INTEGRATED SYSTEMS 34 HYDRAULICS & PNEUMATICS March 2025 www.hpmag.co.uk With ambitious renewable energy targets, Europe is undertaking a massive energy infrastructure overhaul. The EU aims to generate at least 42.5% of its energy from renewables by 20301, but some countries are aiming much higher. Germany is targeting 80% of its power from renewable sources by 2030 and 100% by 20352. The energy transition will require significant investments in both generation and transmission infrastructure. The SuedLink project, for example, will see the construction of a 700-kilometer transmission line delivering wind-generated electricity from northern to southern Germany. Horizontal directional drilling (HDD) equipment will be crucial for laying this new underground transmission infrastructure, and manufacturers such as AT-Boretec are investing to ensure their equipment is ready to perform. The German manufacturer produces a complete range of HDD products, including drilling rigs, trucks, tools, and mixing and recycling systems. The MT60, the latest addition to AT-Boretec’s lineup, is the company’s largest horizontal drill rig with a drilling distance of up to 600 meters, depending on the type. With this launch, the company now offers HDD rigs in performance classes from 11 to 60 tonnes, with models for normal soils as well as rock. Problems on display Drilling rigs are among the more control-intensive machines in the off-highway industry. The operator must select and carefully monitor many machine functions, from rod handling to pressure, rotation, mud pump power, and much more. The displays on these machines are the primary human-machine interface, enabling the operator to control every aspect of the drilling process. AT-Boretec wanted to upgrade its HDD rigs with larger displays to improve ease of use for the operator, and to better and more easily visualise the vast amount of information the machines generate. The company was also on the hunt for a new supplier due to hardware problems with the incumbent product. Operators in the field were frustrated with the display’s touch capabilities. The device’s poor responsiveness ultimately impacted productivity, as navigating through menus and making selections took an unnecessarily long time. The incumbent display’s touch responsiveness also lengthened commissioning time, which was compounded by challenges with the control software. AT-Boretec uses multiple types of diesel engines, electric motors, pumps, and hydraulic components in its different models, and it was a struggle to consolidate all options into a single program. This made software customisation for different machine configurations a timeconsuming ordeal. In essence, a new program had to be developed for every machine that left its production line. Resolution in full view AT-Boretec worked with its electronics integrator partner, ProCon automatic systems GmbH & Co. KG, to evaluate potential solutions. ProCon specialises in the development and production of electronic systems for a variety of machinery, including agriculture, construction, municipal, and forestry, as well as various industrial applications. ProCon recommended the Danfoss DM1200 display, a 12-inch fully configurable display designed for off-highway machinery. The DM1200 met the four application-critical criteria, which were outstanding touch responsiveness, even for operators wearing gloves; fast and reliable processing hardware to retrieve and visualise information from the CAN networks; a wide viewing angle; and a fast frame rate to display video feeds coming from the machines’ front and rear cameras. Faster commissioning, frustration-free operation: How a new display transformed HDD rigs AT-Boretec has enhanced its HDD rigs with a new display system, improving commissioning speed, machine configuration, and operator experience. By integrating Danfoss’ DM1200 display and advanced software, the company simplified the selection and control of key components—including engines, pumps, and hydraulics— ensuring greater efficiency in demanding construction applications. H&P reports.
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