The Birth of CY-R40C
Cutting slots create free faces and provide free space for large-scale mining; the excavation of these slots directly affects the sustained and balanced production of underground mines. As the initial free face and compensation space for blasting and mining operations, the construction quality of cutting shafts directly impacts whether mining operations can proceed smoothly. Currently, the construction of cutting shafts in China primarily relies on the short-hole blasting method, involving repeated blasts. Challenges such as lengthy preparation times, high construction difficulty, poor working conditions, low production efficiency, and significant safety risks have long been urgent issues for mines to address. To overcome these challenges, the author developed the CY-R40C multifunctional cutting shaft drilling rig, which has been widely adopted at numerous mines both domestically and internationally. It has demonstrated excellent performance and yielded significant social and economic benefits.
Introduction
For a long time, the construction of shaft heads in China’s underground mines has generally relied on manual and semi-mechanized methods. Work at the mining face is characterized by narrow cross-sections and harsh working conditions; workers are frequently exposed to the dangers of blast fumes, falling rocks, dust, noise, and water ingress, creating an extremely unsafe working environment. This safety issue becomes even more pronounced as mining operations extend deeper into the earth, where ground pressure and temperature gradually increase; moreover, productivity remains extremely low . Due to the limitations of the underground space environment—with few free faces and limited compensation space—underground mining is highly challenging. Therefore, it is necessary to excavate cutting shafts to serve as free faces and compensation spaces for blasting in the mining area, thereby providing the necessary conditions for such blasting operations. The quality of the cutting shaft directly affects the quality of the cutting channel, which in turn significantly influences the contour and block size of the working face blasting . Therefore, ensuring the quality of the cutting shaft is crucial for successful working face mining. At the same time, using equipment to free workers from high-risk and harsh working environments is of great significance for ensuring safe and efficient mine production.
1. Development of the CY-R40C Multifunctional boxhole boring machine (BBM)
The CY-R40C Multifunctional Boxhole Drilling Rig is specifically designed for the excavation of various types of shaft cuts. It can descend into the shaft and relocate on its own, requires no concrete foundation, is ready for use immediately upon arrival, and features quick relocation and installation. It ensures safe and efficient operation, with all technical specifications meeting internationally leading standards, and is fully capable of meeting the process requirements for shaft-cutting construction in all types of underground mines in China.
1.1 The structural components feature a modular design. consisting of the main unit,track undercarriage assembly, folding boom crane, and power unit.
The main unit
The main unit primarily comprises a manipulator,slewing drive assembly,propulsion and support mechanism,and guide mechanism.
Among these,the manipulator is used for the automatic gripping of drill pipes;the rotary drive assembly provides rotational torque;and the thrust support mechanism provides thrust and counter-lift force.Its four upper and lower support mechanisms enable construction without the need for a concrete foundation—simply clear away loose rock,secure the support mechanisms as required,and begin operations,truly achieving“arrive and drill,finish and leave.The debris-guiding mechanism is used during upward cutting of the shaft to press the debris hopper tightly against the rock surface via lifting cylinders;cuttings generated during the drilling process fall directly into the debris hopper and are flushed through the cuttings discharge pipe to the surface via wash water.The debris-guiding mechanism is used during upward cutting of the shaft to press the debris hopper tightly against the rock surface via lifting cylinders;cuttings generated during the drilling process fall directly into the debris hopper and are flushed through the cuttings discharge pipe to the surface via wash water.
The track undercarriage assembly
Since stationary shaft drilling rigs used in modern trackless mines face significant difficulties when moving between sites underground—requiring disassembly,transportation,and reassembly—this time-consuming and labor-intensive process severely limits the widespread adoption of shaft drilling rigs in modern mines.
Therefore,a tracked undercarriage was innovatively developed to overcome the inconveniences associated with traditional drilling rigs,such as the need for disassembly during relocation,concrete foundation pouring,and reassembly,thereby significantly reducing the time required for relocation and positioning.
The folding boom crane
An articulated boom crane is used to replace manual labor in hoisting and handling drill rods,saving both time and effort.
The power unit
The power unit serves as the power source for the entire machine,providing stable and reliable power for both operations and site relocation.
