Create a Grid of Holes

Use this activity to add a grid of holes to a drill pattern that has assigned surfaces. The grid can be square or staggered and fills a selected closed polygon. For context, see Design a Drill Pattern.

Activity Steps

1. Select the Design module.
2. Right-click a drill pattern in the DataBlast Items Tree and select Edit Selected Drill Pattern in Designer from the menu.

   The drill pattern displays in design mode.

3. In the DataBlast Items Tree, select the set of design lines (or other object) that includes a polygon that defines the drilling area.
4. On the Holes Ribbon Menu, in the Hole Patterns group, click Grid Hole Pattern.
5. Select one corner of the defined drilling area.

   Tip: Use the object snap settings on the Grid and Snap Toolbar to make the selection easier.

6. Select an adjacent corner of the defined drilling area.

   Note: Rows will be parallel to the line between these two points. The direction for hole numbering is from the first selected corner to the second selected corner. If hole numbering uses the 'left-hand rule' row numbering starts on the left hand side of the line between these two corners.

7. Select the boundary of the defined drilling area.
8. Right-click or press Enter to finish the selection.

   The Grid Hole Pattern screen displays.

9. To load settings from a template, select the Pattern Template.
10. Select a Mine Block from the defined mine blocks.
11. Define the pattern spacing:
    • Burden—The distance between rows.
    • Spacing—The distance between holes in a row.
12. Select the Pattern Type from Square and Staggered.
13. Select the drill Diameter from the allowed diameters. See Configure Mine Site Settings.
14. Enter the Minimum Valid Length for holes. Holes are not created if the collar and toe positions are less than this length apart.
15. Select the Icon for how the holes display in the Viewport.
16. Select the Angle Increment from:
    • Free—Do not limit hole angle fractions.
    • 0.1°
    • 0.5°
    • 1°
    • 5°

    Note: The drill machine (for example a rotary style drill) may limit the angles at which holes can be drilled. This setting also affects later edits to the hole bearings.

17. Select the Default Hole Angle from:
    • Angle Relative to Horizon—Enter an angle.
    • Perpendicular to Current Coordinate System
18. Enter toe offsets if required:
    • Drill Toe Offset—A negative number creates holes that are drilled below the drill toe surface. A positive number creates a holes with a standoff above the drill toe surface.
    • Charge Toe Offset—Enter a value if you do not want to load explosives at the bottom of the hole.
19. Define the default hole numbering scheme:
    1. Select numbering from Alphanumeric and Numeric.

       Note: This hole numbering has less options than the hole numbering scheme defined when you Create a Mine Site Database.

       • Alphanumeric here is the equivalent of setting the Row Numbering Type to Alphabetic and the Echelon Numbering Type to Numeric.
       • Numeric here is the equivalent of setting the Row Numbering Type to Continuous Numeric.
    2. Enter the Minimum Digits.
    3. Enter a Prefix if required.

    Note: You can Customise Hole Numbering after creating the holes.

20. If you changed template settings but want to revert to the template settings, click Reload Template.
21. To save changes to the current template, click Save Template.
22. To save the settings as a new template:
    1. Click Save Template or Save Template As.

       The Template screen displays.

    2. Enter a Name.
    3. Click OK.

    Note: To rename a template later, see Maintain Designer Pattern Layouts.

23. Click OK.
24. Select the side of the row for the direction of the hole toe; that is, the hole bearing.

    DataBlast Ignite calculates the hole positions.

25. Click Save Changes.