With a speciality in pipeline rehabilitation services, DrainTech Solutions recently undertook a series of projects in Sydney on behalf of their client to restore flow to pipes located under a busy pedestrian access tunnel.
Littered with hurdles and complexities, the job was to excavate various DN 225 to 600 pipes which had been flooded with grout with an MPa rating of 80.
Not new to these types of challenges, DrainTech Solutions set about analysing a sample of the grout back at their yard to determine the best approach and optimal piece of equipment for the job.
The composition was deemed unusual and incredibly dense and would require a unique and strong piece of equipment to tackle the grout efficiently and effectively.
Over the years, DrainTech Solutions has outfitted themselves with an impressive fleet of equipment for these types of projects, including the Power Cutter PC200 which is a state-of-the-art milling robot from Innovative Sewer Technologies (I.S.T.), Germany.
Purchased from Pipe Core in early 2020, the PC200 has been an invaluable tool to the DrainTech Solutions team who invested in the unit after testing and evaluating the system with I.S.T. and Pipe Core in Bochum, Germany.
With maintenance and ongoing training support from Pipe Core, DrainTech Solutions has tested the robots’ multiple functions including milling, high pressure water jet cutting, inspections, repairs, renovations and more. The unit’s full colour swivelling zoom camera, ability to visualise the position of the arm, and an impressive WinCan plotting software that tracks laterals and junctions to reopen them has also been an asset on many job sites.
Most impressively it has an arm that can conduct endless rotations without stopping while the body of the unit remains incredibly stable which is vital when navigating deep inside a pipe.
“I’ve never used such a capable and versatile piece of equipment. Not only can we reinstate junctions using the air motor and cutting head, but we can also break up blockages such as concrete with the chisel attachment or the ultra-high pressure water jet attachment giving us the greatest chance of tackling any job,” Mathew Mather, Business Manager at DrainTech Solutions said.
To maximise its benefits, DrainTech Solutions has made the PC200 mobile by installing it in a truck with integrated air treatment, power and water supply, and a crane system.
Having conducted their due diligence at their yard and now armed with intel, the team returned on site with the PC200.
The knowledge they gained from the testing pivoted them away from the chisel milling tool, which made successful but slow progress, to the ultra-high pressure water jet attachment that was able to shatter and blast apart fist size pieces of grout with a pressure of up to 2500 bar, making much lighter and faster work of the job.
This unique attachment connected to the PC200 saved time, potential damage to cutting heads and air motors, prevented excessive wear and tear caused by grinding, and eliminated the need to dig.
“Traditional methods would have seen us use multiple cutting heads over the course of the job, costing the company thousands of dollars in replacements,” Mather said.
With a commitment to rehabilitation over traditional excavation methods, DrainTech Solutions confirmed that their decision to employ the PC200 with the ultra-high pressure water jet was the superior technique for this job.
DrainTech Solutions on-site success gives confidence to this innovative piece of technology and their ability as a business to evolve to best serve their customers and remain competitive in the rehabilitation sector.
Check out the Power Cutter at No-Dig Down Under, 14 – 17 June 2022 or contact Pipe Core to arrange a demonstration.
+61 3 9690 8766 info@trenchless.com.au Visit on LinkedIn Editorial Molly Hancock Journalist Gabrielle O'Hagan Advertising info@trenchless-australasia.com.au 11-15 Buckhurst Street South Melbourne Victoria 3205 Australia