When two orientation lines do not match in the core tray, the structural geologist's question is always the same: which one do I trust?
SmartCore™ answers that question with data, not judgment. Each measurement is logged together with the signals needed to judge its reliability, and that judgment travels with the data all the way to the report.
On this page
5 sections
01
The journey in three moments
02
The four quality flags
03
The reason for the failure
04
The layers we add
05
How to read a measurement
This page explains, in plain language, what the instrument checks and when. It is written for anyone receiving the instrument for the first time.
The journey
Three moments, three types of checks
The tool takes measurements inside the borehole and stores them in its internal memory. The application timestamps the moment, links it to depth, and downloads the data once the run is complete. That is why some checks happen before going downhole, others at the moment of the reading, and others when the data is retrieved at surface.
1
Before going downhole
The equipment declares itself fit for use
Nothing starts if the instrument is not in working condition or if the borehole information is missing. It is the only phase in which the operator can correct everything at no cost.
Battery, connection, and calibration
With the battery depleted, the instrument cannot operate. With a low battery, the operator must confirm explicitly.
Synchronized clock
It is what allows each reading to be matched to its depth and its run.
Borehole header
Borehole, coordinates, interval, units, and inclination convention.
2
At the reading and in the core tray
The instrument observes the conditions
While it takes the reading, the sensor records the conditions under which it was taken. Afterward, at surface, the application guides the marking step by step.
Stability during acquisition
If the drill string vibrates or the barrel rotates, the reading is not reliable, and this is noted accordingly.
Borehole inclination at that instant
Near vertical, the bottom of the core is no longer well defined.
Live marking guidance
The screen and vibration guide the operator to the correct position.
3
At download
The data is graded and finalized
When the memory is retrieved, the signals collected are resolved into a verdict for each measurement. That verdict is what the geologist reads afterward.
Pass / No Pass verdict
It combines stability, physical consistency, and sensor status.
Oriented status
Yes or No, depending on whether an angular reference was saved and the inclination is valid.
Inclusion decision
Anything that does not pass the control is excluded from the report by default.
QUALITY INDICATORS
Four fields to evaluate each measurement
They are collected automatically during the orientation workflow and appear grouped together in the measurement list and in the reports. The geologist does not need to interpret raw signals: they read a field and know what happened.
01
Stability at bottom
Captured at the moment of the reading
Detects whether the drill string was vibrating or the barrel was still rotating when the orientation was taken. A reading taken while in motion is not representative of the core's true position, no matter how well it is marked afterward.
The sensor does not infer this from a single indicator: it cross-checks the stillness detected against the magnitude of the measured gravitational field. A magnitude outside the expected range reveals motion or a sensor anomaly, even when the stillness reading appears correct.
Pass
Drill string stable and gravity reading consistent.
Fail
Motion during acquisition or a gravity magnitude outside range. The orientation is canceled, and a warning is shown on screen.
02
Borehole inclination
Captured at the moment of the reading
In addition to the orientation, the sensor determines the inclination at that same moment. The closer the borehole gets to vertical, the less well defined the bottom of the core becomes: the gravitational reference loses resolution, and the angular error increases sharply.
Two thresholds, two purposes
20° – 160°
Working range required to mark. Outside it, the marking guidance stops and prompts repositioning.
2° – 178°
Validity range for the data. Outside it, the orientation is canceled at download.
Pass
Inclination within the validity range.
Fail
Borehole too close to vertical. The measurement is kept, but it cannot be declared oriented.
03
Core marking
Captured in the core tray, while marking
Captures the errors that can occur between the reading and the drawing of the line. The application guides rotation of the core with continuous feedback: vibration starts at ±45° and intensifies as it gets closer, and the screen changes once it enters the tolerance of ±5°, which is configurable.
If the tube has moved, if the core was loose or displaced, or if the core tray is tilted too much for the sensor reading to be reliable, the operator declares it before closing out. There is no default value: grading is a mandatory choice.
Unoriented Core
No usable reference
Oriented Core
Yes
No
04
Overall result
Resolved at download
A single field that reflects the most severe result among the three flags above. It is the field used to sort and filter when a full run needs to be reviewed, and the one that determines whether the measurement enters the report without human intervention. It remains blank when orientation was skipped.
