Sandvik’s Leopard DI650i offers smarter DTH surface drilling

First published at CONEXPO-CON/AGG - March 10, 2020

Sandvik’s new DI650i DTH drill rig

Sandvik Mining & Rock Technology has developed an expanded high-pressure down-the-hole (DTH) drill rig for Tier 4F and Stage V compliant countries with the new Leopard DI650i.

The model is designed for large hole sizes, and by balancing proven engineering solutions and innovative new components, it is said to offer excellent fuel efficiency, improved safety and higher productivity in challenging rock conditions.

The Leopard DI650i DTH drill rig is designed for demanding high-capacity production drilling applications in surface mining, as well as large-scale quarry applications. In addition to a powerful engine and compressor, the unit is said by Sandvik to incorporate a highly ergonomic iCAB cabin, excellent serviceability, mobility and fuel economy, along with scalable automation packages to offer excellent overall productivity.

In addition to its proven engine and compressor design, Leopard DI650i comes with a range of new or redesigned components to boost its productivity. The standard rotary head option, HTRH6, is said by Sandvik to have performed successfully on its other DTH drill rigs, whereas the new heavy-duty option, MRH6, is a good fit with Sandvik’s powerful new RH560-series DTH hammers.

Pipe sizes range from 89mm to 140mm, depending on the size of the hammer. The maximum hole depth is 53.6m when utilising the carousel option with pipe sizes from 89mm to 114mm. The capacity range of 403kW Tier 3 / Tier 4F / Stage V CAT C15 diesel engine and reliable compressor is said to be adequate for high-pressure drilling with 101mm to 165mm DTH hammer sizes.

Thanks to claimed excellent visibility of the drilling area and a single integrated touch screen for all monitoring, diagnostics and mining automation displays, Leopard DI650i’s silent, ergonomic iCAB cabin provides the rig operator with a safer, more productive working environment. The maintenance crew can carry out all daily servicing tasks at ground level on both sides of the machine. The advanced serviceability and reliability features can, says Sandvik, increase Leopard DI650i’s availability by up to 20% compared with conventional DTH rigs at a similar technology level.

Sandvik also claims that intelligent control technology applied to both the compressor and the hydraulic system’s cooler fan can reduce fuel consumption by up to 15% compared with conventional DTH rigs. Leopard DI650i’s fuel efficiency is further boosted by the flow-controlled drilling control system that eliminates fluctuations in airflow, instead allowing the pressure level to fluctuate in response to more difficult ground conditions and increased back pressure (for example, due to groundwater or collapsing holes). This makes maximum flushing pressure and penetration rates available in the most challenging of rock conditions, while still retaining the low fuel consumption of the traditional pressure control approach in easy ground conditions.

The Leopard DI650i joins Sandvik’s other i-series drill rigs in its compatibility with the newest scalable automation solutions. The latest onboard options include TIM3D drill navigation with wireless data transfer, My Sandvik fleet monitoring system and full-cycle drilling automatics, which merge functionalities such as uncoupling, feed auto-aligning and feed auto-positioning into a single efficient sequence. These capabilities can be further upgraded with more advanced modules such as single-rig or fleet remote-control systems by Automine Surface Drilling.

Stand S5249