New Epiroc drill rig decreases consumable parts consumption by 30 percent

Epiroc's new Boomer S10 S drill rig provides ideal precision in drilling and offers cost savings throughout the cycle and features Epiroc's rig control system. The consistent and repeatable results are made possible by advanced automation, operator-assisting features, and digital drill plans.

"With Boomer S10 S as our latest addition, we are proud to offer a sustainable automated operation for the small segment, with a complete range of automated rigs for face drilling, production drilling and rock reinforcement underground", said Sarah Hoffman, vice president of sales and marketing at Epiroc's Underground division.

Cost-savings of the Boomer S10 S drill rig

The new Boomer S10 S offers ideal cost savings in terms of wear and tear of rock drilling tools, spare parts, and other consumables. Compared to traditional, non-automated one-boom jumbos, the Boomer S10 S decreases the consumption of consumable parts by 30 percent while lowering maintenance costs by 12 percent.

Automation of Epiroc's new drill rig

Thanks to the digital drill plans and Epiroc's rig control system, the drill rig is aligned in the drift to optimize accuracy, providing less overbreak and underbreak and longer pull rounds.

"The rig control system provides drilling accuracy way beyond what human eye measure could ever accomplish. It is high-quality production from start to finish, and a great milestone reached for mine development," says Niklas Berggren, Global product manager of face drilling equipment at Epiroc.

The Boomer S10 S drill rig offers up to 25 percent more development metres compared to traditional one-boom jumbos. The total cycle time is reduced thanks to better pull length, fragmentation, and less need for scaling.

"It's a snowball effect on productivity. Accurate drilling holes means less explosives, less scaling, and better tunnel profiles. In turn, a better tunnel profile means less rock reinforcement and less tear on all the machines in the drift. All this leads to significant cost reductions while increasing productivity and safety for everyone involved", Niklas Berggren explains.

Operator ergonomic features

The Boomer S10 S is designed with ergonomics and lower vibrations and sound levels in mind. Apart from offering ideal visibility and a multi-functional joystick, the Boomer S10 S grants higher comfort and a significant reduction of live work.

Epiroc's rig control system

Epiroc's rig control system, RCS, was first implemented in 1998. The system is used for controlling several vital functions in Epiroc's machines. It is also an enabler for several productivity and cost-saving automation features.