Pass
No Pass
InfographicIndicator 02
Inclination range for orientation
0.0°
Invalid zone
Invalid zone
-90° – -88° and +88° – +90°
Outside the orientation range
Working zone
-88° – +88°
Orientation range
The reason for the failure
A failure without a reason is of no use
Along with the indicators, each measurement carries the specific reason for what happened. It is not a code: it is a sentence that the geologist can read months later and understand without having to ask anyone.
It also includes any steps that were skipped. Knowing that a step was skipped is just as informative as knowing that something failed.
Vertical at break
The instrument was approaching vertical when the core broke; the reading may not be reliable.
Motion during the reading
Vibration or rotation was detected during acquisition.
Gravity out of range
The measured magnitude is not physically consistent with a reading taken at rest.
Tube moved
The tube shifted between the reading and the marking; the position of the line may not be exact.
No mark
The process finished without an angular reference saved; the measurement is recorded as orientation not possible.
Sensor out of range
One of the accelerometers returned readings outside its operating range.
Beyond the indicators
Six more layers that protect the data
Grading the measurement is the end of the process, not the beginning. Most of the data lost in a drilling program is not lost because of a sensor: it is lost because of a poorly written header, a wrongly assumed unit, or a questionable measurement that nobody flagged. These layers address that gap.
01
Header validation as you type
Each field is checked with every keystroke, not just when saving. Coordinates are verified against their real-world range, the bottom depth must be greater than the starting depth, and a field in error is never saved: the last valid value is kept.
An error here propagates to all three report formats. It is the least costly safeguard in the entire process.
02
Coordinate source traceability
The application never provides a position without stating where it comes from: satellite with satellite count, network, cloud, or the last saved borehole. If the position is old, it is flagged as such and the user is prompted to verify it.
A manually entered coordinate is never automatically overwritten.
03
Interpretation context recorded
- Length and temperature units
- Inclination convention
- Core alignment
- Application version
- Firmware
- Date of last calibration
- Instrument number
All of it is recorded in the report header.
A single borehole can involve a change of instrument: each measurement remembers which one it was taken with.
04
Operator comments, run by run
A list of common situations for routine cases, and free text of up to 150 characters for anything that does not fit. It can be corrected afterward from the measurement list.
It is the direct channel between whoever was at the rig and whoever interprets the data in the core shack.
05
The geologist has the final word
Whatever does not pass the control is excluded from the report by default, but nothing is deleted. A No Pass measurement can be explicitly reinstated, and that decision is recorded together with the original reason.
The instrument grades. It does not decide for you.
06
The report comes from the field, not from the cloud
PDF, Excel, and CSV are generated on the device itself, with or without network coverage. The quality columns travel in all three formats; Excel and CSV also add the comment and the grading of the mark.
No dependence on connectivity or on a third-party platform to read your own data.
Interoperability
Connect your data.
Work your way.
The SPT API makes it possible to securely connect SmartCloud™ data with the platforms already in use. It integrates, synchronizes, and delivers information wherever it is needed.
Secure connection
Token-based authentication and permissions.
Data ready to integrate
Structured, reliable, and synchronized.
Freedom to choose
Connect to your platforms and workflows.
Field
Data captured in the field
Reports and cloud
Ready to share as PDF, XLSX, or CSV.
Secure storage in the cloud.
SPT
API
Your Mining Planner
Your 3D Modeling Tool
Your Geological Analysis Tool
Your Data Warehouse
Another platform of your choice
How to read it
Three cases, read at a glance
Each measurement brings together the data recorded by the instrument, the quality control result, and the information provided by the operator. These fields make it possible to quickly check the status of each record before generating the report.
01
Valid reading
Clean run. Stable reading, borehole within range, and mark declared valid. It enters the report without intervention.
02
Measurement flagged as questionable
The measurement is good; what failed was the marking. The line exists, but its position may be off. It is excluded by default, and the geologist decides whether to use it with lower confidence.
03
Measurement canceled due to geometry
The borehole was too close to vertical: the bottom of the core is not defined, and the orientation is canceled before reaching the core tray. The measurement is kept as a record of inclination and temperature.
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Key takeaway:
A No Pass does not mean the data is useless. It means that exactly what failed is known and, therefore, how much confidence it can be used with. It is the opposite of a silent data point.
Data that lets a project be reinterpreted years later
A detailed record for each run (what was measured, under what conditions, who marked it, and what they observed) is what turns an orientation dataset into a useful historical reference when the project comes back to the table.
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Products
Products that apply these quality controls
The numerical criteria shown are default values and are configurable by the user. SmartCore™ and CoreMaster™ share the same quality control model.
