anchor machine for underground mining

Securing Your Underground Operation: Addressing the Critical Challenges of Ground Support Installation

Every hour of unscheduled downtime in an underground mine costs tens of thousands in lost production. Ground support installation is not just a safety-critical task; it’s a major operational bottleneck that directly impacts your bottom line. Are you facing these persistent challenges?

• Slow Installation Cycles: Manual or semi-mechanized bolting processes delay development advance rates, creating a backlog that slows access to new ore bodies.
• Inconsistent Torque/Tension: Variability in anchor load compromises the integrity of your ground support system, elevating long-term safety risks and potential for costly rehabilitation work.
• High Labor Intensity & Exposure: Positioning heavy rock bolts and plates in challenging environments exposes your crew to fatigue and proximity to unsupported ground, increasing safety incident risk.
• Equipment Downtime & Maintenance: Complex machinery with low mean time between failures (MTBF) leads to frequent maintenance stops, tying up mechanics and halting development crews.
• Poor Fleet Utilization: Single-function rigs sit idle while other tasks are completed, representing significant capital underutilization.

The central question for operations managers is clear: how can you accelerate cycle times while ensuring consistently reliable, high-quality ground support and improving crew safety?

Product Overview: The Advanced Anchor Machine for Underground Mining

The [Product Name/Series] is a dedicated, self-contained anchor machine for underground mining designed to mechanize and optimize the installation of resin-grouted rebar bolts, friction bolts, and cable bolts. It transforms a manual, variable process into a controlled, repeatable workflow.

Operational Workflow:

1. Positioning & Alignment: The operator uses remote controls or an ergonomic cabin to precisely position the drilling boom onto the marked bolt pattern.
2. Drilling & Cleaning: A high-torque rotary drill head creates the borehole to specified depth and diameter, with integrated blow-through cleaning the hole of debris.
3. Resin Injection & Bolt Insertion: The system injects cartridge resin or pumps bulk resin into the hole before immediately inserting the rock bolt via the feed mechanism.
4. Spin & Mix: The rotation system spins the bolt for a preset duration to thoroughly mix the resin catalyst and filler.
5. Tensioning & Plate Installation: A hydraulic torque wrench tensions the bolt to engineered specifications and secures the plate—all from a single operator station.

Application Scope: This machine is engineered for development drives, ramps, and stope preparation in hard rock mining environments. It is compatible with standard bolt sizes (typically 20mm to 25mm rebar). Its primary limitation is in extremely confined spaces (below ~3.5m x 3.5m drift dimensions), where smaller-scale equipment may be required.

Core Features: Engineering Precision for Operational Gain

Automated Tension Control System | Technical Basis: Closed-loop hydraulic pressure transducers with digital readout | Operational Benefit: Eliminates under/over-torquing; ensures every bolt meets geotechnical design load specifications | ROI Impact: Reduces bolt failure risk and future reinforcement costs by ensuring design compliance

Dual-Function Drill/Install Head | Technical Basis: Single boom with quick-change interface between rotary drill motor and torque wrench | Operational Benefit: One machine completes both drilling and bolting without repositioning or tool change delays | ROI Impact: Cuts anchor installation cycle time by an average of 35%, accelerating advance rates

ROPS/FOPS Certified Operator Cabin | Technical Basis: Roll-Over and Falling Object Protective Structure with climate control and ergonomic layout | Operational Benefit: Shields operator from debris and noise, reducing fatigue and enhancing safety in active headings | ROI Impact: Lowers incident risk, improves operator retention, and maintains productivity through full shifts

Centralized Greasing & Diagnostic Ports | Technical Basis: Manifolded lubrication lines accessible from service platforms | Operational Benefit: Enables routine preventive maintenance in under 30 minutes; simplifies fault diagnosis | ROI Impact: Increases mechanical availability above 92%, directly reducing downtime costs

Modular Power Pack Design | Technical Basis: Segmented hydraulic and electrical systems on slide-out rails | Operational Benefit: Allows for swift component swap on-site; minimizes major repair time | ROI Impact: Cuts mean time to repair (MTTR) by up to 50%, maximizing fleet utilization

Competitive Advantages: Measurable Performance Gains

Field data from comparative studies shows how our anchor machine for underground mining delivers superior operational metrics.

