The Brokk demolition robot has a new attachment, which is helping industrial cleaning applications in the Australian mining industry.
The Brokk demolition robot was already known for its versatility, with the ability to complete a number of heavy-duty tasks on a mine site.
With upward of 15 attachments and 10 different machine iterations in the range, the Brokk robot can already complete tasks that a mobile or fixed rock breaker, loader or drill rig would usually carry out independently.
And as is the case with any pioneering product, the Brokk demolition robot continues to evolve, with the company now adding vacuum excavation to the list of applications.
Brokk Australia managing director Will Visser said vacuum excavation has several use cases on a mine site.
“Vacuum excavation is a savvy and safe way to complete industrial cleaning, whether it be under a conveyor, around busy transfer points or within a crusher,” Visser told Australian Mining.
“By utilising a vacuum system on a Brokk machine, operators can keep workers out of hazardous areas where there are moving conveyors or moving equipment. You can put the remotely operated Brokk machine in and carry out your industrial cleaning tasks stress free.”
Image: Brokk
Given ore accumulations around conveyors can cause wear and tear, limit conveyor speed, and lead to potential breakdowns, conveyors need to be regularly cleaned. This is where the vacuum attachment comes to the fore, with operators able to suck up any excess rock as effortlessly as a vacuum would suck up dust in a family home.
And because the vacuum hose has a tapered, funnel-like design, the vacuum isn’t prone to blockages despite encountering rock fragments of all sizes.
Vacuum excavation can also be conducted without interrupting operations, ensuring there is no unnecessary equipment downtime when cleaning is carried out.
The end result is a clean conveyor or transfer point, which not only ensures operations remain safe but also enables maintenance teams to complete regular or urgent servicing safely and without hindrance.
A case study involving a cement plant saw a Brokk vacuum increase the removal rates from six tonnes per shift to at least 60 tonnes per shift.
If the Brokk vacuum can clean around conveyors and transfer points, then it can assist in any industrial cleaning scenario where there is ore build-up or potential blockages on a mine site. This could be in and around mobile and fixed plant, within processing facilities or inside silos.
And if a customer was looking to clean a conveyor in the morning and then carry out underground drilling in the afternoon, the vacuum attachment can be replaced with a drill bit in a matter of minutes.
“You’ve got the versatility of this robust piece of equipment,” Visser said. “And whether you operate a small machine or a big machine – they function the same way – you don’t have to be retrained to operate a different-sized machine.
“Most importantly, the Brokk machine removes personnel from hazardous work environments, boosting the overall safety of underground or surface facilities and ensuring workers go home safe at the end of their shift.”
The demolition robot can be operated via an ergonomic remote within line of sight, with Brokk’s SmartRemote technology boasting a range capacity of up to 300m.
Otherwise, the machine can be operated from a control room at least 2000m away through an Ethernet or Wi-Fi connection.
The ergonomic Brokk control station contains integrated controls and video screens, enabling video and audio feedback and enhancing the overall operator experience.
Add Brokk’s recent SmartPower+ upgrade to the mix, which delivers increased endurance, intelligence and boosts the overall operating experience, and the Swedish company has many mining applications and operational desires covered.
This feature appeared in the May 2024 issue of Australian Mining.