1.2 Hydraulic System of CY-R40C Boxhole Boring Machine
The hydraulic system of the CY-R40C Universal Boxhole Borer primarily consists of the advance-rotation hydraulic circuit, the auxiliary hydraulic circuit, the boom hydraulic circuit, and the travel hydraulic circuit. The entire machine employs a load-sensing hydraulic control system, which automatically adjusts the pump’s output pressure and flow rate based on load size and changes in actuator speed, thereby reducing system heat generation and ensuring energy efficiency and high performance. The advance-and-rotation hydraulic circuit employs a power-controlled and load-sensing high-pressure hydraulic system. System pressure has been increased from the conventional 28 MPa to 35 MPa (maximum 40 MPa), resulting in a power density increase of more than 25 percent. The single-bit load capacity has been raised from the conventional 5 metric tons to 16 metric tons, enabling the machine to handle a wide range of complex geological formations.
1.3 Electronic control system of CY-R40C Multi-functional Boxhole Boring Machine
RCS Control System Architecture
The electrical control system of the CY-R40C Multifunctional Cutting Trench and Shaft Drilling Rig primarily consists of the RCS control system, the main unit control circuit, and conventional control circuits. The electrical control system combines CAN bus communication with wireless remote control, offering high reliability, excellent interference resistance, and rapid response. All operating parameters are displayed in real time on the screen, with a user-friendly interface and customizable information, ensuring convenient operation.
The RCS control system consists of a controller (including the program), a wireless remote control (master control device), input devices (such as sensors), and actuators (such as valve assemblies). It can perform functions such as automatic positioning, automatic pressurization, automatic gear shifting, and automatic optimization. When equipped with an intelligent control module, it can perform autonomous operations. The controller receives operating commands from the wireless remote control. After verifying the received signals and sensor feedback, the system controller analyzes and processes the collected data and commands under the guidance of an expert database, and issues reliable and safe execution commands to the various actuators (such as valve assemblies).
2. Features of the CY-R40C Multifunctional boxhole boring machine (BBM)
Full-process, full-function mechanization
Traditional shaft drilling rigs require manual insertion and removal of drill pipe wrenches weighing tens of kilograms, which is physically demanding for workers. The CY-R40C multifunctional slot-cutting shaft drilling rig employs fully mechanized drill pipe handling, enabling intelligent drill pipe handling operations without the need for assistance from others. It features multi-point remote control operation and allows for single-operator, single-rig operation, significantly reducing auxiliary operation time, lowering the physical strain on workers, and minimizing the number of personnel required.
All-rock type rock breaking
The shaft materials, heat treatment processes, drill pipe structure, thread profile, and pitch of the shaft equipment—all based on patented technology —result in higher load-bearing capacity and a longer service life. To address the common issues of cutter and cutterhead damage and failure under conditions of high axial pressure and high torque, the system innovatively employs a V-shaped cutter mounting structure, a combined bolt-pin-key positioning system for the cutter seat and cutterhead, and a key-lock connection between the cutterhead housing and tie rods. These optimizations enhance the cutting tools’ ability to penetrate hard rock,meeting the hard rock crushing requirements of metal mines. This ensures the stable, reliable, and efficient transmission of high shaft pressure and high torque, enabling the roller cutter to operate continuously and reliably under a stable rated load capacity. This not only extends service life but also significantly reduces operating costs.
High mobility
Applying transport vehicle design theory and utilizing a dual-power drive system—with diesel-powered travel and electric-powered operation—and leveraging finite
element analysis and dynamic simulation, the system employs hydraulic struts for stable positioning and dynamic pressure-maintaining PID compensation technology . This enables the shaft drill rig to be ready for use immediately upon arrival, overcoming the inconveniences associated with traditional drill rigs—such as disassembly for relocation, foundation pouring, and on-site reassembly—and significantly shortening the time required for relocation and positioning. At the same time, the application of cross-coupled track synchronization control technology ensures long-distance straight-line travel in level tunnels and on inclines, reduces operating difficulty, increases average travel speed, and enables rapid relocation .
High Adaptability
When used in modern mines, traditional shaft drilling rigs—due to their large size—face difficulties in being transported underground and relocated, requiring disassembly, transport,and reassembly—a time-consuming and labor-intensive process that severely limits their promotion and application in modern mines. Therefore, a shaft drilling rig with a modular design was developed. Consisting of three components—the power unit, the main unit, and the track undercarriage—it features a more compact structure, can adapt to mines with more complex operating conditions, reduces chamber excavation costs, and shortens the construction cycle.
