Blog, trenchless people
We are proud to spotlight NASTT’s 2017 No-Dig Show Silver Sponsor 3M.
What was born as a small-scale mining venture in 1902 has grown into a global powerhouse whose products improve the daily lives of people around the world. When the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co.—as the company that would grow into 3M was known at the time—began more than a century ago, the five founders had a simple goal: to harvest a mineral known as corundum from a mine called Crystal Bay.
Ultimately, the mine didn’t produce much corundum, but something more important was born that year: the spirit of innovation and collaboration that forms the foundation of today’s 3M. The fledgling company turned to other materials and other products, building up sales little by little. Technical and marketing innovations began to produce success upon success. Today’s 3M is responsible for 60,000 products used in homes, businesses, schools, hospitals and more.
Today, one third of 3M’s sales come from products that were invented within the past five years. The company employs thousands of researchers and scientists around the world. With operations in 70 countries and sales in 200, the global 3M team is still committed to creating the technology and products that advance every company, enhance every home and improve every life.
Learn more at 3M’s website.
Blog, trenchless people
Monday is a jam packed day at No-Dig with the Kick Off Breakfast, the exhibit hall opening and the Educational Fund Auction. Thanks to your amazing generosity, we have now raised over ONE MILLION DOLLARS since 2002 to support our educational efforts! Stay tuned for more photos, but check out these couple of jokers…
And be sure to say hi to NASTT Program Director, Michelle Hill, if you see her scootin’ on by on the Michelle Mobile!
Blog, trenchless people
As expected, the Gaylord National near Washington, D.C. has been an exceptional location to host NASTT’s 2017 No-Dig Show!
Sunday was a full day of pre-courses, Regional Chapter meetings, the Annual General Meeting, Student Chapter activities, Young Professional Committee Social, Municipal Scholarship Reception, ISTT and Past Chairs Dinner and MORE!
Blog, Industry News, trenchless products
THOMPSON, CONNECTICUT USA, April 4, 2017
Numa, the world’s leading drilling technology provider, offers one of the largest ranges of DTH rock drilling hammers and bits available in the industry today. The company boasts over 110 DTH products for drilling holes 3½ to 48 inches (89 – 1219 mm) in all types of conditions, applications, and industries.
Numa works with drillers on job sites around the world to support its products and gain first hand insight for advancing DTH product design. The company holds 13 patents, with more pending, for DTH equipment capable of drilling vertical, horizontal, and reverse circulation holes. Numa products are used in over 11 industries including construction, oil & gas, mining, quarry, geothermal, water well, and many more.
Numa’s wide range of DTH products includes:
SMALL HAMMERS AND BITS
Drills holes from 3-1/2″ to 10″ (89 – 254 mm) Numa offers eighteen different small diameter hammers for diverse drilling conditions. Built specifically for longevity and penetration rate, Numa’s Patriot® hammers and bits drill at high frequency and require less air. Even against high heads of water.
MID-RANGE HAMMERS AND BITS
Drills holes 7-7/8” to 20” (200 – 508 mm) Numa’s mid-range hammers and bits provide a combination of speed and life to excel against hard, abrasive and just plain nasty conditions. A simplified hammer design with less internal components promotes less vibration and smooth operation.
LARGE HAMMERS AND BITS
Drills holes 18” to 48” (457 – 1219 mm) Numa pioneered the large hammer industry and leads the market in performance and reliability. Our forward thinking designs have proven themselves again and again in demanding applications around the world.
REVERSE CIRCULATION HAMMERS AND BITS
Drills holes 5-1/4” to 36” (133 – 914 mm) Numa’s Reverse Circulation products have the unique ability to bring all cuttings up the center of the hammer and drill string to be safely collected at the surface, which is essential in today’s environmentally conscious society.
SUPER JAWS® BITS
Drills holes 5-1/2” to 42” (457 – 1066 mm) Super Jaws provides superior performance for simultaneous drilling and casing in hard rock and overburden formations. Wings extend out to drill a full diameter hole then retract to bring all tooling to the surface. No expensive tools are left in the hole and no casing teeth are required.
ABOUT NUMA
Numa provides the world’s leading drilling technology with over 110 DTH Hammer and Bit products serving 11 different industries. Our products are capable of drilling vertical, horizontal, and reverse circulation holes from 3½ to 48 inches (89 – 1219 mm) in diameter and are used in 105+ countries. We have built our customer-centric reputation on providing the highest value in products, performance and personal service available in the rock drilling industry.
Blog, Industry News, trenchless people
The overall No-Dig program is focused on one objective: helping you maximize your investment in trenchless technologies, services and applications. Owners, utilities and municipalities can immediately benefit!
The 2017 Silver Sponsors are a key component to NASTT’s No-Dig Show‘s success. Without this roster of industry supporters, we would not be able to bring you the top notch training, education and networking events that we do!
