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44 www.coalage.com March 2018 product news Komatsu Develops Articulating Boom Track Drills Komatsu is expanding its P&H; product line to include articulating boom track drills. The first machine in the series, the 44XT, is in testing at the company's Arizona Proving Grounds and will be re- leased later this year, the company reported. The 44XT is capable of drilling 4-in.- to 8-in.-diameter holes using down-the-hole (DTH) percussive hammers. It is for surface mines and quarries, and is de-signed for pre-split drilling applica- tions. "It starts with a safety-focused ergonomic machine layout that sits on a robust core design," said Matt Collins, product direc- tor, drills, Komatsu Mining Corp. "We matched structural integrity with in-creased horsepower and compressor capacity, translating into higher torque and speeds for optimal drilling performance." Further reflecting the company's development of a complete line of drills for surface mining applications, Komatsu's 77 drill model, in- troduced at MINExpo 2016 and later renamed 77XR, was designed to accommodate the largest spectrum of rotary blasthole drilling from coal to hard rock applications. It offers a bit diameter range of 7 7/8 in. to 10 5/8 in. It enables single-pass angle drilling and features automatic mast positioning and auto leveling. Patented pipe han- dling liners aid collaring, the company reported. The optional mast access service platform facilitates inspection and maintenance. "The development of the XT series of DTH track drills com- plements our plans for the new XR series of rotary blasthole drills, led by the 77XR that also is in operation at the Arizona Proving Grounds," Brian Fox, vice president, product management and technology, surface division, said. "These programs, combined with our accelerated effort on drill automation enabled by Komatsu's experience and resources, demonstrate a strong com- mitment to building our drill portfolio." www.mining.komatsu TPMS for OTR Tires Bridgestone Americas Inc., announced PressureStat, a tire pres- sure monitoring system launched for off-the-road mining tires. It provides instant access to important tire pressure and tempera- ture data, allowing customers to accurately manage tire pressure on a real-time basis, the company reported. PressureStat offers easy-to-install valve system sensors, onboard alerts to the driver, Bluetooth connectivity for real-time updates to mobile devices, in- stant inspection reports, and streamlined forecasting and analysis when combined with Tread-Stat software, the company reported. www.commercial.bridgestone.com Slurry Seal for Low-water Applications A.W. Chesterton Co. introduced the 170L Slurry Cartridge Single Seal, which, the company reported, is engineered to operate re- liably in severe slurry environments without external seal flush- es. The seal is designed for Warman AH series pumps. It elimi- nates the need to dimensionally check each pump, as well as any modi fi cations to the pump. The seal uses a single clamping screw, which prevents equipment shaft damage and simpli fi es seal re- moval in sticky or viscous fluids, or where solids have a tendency to clog standard set screw designs. It can help reduce water costs where clean water is scarce or costly, the company reported. www.chesterton.com Dual Return Idlers ASGCO's line of Tru-Trainer tracking idlers now includes the Dual Return model to accommodate high speed and tonnage associated with aggressive mining operations. The tapered ends sense any po- tential belt alignment issues and initiate the tracking corrections to take place instantly, without the need for edge contact rollers. A seize-proof external central pivot mechanism was designed, eliminating the need for a single, large drum, and enabling a con- centric and balanced rotation to be achieved. This proprietary de- sign also makes Dual Return an excellent choice for reversing belt applications. This integrated design also extends bear- ing life and is pro- ven to withstand the toughest min- ing applications worldwide. "With the ef- fectiveness of our Tru-Trainer fl at Komatsu's 77XR (left) and 44XT drills at the company's Arizona Proving Grounds. (Photo: Komatsu)