RCS3.0 Intelligent Control System
The independently developed RCS3.0 Intelligent Control System is a high-end system specifically designed for drilling rigs, providing comprehensive support covering both on-site and client-side operations. It consists of two parts: hardware and software. The hardware includes a host computer, PLC, display, sensors, communication components, storage media, an operator console, and actuators; the software comprises a central control module, perception module, operation module, data storage and transmission module, display module, expert library, and host computer management module. Guided by the expert database, the system’s PLC analyzes and processes the various types of collected data and commands, issuing reliable and safe execution commands to the actuators (hydraulic proportional valves or variable-displacement hydraulic pumps). The system includes reserved interfaces for a host computer and data logging/storage. Equipped with a dedicated RCSPC host computer system, it enables online data retrieval and analysis via a personal computer (PC), as well as offline data storage on an SD card and report generation. Users can access data at any time, achieving superior human-machine interaction and data information services, thereby better realizing functions such as safety protection, autonomous operation, data storage, fault diagnosis, remote monitoring, digital display, and report generation.
2. Operating Methods for the CY-R40C Multifunctional boxhole boring machine (BBM)
These primarily include deep-hole drilling, upward blind drilling, downward forward drilling, and downward reverse drilling.
- Deep-hole drilling
The CY-R40C multifunctional boxhole drilling rig uses a roller cone bit to quickly and accurately drill upward or downward to create various types of large-diameter deep holes—such as drainage holes, ventilation holes, backfill holes, and cable holes—with diameters ranging from 215 to 310 mm and depths of up to 200 m.
- Upward blind drilling
In underground mining methods such as the stoping-with-subsequent-backfilling method and caving mining, upward-cutting shafts are commonly used to provide a free face and compensation space for blasting. The CY-R40C multifunctional shaft-cutting drill rig replaces manual excavation for upward-cutting shafts, offering greater safety and efficiency. Using a one-step shaft-forming process—where a roller cone bit drills ahead and a reaming cutterhead follows to break through the rock—it can excavate upward-cutting blind shafts with a diameter of Φ670 mm and a depth of 60 m.
- Down-reaming
When the bottom passage is not accessible to vehicles, the downward shaft forward excavation process is used. First, a roller cone bit is used to drill a pilot hole; after removing the bit and drill pipe, a Down-reamer Head is installed to perform top-down reaming operations, utilizing the pre-drilled pilot hole for guidance and muck removal. This method can be used to drill a cutting shaft with a diameter of Φ670 mm and a depth of 60 m.
- Downward Raise Boring
In mining processes such as VCR, cutting shafts are required to provide buffer space for lateral blasting. Using a versatile, safe, and efficient cutting slot drill rig for shaft excavation is an ideal choice. The downward reverse shaft excavation method involves first drilling a pilot hole with a roller cone bit, then the drill bit is removed and replaced with a ream head to perform bottom-up reaming. This process can be used to drill a cutting shaft with a diameter of Φ1400 mm and a depth of 200 m.
3. Applications of the CY-R40C Multifunctional boxhole boring machine (BBM)
The CY-R40C Multifunctional Cutting Slot Shaft Drilling Rig has been widely used in numerous mines both domestically and internationally, with a total drilling depth exceeding 10,000 meters and excellent performance.
- A manufacturer in Anhui(iron ore, Platen hardness index f12–f16) purchased the CY-R40C Multifunctional Cutting Slot Shaft Drilling Rig in 2019. Excluding time lost due to maintenance, mine shutdowns, site relocations, and holidays, the rig completed a total of 2,306 meters of work, with 107 shafts drilled and 213 km traveled during site relocations. Under normal operating conditions, the rig completed the construction of one 25-meter cutting shaft every three days.
- A company in Russia (lead-zinc mine, Platt’s Hardness Coefficient f12) purchased the equipment in 2021 and operated it for approximately 8 months, completing a total of 1,400 m of work. The company constructed more than 10 cutting shafts of approximately 15 m in length per month, with an overall construction efficiency of 1.0–1.5 m/h.
- A steel manufacturer in western China Mine (iron ore, Platter hardness coefficient f8–f16) used the CY-R40C multifunctional cutting shaft drill rig in 2018, completing a total of over 1,000 meters across more than 70 shafts, with an overall construction efficiency of 0.8–1.0 m/h.
Conclusions
In summary, the CY-R40C multifunctional shaft-cutting drilling rig addresses the technical challenges faced by small and medium-sized underground mines in China when constructing shafts in confined spaces. As an advanced shaft-cutting construction machine, it can significantly accelerate shaft construction when selected and used appropriately under suitable engineering and geological conditions, thereby replacing other shaft-cutting methods and resolving safety issues associated with shaft construction.
