A drilling company needed to update the design of their man-portable drill rig. This company drills holes into bedrock for pilings used in residential foundations. Due to the nature of the job, high vibrations and a very dirty environment were problematic.
PBC Linear was asked to help implement their new drilling equipment, making them light enough for two men to handle, yet robust enough to withstand drilling into rock. The previous design had used a Delrin carriage that wore away material over time, resulting in loose fit. The loss in tolerance then created vibration and inaccuracy. The goal was to improve precision by 10-percent and the life cycle by 50-percent.
Hevi-Rail® was proposed to the customer as a heavy-duty solution that would stand up to the high torque loading and dirty environment. When coupled with I-beams, the profile rails provided the necessary rigidity for the seven-foot span. Hevi-Rail bearings stabilized the 16-inch cantilevered drill head carriage and provided the means to raise the head after drilling was complete. The Hevi-Rail components handled the load required to offset the drilling force, as well as the torque created during drilling. The robust construction and high load capacity of Hevi-Rail components were the key in meeting the goals of this application.
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