Performance Evaluation of Conical Picks for Roadheader in Copper Mines

Abstract

Abstract Roadheader that excavates ground using pick cutters installed on the cutting head is one of the partial-face machines. A conical cutter among pick cutters is excavation tool decreasing the loss of cutter using tungsten carbide insert at the tip of the cutter and it has been widely used in the roadheaders. In this study, durability performance for three kinds of conical cutters was evaluated in copper mines composed of Manto and conglomerate. After field test, the visual inspection as well as the weight loss measurement of pick cutters was carried out to investigate the damage of pick cutters. In addition, CT scan and SEM were performed to check whether or not crack and apertures in pick cutters. As results, the conical cutter with hardfacing was evaluated as having the best durability performance and it was unable to find cracks in all cutters investigated.Key words Roadheader, Cutting head, Pick cutter, durability performance, Copper mines초 록 로드헤더는 커팅헤드에 픽커터를 설치하여 지반을 굴착하는 장비이다 . 픽커터는 일반적으로 코니컬타입을 사용하며, 코니컬 픽커터는 선단부에 마모에 강한 텅스텐카바이드 팁을 사용하여 커터의 소모를 감소시키는 굴착 도구이다. 본 연구에서는 구리광산의 망토와 역암으로 구성된 복합지반을 대상으로 로드헤더 커팅헤드에 3종류의 코니컬 픽커터를 사용하여 내구성능을 살펴보았다 . 현장적용 후, 픽커터의 육안조사와 중량감소율 측정 , 그리고 CT 및 SEM을 이용한 내․외부 균열조사를 수행한 결과, 하드페이싱으로 보강한 코니컬 픽커터의 내구성능이 가장 우수하였으며, 각 코니컬 픽커터의 내․외부에서는 현장적용 전과 후 모두에서 매크로 크랙 및 미세균열을 발견할 수 없었다.핵심어 로드헤더, 커팅헤드, 코니컬 픽커터, 내구성능, 구리광산