Atlas Copco tops Intermat 2006

The 1,100 sq m display, located in Hall 5 B (Booth 5 D and 5 D 041) of the Paris-Nord Villepinte Exhibition Centre, is destined to be a main attraction offering an un-rivalled range of new and improved products.

The Atlas Copco booth will emphasize quality in products, people and the standard of after sales service. And the array of equipment on display - from breakers, cutters, compressors, generators and drilling equipment to remote control systems and service and maintenance solutions will be impressive.

In addition, there will also be a Service Point at which visitors can sample the latest developments in service and mainte- nance solutions.

Says Bernard Dubois, Service Manager at Atlas Copco France, who will be on hand at the booth, says: “Service is a concept that is becoming more and more important in the minds of our customers. Regular follow-up on their equipment brings reliability, performance and maintenance cost control. Today, we can offer our customers different means of following up and maintaining their equipment such as service kits, regulation inspections and full service contracts. We can also monitor their equipment with a system called ProCom via the Internet, and we know exactly when to schedule a maintenance visit. During Intermat, we will be showcasing all of these services at the Service Point where we invite visitors to share their experiences and discuss their needs.”

This part of the display - which will be located at the centre of the booth - is expected to generate great interest. Here, visitors will be able to examine working tools, parts and service kits, accessories and components, study Atlas Copco's adapta- tion and installation know-how, service agreements, rebuild concepts, check out an excavator database and sample online platforms such as Products Online, logistics and distribution.

Another winner for drillers

Atlas Copco's COP 3038 rock drill was recently named the world's fastest rock drill following a series of industry awards. Now the company has followed it up with what looks to be another sure winner - the new Rocket Boomer E2.

Designed for tunnelling applications, this new rig is packed with innovations and will be seen by many as one of the stars of the Atlas Copco show. Besides being equipped with the celebrated COP 3038 rock drills on its two booms, the Rocket Boomer E2 booms are of a completely new design which vastly improve stability and gives faster and more accurate positioning.

Called BUT 45, the 2.5 metre boom extension enables the rig to cover larger tunnel faces from a single set-up, providing more flexibility for roof drilling and crosscuts. Together with its upgraded Rig Control System, RCS, for accurate positioning and control, as well as a wide range of options such as automatic positioning, collaring and drilling, the Rocket Boomer E2 represents a significant step forward in drilling performance and efficiency.

SmartRig^TM

Still in the drilling arena, Atlas Copco will also unveil its new SmartRig^TM ROC D7C - known as the most “intelligent” of its kind and the world's first silenced rig. The intelligence of the rig gives both superior productivity and efficiency in combination with environmental friendliness. The new feature for high precision drilling and productivity is the rig's GPS system (satellite-based Global Positioning System). By using the pre prepared drill plan, collaring is accurately carried out by checking the display screen inside the cabin, thereby eliminating traditional methods of time-consuming set-ups. In case optional hole logging is performed, the blasting sequence can be tailor-made to give optimum rock fragmentation and smooth benches.

The SmartRig^TM concept also offers a major step forward for the environment. The rig's unique silencing system - distinguished by a large hood around the mast - reduces drilling noise to approximately 10 dB (A) below that of other comparable rigs. This enables it to be used virtually anywhere and presents new opportunities for contractors in countries with strict noise restrictions in urban areas. Besides this, it is equipped with a CAT 6.6 engine that meets all the new exhaust limits in Tier3/Stage 3. The SmartRig^TM makes it possible to lower the rpm and select the optimal power required in different rock conditions, lowering fuel consumption by up to 30%. The rig also has a streamlined hydraulic system which reduces the risk of leakage by 30%. All in all, this rig is a smart choice for small and medium-sized quarries and civil engineering projects.

In seach of the optimal balance

Another drill rig that will make its debut at Intermat will be the ECM720 surface crawler. The latest version, launched at the end of 2005, aims to provide the optimal balance between productivity and cost-efficiency. This rig is equipped with Strata-Sense^® drill automatics. All drilling functions are hydraulically monitored and adjusted to optimize total drilling speed, hole straightness and drill steel life. The rig is suitable for drilling with the heavy duty ThunderRod T60 from Atlas Copco Secoroc in the hole diameter range 102-152 mm (4“-6”). A 610 mm telescopic extension boom gives fast and accurate positioning and alignment while the low height makes it easy to transport between worksites. functions are hydraulically monitored with stage 3 of EU emission regulations. In ad- dition to drill rigs, Atlas Copco will also be showing the latest in service and maintenance and performance monitoring with systems such as Pro Maint and ROC CARE.

The importance of rock drilling tools

Large diameter DTH hammers are outstanding pieces of equipment, capable of tackling many different construction tasks. And the largest of the Secoroc hammers - from 12“ to 30” - together with cluster drills, are powerful tools for foundation drilling, dam building or similar, complex projects. They also work extremely well in combination with overburden drilling systems such as Odex or Symmetrix.

