New Hydraulic Drifter Rock Drill Takes Brokk Power and Safety to Cramped Worksites

Brock remote-controlled demolition equipment brings Goliath-sized drilling power in a David-sized package for mining, demolition and tunneling applications with the latest TE160 hydraulic drifter rock drill from TEI Rock Drills.

When paired with the Brokk 100 or Brokk 160, the new drill attachment is far superior to the alternative for drilling in cramped spaces, jackleg drills. The Brokk/TEI combination eliminates fatigue caused by operating the heavy handheld tools, improves overall drilling accuracy and promotes safety by allowing operators to stand farther away from the drilling site.

“Heavy jackleg drills are difficult to move and can quickly wear out the operator. With the Brokk machine and this drill head, they won’t tire so easily,” said Peter Bigwood, vice president of sales and marketing at Brokk. “Instead, they can run powerful drilling equipment in tunnels, mines and demolition sites for longer and from safe distances.”

When miners use jackleg drills for drilling 1 5/8-inch diameter holes for blasting, for example, they stand within 3 feet of the working surface, which puts them at risk of being hit by water-propelled, fractured rocks or falling debris. They also have to strain against jackleg drills for long periods of time, and the exertion can lead to injuries and inaccurately drilled holes. With a Brokk machine and the TE160 attachment, they can consistently drill to 20-foot depths while standing well out of harm’s way.

Operators can take the 45-inch-tall Brokk 100 units into areas with 6-foot height clearances, which make them great for workspaces with little headroom. In addition, when the arms and stabilizer legs are folded in, the Brokk 100 is less than 31 inches wide, narrow enough to fit through doorways or onto elevators at demolition sites.

At just under 26 inches long, the TE160 is the smallest drill attachment from TEI, yet it packs a punch. The TE160 delivers 35 to 60 foot-pounds of impact energy at 5,000 to 6,500 blows per minute. The drill also produces 100 pound-feet of torque and reaches rotation speeds of up to 250 rpm, which makes it an accurate and faster alternative to jackleg drilling through brick, concrete and rock.

In addition to enhancing safety, power and speed, the new drill attachment complements other Brokk attachments to make the Brokk machines more versatile. For example, demolition crews can use the Brokk 100 or Brokk 160 with the TEI attachment to bore 2-inch-diameter holes for splitter or cracking agents in non-explosive demolition applications. They can then quickly switch out the drill for a hydraulic breaker, shear or bucket to size and remove debris.

The hydraulic TE160 drill attachment is also quieter than pneumatic handheld alternatives. This allows construction crews to use the equipment in locations where noise-control ordinances are in effect, such as in and around apartment buildings and high-rise towers.

Brokk also makes the new drill easy to handle by integrating its controls into the Brokk machines’ control systems. “Operators can control the Brokk and the TEI drill with a single control rather than one for the machine and one for the attachment,” Bigwood said. “This makes the Brokk and drill combination more convenient and practical, and also frees up an extra worker who normally would be required to operate the second control.”