For more than 30 years the Atlas Copco DM30 has been a mainstay in mines throughout the world with a reputation for safe and reliable drilling. The machine has now been redesigned as the DM30 II. The upgrade features improved performance, ease of maintenance and operator comfort.
Atlas Copco has produced more than 75 DM30 II rigs since 2011 for the Russian, Asian and African markets. The success of the DM30 II in these major mining markets has now expanded to the United States.
In many ways Tier 4 emissions compliant DM30 II is a smaller version of the slightly bigger crawler-mounted drill rig, the DM45. The DM30 II is a hydraulic, top-head driven, multi-pass rotary or DTH drilling rig featuring a standard 4-rod carousel for 30-foot drill pipe.
With a starter rod under the rotary head, the DM30 II has a single-pass depth of 28 ft. and maximum depth capacity of 148 ft. The DM30 II is ideal for use in larger U.S. quarries as a versatile, high-production drill compact enough to maneuver on tight benches and transport by trailer to work at multiple locations.
“Overall the new drill has similar functionality to our DM30, it’s just heavier duty,” said – Lou Tuczynski , a drill operator from Albany, N.Y. “The cab is on the opposite side, but everything operates virtually the same. I have lots of power to work with and the air package on the DM30 II is unbelievable.”
To properly demonstrate the quality and performance of this new model, Atlas Copco sent a DM30 II on a 3,300-mile journey across the United States from southern California to upstate New York. The rig made four stops, two at granite quarries and two at limestone quarries.
The chosen quarries served as ideal regional demo sites due to their locations. At each stop customers were invited to an introductory classroom session and to walkthroughs of the rig. This gave potential customers the opportunity to see the DM30 II drill in an active operation, experiencing firsthand how it might be a drilling solution for their own.
Although each of the site visits brought together people of varying backgrounds, experience and position within their operations, feedback was similar. The attendees were impressed with the fit and alignment of “fall off” items (those removed for transportation) and the improved access to service filters and fluid fill locations, as well as the upgraded cab.
Operators noted the rig’s enhanced safety features, particularly its automated rod handling system and greaser. One operator summed up the value of such features, saying, “The fewer things you have to put your hands on and the fewer times you have to handle them, the safer and more efficient your shift is.”
U.S. confidence in the DM30 II is based largely on the proven track record of its predecessor and by the success of the versatile and reliable upgraded unit’s success overseas. Knowing that technical support, preventative maintenance and parts for the DM30 II are U.S.-based and locally available assures American quarries that the DM30 II is an excellent solution for the quarry industry.
Road show customers have already begun placing orders for new, competitively priced DM30 II rigs.
Atlas Copco, www.atlascopco.com