Using the right equipment is one of the most critical considerations in the underground mining industry.
The right choice of machines can boost productivity and ensure the safety of all personnel involved in the operation. One such piece of machinery used in underground mining is the roof bolter.
An underground roof bolter's bolting rig employs pneumatic or hydraulic power to install rock bolts in underground mines and tunnels. The machines vary significantly in size, from compact handheld devices to heavy-duty machines that move on tracks irrespective of their shape or size.
Safety is one of the most important considerations for the use of these machines. Underground roof bolters are used to prevent mining accidents by securing the roof of the mine and making them self-supportive.
Let us take a look at the top underground roof bolters available in the market today.
Komatsu ZB21
Overview
The Komatsu ZB21 is a highly efficient underground drilling and bolting platform that delivers excellent performance in various applications. The ZB21 offers superior flexibility with its common carrier platform, can be quickly converted into a jumbo.
The machine can install four major bolt types and offers excellent coverage. The Komatsu ZB21 can fit into small mine sections conveniently and offer unmatched vertical and horizontal reach.
With the Komatsu ZB21, you can conveniently perform underground drilling on diesel power and install multiple bolt types with the easy adjustment of the bolting head by up to two feet.
The machine is a robust workhorse capable of fulfilling all the underground roofing and bolting needs of your mining project.
Safety
The Komatsu ZB21 keeps safety as one of its paramount features. The machine is built from the ground up, keeping operator safety and comfort as the prime considerations.
The ROPS/FOPS certified operator cabin maximizes operator safety and efficiency with industry-leading workspace design and features.
The ZB21 operator cabin offers excellent visibility with its double-curved glass, which is highly useful for drilling lifter holes and crosscut.
The cabin options include the choices for a full enclosure and intuitive climate control for maximum comfort and efficiency.
Reliability
The machine is designed for minimal maintenance and little to no need for regular service. The machine's bolting head involves very few moving mechanical parts that minimize the risk of operational failure and provides the added benefits of simplicity and reduced weight.
Additionally, the operators can complete the bolting cycles from their enclosures, with virtually no need for human interaction during the screen handling.
The machine is designed to withstand challenging underground mining conditions with ease and offer reduced cycle times with its innovative chemical injection system designed for resin, grout, and cement cartridges.
The rugged, heavy-duty metallic design of the ZB21 offers one of the safest and most reliable underground roof bolters in the market.
The industry-leading safety and productivity features of the ZB21 ensure the machine's dependability and longevity in challenging work environments.
Epiroc Boltec 235
Overview
Epiroc Boltec 235 is a heavy-duty underground roof bolting rig that is best suited to medium-sized mining operations.
The hydraulic-controlled machine is designed to provide flexible and reliable bolting options for underground mining operations. It offers compatibility with multiple rock bolt types and optimized bolt installation.
The machine features stable bolting with fast and consistent bolting cycles, ensuring a safe and protected working environment.
The Boltec 235 is one of the best choices for underground roof bolters with its ability to perform excellently in most tough working conditions with immense ease.
Safety
Safety is one of the many domains where the Epiroc Boltec 235 excels. The machine offers optimum operator safety and comfort for longer operations.
The mechanized bolting offers a significantly higher installation quality than most of the industry counterparts. Mechanized bolting is also safer as compared to manual or semi-mechanized modes of bolt installation.
Additionally, the machine offers valuable insight into metrics like bolt angles and spacing, installation pressure, bolt numbers, etc.
The data can be collected and recorded for streamlining operations and ensures safe operation through making timely intervention possible.
Reliability
Epiroc Boltec 235 features hydraulic rock drills that are optimized for drilling bolt holes. The machine also features a computerized RCS (Rig Control System) for high-efficiency positioning, drilling, and bolting.
The rig's high-quality, heavy-duty construction makes it one of the most reliable underground roof bolters in the underground mining industry.
Sandvik DS311
Overview
Sandvik DS311 is one of the most compact and competent mechanized rock bolters available in the market today. The machine offers innovative solutions to underground rock bolting operations.
It offers excellent coverage in small to medium underground mining areas. With its superior ratio of rock bolt length to drift height, the Sandvik DS311 is the ideal electro-hydraulic machine to fulfill all types of underground mining operations' bolting needs.
Safety
The Sandvik DS311 offers a compact footprint for smaller tunnels and narrow underground workspaces. The ROPS/FOPS certified operator cabin offers maximum comfort and safety to the operators in long work hours and dangerous mining conditions.
The Sandvik DS311 can be conveniently and safely operated by a single person, therefore simplifying bolting operations. The wide range of optional safety features and packages makes the DS311 one of the safest roof bolters in the market.
Reliability
The Sandvik DS311 features a rugged metallic design that is purpose-built to last ages. The electro-hydraulic mode of operation is perfect for safe and reliable underground operations.
The robust construction of the machine offers unmatched performance while ensuring little to no downtime. The DS311 offers the added benefit of common spare parts across the product family, reducing your operation's overall maintenance costs.
Joy Multibolter
Overview
The Joy Multibolter (now owned by Komatsu) is a mobile bolter available in four models capable of handling 2.0 to 5.4 meters of nominal operating ranges.
The multiple-drill head bolter is platform-based and suited primarily for continuous 'place change' applications in the underground mining industry.
The machine has an ergonomic and productivity-oriented design that offers flexibility in operation and reduces operating costs while maximizing operator safety.
The four models of the Joy Multibolter offer different seam heights coverage and cover a wide range of work conditions. Up to six semi-automatic roof bolters can be used according to the bolting pattern and underground mining conditions.
The Multloader offers wet and dry drill versions with vacuum dust collection for maximum convenience.
Safety
The Joy Multibolter is designed for maximum safety in the harshest of working conditions. The operator-controlled platform can be adjusted according to the required height and increases the underground working space.
The absence of swinging booms and scarcity of moving parts allows for lower repair costs, increased operator safety, and the machine's longevity.
The four different Joy Multibolters offer Automated Temporary Roof Support (ATRS) ranging between 6 to 160 kN. The use of a single machine to support multiple roof bolts has multiple advantages over single boom applications.
The machines take half the time to do the job with no need for repositioning. They also use hydraulic traction for increased safety and efficiency.
Reliability
All four models of the Komatsu Joy Multiloader offer heavy-duty, rugged designs that allow continuous operation in harsh conditions. The lack of moving parts and no swinging booms means fewer repair costs and little need for regular service and maintenance.
The machine is centered around productivity and reliability. It offers a dependable and robust machine that is sure to accompany your team through the toughest of operations.
Conclusion
So, there you have it. That's our top picks for roof bolters. Do you agree? Did we get it right? Did we miss one? Feel free to leave comments or your thoughts below.
Related Reading: Resin Cartridge vs. Pumpable Resin for Bolting
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This article was written by An Underground Miner