and reliability.

Over the next few years, the Dino series will be streamlined into a single Dino DC420Ri with two engine options for both Tier 3 and Stage V emission classes, Sandvik says. Until then, the Dino DC410Ri will remain on the market to bridge the offering for those customers requiring a Tier 3 engine. Future system updates will also include an open interface for transferring 3D data to third-party systems for purposes such as drill and blast planning or production control.

Sales of the new Dino DC420Ri have already commenced, with deliveries due to start late 2022, Sandvik added.

Sandvik LH209L low-profile loader joins Toro family and receives Stage V engine treatment

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

The Sandvik 10-t-payload LH209L loader has become the first low-profile model to join the renowned Toro™ loader and truck family following an upgrade.

Designed to deliver in extremely demanding applications with limited heights, the Toro LH209L’s performance and serviceability have been further improved with, among other upgrades, a redesign and reinforcement of the machine rear, enabling it to better withstand ground and roof impacts that are typical in low-profile operations.

For improved serviceability, extremely flat covers contribute to easy access to the service and maintenance area on top of the loader. Other improvements to serviceability and reliability include new improved aluminium coolers, new transmission and several changes to the hydraulic system with its components.

From an equipment health monitoring and proactive maintenance perspective, the Toro LH209L is equipped with a new operator interface with 7-in (178 mm) display, providing access to the simple and purpose-designed control system. The interface offers basic information about the loader condition and warns the operator before failures occur, preventing severe damage or potential downtime.

The machine is powered by 185-kW, 8-liter engines from Volvo Penta, coming in both EU Stage V and Stage 3A compliant variants.

To reduce particle emissions, both engines are available with a diesel particulate filter (DPF). The Stage V engine comes with a DPF as standard, while the Stage 3A can be equipped with a DPF, if ultra-low-sulphur fuel is available at the operating site.

For further reduced exhaust emissions, both engines can also use paraffinic diesel fuel that meets the requirements of EN 15940, contributing to lower environmental impacts as well as reduced consumption of fossil fuel. The Stage V engine option also features selective catalytic reduction exhaust gas technology to reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides.

Sandvik trialling Stage V engine technology at Boliden’s Tara mine

Automation, Environmental, Mine operation news, Mining equipment, Mining services, Power supply for mines, , , , , , , , , , ,

Sandvik is continuing its sustainability drive, announcing that it is trialling its first Stage V compliant underground truck at the Boliden-owned Tara zinc mine in Ireland.

The company, in December 2019, launched its first Stage V compliant underground LHDs for hard-rock mining applications following extensive testing. Back then, it said its newest intelligent loaders, the Sandvik LH517i and Sandvik LH621i, would receive the Stage V treatment in early 2020.

Now, Sandvik’s flagship truck, the TH663i, equipped with brand new Stage V Volvo Penta engine technology, is undergoing an extensive field trial period at Tara, allowing the company to obtain first-hand customer feedback on its technical and operational performance. Sandvik said this was “an integral part of Sandvik’s way of working and customer-focused mindset”.

The Stage V engine in the 63 t truck is expected to deliver lower emissions, contributing to reduced mine ventilation rates.

“Designed to fit seamlessly together with the truck and to perform specifically in underground use, the engine system includes built-in fire prevention solutions, increased wiring protection with shrink mesh wiring harness and electric hardware that is specifically designed for demanding conditions, with corrosion, heat and water resistance,” it said. “The new Stage V, requiring ultra-low sulphur fuel and low-ash engine oil to operate, will be an optional engine for the TH663i.”

To reduce particle emissions in the lower Stages/Tiers, standard engines on both the TH663i and TH551i trucks can be equipped with a diesel particulate filter (DPF), according to Sandvik. The company explained: “Based on studies conducted, the optional sintered metal DPF reduces particle mass by approximately 99%. From a reliability and maintenance viewpoint, the DPF is well protected but still designed for easy cleaning to reduce downtime and operating costs. The DPF is also available as retrofit kit.”

Pia Sundberg, Product Line Manager for Trucks at Sandvik Mining and Rock Technology, says thorough field tests are valuable to both the OEM and customer: “We want to allow enough time for sufficient testing of new technology, since it is of benefit to both sides.

“Possible hiccups that can often occur when developing something new are identified prior to the product being fully commercialised, which enables us to serve our customers better in the long run.

“Based on the feedback that we receive, we are still able to do some modifications if necessary and thereby make sure that the TH663i meets expectations when it is released to the market with the latest engine technology at a later stage. Of course, there is also some additional new technology on the test truck that we are testing at the same time.”

The TH663i also benefits from the recent improvements in Sandvik’s AutoMine® offering, as AutoMine for Trucks now enables autonomous truck haulage not only underground but also on the surface.

Sandvik said interesting glimpses into the company’s future truck offering have also been seen in Australia, where the Artisan Z50 battery truck from Sandvik carried out an extensive tour in early 2020 and gathered customer feedback for the new upcoming battery generation.

The company has also recently deployed a Z50 into Barrick Gold’s Turquoise Ridge underground gold mine, in Nevada.

