Epiroc introduces the Pit Viper 291 blasthole drilling rig. The large diameter, single-pass drill delivers productivity, application flexibility and enhanced operator safety with autonomous drilling options.
Epiroc’s Pit Viper 291 single-pass rotary drill is designed to tackle larger diameter drilling in soft to medium ground conditions. Capable of 11-12 1/4 in. (279-311 mm) diameter holes with 85,000 lbs. (38 tonnes) bit load capacity, the new Pit Viper 291 brings unsurpassed performance to any drilling operation and further extends the industry leading Epiroc Pit Viper range.
With Epiroc’s Rig Control System (RCS), the Pit Viper 291 can be configured with scalable automation features, including fully autonomous drilling. The RCS provides on-board automation capability with options like AutoDrill and AutoLevel or the optional BenchREMOTE package allowing an off-drill operator to run one or multiple units. The Pit Viper 291 is also capable of fully autonomous drilling with almost no human interaction with the drill for improved mine safety and productivity.
The Pit Viper 291 takes the industry-leading Pit Viper series to another level with maximized force and torque for greater drilling efficiency and decreased downtime. The drill rig offers 80,000 lbs. (356 kN) of pulldown capacity, 35,000 lbf (156 kN) of pulldown force and 11,000 ft.-lb. of torque.
“The Pit Viper 291 is the perfect combination of large diameter drilling on a small platform. With proven performance throughout different regions and conditions, plus advanced autonomous features, the Pit Viper 291 will further exceed any drilling production requirements,” said Adrian Speer, Product Line Manager, Blasthole drilling.
For ease of maintenance, the deck layout on the Pit Viper series offers convenient access to all major service components. Ground level, fast fuel fill connections are standard, and optional ground level live sampling is available. Spool valves are also centrally located above the deck for accessibility.
Along with the larger diameter capacity, the Pit Viper 291 offers more than 100 different options to configure the perfect drill rig for your specific application — gold, copper, coal, iron ore, phosphate, silver and other materials. One of the most powerful drills for blasthole drilling, designed for maximum productivity and value, the Pit Viper 291 exceeds all in its class.