Since the 1950's drilling has been rapidly mechanised. First from hand held drills with air legs to pneumatic jumbos, then to more effective hydraulic jumbos. Development of underground drilling equipment naturally could not have stopped here._x000D_
Hydraulic drilling saw an improvement in drilling capacity and efficiency after the introduction of second generation drifters in the early 1980's._x000D_
Also in the early 1980's a few equipment suppliers started to study how to improve the efficiency in operating the rigs._x000D_
The first computerised rigs for tunnelling were delivered to work sites in mid 1980's. At the same time a few computerised longhole drills started drilling in mines._x000D_
At this very moment the first computerised development jumbos as well as bolting jumbos are drilling in underground operations._x000D_
With computerised development jumbos, drilling accuracy is better than manual jumbos. Better accuracy will result in less overbreak and better control of the tunnel profile as well as a possibility to extend the length of rounds._x000D_
Automatic rod handling with the longhole equipment allows the rigs to be drilling during breaks and shift changes, increasing productivity._x000D_
As with drilling equipment, there has been rapid development of underground loaders. It was in the early 1980's when loader manufacturers developed remote control for equipment used in dangerous areas. To further increase the possibilities of using remote control, cameras and monitors have been added into the system._x000D_
To be able to direct the operation of the equipment from a monitoring centre, e.g. to give directions regarding the loading area, or unloading points, or to be able to receive information from the equipment in respect of work that has been completed or the condition of equipment, it is necessary to set up a data network in the mine. This system would be controlled by a computer in the control center._x000D_
CECAM - Computeri sed Equi pment Control and Monitoring System is a microprocessor based data collating and recording system for monitoring and analysing the work done and the performance. As well as the condition of LHD equipment CECAM consists of two independent parts - PMS - Production Monitoring System and CMS - Condition Monitoring System._x000D_
The development of a data transfer network in the mine makes it possible to have unmanned machines working. It is already possible to build a dump truck which will travel between loading and unloading places unmanned following a magnetic field.