HammerHead Trenchless Equipment has introduced the HammerHead Roughneck R600, the largest of its pneumatic percussion drilling systems for use in horizontal directional drilling applications. Designed for drilling solid rock with bit diameters of 7.25 to 8 in., the R600 gives HDD contractors the ability to complete larger diameter bores in fewer passes as well as access to a wider range of single-pass boring applications.
Josh Hood, HammerHead HDD product manager, said the R600 opens up new possibilities for the horizontal driller. “A typical large-diameter bore might take several passes to open to the final diameter. A larger pilot can help save time and money by eliminating some intermediary passes,” explained Hood.
The larger bits driven by an R600 also increase the range of single-pass applications the driller has access to, Hood said, such as in communications and other service installations.
The R600 completes the range of existing HammerHead Roughneck rock drills available to HDD customers. It joins the R400 designed for 5.25-in. straight and offset bits and the R500 for straight and offset bits to 6.25 in. in diameter.
All three Roughneck hammers turn any horizontal directional drill in the construction industry into a high-production rock drilling machine. Capable of penetration rates of 150 ft. or more an hour, the rock hammers feature heavy-duty, high-flow housing; patent-pending pullback kit; control station/oiler; and drill conversion kit.
Their heavy-duty housing permits directional drilling in varying rock conditions without changing out the housing. The larger bore diameter of the Roughneck housings allows the hammer to send more air to the internal piston for maximum efficiency, resulting in faster and harder blows. Standard API thread makes housing connections easy. And a patented, pinned-on lid design and isolation package secures and protects electronic investment.
The patented offset rock bit design increases steering precision, allowing the operator to navigate a wide variety of ground conditions. Integrated face-cleaning exhaust ports of the hammer ensure reliable performance, and the patented check valve located within the bit eliminates ingestion of debris.
The control station utilizes the drill’s existing mud pump to efficiently deliver air, oil and fluids down hole, reducing footprint size and weight. Integrated electronics facilitate the drilling operation and provide the operator with control and increased productivity without leaving the drill operator’s station.
All Roughneck control stations can be installed with a tee and a ball valve on the high pressure side of the mud pump, which directs airflow to the drilling fluid supply line.
As with all HammerHead products, ease-of-maintenance is built in. The Roughneck system is equipped with patented spanner wrench holes in the front and rear of the hammer, reducing the number of breakout tongs required to change out the bit or service the tool.
HammerHead Trenchless Equipment, www.hammerheadtrenchless.com