Anchor drill rigs are essential machinery for implementing anchor bolt support technology. With the rapid development of anchor bolt support technology, anchor drill rigs have also developed quickly.
In the early applications of anchor bolt support technology, foreign countries used ordinary rock drilling machines for drilling anchor holes and installed anchor bolts manually, tightening nuts with wrenches. In 1950s, the United States introduced the first anchor drill rig, marking the beginning of the mechanization era of anchor bolt support technology. By the late 1950s, with continuous improvements in anchor bolt support theory and design methods, countries like the UK began applying anchor bolt support technology in coal mine roadway support. To suit the smaller cross-sectional area of coal mine roadways, the UK, Poland, and other countries developed single-unit electric and hydraulic rotary anchor bolt drill rigs.
During the 1960s and 1970s, as mines and tunnel projects increasingly emphasized anchor bolt support methods, anchor drill rigs entered a period of rapid development. During this period, the GARDNER DENVER company developed a crawler-based drill rig-style anchor drill rig in 1964, which laid an important foundation for the development of anchor drill rigs. Subsequently, the BUMUELLER company further improved the moving structure, designing it as a more convenient hub-style structure that enhanced the mobility and flexibility of the anchor drill rigs. In the 1970s, significant breakthroughs were also made in terms of rig-mounted anchor drill rigs. In 1972, the BENDIX company of the USA first attempted to mount an anchor drill rig on a tunneling machine, achieving integration of drilling and excavation. This innovation not only increased the efficiency of anchor bolt supports but also paved the way for the widespread application of anchor drill rigs in mining and tunnel engineering.
From the 1980s to the 1990s, Australia successfully developed a lightweight leg-type pneumatic anchor drill rig, which has been widely used in coal mines in Australia, the UK, China, Poland, and India. This type of drill rig uses an air motor for cutting power, and the advancement legs are made of high-strength glass fiber and carbon fiber, characterized by singular power, light weight, and high output torque. It is used not only for the construction of anchor and anchor cable holes but also for mixing resin anchor bolts and tightening nuts, and it remains a principal model of single-body anchor drill rigs worldwide.
During the 1990s, companies like Jeffrey and Joy from the USA, and Anderson from the UK, developed rig-mounted anchor drill machines in combination with continuous miners and tunneling machines, achieving a new generation of integrated mining and drilling operations. These latest anchor drill rigs not only utilize new materials and processes but also employ computer control technology, significantly advancing the mechanization and intelligence of anchor bolt construction, enhancing performance, convenience, and safety. In 1990, Voestalpine from Austria first mounted an anchor drill rig on a continuous miner, further promoting the integration of coal mining and drilling and advancing the development of anchor drill rig technology.
As high-tech continues to evolve, anchor drill rigs and their complementary drill tools are constantly being improved and innovated. Anchor drill rigs are moving towards multifunctional, integrated rig-mounted directions.
Meanwhile, anchor bolt drilling rigs have also developed three main categories based on their power source: hydraulic, pneumatic, and electric, with hydraulic and pneumatic anchor drill rigs dominating the international scene. These various types of anchor drill rigs each have their characteristics, suitable for different engineering environments and needs. Anchor drill rigs are playing an increasingly important role in mining and tunnel engineering. In the future, as technology continues to advance and innovate, anchor drill rigs will face a broader development prospect.