Performance Metric	Industry Standard (Manual/Semi-Mechanized)	Our Anchor Machine Solution	Advantage (% Improvement)
Bolts Installed per Shift (Avg.)	40-50 bolts (2-person crew)	75-90 bolts (1-person operation)	+80% Productivity
Torque Specification Compliance	±25% variability common via hand-held tools	Maintains within ±5% via automated system	+80% Consistency
Effective Operating Availability	~78% due to extended maintenance needs	>92% via modular service design	+14% Uptime
Total Cost per Installed Bolt*	Based on labor, downtime, rework estimates	Lower total cost through speed & reliability	-22% Estimated Cost

*Includes direct labor, equipment amortization, and estimated quality/rework factors.

Technical Specifications

• Bolt Capacity: Handles standard rebar bolts from 20mm (4ft) to 25mm (10ft) diameter/length. Cable bolt adapters available.
• Drilling Performance: Rock drill impact power up to 25 kW; maximum drilling depth of 4 meters standard.
• Power Requirements: Diesel-hydraulic or electric-hydraulic power pack options. Diesel model typical output: Tier 4 Final/EU Stage V compliant engine, ~150 kW.
• Material Specifications: Boom constructed from high-tensile steel; critical wear components use carbide-hardened materials.
• Physical Dimensions (Typical): Operating width of ~2.8m; height of ~2.5m (cab variant); minimum working drift size recommendation of 4m x 4m.
• Environmental Operating Range: Designed for ambient temperatures from -15°C to +40°C; filtration systems rated for high-dust conditions.

Application Scenarios

Hard Rock Gold Mine Development Challenge:

A Canadian gold mine needed to increase development advance rates beyond 10 meters per day but was constrained by manual bolting cycles taking over 45 minutes per bolt.

Solution:

Implementation of two electric-hydraulic anchor machines for underground mining on separate development headings.

Results:

Average bolt installation time reduced to under 18 minutes. Advance rates increased by 32%, achieving sustained rates of 13.2 meters per day per heading. The consistent tensioning also improved ground stability metrics.

Multi-Seam Coal Mine Roof Bolting Challenge:

An Australian longwall operation faced variability in roof beam integrity due to inconsistent manual tensioning across different crews working in challenging seam heights.

Solution:

Deployment of low-profile anchor machines with automated tensioning systems across three continuous miner sections.

Results:

Eliminated tensioning variability. Roof failure incidents related to bolting quality decreased by over 60%. The single-operator design also optimized labor allocation in a tight market.

Commercial Considerations

Investing in an anchor machine for underground mining is a strategic capital decision with clear operational returns.

• Pricing Tiers: Solutions range from base model utility rigs focused on core functionality (~$XXXk USD) to premium cabin-equipped models with full automation packages (~$XXXk USD).

• Optional Features & Packages:

  • Automated Bolting Cycle Package
  • Bulk Resin Injection System
  • Laser Guidance & Pattern Profiling
  • Remote Control Operation Kit
  • Extended Warranty Plan

• Service Packages:

  • Platinum Plan: Includes scheduled maintenance parts/labor, priority field service, annual health checks.
  • Gold Plan: Scheduled maintenance labor coverage only.
  • Pay-Per-Service Model available.

Financing Options: We offer several pathways including straight capital purchase, operating lease agreements tailored to project lifecycles (~36-60 months), or lease-to-own structures that preserve capital flexibility.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is this anchor machine compatible with our existing rock bolts and resin cartridges?
   Yes. The system is engineered around industry-standard consumables used in underground mining globally—including metric rebar threads—ensuring no disruption to your supply chain.

2.What training is required for our operators?
We provide comprehensive onsite training over a standard five-day period covering operation, basic troubleshooting,and daily maintenance checks.Certification is provided upon completion.This program has proven effective across hundreds of global installations,making transition straightforward for experienced miners

3.How does this investment impact my overall cost-per-meter developed?
Field data indicates that while capital expenditure increases,the significant gains in speed consistency,and labor efficiency typically reduce total cost-per-meter advanced by15-25% within first year depending on shift utilization

4.What are typical lead times after order placement?
Standard configuration lead times are currently16 weeks from confirmed order receipt.Custom configurations may require additional engineering time which we will outline during quotation process

5.Do you offer performance guarantees?
Yes.We provide performance warranties tied specifically uptime availability metrics as well as guaranteed maximum cycle times when used within defined rock conditions outlined our technical proposal documentation