Assessing and redesigning Jackleg Hammer Drill for Mining Operation

Drilling is a major operation in the mining industry. Holes are drilled in underground mine structures to insert reinforced steel bars for support and to prevent the mine from collapsing. One of the mining operations is to break mine rocks using explosives into smaller parts that can be transported for further processing. Both cases need to drill deep holes. The jackleg hammer under study drills holes that are about 6.7cm in diameter by up to 69 cm deep. The tool operates by percussive hammering and the structure is very heavy, about 33kg. Operators are exposed to high-intensity vibration while securing the hammer in position, which puts them in danger and exposes them to injuries. This study will assess the current Jackleg Hammer and re-design it to minimize the vibration and weight for the safety of the operator and investigate the use of clean technology to operate the drill.

Faculty Supervisor:

Reem Roufail

Student:

Partner:

CANUN International

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Wholesale trade

University:

University of Waterloo

Program: