Aggregates Manager Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/883641
EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT Six expert tips can help drillers punch the perfect hole. A Drilling Cheat Sheet 18 AGGREGATES MANAGER / October 2017 " I n daily drilling production, the mission of the drill is to punch holes. It's that simple," says Bill Hissem, a 40-year veteran of the industry and se- nior mining engineer at Sandvik Mining and Rock Technology. The Colorado School of Mines graduate has consulted and worked in every state, as well as in Canada, and on several other conti- nents, including South America, Western Europe, and Australia. From this broad experience, Hissem has developed fundamental rules to guide drill rig operators in their quest to efficiently punch the perfect hole. Following is a summary of those rules as contained in six tips — plus a bonus piece of advice for drilling managers. 1) Read the operator's manual. "You really don't want to do stuff with your drill that it shouldn't do," Hissem says. "Some try to just operate a new drill like they did the old one, but that only works if the new one is like the old one." Chances are, it isn't, the na- ture of technology being to evolve and advance. So, read the manual, Hissem says, adding that most of today's oper- ator's manuals are clearly written and illustrated. He adds, as an aside, that he has encountered a few drill operators who are unable to read, which might say something about the lack of operator certification in this country as opposed Mineralogy and application will determine how quickly a drill bit will dull. Watch the diameter of the flat area of a worn button to determine if it's time to change the bit.