Innovation Through Customization

September 9, 2024 | This content is sponsored. Sponsored content is authorized by the client and does not necessarily reflect the views of Trenchless Technology magazine or Benjamin Media, Inc. View our privacy policy.

We’ve all heard it said “Necessity is the mother of invention”. This often-quoted paraphrased proverb, attributed to the ancient Greek philosopher Plato, states, a need or problem encourages creative efforts to meet the need or solve the problem.

This means the primary driving force for most new inventions is a need or demand. This is also the methodology behind a primary innovation strategy for Underground Tools.

Underground contractors are continually faced with a myriad of obstacles and challenges. It’s through these customer and application driven challenges that Underground Tools develops new, customized tools to ensure the contractors are successful in completing their projects.

One such example is the development of a custom trencher chain, designed specifically for high production trenching and durability in coral. When contacted by the contractor, our design team and sales engineer got together with the contractor lead and their operator to discuss all the aspects of the project, including the geological makeup of the coral, trench specifications, the trencher spec’d for the job and how long until they required the final product. With this information, Underground Tools set out to design and build a custom chain that would perform well and withstand this demanding environment.

Underground Tools began with a high tensile strength premium chain with anti-back flex, offset rivets and low-profile design features. Then developed a unique full coverage chip and cut carbide tooth lacing pattern. They also developed a proprietary carbide tooth (not shown in accompanying photo) designed to impact the coral at the optimum attack angle, maintain its conical carbide integrity and continually rotate in the holder.

With precise control, matching ground speed with chain speed, the experienced operator was able to achieve a production rate they never thought possible. They completed the job well ahead of schedule and were awarded a sizable bonus. This contractor is now highly sought after for not only coral trenching, but all demanding applications.

Underground Tools replicates this process with their HDD tools and drill pipe product lines as well and it has proven to be a very successful innovation strategy. As Underground Tools can attest, there is a great deal to be said for bespoke engineering.