QUARRYING

Caterpillar launches MD6200 rotary blasthole drill

The new Cat MD6200 rotary blasthole drill is designed as a production drill with the flexibility to do pre-split drilling—all in a package that is Caterpillar’s most transportable rotary drill yet.

 Caterpillar launches MD6200 rotary blasthole drill

Caterpillar launches MD6200 rotary blasthole drill

The MD6200 is designed to perform rotary or DTH drilling in single-pass or multi-pass modes and can drill holes of 127 to 200mm (5.0 to 7.87in) in diameter. It offers the ability to drill at a negative angle up to 15 degrees, which enables matching the slope of the highwall for pre-split drilling. The result is cleaner highwalls with less waste material going to downstream operations. For traditional production drilling, the mast can tilt from vertical out to 30 degrees. The operator can adjust the mast angle in increments of five degrees from the touchscreen in the cab—with no special setup required.

The MD6200 can be transported over the road with the mast on, so it can simply roll onto a truck when it is time to move to another site. The new drill also has the smallest shipping envelope of any drill in its class. In some configurations, parts outside the shipping envelope can be removed without the use of lifting tools, allowing two people to prepare it by hand for shipping.

The drill also offers best-in-class manoeuvrability. Its compact working envelope and powerful undercarriage get it into position faster, reducing the time spent accessing drill patterns and moving between holes. The Cat 336 excavator-style undercarriage provides superior durability, tractive effort and drawbar pull.

A Cat C18 engine powers the drill and is rated to meet the needs of any mine site. It is available in US EPA Tier 4 Final configuration and in US EPA Tier 2 equivalent configuration to suit regional needs. The Cat power train delivers high efficiency and reliability.

Both high pressure and low-pressure compressor configurations offer variable volume air control, perfectly matching the compressor output to the drill tool and application needs. The system also lowers stand-by pressures while the machine is idle, further improving fuel efficiency.

Cat technology options make the MD6200 even more productive and efficient. Drill Assist offers automated functions, including auto level, auto retract jacks, auto raise and lower mast, and auto drill. The drill depth monitoring system helps to reduce over- and under-drilling—to optimize productivity and fragmentation.

The MD6200 is also ready for Cat Terrain for drilling, which uses state-of-the-art guidance technologies to help operators drill holes in the exact location and specified by the plan, resulting in smoother, safer and more efficient blasting.