Safety is top of mind for Major Drilling, one of the world’s largest drilling services companies primarily serving the mining industry.
Established in 1980 and based in Moncton, New Brunswick, Major Drilling is a key player in the supply chain for the battery metals and critical minerals that are required for the transition to green energy.
The company is the preferred specialized drilling contractor for all tiers in the mining industry. With offices and operations around the world, Major Drilling has spent years implementing various rod-handling solutions.
The increasing importance placed on keeping workers safe has increased the availability of improved environmental conditions and new safety-oriented tools like RodBot, a hydraulic robotic handler that eliminates manual rod and casing handling.
RodBot is a hydraulic robotic rod-handling system designed specifically for the seamless loading and unloading of drill rods and casing.
RodBot eliminates hand-bombing entirely and avoids obstacles, keeping workers out of harm’s way while handling sections of pipe up to 30-cm in diameter and 10.6-metres long.
Requiring just one operator, the robotic rod handler allows its user to set the drill mast and rod storage positions once, then hit repeat.
RodBot was created by the Collingwood, Ontario-based MEDATech, which has been designing and building custom mobile heavy equipment since 2003 for the mining, construction, waste, transportation and energy sectors. MEDATech’s Borterra division creates drilling rigs, robotic materials handlers and high-pressure water pumps.
You may also like:
- Cat equips its 6020 hydraulic mining shovel with new engine
- Sandvik begins trials of its largest BEV underground mining truck
- CDE’s new generation ProPress
MEDATech and Major Drilling began collaborating on the development of RodBot in 2021. The two companies worked together to refine the machine through trial and experimentation. The robotic rod-handling solution now saves time in addition to being 100 per cent hands-free.
“Rod handling is the part of drilling historically most prone to accidents,” said Marc Landry, Major Drilling’s Vice President of Technology and Logistics. “Major Drilling is committed to reducing risk for our employees and so we are pleased to have found a solution that really works — the MEDATech Borterra RodBot.”
Major Drilling provided significant guidance on the development of the RodBot’s grapple, while MEDATech refined everything from the machine’s fine motor control to its software. Major Drilling has recently entered into an agreement with MEDATech for exclusive rights to RodBot for use in exploration diamond drilling, everywhere Major Drilling operates.
“The magic of RodBot is really in the software,” said Robert Rennie, MEDATech President and Chief Executive Officer. “Thanks to electric-hydraulic operation, it’s very robust and precise, it’s easier to use than most video games. The learning curve is quick in every mode — manual, tip control and auto.”
RodBot is suitable for mining, construction and the oil and gas industry, as it can be adapted to work on virtually any piece of drilling equipment.
The robotic rod-handling solution has three control modes, including:
Manual control
The operator has manual control of each moving element of the arm through a radio remote.
Computer assistance allows the operator to control the arm moving the drill pipe in a linear motion. Single-axis input on the joystick translates to the pipe, moving in a straight line either vertically or horizontally out from the arm base.
Semi-autonomous control
The RodBot moves along a path determined by the operator and/or automatically adapted to the current mast position. The operator has hands-on control and can start or stop at any time if safety is ever in question.
RodBot is also equipped with what robotics engineers call “go” and “no-go” areas. These zones within the rod handler’s reach specify where it is safe to operate and where it’s not. This includes defining zones where there is equipment in the way and must be avoided.
With RodBot, an operator can program a starting point as well as an ending point, and the robot will calculate the most efficient path, including navigating around any defined obstacles, using collision-avoidance software built into the robotic operating software.
The operator can define and modify no-go zones for both the path taken by the robotic arm and exclusionary zones for the drill setup at each new location.
“The rod movements are fast and consistent,” said Borterra Division Manager Taylor Davies.
“The controls are easy to master and RodBot significantly reduces the potential for human error.”
RodBot retrofits
RodBot can be retrofitted onto existing cranes and drill rigs, attached to pipe tubs or mounted on a skid.
Borterra can also supply a dedicated hydraulic powerpack (diesel, gas or electric), help integrate an existing hydraulic system or supply the information required to carry out a retrofit.
The robotic rod handler is available in three standard configurations. Powered off the drill, the RB1000 is skid mounted and has a maximum load of 90 kg and a maximum reach of 4.5 metres. It’s capable of handling rods with a diameter of 63 mm to 127 mm.
The RB2000 is mounted on the drill and has a maximum load of 363 kg and a maximum reach of 4.5 metres.
The RodBot RB3000 is the largest configuration, which is mounted on a pipe tub and powered by a plug-in electric with hydraulic powerpack.
The RB3000 can lift up to 545 kg and has a maximum reach of 9 metres.
