Atlas Copco will focus on automation at MINExpo 2016. The company will showcase a wide range of solutions at North Hall booth 2121, aimed at tackling the challenges facing today’s mining industry. The event will take place Sept. 26 to 28 in Las Vegas.“The Future of Mining Is Now” is the theme of the Atlas Copco booth.

Johan Halling, senior executive vice president of Atlas Copco and president of the Business Area Mining and Rock Excavation Technique, says he is optimistic for the future.

“The global mining industry has experienced downtrends before. Each time it has managed to bounce back to become even stronger, largely thanks to the development of innovative products and new thinking. I am certain that the current downtrend is no exception,” he says. 

Halling explains Atlas Copco’s mission as an effort to develop solutions that not only increase productivity and cut costs, but are environmentally sustainable as well.

“We believe that this combination is the right formula for long-term success, making us an ideal partner for future growth and prosperity.”

Automation

Many of the Atlas Copco products at MINExpo feature advances in automation that have been described as game-changers for the industry, such as its surface drilling innovations. They include Automatic Rod Changing, smart Auto Navigation and the next generation of Auto Drill for Pit Viper rotary blasthole drill rigs.

Auto Drill uses bit information to make changes to rotary drilling performance in real time. BenchREMOTE remote control station enables up to three drilling rigs to be operated at the same time at distances up to 330 feet from their holes. Visitors to the Atlas Copco booth will be able to experience BenchREMOTE surface drilling using virtual reality technology.

BenchREMOTE is also available for the Pit Viper series of blasthole drills, enabling operation of multiple Pit Viper rigs at distances up to 1,000 yards or more. Visitors will have the opportunity to learn how the BenchREMOTE trailer, on display at the mining event, has already offered several mines multiple benefits from a teleremote solution.

• The new RCS Lite system brings the power of Atlas Copco’s Rig Control System (RCS) to the DM drill rig series, such as the DM-45 and DM-L.
• The most recent upgrade to the Scooptram Automation system presents multi-machine capabilities for full control of underground loading operations. Using a mine’s data network, up to 35 Scooptram loaders in several production areas can be connected and controlled from one or several control rooms.
• Certiq is a telematics system that gathers, compares and communicates vital machine performance data. Used with other tools such as Machine Client, Surface Manager and Tunnel Manager, Certiq can be a key component in a comprehensive solution to improve workflow and the monitoring and management of equipment fleets.

Surface and Exploration

Altas Copco will also unveil two new products within the Pit Viper family of rotary drilling rigs: the Pit Viper 231 for single-pass drilling in the 6-inch to 9 ⅞-inch hole range and the newly updated, fully autonomous PV-275, in the 6 ¾-inch to 10 ⅝-inch range of hole diameters.

Booth visitors will also see the prelaunch of the new SmartROC CL rig designed for the COPROD drilling method. SmartROC CL with COPROD combines higher penetration rates and lower fuel consumption.

Lower fuel costs are also available from Atlas Copco’s SmartROC D65 surface crawler due to a fuel savings kit upgrade that reduces fuel consumption by up to 15 percent. The SmartROC D65 rig comes with long and short feed options to suit an array of drilling applications. 

The new Atlas Copco Christensen 140 meets all international safety standards and environmental requirements.

The largest exploration rig in the Diamec range, the Diamec Smart 8, can take core at depths of more than 6,500 feet. The rig’s advanced control system enables automated drilling operations, including the addition and removal of drill rod and core barrel inner tubes. Increasing the operator’s distance from the drilling operation further enhances safety.

Underground

Underground mining innovations will also be on display at the Atlas Copco booth, including the Minetruck MT65, the new Boomer S2 underground drill rig and the easy-to-move Easer raisebore unit. 

• The new Minetruck MT65 is designed to maximize uptime with its service-friendly design and easy access to daily checkpoints. Its 71-ton capacity and robust powertrain offer high-production capability in a compact design.
• The new Atlas Copco Boomer S2 face drilling rig features upgraded software, automated add-ons and a user-friendly environment. Strengthened components and increased parts protection result in minimal internal wear, faster drilling and the overall durability to work harder longer. 
• The Atlas Copco mobile Easer raisebore unit operates in the same as a traditional raise boring machine, capable of drilling upward or downward. Unlike other raise bore systems the Easer is easily moved to wherever it is needed in the mine, since the rig is wheel-mounted and does not require a concrete platform or site preparation.

Portable Energy

Atlas Copco will showcase its full range of portable energy solutions for the mining industry at MINExpo. The product designs of its mobile air, power, light and dewatering solutions anticipate the need for continuous improvement in versatility, reliability and efficiency. All diesel and electric compressors, generators, light towers and dewatering equipment solutions are engineered for ease of setup of any worksite.

• The new XATS 900E electric compressor delivers compressed air at 100 to 150 psi, with flow rates up to 900 cfm.
• The QEC 1200 mobile generator provides 1 megawatt of containerized power and features a Power Management System (PMS) to optimize fuel consumption. 
• The range of HiLight Tower light towers is well suited to mining applications. The HiLight V5+ model incorporating the latest in LED lighting technology will be on display on MINExpo.
• The WEDA range of electric submersible pumps, featuring the industry’s leading power-to-weight ratios in a dewatering solution.

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.