Blog, Industry News, trenchless people
The Annual International No-Dig Conference is the flagship of ISTT’s education and training effort. The 34th 
International No-Dig Conference & Exhibition was held in October in Beijing, China at the National Agriculture Exhibition Center. The Center is a state-of-the-art facility located in the heart of Beijing.
The China Society for Trenchless Technology hosted the conference. Mr. Wang Fuming, Chairman of the China Society stated, “Beijing, the capital of the People’s Republic of China, is a vibrant, dynamic city with a rich history and may attractions. Beijing is not only a must-see place to visit, it is also a key center of trenchless activity in China. Many major trenchless and underground construction companies are headquartered in Beijing. Trenchless also has played a significant role in meeting the challenges of underground construction in a heavily urbanized area with minimum social and economic impact and disruption.”
During the conference, ISTT held their annual board meeting where Dr. Samuel Ariaratnam, the past chairman of 
ISTT, completed his tenure and Mr. Enrico Boi became the chairman, along with Mr. Jari Kaukonen as vice chairman. Mr. Enrico Boi is from the NASTT (North American Society) and Mr. Jari Kaukonen is from FiSTT (Finnish Society).
Blog, Industry News, trenchless people
PELLA, Iowa — Vermeer has created a partnership with the Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) — 
Iowa’s largest two-year college serving more than 75,000 students — to certify the Vermeer HDD CircuitSM training program. Individuals who complete the two-week, instructor-led program will be classified as a certified horizontal directional drill (HDD) operator.
“Vermeer and DMACC are particularly excited about the potential benefits to our growing veteran population,” commented Rob Denson, president of DMACC. “The fact that the HDD Circuit training program is a certified addition to the DMACC curriculum offerings means that veterans can use their GI Bill benefits to cover the cost of the HDD Circuit program tuition and lodging to attend the two-week instructor-led program that provides a mix of classroom time with hands-on experience in a small-group learning environment.”
“DMACC has worked with Vermeer on a number of training initiatives focused on building the pipeline of skilled workers for its operations, but this is the most far-reaching effort to date,” said Denson. “Instead of training people to work at Vermeer, this innovative program is training individuals to work in the HDD industry, with skills that can be applied anywhere in the country or the world. These are high skilled jobs that provide outstanding career opportunities for individuals willing to train. DMACC is very proud to be able to certify this program.”
“This is the first-of-its-kind certified HDD operator training program in the nation,” said Dave Wisniewski, vice president, Underground products at Vermeer. “While other training programs may provide a certificate of completion, each student who successfully completes the Vermeer HDD Circuit training program will be certified as an HDD operator from an accredited college. This is important as more project owners are asking underground contractors to verify their HDD operators have received training.”
Vermeer HDD Circuit program will be taught by Vermeer trainers with extensive experience in horizontal directional drilling operation.
During each two-week course, students will be exposed to topics on HDD safety, jobsite evaluation and setup, drill operation best practices, underground utility locating and potholing best practices, drilling fluid mixing and testing, proper bore and pullback techniques including the development of a bore to plan, as well as basic drill maintenance and inspection. Students will get approximately 40 hours of classroom time and 40 hours of hands-on experience — 20 hours locating and 20 hours operating the drill in the field.
“The HDD Circuit program develops drillers who can walk a bore, plan a bore, set up a bore and complete a bore,” said Tony Bokhoven, Lifecycle training manager at Vermeer. “We are creating an opportunity for a new generation of drill operators to have a career in a growing global industry. At a time when the horizontal directional drilling industry is experiencing a shortage of drill operators, the HDD Circuit program is an ideal training program to help veterans, students and others looking for a way to enter this growing industry.”
The goal of the training program is that each student who successfully completes the program will be a productive drill operator or crew member. HDD Circuit program students must complete and pass a written test and hands-on evaluation in order to complete the program and receive the certified HDD operator designation.
To learn more about Vermeer HDD Circuit program and register for a future training class, visit DMACC.edu, Vermeer.com or contact Vermeer at HDDCircuit@vermeer.com.
