Get Hands-on at ICUEE

The International Construction and Utility Equipment Exposition (ICUEE) will hold its 2011 conference Oct. 4-6 at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, Ky. New for this year’s Demo Expo are a fleet management exhibit and a renewable energy exhibit. ICUEE will again work with the H2O-XPO show of the National Rural Water Association (NRWA) and the Incident Prevention (iP) Safety Conference and Expo.

More than 20,000 attendees will experience the “hands down best place for hands-on.” Nearly 1,000 exhibitors will bring their best and brightest construction and utility equipment for attendees to operate hands-on. Machinery will be available in project-like conditions so attendees can experience exactly how the products will work on the jobsite. Companies with products new to the market since the 2009 show will be spotlighted in a special program.

In addition to trying out equipment, ICUEE will also provide more than 40 educational sessions aimed at those wishing to understand new technologies and learn safety and regulatory practices. These sessions are introduced in five specific interest areas: fleet management courses from the Association of Equipment Management Professionals, below ground education from Underground Construction Technology, safety education from Incident Prevention magazine, water and wastewater education in conjunction with the H2O-XPO and NRWA and renewable energy and personal development courses.

Highlighted below are some products that will be featured at the 2011 ICUEE. For more information about the show, please visit www.icuee.com.

Kelly Pickerel is an assistant editor for Trenchless Technology.

AKKERMAN

For almost four decades, Akkerman has manufactured distinctive microtunneling, pipejacking, tunneling and guided boring equipment. At ICUEE 2011, the company is excited to introduce its new line of pipejacking equipment featuring the bi-directional, bearing based drive TBM. This TBM is designed to excavate a wider range of geology than our past TBMs. By changing cutter head configurations, this TBM is capable of cutting rock. Akkerman will also feature the 5000 series II pump unit and its new 1548 haul unit. Visit Akkerman’s outdoor display K103 for 7,500 sf of live demonstrations and displays of these and other quality Akkerman products.

AMERICAN AUGERS

Re-designed and re-engineered for 2011, American Augers continues to revolutionize the horizontal directional drilling world. Traditionally, American Augers provides reliable, field-tested and versatile systems that continually give confidence with equipment from an experienced manufacturer. The DD-220T debuted at ConExpo 2011 featuring an enhanced display model complete with corresponding driller’s cabin.
The new DD-220T has been designed for modular Tier 3/Tier 4i Cummins power and restyled with smooth body lines. It features a touch screen display, is remote data-acquisition capable, has a quiet pack and is Europe legal. Other new features include 30,000 ft. lbs (40,675 Nm) of rotary torque, 220,000 lbs (100 Tonnes) thrust/pullback, optional knuckle boom crane, microprocessor controlled operator’s console and is CE compliant.

ARMADRILLCO

Armadrillco introduces its new sealed transmitter housing with an integrated transmitter powered by a patented downhole electric generator. This generator powers the integrated transmitter for an indefinite period of time. Never again will a driller have to “trip out” because his transmitter has lost its power source due to weak batteries, or spend the time and expense of replacing batteries.

The downhole electric generator is completely integrated into the sealed Armadrillco transmitter housing. All components are sealed from the corrosive downhole environment and do not rely on external wires or mud flow. Simply connect the transmitter housing to the drill stem and start drilling. There is no maintenance required, no batteries to change and no need to access the unit again.

There is an increase in locating accuracy by using the most powerful settings available on the transmitter without worrying about battery drain.

Armadrillco is also introducing its new sealed sideload drillhead.

This drillhead incorporates the same features of its older models but is now available as a sealed unit. The sealed transmitter compartment does not allow mud to enter, keeping the transmitter stationary and helping to avoid erroneous transmitter readings. Not allowing mud to enter also makes it less difficult to extract the transmitter from the housing. The drillhead also features a hinged transmitter door (no more lost doors), the ability to use either flat or rock claw bits, the Arma-loc connecting system (no more over-torqued and broken bolts) and standard API threads.

CETCO

Maintaining borehole integrity demands a drilling fluid you can count on for all drilling conditions: It demands HYDRAUL-EZ from CETCO. HYDRAUL-EZ is a specially formulated bentonite drilling fluid that offers superior suspension properties and borehole stability for all soil conditions.

