The effective control of a deep hole diamond drill

In the gold exploration drilling industry, time-dependent costs have become the major proportion of the total costs per meter drilled. Therefore, bit performance in terms of penetration rate and life has become extremely important. The author describes the application of a control system for controlling the parameters which determine the performance of a deep-hole diamond drill. The important parameters influencing drill bit performance are discussed. The philosophy behind the design of the control system and a description of the different control functions are given. A rough analysis done on an assumed model indicated that stable, well-damped, closed-loop control could be maintained over the wide range of system dynamics which were expected to be encountered.<>