Sandvik aimed to design a series of rotary and down-the-hole (DTH) drills that is easy to operate and service, which also offers a migration path to its iSeries rigs should the customer's business needs dictate it.

Jacques Britz, vice president of surface pedestal drills at Sandvik Mining and Rock Technology, said: "In developing the xSeries, we've taken our customers' feedback into our research and development efforts and are proud of the newest addition to our product line."

The xSeries machines include a touchscreen graphical user interface (GUI) that features the Sandvik Automation Module (SAM). It comes with a health-monitoring system, which replaces shutdown switches and enables continuous, real-time measurement.

The rigs also come with the same hardware and software components as the iSeries machines, including a 7in (178mm) mobile-grade rugged touchscreen and the latest-generation programmable logic controller (PLC).

Sandvik also believes the drills offer an improved user experience due to enhanced control system features (as found on the iSeries machines), which can reduce troubleshooting time and increase availability.

Other features of the range include a CMS Lite electronically controlled compressor system; an oversized driller's window with a view of the drill table during operation and improved visibility during tramming; bolt-on mast locks that eliminate cutting and welding, making mast change-outs easy; and a swivel-enabled operator's seat with integrated electrohydraulic controls.