Here's a clear comparison between a double-boom drilling rig and a three-arm drilling rig (both are commonly used drilling jumbos for tunnels and underground excavation):
🔹 Double-Boom Drilling Rig
Arms (Booms): 2
Coverage: Can drill medium to large tunnel sections, usually up to 60–100 m² face area.
Efficiency: Two booms work simultaneously, drilling multiple holes at once for blasting.
Manpower: Typically requires 1 operator + 1 helper.
Application:
Suitable for tunnels, mining, and underground caverns with medium cross-sections.
Common in road, railway, and hydropower tunnels.
Advantages:
Lower cost compared to 3-arm rigs.
Compact size, easier to maneuver in smaller tunnels.
Faster than a single-boom rig.
Limitations:
Slower than three-arm rigs on large tunnel faces.
May need repositioning for full-face coverage in very large sections.
🔹 Three-Arm (Triple-Boom) Drilling Rig
Arms (Booms): 3 (sometimes called two drilling booms + 1 service boom).
Coverage: Can drill large tunnel faces >100 m² in one setup without repositioning.
Efficiency:
Two arms usually for drilling holes simultaneously.
Third arm often used for scaling, roof bolting, or installing utilities (ventilation, mesh, bolts).
Manpower: 1 operator, sometimes with an assistant.
Application:
Large tunnels, underground powerhouses, subways, and mines.
Designed for projects where speed and efficiency are critical.
Advantages:
High productivity-covers more drilling points per cycle.
Service boom adds versatility for support work.
Reduces downtime by handling multiple tasks in one pass.
Limitations:
Higher cost (purchase + maintenance).
Larger size-requires bigger tunnel cross-section for operation.
Not as maneuverable in narrow headings.
Would you like us to make a comparison chart (table) so you can see the differences more clearly at a glance?
