Construction and mining equipment manufacturer Caterpillar notes that it is the only manufacturer offering rock drills designed to be serviced on site reducing downtime and costs.

The company explains that CAT drills are designed for easy maintenance with simple and well-organised electrical and hydraulic arrangements, logically located components and ground-level service to facilitate maintenance. One hundred percent of all rock drill services can be completed without removing the drill from the feed, says Caterpillar, which launched its CAT MD5075C track drill in November last year.

The MD5075C track drill is designed for best-in-class productivity, durability and low total cost of ownership, which enables the CAT rock drills to deliver three times the life span of competitive drills. CAT carousel rod changer and drill rod handling systems are a reliable mechanical design with no sensitive electronic sensors to cause downtime, notes the manufacturer.

Additionally, the MD5075C allows for technicians to instantly diagnose system performance using the CAT Electronic Technician service tool. The MD5075C also has additional fuel filtration to help ensure reliable engine operation and extended component life. The remote-mounted secondary and tertiary 4 μm filters are positioned for easy access to aid replacement.

The MD5075C replaces the MD5075 and is capable of drilling holes of 76 mm to 114.3 mm in diameter to a depth of 31 m. The fuel-efficient 224 kW C9 engine can be configured to meet emissions standards worldwide and the compressor, which features variable air control, produces 9.9 m3 a minute at 10.2 bar.

The standard rock drill on the MD5075C is the HPR5123, which uses a 45 mm or 51 mm drill rod. Also available is the HPR4519 rock drill, which uses a 45 mm drill rod. Besides extended product life, CAT rock drills also cost less than one-half in parts than competitive rock drills, says the company.

Upgrades

The MD5075C cab provides superior safety features, such as numerous shutdown methods and responsive controls, which also help reduce operator fatigue. The cab is quiet and comfortable and is isolator-mounted to reduce vibration. Further, the cab is pressurised to reduce dust infiltration and features a powerful heating, venting and cooling system.

The control system features – among others – touch screen navigation for drill assist, a rearview camera, tram, water, rock drill autolube, alerts, drilling, target depths and penetration rate. The high-resolution display uses simple icons to aid navigation and control and shows constant performance monitoring of pressures, rotation and hole depth. The depth indicator ensures all holes are drilled to the planned depth to promote a better floor, and reduce secondary blasting and equipment wear.

Also incorporated in the MD5075C is Drill Assist technology that helps the operator in operations and equipment management. Drill Assist monitors the main hydraulic systems and automatically adjusts to preprogrammed parameters. It incorporates antijam, antiplunge and antiplug, which combine to boost productivity and increase the life of the drill string. The new six-way adjustable seat is designed to comfortably accommodate a range of operator needs.

CAT track drills are equipped with the CAT monitoring system (CAT MS), which monitors critical engine functions and reduces the power rating of the engine to protect itself from damage if needed. When critical conditions arise, the CAT MS monitor displays warning lights and sounds alarms.

CAT track drills also include the Product Link system, which allows remote machine monitoring and tracking using satellite and cellular networks. The system monitors a machine’s status and provides use and health trends through reports generated by VisionLink software.