Epiroc stated that the new Epsilon² premium tricone bit will help surface mining and construction professionals enjoy up to 100% of the drilling distance before the bit is discarded.

According to Epsilon, thanks to its intelligent patented features, Epsilon² has increased drilling productivity by extending drill bit life and faster drilling speed (ROP).

Selected customers have conducted field tests on the new air-bearing drill bits under operating conditions in North America, South America and Asia. According to Epsilon, tests have shown that, compared with the previous generation of Epsilon, the drilling distance before the bit is discarded has increased by an average of more than 60%-in some cases more than 100%.

Bahadir Ergener, Rotary Product Line Manager at Epiroc, said: "Epsilon's name'The Power of Two' is no coincidence. This is not just an upgrade, but a new generation.

"For a long time, bearing degradation has been a common cause of drill bit failures, forcing customers to accept slower ROP and shorter service life. Either the bearing will corrode due to moisture generated by the water injection that inhibits dust, or it will overheat due to friction."

Epiroc says that the combination of two patented Epiroc functions solves this problem: Tornado directs the cooling air to the hotter load side of the bearing, and Torrent can remove moisture from the cooling air, thereby reducing corrosion.

Allan Rainey, Epiroc's global R&D manager, said that Epsilon² is superior to other air-bearing drills in terms of reliability and even challenges more expensive sealed-bearing drills.

"Users of sealed drill bits can now turn to Epsilon² and get considerable productivity at a lower cost," he said.

"Longer bit life means improved personal safety by reducing operator interaction with the bit. Since the drilling distance has been tripled, there is no need to change the bit every day, perhaps only once a week," he added.

Another aspect of extending the life of drill bits is that the total number of drill bits produced during the entire life cycle will be reduced, thereby reducing raw material usage, transportation and ecological footprint.

“We believe that customers will pay attention to the impact on the climate when choosing the next rotary drill bit,” Rainey concludes.

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