Rock-drilling equipment is the primary machinery used in mining production processes. From a technological development perspective, both domestic and international surface rock-drilling equipment significantly outpaces underground rock-drilling equipment. In many surface mines, the level of intelligence in the rock-drilling equipment used far exceeds that found in underground mines.

　　 The trend toward intelligent rock drilling is becoming increasingly prominent.

　　With the continuous advancement of technology, research into mining and rock-drilling equipment technologies around the world is gradually shifting toward greater intelligence, humanization, environmental friendliness, and safety. The ongoing enhancement of intelligent technologies has laid a solid foundation for the rapid development of smart rock-drilling equipment.

　　In recent years, with the continuous improvement of digital communication and networking technologies, the international mining industry has increasingly begun to adopt digital and network-based technologies in underground mining operations. Countries such as Sweden and Canada have started developing and deploying a new generation of intelligent rock-drilling equipment equipped with network communication and intelligent operation capabilities. These devices generally feature advanced functions such as real-time transmission of drilling parameters and seamless connectivity with the underground mine’s digital network, enabling networked remote control and intelligent scheduling of equipment.

　　The continuously increasing level of intelligence in rock-drilling equipment has significantly boosted the productivity of underground mines, as well as the utilization and operational reliability of equipment. Take, for example, International Nickel Company of Canada. Stobie Take the mine as an example; the mine uses Tom Rock The company’s rock-drilling robot performs mining and rock-drilling operations. At the drilling site, a television camera monitors the work, transmitting images via broadband to a large TV screen in the surface control room. With just a single zoom device, operators can monitor any part of the rock-drilling robot, and they use a remote-controlled trolley to operate the robot. Production practice has shown that the average rock-drilling progress per shift is: 132 The machine improves labor productivity compared to traditional hydraulic rock drilling rigs. 63% , while also operating more shifts per class. 1.5 Hourly, equipment utilization has improved. 19% One of the world’s largest underground mines, located in Australia. Olympic Dam Copper mine, under expansion from Atlas Copco The company has purchased two rock-drilling robots and put them into operation, achieving a rock-drilling speed of... 35m/h Equipment integrity rate 94.2% Average equipment utilization rate 82%。

　　 Domestic R&D still exists. “ Appreciation zone ”

　　China’s research and development of mining rock-drilling technology started relatively early, and its development has gone through the following three stages:

　　The first stage, prior to the reform and opening-up, saw China’s research on underground rock-drilling equipment primarily adopting a collaborative approach involving multiple institutions working together to tackle key technical challenges. The overall technical performance of the equipment was largely based on imitation of Soviet-designed rock-drilling equipment, and the developed rock-drilling products were mainly simple pneumatic rock-drilling devices.

　　The second phase, from the start of the reform and opening-up policy through the end of the last century, saw China’s development of rock-drilling equipment primarily focused on introducing, digesting, and absorbing advanced international rock-drilling technologies. During this period, domestic enterprises extensively imported foreign equipment, notably those developed using European technology. CT360、T150 These include equipment such as rock drilling rigs. Building on the introduction of equipment and technology, China has developed various models of rock drilling rigs, with low-pressure down-the-hole drills being the most common type of product.

　　The third stage, this century, has seen China’s research institutes in the mining sector take independent innovation as their core principle, achieving breakthroughs in several key rock-drilling technologies. They have successively developed high-air-pressure down-the-hole drilling rigs and fully hydraulic drilling rigs, and have conducted highly effective explorations into the intelligentization of rock-drilling equipment. Among these developments is one jointly created by the Changsha Mining Research Institute and Hunan Nonferrous Heavy Machinery Co., Ltd. CS100D Underground high-pressure annular down-the-hole drill, CSY50 Represented by the fully hydraulic rock drilling rig, both models of rock drilling equipment adopt advanced... CAN bus The technology has enabled partial automation of operations, significantly improving rock-drilling efficiency. Meanwhile, the highly integrated hydraulic system has dramatically reduced energy consumption, representing the current highest level of underground mining rock-drilling equipment in China.

　　Currently, overseas research on fully intelligent underground rock-drilling equipment has achieved considerable progress and is gradually being put into practical application. However, there still remains a significant gap between these studies and attempts and the world’s most advanced rock-drilling technologies available today, leaving ample room for further development.

　 　Large-scale development requires approval. “ Three Passes ”

　　Compared with advanced, intelligent rock-drilling equipment from abroad, China’s rock-drilling equipment faces the following three major issues:

　　First, the design considerations regarding safety and ease of operation still need to be improved. The design of China’s rock-drilling equipment should remain firmly human-centered, with a strong emphasis on researching and developing next-generation machinery that ensures a comfortable and safe driving environment, easy operation, low labor intensity, and the integration of various auxiliary mechanisms. Indicator arrows should be installed on both the power head and the drill frame, making it immediately clear when the rod is properly connected or disconnected, thus enabling quick and convenient operation and significantly boosting work efficiency. Furthermore, emergency stop pull cords and control sensors should be installed at all rod-connecting points, allowing for timely prevention of accidents and their escalation, thereby protecting personnel from injury and machinery from damage—ensuring that comprehensive safety measures are fully in place.

　　Secondly, there is an inadequate match between the structure and parameters. China’s rock-drilling equipment still faces issues in areas such as system matching, thermal balance, oil temperature, and reliability. Moreover, it is difficult to ensure the quality of externally purchased and outsourced components, often resulting in problems like oil leaks and seepage. These issues should be systematically addressed at their root to significantly enhance the quality of China’s rock-drilling equipment.

　　Moreover, the lack of highly automated and intelligent, efficient rock-drilling equipment is becoming one of the main constraints affecting the progress of domestic engineering projects. As the demands for underground rock drilling continue to rise—and given that some key national projects have tight deadlines—high-quality, intelligent rock-drilling equipment that can both reduce labor costs and enhance productivity is increasingly gaining favor.

　　In response, domestic manufacturing enterprises should next develop mobile, flexible, and highly adaptable boom-type integrated hydraulic down-the-hole drilling rigs, and further advance the development of hydraulic surface drilling rigs as well as downhole DTH drills and hydraulic drilling rigs for use in underground mines.