Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions has announced a comprehensive update of its Pantera DPi series drill rigs. Since 2008, Sandvik has sold more than 2,500 Pantera drill rigs, making the line a leader in production top hammer drilling in open pit mines, particularly gold mines, in the 89-millimeter to 178-millimeter hole size range.
The key components of the updated Pantera DPi family have been redesigned for higher reliability and availability.
Now, the drills can achieve extended maintenance intervals and longer service life, even in extreme heat or harsh Arctic conditions, thanks to the improved CSL lubrication system, leaf chain feed, stronger boom design, larger engine filters, drill heating system and heavy-duty accumulator.
The new Caterpillar C9.3B engine improves fuel economy by saving up to 5 litres per hour. Coupled with new digital functionalities of the My Sandvik customer portal, including consumables logging, access to machine health statistics and drilling data, the updated Pantera DPi drill rigs help mine operators to achieve higher productivity and more effective opex management.
The heart of the updated Pantera DPi drill rigs is the new RD1700 rock drill family. These new rock drills bring with them an opportunity to prioritize penetration rate or lower fuel consumption, depending on the requirements of the job.
At 25, 35 and 40 kilowatts of rated power and 15 per cent more efficient conversion of hydraulic power to percussion energy, the rock drill family will boost productivity. The recommended CT67 family of rock tools are optimized for higher penetration rates and more effective threading and unthreading.
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The standard configuration of the new RD1700 rock drills ensures consistently optimal hammer strikes for easy collaring and predictable drilling behavior. This is due to the included patented active stabilizer, which autonomically adjusts damping control for perfect bit-to-rock contact. Further benefits include optimized feed force and consequently better hole straightness and quality.
The active stabilizer also increases tool life by up to 40 per cent, thanks to reduced heat generation and more easily opened thread couplings.
The RD1700 rock drills come with a new flushing head for easier maintenance and 50 per cent faster shank changes. Thanks to the new lightweight components, shank changes are easier and safer. Another benefit of the improved design is a doubled lifetime of flushing head seals, causing fewer interruptions.
The updated Pantera DPi family also includes the popular RockPulse system to optimize drilling.
The uPantera DPi update also makes the operator’s job easier and safer with a new cab, which delivers lower noise and vibration levels, and thicker front glass.
Intelligent automation features, such as the iClean option, reduce stress levels by offering an automatic sequence for easy and productive drilling through the overburden. Feed to tram automatics enable fast and easy transition from the drilling position to tramming position with a single button push.
