Caterpillar has announced a product development program that will create an autonomous system for blasthole drills used in surface mining operations.
According to Caterpillar Electronics and Connected Worksite Division vice president Gwenne Henricks, the Cat autonomous drill system is another technology to realise the company’s vision of an autonomous mine site.
The company will design the autonomous drill control program by building on the software and hardware of the Caterpillar AQUILA Drill System.
The AQUILA Drill System Guidance module uses satellite navigation to determine precise hole location and collar height, enabling correct positioning of the drill and accurate drilling depth.
AQUILA Drill Systems also offer additional modules, such as auto-drill, that fulfill many of the functions needed for autonomous operation.
According to the company, the autonomous drill system will leverage the sensing and motion technologies used in the Caterpillar autonomous haulage system and will integrate with the Cat autonomous mine infrastructure.
“Based on our twelve years of experience with AQUILA technology, the next key step change in improving the drill and blast process is automating the drill,” Caterpillar Global Mining Division president Chris Curfman said.
“A blasthole drill equipped with a Caterpillar autonomous system will enhance safety, and reduce variability in the drilling and blasting process.”
Caterpillar intends to make its autonomous drill system available for integration with various blasthole drills.
The company plans to have its autonomous drill system in test by 2010.