Rock Breaking Mechanism of Raise Boring Rig Cutters-SDK

Date: Feb. 28, 2024

Raise boring rig cutters are essential components of the rig used for excavating deep shafts in mining and civil engineering applications. The rock breaking mechanism of these cutters involves several processes, which I will explain below.

1. Penetration: The first step in breaking the rock is the penetration of the cutter into the rock surface. The cutter uses a combination of thrust and torque to push and rotate through the rock.

2. Crushing: Once the cutter has penetrated the rock surface, it starts to crush and break the rock into smaller pieces. The crushing process is aided by the weight of the cutter and the high-speed rotation of the cutting head.

3. Chipping: As the cutter penetrates deeper into the rock, it starts to chip away at the rock. The chips are removed from the hole by the circulating drilling fluid.

4. Grinding: The cutter also uses a grinding action to wear down the rock surface. The grinding process is facilitated by the abrasion-resistant cutters made of tungsten carbide.

5. Fracturing: In some cases, the rock may be too hard or too abrasive for the cutter to break through. In such cases, the cutter uses a fracturing mechanism to create cracks in the rock. This helps to reduce the resistance to penetration and aids in the subsequent crushing and chipping process.

Overall, the rock breaking mechanism of raise boring rig cutters involves a combination of mechanical cutting, crushing, chipping, grinding, and fracturing actions. These actions work together to break through the hardest and toughest rock formations.