Blog, Industry News, trenchless people, trenchless products, trenchless projects
Highly Anticipated Photo Finish wraps up Tunneling at Massive Metro
On September 28, 2016, Bangalore’s last TBM for the city’s metro rail project broke through, marking the end of 
TBM tunneling on the Namma Metro phase 1. The Robbins-operated machine, known as “Krishna”, bored a 750 m (2,460 ft) drive through challenging conditions between Chickpet and Majestic stations. Cleanup and final commissioning of the tunnel will be completed in 2017, and is the last obstacle before owner Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (BMRCL) can open the Malleswaram-Majestic link. The TBM’s sister machine, “Kaveri”, completed a parallel tunnel in June 2016.
The success follows a gauntlet of challenges on the two tunnel sites. Due to severe delays on the original tunnel drives, Robbins was approached and asked to take over the operations of the remaining two competitor-manufactured TBMs in February 2015. After obtaining agreement from the project owner and the contractor, Robbins took over the responsibility for all aspects of the underground operations. “We provided a team of over 60 staff including TBM operators, TBM technicians, ring builders, a grouting team, and more. We were also responsible for running surface installations and equipment such as the grout batching plant, gantry cranes and power supply. Contractor Coastal Projects Ltd. (CPL) provided a team of people including surveyors, QC engineers, and loco operators who reported directly to our site management team,” explained Jim Clark, Projects Manager for Robbins India. 
The Robbins crew carried out tunneling operations while the Chickpet station was being constructed around them to mitigate delays incurred before they took over project operations. The project’s most difficult challenges included a low overburden and unconsolidated ground along the alignment, and the discovery of several uncharted wells directly on the alignment. Difficult ground frequently prevented proper pressurization during cutting tool replacement, requiring a grout solution to be pumped in to fill voids and left to cure. Initially the curing process took up to 36 hours, but with improved application methods this was reduced to a 12-hour curing time.
Another challenge involved the sensitive building structures along the tunnel path. Issues with surface vibration, explained Clark, required that cutterhead speed be limited to 1.8 RPM during the day shift and 1.2 RPM during the night shift. Despite the obstacles, the TBMs advanced at rates of up to 50mm (2 in)/min in highly weathered rock.
“This is an industry first, wherein a TBM manufacturer has utilized their in-house expertise and knowledge to take on this level of responsibility for a project,” said Clark, addressing the magnitude of the successful breakthroughs. “The fact that it was ‘a first’ and we were successful in bringing this high-profile project back on track is a great achievement for The Robbins Company.”
Now that tunneling is complete, the North and South runs of the Namma metro will be connected–a line that, once in service, will carry an estimated 40,000 passengers daily. It is anticipated that Phase One of the metro will be opened in its entirety in 2017.
Blog, Industry News, trenchless people, trenchless projects
Want to see something cool? Watch this time lapse video of a Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) launch for the Michigan Ditch Tunnel Project in the City of Fort Collins, Colorado, put together by Lithos Engineering.
https://youtu.be/RAiZYRgbyo0
Project information:
Owner – City of Fort Collins Utilities
Prime Engineer – Stantec
Tunnel Engineer & Construction Management – Lithos Engineering
Tunnel Contractor – BT Construction
Site Work Contractor – Hydro Construction
Survey – Acklam
TBM – Akkerman
Blog, Industry News, trenchless people, trenchless products
Agreement Names StraightLine the Exclusive Distributor and Manufacturer
of Armadrillco Down-Hole Products.
Hutchinson, Kansas – StraightLine HDD, Inc. announced the finalization of an exclusive
agreement with Texas-based Armadrillco, Inc. for distribution and manufacturing
of Armadrillco down-hole products. The agreement takes effect immediately.
“Armadrillco’s HDD tools are highly complementary to our tooling portfolio,” says
StraightLine HDD president, Joe Phillips. “Similar to our tooling, the Armadrillco
family of products is well-known to be some of the longest-lasting tools in the
industry. But it’s their innovative designs and patented technologies that provide
an entirely new level of tooling choice to the industry. Adding these complementary
tools to our product offering is a perfect fit to our pledge to deliver Ready-To-
Work HDD solutions.”
