Collaborative robots, or “cobots,” are designed to work alongside humans, enhancing safety and efficiency in industrial tasks like blast-hole drilling in mining (Universal Robots, 2024). Unlike traditional robots, cobots feature safety sensors, force-limiting capabilities, and intuitive programming, allowing seamless human-robot collaboration without extensive guarding (IFR, 2024).
In blast-hole drilling, cobots assist in precise, repetitive tasks, reducing worker exposure to hazardous environments. Equipped with torque sensors and AI, cobots like Universal Robots’ UR10 ensure accurate drilling by maintaining consistent pressure and following pre-programmed patterns (Universal Robots, 2024). They can be mounted on mobile platforms, enabling flexible positioning in rugged mine sites (Metrology News, 2022).
Cobots enhance safety by handling high-force drilling, reducing ergonomic strain and risks like dust exposure (MDPI, 2022). Their user-friendly interfaces allow non-experts to reprogram them for varying drill patterns, supporting small-batch or dynamic operations (IFR, 2024). Integration with augmented reality aids operators in visualizing hole placements, improving precision (Aydin et al., 2020). Challenges include limited payload capacity for heavy-duty tasks (Gartner, 2022). Cobots are transforming blast-hole drilling into a safer, more precise process.
Do you think collaborative robots could eventually replace manual drilling completely in mining operations?
