The 12ED25 is designed to cover seam heights between 8 feet, 10 inches (2.7 meters) and 15ft (4.6m).

It can complete a fully automated cutting cycle with an advance of up to 50in while installing up to six roof bolts and eight rib bolts, all at the same time. Mines can also program cutting cycles to suit mine seam conditions and/or to match bolting cycles and minimize dust output.

Joy says the unit, which was designed for optimum safety and ease of operation, is equipped with extendable rib protection shields and roof canopies for both roof and rib drill operators.

Operator interaction in the working area is also reduced via semi-mechanized operations, which also can increase production and driving rates.

The Joy 12ED25 has been constructed with a sump frame and a long-life slide rail and pin mechanism with shims, replaceable wear strips and auto lubrication, all to allow for longevity.

The stationary chassis can be pinned to the roof with two temporary roof support cylinders, reducing floor degradation during sumping and cutting.

The OEM says it expects the new design to extend wear life prior to the first major rebuild to more than one million raw tons of entry development.

Also, attached to the pods are two forward-mounted roof bolters with a slide and tilt mechanism to fully cover all roof bolt positions, as well as two lift and tilt rib bolters for placing up to four bolts in either rib, while also installing angled and tensioned truss bolts.

Joy recently shipped its first 12ED25 to a mine in the western US coalfields, which will use the unit to develop longwall gate access roads.

“Beyond the United States, there is a substantial demand for the Joy 12ED25 in Australia, where several orders have already been placed,” miner bolter and bolting products global product director Jez Leeming said.

“Its design will be specifically adapted to the Australian market to achieve a close bolt-to-face distance, which offers excellent roof control in poor ground conditions.”