Sandvik adds battery-electric cable bolter to underground mining equipment offering – International Mining

Sandvik is expanding its battery-electric underground drill offering to include a first of its kind battery-powered cable bolter, the DS422iE.

The Sandvik DS422iE is a battery-electric rock reinforcement drill rig designed for cement grouted cable-bolt installation in underground mines and tunnels. It uses lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) battery power instead of a diesel engine and offers zero emissions tramming, drilling, bolting and grouting.

The LFP battery chemistry provides maximum safety underground while delivering the highest level of productivity and utilization of the equipment, according to Sandvik.

Thanks to its revolutionary electric driveline system, the highly automated cable bolter consumes no fuel and generates less heat and noise than conventional drivelines. The result is safer, healthier and more productive cable bolting in underground operations, the OEM added.

The Sandvik DS422iE can install up to 25-m-long cable bolts with several steel strands per hole. The drill rig has an on-board automatic cement mixer and 600-kg-capacity cement silo, reducing the need for manual handling and refilling between holes.

Sandvik’s patented Charging While Drilling technology enables Sandvik DS422iE to execute a full drilling cycle on battery power, with batteries capable of continued operations up to four hours where no electrical network is available, the company says.

“[The] Sandvik DS422iE is the first battery-electric cable bolter on the market, marking another significant milestone in Sandvik’s battery-electric vehicle competencies,” Ari Kopperoinen, Product Manager, Rock Support Drills at Sandvik, says. “The ability to continue rehab work off-grid using battery power is a transformative feature for mines with an unstable electrical grid. Combined with our industry-leading battery technology, operations have never been more productive or independent.”

The DS422iE battery-electric cable bolter was mentioned as a future addition to the company’s battery-electric lineup as early as 2020.

The Sandvik DS422iE builds on the core features of the Sandvik DS422i diesel machine, including one-hole automation, repeatable bolting accuracy, teleremote and full fan automation and an ergonomically designed cabin with 55% increased visibility. It is also compatible with Sandvik’s digital offering including iSURE®, Sandvik DrillConnect, Digital Driller™ and My Sandvik remote monitoring. Bolting operations are optimised by using Sandvik Ground Support cable bolts, it added.