Sandvik Introduces TCAD+ Instrumention

Sandvik Construction Tunneling has introduced new add-on instrumentation – TCAD+ – to their DT and DD series underground drill rigs used in tunneling and mining. The TCAD+ instrumentation, a successor of Sandvik TCAD Tunneling Computer-Aided Drilling, significantly improves drilling accuracy, thereby decreasing the amount of over and under excavation.

Sandvik TCAD+ is an aiming tool designed for accurately executing pre-designed drilling plans. It features face drilling, long hole drilling and bolting hole plans on the screen. Furthermore, built-in data collection provides information on hole position and angle logging as well as the drilling process, and allows data analysis with Sandvik iSURE tunnel process management software.

TCAD+ also supports different navigation methods. In addition to traditional laser and drill bit navigation, it introduces total station navigation to the standard rigs, greatly improving their accuracy. The navigation user interface is easy to use, with on-screen creation and editing of the lasers. Accuracy is further improved thanks to a highly advanced boom depletion compensation model, familiar from the intelligent Sandvik DTi jumbos.

TCAD+ features a modern and simple user interface that consists of a clear modern touch screen, 12-in. full color display, easy-to-use menus and state-of-the-art graphical user interface. The system includes built-in diagnostics views with clear and explained warnings and error and service logs.

The instrumentation significantly improves drilling accuracy. It means that less excavation is required, and as a consequence of that, the amount of used energy. High drilling accuracy gives more control over blasting which translates into improved overall safety in the tunneling project. Accuracy also brings significant savings in project time and costs.

TCAD+ is delivered together with Sandvik iSURE tunnel process management software.  This allows curve and drill plan design. Transferring of the plans to the rig takes place with an unlimited USB memory.