Mining and construction drillers now have the convenience of total-site positioning available as standard features in a top hammer drill rig for line drilling and blastholes up to 5 inches in diameter.

Atlas Copco’s fuel-efficient SmartROC T45 comes with its own site navigation system. Any drilling company that uses computerized features based on the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) can expect to benefit.

The SmartROC rig’s Autofeed Alignment works with the GNSS to ensure all holes are drilled precisely parallel to each other. GNSS-guided drilling is accurate to within 10 centimeters (3.9 inches). Perfectly parallel holes permit wider shot patterns while maintaining control of fracture size, fly-rock and particle velocity. Fewer holes over the same coverage area save on labor, consumables, rig wear-and-tear and cost of explosives.

The SmartROC Progressive Drill Control system adjusts drilling parameters to changes in conditions as formations change gradually or suddenly, as in an encounter with a void. Reduced deviation is gentler on both tooling and the rig.

With an engine rated 325 horsepower at 1900 rpm and free air delivery of 472 cfm at 175 psi, the SmartROC T45’s design efficiency requires a lot less hoses than usual, contributing to reduced maintenance costs.

The SmartROC T45 is also designed for fuel efficiency, reducing not only fuel costs but time spent interrupting a shift by refueling.

Atlas Copco, based in Stockholm, Sweden, serves segments ranging from compressors and air treatment systems to construction, mining and drilling equipment. The company, founded in 1873, has more than 39,800 employees worldwide, and operates in more than 170 countries. Atlas Copco in North America operates in more than 109 locations and employs more than 4,500 people in the United States. For more information, visit www.atlascopco.us.