Initially, the agreement covers high-flow side-load transmitter housings and slantface
drill heads, along with a variety of dirt bits and rock tools. StraightLine plans
to expand the product offering over the next 12 months, beginning with a number
of side-load housings in early 2017.
Armadrillco founder/owner, Chuck Webb, says the distribution and manufacturing
agreement creates product depth that aligns innovative product design with operators’
need for tailored solutions. The agreement also marries Armadrillco’s
innovative tooling designs with StraightLine’s modern manufacturing technologies
and decades of field sales experience.
“This agreement opens up opportunities for both companies,” says Webb.
“StraightLine’s manufacturing expertise creates efficiencies in both production and
quality improvement. Just as relevant, the agreement’s distribution element creates
tremendous product breadth and opens up an entirely new level of exposure
for Armadrillco products.”
For more info, please contact:
Joe Phillips, President
jphillips@straightlinehdd.com
620.802.0201
Blog, Industry News, trenchless people, trenchless products
September 20, 2016 – LAKE MILLS, Wisc. HammerHead Trenchless, a Charles Machine Works company, has announced the acquisition of RS Lining Systems, LLC, the provider of RS Technik® pipe rehabilitation solutions in the Americas. This acquisition will allow HammerHead to better serve customers across the underground infrastructure rehabilitation market by providing an enhanced suite of CIPP trenchless solutions.
HammerHead Trenchless Equipment facilities in Lake Mills, Wisc.
“HammerHead strives to offer its customers a unique, comprehensive set of solutions for any rehabilitation or replacement project. The combination of HammerHead and RS Lining will expand our existing product and services offering to provide our customers the most complete set of solutions for rehabilitating underground utility infrastructure,” says Kevin Smith, President of HammerHead Trenchless Equipment. “Our goal is to offer customers not just any solution but the right solution to fit their needs, and the synergy between HammerHead and RS Technik solutions expands our position as the trusted advisor in the trenchless industry.”
Kevin Smith, President of HammerHead Trenchless Equipment.
RS Lining is a leader in CIPP technology, providing a full suite of RS Technik pipe rehabilitation solutions for gravity sewer, pressure pipe and potable water including RS CityLiner®, RS CityMain®, and RS BlueLine® all of which feature mobile, state-of-the-art, CIPP impregnation and installation equipment RS MobiPreg™. RS Lining has engineered systems that provide unique solutions developed to meet the emergent needs of asset managers in performance, durability, and cost-effective sustainability of pipeline infrastructure.
“We are excited to add the talent and experience of the RS Lining team to our HammerHead family. The RS Lining team is made up of industry veterans with unique skills that will be valuable in the growth of HammerHead’s rehabilitation business segment and will give customers access to unparalleled expertise,” continues Smith. As part of the acquisition, the RS Lining team will be joining HammerHead at its facility in Lake Mills, Wisconsin.
“It is exciting for us to become part of the HammerHead team. HammerHead is an established leader in the industry and together we will usher in the next generation of trenchless solutions,” said RS Lining Senior Vice President Joanne Carroll. “RS Lining customers will continue to have access to the same RS Technik products now backed by the strength and support of HammerHead and the Charles Machine Works Family of Companies.”
“This union is a natural fit for the vision of HammerHead and Charles Machine Works. Both HammerHead and RS Lining are driven by providing effective and reliable solutions. Our customers now have access to every advantage possible for restoring gravity and pressure sewer, water and industrial pipe infrastructures,” said CEO of Charles Machine Works, Rick Johnson. “Their combined ability to deliver an inclusive range of innovative products aligns perfectly with Charles Machine Works vision.”
International No-Dig Conference & Exhibition was held in October in Beijing, China at the National Agriculture Exhibition Center. The Center is a state-of-the-art facility located in the heart of Beijing.
ISTT, completed his tenure and Mr. Enrico Boi became the chairman, along with Mr. Jari Kaukonen as vice chairman. Mr. Enrico Boi is from the NASTT (North American Society) and Mr. Jari Kaukonen is from FiSTT (Finnish Society).
