New Boart Longyear Drill Control Interface Delivers Productivity and Safety Solution

Boart Longyear, the world’s leading integrated exploration drilling services, equipment and performance tooling provider, has introduced the Drill Control Interface (DCi) to provide drilling contractors a fully electronic interface to safely and efficiently operate underground drilling equipment.

The DCi allows a driller to operate a Boart Longyear LM™ series underground drill rig and rod handler at a safe distance. The LM75 and LM90 rigs are compatible with the DCi system, and existing LM drill rigs can be retrofitted. When using a pulse width modulation (PWM) rod handler, the DCi can control both the rig and the rod handler via an integrated control panel. 

“The DCi is a substantial step for increasing safety on-site by moving the driller away from moving parts and hydraulic hoses,” said Robin Maxfield, Boart Longyear global product manager. “Also, lesser experienced drillers can be more productive right away because an experienced supervisor can input parameters using the DCi that guide the drilling setup.”

LM rigs can now facilitate unattended drilling with the use of the DCi. This allows the rig to complete a 3 meter rod run letting drillers complete a shift change, rest or to catch up on other tasks — which increases productivity. 

The DCi also features one-touch rod feed and pull functionality, allowing the operator to efficiently trip rods. A wireline drum counter has been incorporated into the DCi for semi-automatic descent and retrieval of the wireline.

The DCi incorporates CANBUS technology for self-monitoring and efficient operation. Complete control system integration provides immediate feedback of drilling conditions and data logging for easier reporting and analysis. Self-monitoring valves provide real-time status information, and error messages are displayed on-screen to provide assistance with any troubleshooting.

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