PRODUCT PROFILE: PipeVac Lifting System
May 17, 2017
For more than three decades, Sharewell HDD has been known as a leader and pioneer in the HDD drilling industry. The PipeVac Lifting System is the first of many new tools to come from the Sharewell HDD team. Vacuum lifting systems have been around since the early 1980s but this new system is innovative to say the least.
“It was important to find out what the contractor wanted out of a vacuum lifting system”, said Shawn Lowman from Sharewell HDD. Lowman joined the Sharewell team in April 2016 and his first project was the PipeVac. “We spent a great deal of time talking to contractors across North America to find out what they were looking for,” he said. “It became obvious rather quickly that they wanted a versatile, cost effective system.”
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The right tool for the job is paramount in today’s competitive market. The need for a tool to be versatile is critical, along with a minimal cost to operate. A contractor needs a system that can be used in a broad range of applications and the PipeVac is a “one size fits all” lifting system. One system will handle just about any job a contractor can throw at it. Keeping costs down is on everyone’s radar and this new system operates at a fraction of the cost due to its custom hydraulic-drive system. Removing the need for an on-board engine not only eliminates fuel costs but also all the additional service and maintenance items that an engine requires.
Lowman has introduced SmartLift Technology to the system. SmartLift is all about safety and sensibility. Over the last decade, safety has become an increasingly hot topic and there is no cutting corners when it comes to the safety of the people using your equipment on a jobsite. The SmartLift wireless transmitter, for example, has multiple levels of safety so that the operator always knows if the lift is safe to perform or not. Also, there should be numerous fail safes put in place so that material cannot be released or dropped causing injury to personnel or property.
The components are key in the durability and longevity of a vacuum lifting system. The selection process for components should be rigorous, allowing only the highest quality items to make the cut. The major components in a system are critical to the longevity and the overall performance and maintenance costs of a system. Raw material selection is also critical; using exotic alloys allows the system to meet strength requirements yet keep the overall system weight down. Exotic steel also allows the system to withstand the rigors that the environment can throw your way. Harsh, cold temperatures can cause some steel and/or welds to fail. It is critical that you know the materials being used can meet or exceed required specifications.
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The environment is another issue that we all are faced with helping to preserve. The PipeVac system is 50-state CARB compliant; no engine equals minimal to no emission concerns. A growing concern around the world is noise pollution Equipment manufacturers are faced with keeping the product the build as quite as possible. There are some areas that actual have noise (db) limitations. In areas such as this there is no better solution than a hydraulic-driven system. The noise level of a hydraulic system is almost silent compared to a gas or diesel powered system.