Awards

Japan Explosives Society Technology Award 2023

Improvement of wireless electronic detonator system for automated blasting

　Dr. Toshiyuki Ogura and his co-workers developed the "WINDET® II System," a wireless electronic detonator for tunnel blasting that uses wireless communication technology to eliminate the need for wiring work, and demonstrated its effectiveness in a mine tunnel blasting test. These research results were published in EXPLOSION.
　Tunnel excavation work using blasting is highly dangerous, and various safety measures have been taken in the past. After the introduction of water-containing explosives, anti-static detonators, and non-electric detonators to make the explosives themselves safer, explosive loading machines that avoid works close to the faces when loading explosives have been developed and are beginning to spread. However, the detonator wiring work still needs to be done in close contact with the face, and it is hoped that wireless detonators will be put to practical use to solve this problem. In recent years, there has been a demand to respond to the shortage of workers due to changes in the working environment and population decline, and there is also a demand to reduce labor and improve efficiency by mechanizing and automating the work.
　Dr. Toshiyuki Ogura and his co-workers improved on the previously developed WINDET® system to the WINDET®Ⅱ system. The system is easy to install, thanks to the use of a small electromagnetic induction charger and the wireless nature of all equipment. They also built an original system that uses a repeater to enable two-way communication between the blaster and the wireless detonator. They also took safety into consideration, such as dealing with electrical noise and wireless communication signals that can interfere with communication, and taking measures to prevent malfunctions and unauthorized operation. They conducted demonstration tests in mine tunnels and confirmed their practicality through blasting tests.
　Wireless detonators are one of the key technologies that can dramatically improve the safety and efficiency of tunnel blasting work, and their realization is expected to greatly contribute to the development of the construction and explosives industries.
　As such, they are worthy of Japan Explosives Society Technology Award, and we hope that research on them will continue and develop in the future.

Recommended Papers

1. Development of the Wireless Electronic Detonator WINDET® II System, EXPLOSION Vol. 33, No. 3, pp. 175-178 (2023)

Biography

Dr. Toshiyuki Ogura

Mr. Kohki Uchida

Mr. Naoto Yanagi

Mr. Kenji Tanaka