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Compact and efficient drilling

Using MOBA MDS-2000 drilling system controls to monitor blast hole drilling in a limestone quarry is helping ensure optimum accuracy.
February 22, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
The MOBA drilling control is playing a key role in ensuring Schaefer Kalk's quarry operations are efficient and productive
Using 1228 MOBA MDS-2000 drilling system controls to monitor blast hole drilling in a limestone quarry is helping ensure optimum accuracy. At the 2981 Schaefer Kalk limestone quarry in Germany's Rhineland-Palatinate, located close to the village of Hahnstätten, a MOBA MDS-2000 drilling system is playing a vital role in optimising drilling operations.

This is an important factor when drilling blast holes as it helps boost blasting efficiency, reducing the risk of over-sized materials that require secondary breaking and also reducing problems of under-sized fines that can be of little commercial value. Accurate blast holes also minimise the risk of fly-rock and excessive shocks being transmitted, which can pose safety problems and environmental issues. By drilling precisely, the quarry floor will be smoother and place less wear and tear on loading and hauling equipment, while optimising the size of blasted material boost productivity through the crushing and screening operation as well as minimising wear. Overall, efficient blasting with straight blast holes can be a major factor in ensuring cost effectiveness from a quarrying operation. Using the Moba unit is allowing the operation to drill the blast holes at the correct angle and to the 15-20m depths required at the operation.

The unit is being used for controlling drilling on a 2982 Hausherr HSB2000 rig. "The MDS-2000 increases the efficiency of our work processes. With this system, we can drill about 5% more holes than before in the same amount of time. And this in turn saves time and money", said Antonio Polizzi, quarry foreman at Schaefer Kalk.

Polizzi explained that the MOBA system features slope sensors and rotary sensors and uses these to record drilling data such as drill hole depth, angle and drilling time. This information is displayed to the rig operator on a graphic display and saved there or sent directly to the office or to a mobile end device via telemetry. For two years now, Schaefer Kalk has been using the MDS-2000 system on its Hausherr HSB2000 rig at the Hahnstätten and Steeden quarries.

According to Polizzi the Moba unit has proven itself reliable in use, rugged and easy to operate and outperformed a drilling system from another supplier that was initially tested at the same time. Due to its modular design based on CAN-open, the Moba system can be modified for customer-specific requirements while future product developments can also be integrated.

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