CETCO’s complete line of professional drilling products will keep your operations running at peak efficiency and will enhance the cost-effectiveness of your drilling operations. The experienced team of field engineers and research scientists at CETCO offer drillers onsite mud schools, advanced technical support and continuous product development.

Check out CETCO’s complete line of professional drilling products and other useful tools such as its HDD Calculator on its website at www.cetco.com/dpg or call (800) 527-9948 for more information.

CONDUX INTERNATIONAL

Condux International offers the complete line of Triple D HDD and compaction boring tools and equipment. Products available through Condux include reamers, paddle bits and sonde housings for HDD applications and a wide range of compaction boring tools. Triple D is a leader in the manufacturing of high-quality underground construction equipment.

Condux International has been manufacturing cable installation tools and equipment for more than 30 years. Working directly with the electrical contracting, electrical utility, telecom and CATV industries, Condux offers the highest quality tools, engineered to reduce installation time and increase safety. The entire catalog of Triple D products available through Condux International can be found online at www.condux.com.

HDD BROKER

HDD Broker’s booth at ICUEE will feature several pieces of late model, low-houred HDD equipment and a central showcase of HDD Broker’s history and capabilities will be front and center. Industry veterans Bob Martin and Mike Lauzon will be on hand along with other HDD Broker specialists to answer any questions about the used HDD marketplace and how HDD Broker can best help you buy or sell your next HDD drill or related equipment.

HDD Broker is one of the world’s most comprehensive resource for the buying and selling of used HDD and HDD-related equipment. Hundreds of pieces of equipment in dozens of categories are available for viewing at all times at www.hddbroker.com. HDD Broker’s staff of fully trained HDD professionals is there to guide customers through the entire buying procedure from beginning to end, including financing, shipping, customs and much more. Unequaled exposure for sellers and unequaled selection for buyers means that HDD Broker is the best place in the world for the buying and selling of used equipment.

HUNTING TRENCHLESS

Hunting Trenchless announces the release of a new one-piece forged drill pipe engineered specifically for optimal performance on Ditch Witch JT2020 horizontal directional drills. This industry-exclusive drill pipe utilizes the field-proven one-piece forged design that Hunting pioneered more than two decades ago. The design eliminates joints and welds, the No. 1 source of pipe failure. It adds to it a thread pattern perfectly matched to the OEM drill pipe, saver subs, and downhole tools.

In addition to its proven ability to stand up to the unique rigors of horizontal directional drilling, the customer-preferred, one-piece forged design allows the pipe to have a thinner wall — and thus a much tighter bend radius — than OEM pipe.

Hunting Trenchless also announces the release of its new HXT “Hunting Extreme Torque” drill pipe, a full line of pipe specifically engineered to withstand the high-torque applications of horizontal directional drilling. The industry-exclusive HXT drill pipe utilizes the field-proven one-piece forged design that Hunting pioneered more than two decades ago and adds to it a patented interlocking radial shoulder that increases bearing surface and reduces flaring of the box over conventional and OEM shoulder designs, and includes a rugged thread design engineered to withstand more load — and last longer — than any other pipe its class.

In addition to its industry-exclusive design, HXT drill pipe also boasts the largest inner diameter in its class — producing larger volumes of fluid flow that large backreaming bores and mud motor applications demand — as well as the best bend radius in the industry.

Hunting Trenchless, a division of Hunting PLC, specializes in the design, manufacture, and testing of drill pipe and pipe accessories for use in horizontal directional drilling applications. With strong roots in the oil industry, Hunting Trenchless manufactures all its drill pipe to the stringent standards required by oilfield applications. This includes precision manufacturing processes and quality checks, resulting in a more durable, longer-lasting end product than any other drill pipe manufacturer in the HDD industry.
For more information about Hunting Trenchless products, call (337) 367-9296 or visit www.huntingtrenchless.com.

MALA

The Easy Locator from Mala is approaching its tenth year in service globally and is the world standard in ground penetrating radar (GPR) systems for locating buried objects such as non-metallic and non-conductive utilities. Based on Mala’s more than 60 years of experience in product research and development, the Easy Locator is designed solely to meet the needs of utility locate professionals. The Easy Locator is an invaluable tool to detect and locate utilities such as PVC water and gas lines, ductile iron, concrete, terracotta or other conflicts.

