Design 1st has announced its client, GeoSight, a leading global provider of Cavity Monitoring Systems (CMS) to the underground mining industry, has launched its GeoSight SCOUT, a wireless borehole deviation tool that can be lowered down a 1in drillhole. The GeoSight SCOUT is an easy-to-use and cost-effective tool that features the most advanced technology to survey drillholes of unlimited depth.
“We’re committed to providing the most technologically innovative and easy to use tools to help mining operators address their toughest challenges when it comes to precision in long hole production drilling and scanning in underground mines,” said John Lupton, managing director at GeoSight. “The GeoSight SCOUT, designed in partnership with Design 1st, is our newest portfolio offering that is purpose-built for harsh environments and leverages the most advanced wireless capabilities for the most accurate drilling results.”
Partnering for Success
GeoSight selected Design 1st to help develop SCOUT because of the company’s in-depth knowledge in design concepts, engineering, material processing and technology expertise. “Design 1st successfully guided us through the technical engineering options, testing phases and alerted us to risky items and stress points,” added Lupton. To ensure GeoSight SCOUT was market-ready, Design 1st provided the necessary mechanical design and specification capabilities, managed the 2D and 3D asset creation, facilitated prototype and production fabrication and performed the initial prototype builds to prove out the design.
The GeoSight SCOUT is the second GeoSight product co-designed by Design 1st. The company previously partnered with Design 1st to help develop its Borehole mapping scanner (GSM) that was delivered to market last year. The remote-operated 3D scanner includes four IMU’s, camera and lidar providing a 360° view of the hole and void, and it can be lowered down a three-inch drillhole to a depth of 330m.
“We were excited that GeoSight selected us again to help bring a technically challenging product successfully to market,” said Matt Bailey, vice-president, Mechanical Engineering, Design 1st. “We were able to identify and overcome the risks and technology challenges early on and working together design a product that really sets a new standard for mining exploration and production drilling accuracy.”
Innovating for the Mining Industry
The new GeoSight SCOUT is a next-generation wireless drillhole survey tool that enables operators to quickly and accurately survey drillholes in harsh environments. The SCOUT can be lowered down a one-inch drillhole and is designed using an inertia measurement unit (IMU) and depth encoder for accurate mapping. It features a rechargeable battery system, a laser for geo-referencing from the collar of each hole, wireless connectivity for immediate data transfer, and humidity balancing to ensure the tool adjusts to pressure and temperature changes. SCOUT is built for harsh environments with anodized coatings and wear-resistant plastics. Additional features and benefits include:
- No Magnetic Interference. The SCOUT features the Coriolis coupling effect to position itself, so magnetism has no effect on its measurements. It operates in a solid state, independent from the earth’s magnetic field, therefore requiring no large spinning masses to calculate movement.
- Real-time data delivery. Once the SCOUT is returned to the base station the survey results are immediately transferred to the tablet.
- Easy to use. The SCOUT is easy to assemble, deploy and secure in the borehole.