Topping the bill at Intermat will be the new ThunderRod T60, a heavy duty, 60 mm drillstring system for tophammer drilling, designed to give improved hole straightness, penetration rate and service life.

Designed for 102-152 mm holes, the system is built to deliver more energy, and also to withstand the market's most power- ful hydraulic rock drills such as the Atlas Copco COP 2160, COP 2560 and COP 4070. At the Atlas Copco booth, Secoroc specialist Marcel Godfrind will be on hand to explain how it gives larger and fewer holes per blast, saving both time and money.

“At Intermat we'll be demonstrating how to utilize the benefits of DTH drilling in most applications and how to select the best hammer for every job,” he says. “We will also explain the strengths of the ThunderRod T60 system and give visitors support and advice in choosing the right equipment and operating parameters.”

The COPROD system, which recently won a prestigious award, has also been well received. “COPROD is another favourite of mine”, continues Godfrind. “The system not only ensures minimal hole deviation, but also gives maximum penetration rate and service life.”

For drifting, tunnelling and roof bolting applications, the Magnum SR system is now recognised worldwide. The system is continuously developing, and the benefits are shared by more and more drillers every day. In addition, the new bit grinding machine, Grind Matic Jazz, which can be mounted directly onto a rig, helps to get more out of the drill bits without having to bring them to a workshop. With its patented diamond grinding wheels, “Jazz” is expected to become a must- have for all drillers on the move. Concludes Godfrind: “At Intermat, we aim to share the latest developments in rock drilling tools as well as share our knowledge and experience of global rock drilling applications.”

Breaking news

Heading up the construction tools display is a new generation of solid body breakers, including the new SB 100, SB 150, and SB 200. With more than 80 % new parts, these new Body SB breakers hit faster and harder than any comparable breakers on the market. Compared to previous models, they give 50% more blows per minute and the hammer mechanism, with its recoil dampening system, meets stringent demands for low noise and vibration. Extra features make the new breakers even easier to service and more robust than ever.

Accompanying the SB range is the HB 2500, a new addition to the Atlas Copco range of heavy duty breakers. This 2,500 kg model is suitable for excavators from 29 to 43 tonnes and contains all the key features of a modern production machine such as StartSelect, allowing start-up and shut-off to be set in line with conditions, PowerAdapt, which prevents over-loading if the breaker is used alternately on different carriers and subjected to different oil pressures, and AutoControl which controls the ratio of impact energy to impact rate, en- suring maximum performance at all times.

On the cutting edge

When it comes to demolition, the new generation hydraulic cutter CC 1700 is a perfect tool to have handy. With its cutter jaws mounted on one central bearing pin, this concept offers improved stability and faster jaw replacement, compared to cutters with two bearing pins. The two cutter jaws can now be fitted and removed as a single unit thanks to a new coupling and positioning system (Patent Pending) which connects the jaws even after removal on site.

Designed for excavators from 15 to 25 tonnes, it has two moving jaws, each powered by its own hydraulic cylinder which ensures consistently high breaking force, while the combination of one single and one double jaw maximizes sta- bility even under extreme load.

Reliable power, reduced cost

Intermat will also be the place to discover many new and recently launched air compressor features, increasing the relia- bility of the compressor at all times and lowering running costs. These include the FuelXpert^TM that enables large com- pressors to consume an average 10% less fuel than all competitive machines. Oiltronix^TM automatically lowers the operation temperature of the compressor to the minimum which also virtually eliminates condensation in the oil. Intermat visitors will also have the opportunity to see the new, smallest mem- ber of the award-winning HardHat^TM compressor range. Al- most indestructible, and designed with the environment in mind, the HardHat^TM compressors are a must in rough, un- predictable environments. When it comes to the environment, new CAT low emission engines have been introduced into the larger size compressors and the QAS generator sets also play a major role with lower noise and emission levels and reduced running costs. These “whisper quiet” sets are compliant with all future European and U.S. exhaust emission legislation and are ideal for use in residential areas and noise-sensitive loca- tions. In addition, the Cosmos^TM system provides remote performance monitoring.

New solutions for ground engineering

Demands are also increasing for more and better systems for geotechnical applications and ground engineering and here, too, Atlas Copco has taken up a front-line position. In tun- nelling, for example, the company now offers the market's most comprehensive range of products for tackling all con- ceivable tasks involving everything from the typically hard rock of Scandinavia to the often extremely unstable rock and soil conditions of southern Europe.

This includes Swellex rock bolts, MAI self drilling anchors, forepoling with Symmetrix and the Unigrout auto- matic grouting system. At Intermat, visitors will find the Symmetrix equipment and large dimension DTH (down-the- hole) units especially interesting as these systems have revo- lutionized foundation and horizontal drilling in difficult ground conditons. Federico Scolari, Marketing Manager for Atlas Copco Craelius, the division for ground engineering know-how, says: “We are inviting all geotechnical specialists interested in finding how to improve their productivity to come and see us at our Ground Engineering Point in the Atlas Copco display area. There we will be helping customers to select the right solution for the right job.”