WorldWide Drilling Resource

Operating Blasthole Drills from 5000 Miles Away Adapted from Information by Epiroc About two years ago, Epiroc con- ducted a revolutionary demonstration of its cabless Pit Viper being operated in Garland, Texas, and controlled more than 5000 miles away by people in Stockholm, Sweden. The demonstration revealed the teleremote and autonomous capabilities of the Pit Viper being used in mines around the world. During the event, participants took turns operating the rig and commanding it to run in fully autonomous mode, while they monitored the rig’s progress and activities, just as a remote supervisor would, with Epiroc’s Rig Control System and communication interface. Operators in Stockholm weren’t sure if there would be a lag in the rig’s reaction to their control inputs. However, the rig’s responses were nearly instantaneous using a traditional ground-based fiber-optic network. The first step for teleremote operation was to enhance safety by removing drill operators from the rig. Soon, the technology was expanded to increase productivity. Although this rig is being used in several mines around the world, some wondered just how the Pit Viper’s teleremote capabilities would stand up to overseas teleremote control. It operated flawlessly. This test involved more than just starting the rig and driving it around a parking lot. It really put the rig through its paces during two full days of 10- to 12-hour shifts including autonomous drilling and monitoring drilling operations just as mines are doing in real-world operations. Operating this state-of-the-art equipment requires thorough training and for that, Epiroc uses its Surface Automation Center inGarland to hostAutomation Boot Camps. When product managers and product specialists attend Epiroc’s Automation Boot Camp, they are educated in every phase of the process using the same equip- ment they will use on the job. The camp is held several times a year at the facili- ty, which features a special classroom and ful l-scale automated dri l l ing rig. Attendees are able to control the rig with no noise, fumes, dust, or vibration. Many are surprised how the joysticks on the compact control pad replicate those on a manually-controlled rig, which simplifies retraining. The operator watches the drill on a personal console screen and can supervise up to nine drills at once. Teleremote and autonomous drilling from large distances is no longer a futur- istic thought, it’s available now. It is an efficient solution to increased production and operator safety. Empire State Water Well Drillers Association Annual Meeting January 14-15, 2020 For more information, visit us online: www.nywelldriller.org January 14 th 9 am - 4:30 pm Board Meeting, Variety of Classes (TBD) 4:30 - 7:30 pm Cocktail Party & Trade Show January 15 th 9 am - noon General Membership Meeting Turning Stone Resort Casino Verona, NY For Hotel Reservations: 800-771-7711 www.turningstone.com 14 DECEMBER 2019 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® EXB