3D navigation system

Sandvik says its new 3D navigation system for surface drilling, uses satellite navigation to guide the starting point and correct course of drilling, in accordance with the drilling plan. The TIM3D consists of three essential operations — rig navigation, feed alignment, and drilling. The system is said to improve hole quality and hole position accuracy, resulting in better fragmentation and decreased boulders and fines. The system also eliminates the need for surveying and any hole marks, reducing the risk for marking errors and speeding up production. The system is based on multi-satellite RTK GNSS navigation and is compatible with GPS and GLONASS satellite systems. During drilling, the operator can follow the penetration rate and hole depth, distance to target, number of required holes, and current alignment. Drilling stops automatically at the target depth. Drilling data — quality report, position and depth of the holes, drilling time, and start and end points — are stored in the system memory, where it can be imported to various programs. The system is available for Sandvik Dpi and DX series surface top hammer drill rigs.