The system boasts an easy user interface with almost complete automation of settings whereby the user needs to provide minimal input to begin measurements. Interchangeable antennas are available for shallow or medium depth situations where most utilities are installed.

The Easy Locator can be used in a similar fashion as traditional locators in the sense that areas may be scanned rapidly and marked without data storage. Additional options/upgrades include jpeg screen shots of a scanned utility radargram as well seamless integration with GPS. Mala’s Rough Terrain Cart is available for off-road applications as well. The latest feature is the depth calibration tool that readily computes the depth to targets on-screen.

Visit Mala’s website at www.malags.com for more information.

MCLAUGHLIN

The McLaughlin ON Target auger boring system allows contractors to control the direction of the bore in a lateral (left to right) movement, providing more accuracy for difficult on-grade bores. The cutting path — grade and lateral movement — of the steering head is controlled by hydraulic actuated panels that open and close to keep the head on the intended path. A control station features a hydraulic power pack to control the movement of the steering head, and a built-in water level helps monitor grade throughout the bore. Two halogen lights in the control station indicate lateral (left and right) steering head movements.

As the need for oil, gas, water and sewer line installation grows, more contractors are taking a closer look at auger boring, discovering that it’s a cost-efficient way to install steel casings between 12 and 70 in. (30.5 and 178 cm).

MELFRED BORZALL

Melfred Borzall once again delivers with its new Hedgehog Reamer. The new budget-priced reamer is “anything but” when it comes to features.

The compact design from front to back makes the Hedgehog highly maneuverable in tight situations and features more carbide cutters per square inch that any other reamer in its class. A tapered blade design, combined with the cutters provides smooth, efficient cutting action. The carbide cutters are brazed onto a block, the same design used on the UltraBit Blade series. Designed so that in the event the carbides do wear, the Hedgehog can be rebuilt by our technicians at a much lower cost than replacing the entire reamer.
The Hedgehog is available in sizes from 6 to 20 in. and accommodates rigs from 5,000 to 50,000 lbs. Reamers larger than 8 in. are designed with a ring for strength and stability. For more information call 800-833-1252 or visit www.melfredborzall.com.

RADIUS

The Radius line of HDD tools offers many innovative features to contractors on tough bores. Its rock housing is the only side load housing on the market designed specifically for rock drilling. The patented reduced window allows the Radius rock housing to withstand much greater torque loads than common side load housings. It is so tough that even mud motor and hammer operators are turning to the Radius housing to make the pilot bore and ensure the safety of their valuable electronics.

Visit Radius online at www.radiusHDD.com to learn more about the complete Radius line of tools and join the growing number of drillers who have discovered the benefits of running Radius tools.

RAILHEAD

The new 6-in. EXTReam reamer — a true rock reamer designed to stand up to the kind of heard rock and rocky conditions that tear up other reamers and hole openers — is available only through Railhead Underground Products, a manufacturer of drilling tools for the horizontal drilling industry. Designed with the “Tough Bores” in mind, there are no moving parts and is field rebuildable. EXTReam features low pull back pressures and high success rates. Railhead’s EXTReam reamer is also available in 8- 12- and 16-in. diameters. Visit www.railhead.com for more information.

THE ROBBINS CO.

From soil with cobbles to boulders and clay, the Robbins Mixed Ground Small Boring Unit (SBU-A MG) churns through challenging conditions. The SBU-A MG cutterhead, available in diameters from 24 to 72 in., is mounted with a combination of disc cutters and carbide bits depending on the geology.

Each SBU-A MG is used in conjunction with an auger boring machine (ABM) and is capable of excavating dry soils as well as rock from 4,000 to more than 25,000 psi UCS. The technology is ideal for crossings up to 500 ft in length.

Three 70-ft bores in Truckee, Calif., recently demonstrated the efficiency of the mixed ground SBU-A design. Contractor Silver State Boring Inc. utilized a 30-in. cutterhead to bore through soil with granite boulders up to 12 ft across, while maintaining average advances of 10 ft per day.

The SBU-A has been proven on projects around the world. Stop by the Robbins booth L336 at ICUEE, which will feature interactive content and videos and will be staffed by knowledgeable employees.
Visit www.TheRobbinsCompany.com or call (440) 248-3303 for more information.

