The D40x55DR S3 delivers increased productivity in a broad range of ground conditions, from hard, medium and soft rock to loamy/dirt and clay.

The Vermeer D40x55DR S3 Navigator horizontal directional drill (HDD) has made new fans as it toured four cities in the heart of rock drilling country. The first stop for the "Rock the Iron Road Show" was San Antonio, Texas, where a crowd of 60-plus people learned more about the drill and saw it in action. The event, hosted by Vermeer Texas-Louisiana, also featured equipment demos and product presentations from numerous alliance partners, as well as food and a live band.

"We wanted to showcase the new D40x55DR S3 Navigator HDD for the people who drill rock every day, and a road show seemed like a great way to combine education and entertainment," said Vermeer Sales Manager Lee Schroeder. "The crowd turnout and response has exceeded our expectations thus far, and everyone agreed this is the drill they need for their rock drilling operations."

The D40x55DR S3 delivers increased productivity in a broad range of ground conditions, from hard, medium and soft rock to loamy/dirt and clay. This rock drill features dual rod technology that uses an inner rod to provide torque to the drill bit, while the outer rod offers steering capability and rotational torque for reaming. The combination provides powerful downhole cutting action and the flexibility to select the appropriate tooling to best match the ground conditions, which can allow the entire install to be completed with one machine, according to the manufacturer.

Also on display at the road show was the latest productivity tools and tooling options from Vermeer, like the new RH15 rock drill head, which can handle 1,500 foot-pounds (2033.7 Nm) of inner rod torque, and is designed to give operators steering control in the pilot process.

Other companies that joined in on the Rock the Iron Road Show included:

• The McLaughlin Group Inc., a Vermeer-owned company, specializes in vacuum excavators, auger boring, piercing tools and locators.
• Mincon Group PLC develops, manufactures and distributes a range of precision engineered hard-rock drilling tools for horizontal directional drilling and a variety of other applications, including mining, exploration, water well, geothermal, construction, oil-gas and energy.
• Thunder Products, a Wyo-Ben Company, offers a line of solid control systems for horizontal directional drilling fluids.
• Vac-Tron Equipment offers a full line of industrial vacuums, potholing, daylighting, hydro-excavation and air excavation equipment.
• Digital Control Inc. (DCI) is a leader in horizontal directional drilling, locating and tracking systems.

Other stops on the tour included Dallas, Texas (Sept. 6), Oklahoma City, Okla. (Sept. 12), and Nashville, Tenn. (Sept. 26).

For more information, visit RockTheIron.com.

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