New drill rig for smaller drifts

A long-hole production drill rig for small to medium-sized drifts, featuring a new carousel design and automation features, was recently unveiled by Epiroc.

Part of the company’s Smart series, the new Simba SM60 S production drill rig is equipped with a range of automation options designed to increase operator safety, drilling quality and productivity. Automation software such as Feed Speed Control Impact, or FSCI, used to control the rock drill, and automatic positioning to hole toe, helps ensure correct utilisation of the machine and improves drilling performance.

The updated electrical control system and the automation software features can contribute to safe productivity by removing the operator from hazardous areas. The newly developed RHS 17 single-layer carousel is designed to ensure seamless rod handling. With the gripper arms placed inside the carousel, it can move the rods between the carousel and the drill centre, helping to improve operation productivity and drilling performance.

“The new horseshoe drill unit frame provides great stability and robustness during drilling, and minimizes the transport height during transportation,” explains Epiroc global product manager: underground division Mikael Larslin, noting that this makes the Simba SM60 S an ideal rig in smaller drift mines.

The drill rig has one of the lowest transport heights in Epiroc’s fleet of Simba production drill rigs. The horseshoe-mounted drill unit frame and low-built drill unit are designed to be positioned at the very lowest point, placing the drill unit below the cabin roof at a height of 2.8 m.