SUPER PRODUCTS

Super Products LLC designed and built its new Mud Dog 1600 to meet the demanding hydro excavation challenges inherent in oil field, mining and cold weather applications. The unit features a 16 cubic yard debris body, standard 1,500 gal water capacity and rear-mounted boom that in addition to offering 335 degree rotation can pivot down 25 degrees for 8 ft of extra digging and access to hard-to-reach areas.
For outstanding digging performance, the Mud Dog 1600 offers water pressures up to 18 gpm at 3000 psi in combination with its 8-in. positive displacement vacuum system that provides air flow of 5800 cfm/28 Hg to ensure thorough clean up of debris. An onboard boiler with 714,000 Btu/Hr capacity heats up the high-pressure water to break up frozen, stubborn material and flush out tight spaces efficiently. Winter recirculation, anti-freeze and air purge systems ensure the unit performs optimally in even the harshest of climates. Its heated aluminum cabinet offers easy access and increased storage capacity.

The Mud Dog 1600 hydro excavator also has several unique features that result in time and cost savings as well as increase operator convenience. Coupled with Super Products’ industry-unique ejector plate technology, the unit’s ability to tilt its debris body 2 ft enables fast, thorough unloading and washdowns. Additionally, the truckmounted hydro vac relies on a single engine design that can result in lower fuel costs and maintenance requirements, and a simple, easy-to-learn control panel setup.

UNDERGROUND TOOLS INC.

Underground Tools Inc. (UTI) will display its comprehensive line of premium quality directional drilling pipe, HDD tooling and high-quality trencher parts at ICUEE 2011. UTI offers drill pipe for nearly every make and model of drill rig. UTI’s drill pipe is readily available, and made from top quality materials, with careful consideration given to precise threaded connections. UTI’s comprehensive line of HDD down-hole tooling includes carriage chain, connectors, reamers, sonde housings and pilot bits for most makes and models.

UTI’s trencher parts line includes chains, cutting systems and sprockets. All are made with the finest steel and carbide and heat-treated to ensure strength. Trencher parts are lab tested and field-proven for durability. They meet or exceed manufacturer’s specifications and are available for all makes and models of trenchers. All UTI products come with exclusive DirtSmart technical service where questions are answered by the industry’s most knowledgeable technical support team.

UNIVERSAL HDD

Universal HDD introduces the all new UNI 220×240, designed with innovation, efficiency and durability. Universal HDD has redesigned and reengineered UNI 220×240 to maximize performance while maintaining lowest initial and operating cost within the industry. It features 220,000 lbs of thrust and pullback force, delivered by high-performance Poclain hydraulic motors. UNI 220×240 is powered by an efficient 400 hp, John Deere, Tier 3 diesel engine that provides top fuel economy and lowest operating and maintenance cost. Working cycle is improved by standard Automatic Rod-Loader, which makes loading and unloading of drill stems fast, efficient and precise. New large cad features easy to use, intuitive control panel, high visibility, heating and cooling and video monitoring.

VACTOR MFG.

Vactor Mfg. offers a safer, easy-to-use alternative for contractors for uncovering buried utilities, precision and slot trenching, potholing, water valve box repair and locating of existing fiber-optic lines, cables and other utilities. The Vactor HXX Hydro-Excavator handles potholing, waterline repair, slot trenching, directional drilling, sign and pole installation, pipe and line installation and other large-volume excavation. This machine provides up to seven hours of continuous operation with the on-board water. Lower water flow results in less operator fatigue and a cleaner, more precise digging process. Other features include a 12 cubic-yard debris tank, a 1,200-gal superlinear XL polyethylene insulated water tank and a 320-degree rotating boom. Heated pump cabinets and a built-in boiler allow the HXX to work on frozen ground in sub-zero temperatures.

For more information on the Vactor HXX Hydro-Excavator or to schedule a demonstration, please visit www.vactor.com or see your local Vactor dealer.

VERMEER

The Vermeer Navigator D20x22FX Series II is the industry’s first flex-angle drill capable of drilling at any specified entry point ranging from 18 to 90 degrees. While ideal for steep-angle geothermal loop installations, the D20x22FX Series II is also a fully functional horizontal directional drill. In addition, Vermeer also introduces the new GM30 grout mixer designed specifically for use in geothermal loop installations. The GM30 is available with single- or dual-tank configurations to provide convenient and efficient mixing action to help meet contractors’ specific needs.