Take a look at our sponsor page and click the logos for each organization to learn more about them!
Blog, Industry News, trenchless products
Vision LX, FLX2 and GX2 models provide fast, easy and accurate utility locates
GREENVILLE, S.C. — March 22, 2017 — McLaughlin revealed a new line of underground utility locators at 2017 CONEXPO-CON/AGG, the industry’s largest trade show held in Las Vegas. The Vision locators combine proven McLaughlin technologies to ensure accuracy with new features to help contractors find underground utilities more efficiently.
The Vision product line includes three models: the LX for utility contractors, the FLX2 with fault finding capabilities for power companies and secondary power contractors, and the premium GX2, designed with professional locators in mind.
“Utility contractors face a crowded underground infrastructure, unmarked utility lines and increasingly strict regulations, which makes accurate, timely locating more important than ever,” said Jeff Wage, vice president of sales at McLaughlin. “With the addition of the Vision product line, McLaughlin has an underground utility locating solution for everyone from the new utility contractor who is just starting out to the professional One Call contractor.”
Vision LX locator
The Vision LX locator has a streamlined design and simple user interface. For example, the LX combines the peak locating screen and null locating screen into one display. This allows the user to capitalize on the benefits of both functions — the accuracy of the peak mode and the user-friendliness of the null mode — without toggling back and forth between screens.
Other improvements to the display include an automatic depth and current measurement index, which automatically appears when the locator is positioned over a utility line, and a new compass icon. The compass automatically calculates the peak signal and visually informs the user of the direction of the utility path, making it easier to locate the entire line.
Vision FLX2 locator with fault finder capabilities
The Vision FLX2 has the same features and functions as the Vision LX locator plus secondary and sheaths fault-finding capabilities. Designed with power companies and secondary power contractors in mind, the FLX2 allows contractors to quickly and accurately pinpoint the location of faults in power and telecommunications cables.
Once the locator is connected to the utility line, a contractor can use an A-frame transmitter to find the fault. The contractor places the A-frame transmitter’s prongs into the ground, and the reading is sent to the receiver. If the receiver shows the signal is on the right side of the screen, the contractor proceeds forward along the utility line. If the receiver shows the signal is on the blue side of the screen, the contractor has passed the fault and is alerted to back up. Using this process, a contractor can narrow the location of the fault to within a few inches.
When used for its traditional locating capabilities, the FLX2 has five active frequency modes. Lower- frequency modes provide more accurate locates over longer distances; high-frequency modes use a powerful signal to get through resistant lines, like cast-iron pipes. The FLX2 allows the operator to adjust the frequency based on the needs of the utility line, which provides a more accurate locate.
Vision GX2 locator
The GX2 is the most powerful locator in the Vision product line. Using a 7-watt transmitter — instead of the standard 5-watt — the GX2 allows contractors to push the locating signal farther, which is ideal for long fiber runs or gas distribution projects with tracing wires.
To further extend the signal, the GX2 uses a dual frequency mode — that does not require Bluetoothâ — to simultaneously inject 9.5 kHz and 38 kHz signals into the utility line. When the 38 kHz signal begins to fade, the operator can use the receiver to toggle to the 9.5 kHz frequency and can continue locating.
Because some fiber providers use a custom frequency, the GX2 gives contractors the flexibility to program other frequencies into the locator for added jobsite efficiency.
McLaughlin-exclusive features
McLaughlin strives to provide the most accurate locating tools in the industry. While each Vision locator has features that make it unique, some McLaughlin-exclusive technologies come standard on all three models.
Semiautomatic and manual gain adjustment
Gain adjustment refers to the receiver’s sensitivity to the magnetic field emitted by a utility line.
“The benefit of the semiautomatic gain is that it’s a very precise method of locating — especially in congested areas — and the technology is exclusive to McLaughlin,” says Wage. “Because manual gain is a more commonly used method of locating, some contractors are hesitant to try the semiautomatic gain feature.”
All three Vision locators offer dual functionality, which means contractors can engage the semiautomatic gain on congested, urban jobsites where signal distortion is a common challenge, and use the manual gain method when working in less congested areas.
Three antennas
While competitive products use two antennas to measure depth readings, McLaughlin Vision locators use three. With the push of a button, the locator simultaneously takes depth readings from all three antennas and averages the measurements for a more accurate reading. For added durability, the antennas are rubber mounted inside the injection-molded locator case so they can stand up to tough jobsite conditions.
Inductive clamp
To help contractors be more efficient on the jobsite, the Vision locators have a waterproof inductive clamp. This means the Vision locator can lay on or partially grip the utility and produce an accurate reading, unlike competitive locators that require the clamp to fully encircle the utility, which creates extra labor for contractors.
The Vision locators come with a three-year warranty and weatherproof guarantee and are sold exclusively through the McLaughlin sales channel. To learn more, visit mclaughlinunderground.com or
email McLaughlin at mmole@mightymole.com.
