First upgraded Ranger DX800 in Germany impresses

In order to stay ahead of the competition in what is considered to be a highly competitive market, Jens Weiß GmbH recently added to its fleet of surface drilling equipment. The company now operates the first fully remote controlled Sandvik Ranger DX800 in Germany, which has significantly added to the flexibility, safety, efficiency and performance of its drilling operations.

Jens Weiß GmbH head office is located in Annaberg-Buchholz, Erzgebirge, a mountain region, which due in no small to being nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage site, is now a major tourist location. The company itself is a specialist provider of drill and blast services, with a hard-won reputation for excellence both in Saxony and beyond. It now services the requirements of many different businesses, with current and recent projects being in the fields of civil engineering, demolition, underground construction, water management, drilling operations for anchoring, as well as providing consultancy services. Due to its expertise, the company is able to plan, prepare and execute all facets of often highly complex drill and blast operations.

Playing a key role in Jens Weiß success has been the relationship it has formed with Sandvik. This dates back to 1992, and has seen the two market leaders’ work successfully on a variety of projects. This included the construction of the Jagtbergtunnel, the fourth largest tunnel in Germany, where 10 000 anchors were installed by Jens Weiß using three Sandvik drill rigs in 2009.

“We tend to concentrate more intensively on our region, in order to avoid high transport charges and to operate in an environmentally compatible way,” comments Jens Weiß, the founder and managing director of the company. Therefore it was decided by Weiß to expand his business activities and to invest in the new radio remote controlled Ranger DX800. “The revolving superstructure was one of the outstanding features and the decision criterion for choosing this Sandvik model,” says Jens Weiß. His Ranger DX800 is the first fully radio remote controlled upgraded variant of the series in Germany, enabling it to drill, set-up and tram by remote control. The new Ranger, together with a DC125 and a DQ500, is now to be found operating throughout Erzgebirge, Thuringia and the Czech Republic.

“On site, this surface rig has a large drilling coverage from one position, in excess of 26 m², without moving the rig. Further highlights are the environmentally friendly engine technology, the low fuel consumption per drill meter, as well as the new high frequency rock drill,” Jens adds enthusiastically. Furthermore, the Ranger DX800 is equipped with the Sandvik designed safety features which brings the drill rig into line with EU standard EN 16228.

The new EU standard requires, amongst other things, a new type of protective cage for the drill mount. By developing this new safety cage, Sandvik has eliminated potential sources of danger caused by the moving parts of the drill mount on its surface rigs. Subsequent to the successful development of the safety concept, all of Sandvik’s drill rigs, including DINO, Pantera, Commando, Leopard, and now Ranger, are designed to meet the new EU safety standard and are equipped with the new cage. This commitment to safety is matched by Jens Weiß, who has particularly been impressed by the rigs full radio remote control, enabling it to be operated from a safe distance when drilling in difficult terrain.

Jens Weiß has now been using the new Ranger DX800 for over 6 months, and the feedback is excellent, especially concerning the low usage of fuel per meter drilled. “About wear and oil consumption I cannot comment as yet (due to the relatively short time of ownership), however I was positively surprised about fuel consumption which has been excellent,” he says.

Adapted from press release by Joseph Green

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/europe-cis/23092016/first-upgraded-ranger-dx800-germany-impresses-320/