Sandvik ups the drilling ante with DT1132i jumbo

Equipment maintenance, Explosives and blasting, Mining equipment, Mining services, , , , , , , , , ,

Sandvik Mining and Rock Technology has launched a new underground jumbo that, it says, is purpose-designed for fast and accurate drilling in tunnelling and cavern excavation.

The Sandvik DT1132i jumbo is the latest addition to Sandvik’s already extensive range of underground drill rigs. Together with the new high frequency rock drill Sandvik RD535 and rock tools designed for high speed drilling, it provides users with a heavy duty solution for their underground drilling needs, according to the company.

“All Sandvik DTi tunnelling jumbos have been developed with a special modular design that makes them highly flexible and versatile,” Sandvik says. “Suitable for fast face drilling or mechanised long-hole drilling and bolting, they are proving be highly productive, reliable and effective across the world.”

These rigs also use the latest developments in automated drilling solutions such as the iSURE® tunnel management software and SICA intelligent control system.

The new machine is a three-boom, electro-hydraulic jumbo. The computer-controlled rig can use both operator-controlled boom positioning and full-face automatic drilling functions, and also incorporates some of Sandvik’s latest developments in digital solutions. It comes equipped with Sandvik’s new high frequency RD535 rock drill, robust booms and advanced drill string guides, “making it a complete and new high-speed drilling solution”, Sandvik says.

New features

The RD535 rock drill automated drilling features and new rock tools mean that that the DT1132i delivers the results required, but with 40% less exhaust particles, up to 20% higher penetration rate and with 25% more side coverage (3 x SB160i 190m2 -19,400m x 12,200m), Sandvik says.

The premise behind the development of the new DT1132i is to provide users with increased drilling performance and accuracy, thanks to its fast and adaptive drilling control capabilities, able to account for changing rock conditions. The rig design also maximises operator safety and ergonomics, with improved fleet standardisation (high parts commonality) enabling extended rig usage across different work sites.

Among the new features on the new rig is a 3 m telescopic TB160i boom, optimised with a front wrist structure that provides 1 m additional side coverage as standard, and 4 m side coverage with telescopic adjustment. The new boom also uses a new fully proportional boom control for accurate and fast manual boom handling, with intelligent compensation models to give accuracy in all operating conditions, according to Sandvik.

The rig also comes with an ergonomic vibration-dampened cabin, providing the operator with excellent all-round visibility, low noise level inside the cab – thanks to its acoustic windows – a filtration system to minimise dust inside the cab (according to standard EU6/7) and an open and spacious operator environment.

To further boost the efficiency of the rig and the operator, diagnostics information is integrated into one display. These include drilling diagnostics for boom instrumentation, drilling control system and shank lubrication, together with carrier diagnostics for electric motors, pumps (hydraulics and water), transmission system, diesel engines, brake system, jacks and cable reels.

Power and efficiency

The new RD535 rock drill has maximised power transfer capabilities leading to a high drilling speed without compromising hole quality, Sandvik says. It has an efficient and powerful patented percussion mechanism, as well as a tool-saving, efficient and patented stabiliser structure for increased reliability. These features, together with improved flushing and efficient cooling, provide uninterrupted high-speed drilling.

The DT1132i possesses a powerful transmission system with a Cummins B6.7, 168 kW diesel engine (Stage V) which can be operated up to 5,000 m above sea level without any modifications. The new engine provides up to a 90% reduction in NOx emissions (compared with stage III engines), with more than 90% mass reduction for diesel particulate monitoring. The rig uses a new carrier that has more efficient hydraulic and water systems – including separate circuits for both drilling and tramming hydraulics, proportional flushing valves to adjust the flushing flow and inlet/outlet pressure monitoring.

The rig steers by hydraulic rear wheel steering and its electric current reducer unit provides electric reactive power element from an on-board capacitor, reducing electric current draw by up to 20%. The 3 x 90 kW IE3 electric motors require 2.5% less energy, with all working lights based on LED technology, automatically controlled based on tramming direction and with directional lights available where needed, Sandvik says.

A new feed – TF535i – also provides increased feed force for high power drilling, while a saving hose reel structure gives longer service life for the hoses which are of an increased size.

Automated drilling

The DT1132i is available with some of the latest developments in automation, including a SICA control system for intelligent torque control/feed percussion, with monitoring and fleet management for My Sandvik. To further improve the excavation process, remote access via WLAN can be chosen to allow web-based data transfer as well as online measurement while drilling.

As ‘Gold’ standard, the DT1132i comes with torque based semi-automated drilling, manual boom control and rod handling, all enabling drilling to a predefined depth with feed angle measurement and drill bit location measurement. Drill plan visualisation and rig navigation are also included. In addition to these standard features, the rig is also available as part of the ‘Platinum’ package with automatic long hole drilling and fully automatic face drilling.

New drilling tools

For face drilling, the DT1132i comes with the new Sandvik Alpha 360 drilling system for the RD535 rock drill. This has features such as an optimised rod diameter with increased flushing hole size, increased flushing and higher penetration rates, as well as a new Sandvik Alpha 360 connection. The latter possesses a new larger bit thread for increased drilling power and straighter holes which gives higher advance rate per blast. For grouting, the GT38 system provides 50% less deviation and increased service life.