base and produces far fewer vibrations or fluctuations than
other smaller, comparable drilling rigs used for deep foundation
work.
More stability
“That’s important because with these machines, the heavier
they are the more stable they are,” Marchioro said. “The driller
or operator knows that this machine will be very stable. If the
machine is light, it will not be stable and the bore hole is not
stable and can collapse or is not very straight. The machine
must be very, very stable to do these kinds of big jobs.”
While the MITO 100 TB’s size is a big selling feature, it’s
hardly the only one. According to Fraste, it’s the only machine
of its size that offers a mast with full kinetic movement. It
can accommodate two different mast sizes: a shorter version
with a head travelling stroke of 8,000 mm and a longer
edition that provides a travelling stroke of 11,000 mm. The
shorter version is ideal for installing tiebacks in tough to
access locations while the longer version is perfect for use
with micropiles. The rig’s design allows either mast to be
quickly swapped for the other in the field.
“It’s incredible,” Marchioro said. “It’s very well organized,
very well engineered.”
Another interesting design feature of the MITO 100 TB is
its one-of-a-kind carousel. It can hold up to nine drill pipes
and nine casings of different diameters at once. Most other
comparable rigs on the market can only accommodate eight.
That can mean substantial time savings since the MITO
100 TB’s carousel doesn’t have to be loaded as frequently as
other machines.
“That’s important because if you have three metres more
(per load) you can do 27 metres without anybody touching
any pipes or casings,” Marchioro said.
Like many of its competitors, the MITO 100 TB can be
remote operated. That means the operator is much safer
because they are not standing directly beside the rig to control
it. In fact, it can be operated from a contained shelter
when the elements are less than kind, so long as the operator
has a clear view of the construction site.
Marchioro says Fraste’s latest offering to the construction
industry serves two primary functions when it comes to deep
foundation work: anchoring tiebacks and installing micropiles.
In addition, it is well suited for drainage installations
and jet grouting, a method of soil stabilization involving the
injection of a stabilizing fluid (such as cement) into subsoil
at a high pressure and velocity. Marchioro says the MITO 100
TB is ideal for use in the construction of foundations, basements
and parkades, and reinforcing piling on exceptionally
large jobsites.
Canadian connection
The MITO 100 TB has a definite Canadian connection. It
was developed in response to inquiries from the company’s
Quebec dealer (EFQ in Lachine, Que.), which had received
numerous requests from customers about drilling rigs
designed specifically for foundation work on large scale
building sites. Fraste products are also available through
MARL Technologies in Edmonton, Alta.
Although there had been little demand for a product like
the MITO 100 TB in Europe, Marchioro says the Canadian
market is a different story because transportation regulations
here allow for easier transport of much larger and
heavier equipment. “The market over there (in Canada) absolutely
accepts the big dimensions for transport,” he said.
The drilling rig itself is manufactured “100 per cent” at
Fraste’s plant in San Giorgio di Nogaro, located a short drive
from Verona, Italy. The only component that is manufactured
elsewhere is the MITO 100 TB’s engine, which is produced by
Caterpillar at its U.S. manufacturing plant. It typically takes
about two weeks to ship a unit by boat from Genoa, Italy, to
Halifax, N.S.
It features both single and two-headed designs with conventional,
two-speed rotary heads at the top of the mast along
with a sonic or vibro head at the bottom. Options for the
MITO 100 TB include a hydraulic hammer, winch and a wire
line winch. The rotational head stroke clocks in at 7,500 mm
and it produces a maximum torque of 3,400 dekanewtonmetres
at a top speed of 190 revolutions per minute.
The MITO 100 TB has been manufactured to meet all
North American safety standards. That includes a safety push
button on both the machine and the remote control that
allows an operator to immediately shut the rig down.
Minimizing environmental impacts
Marchioro says Fraste has made every effort to ensure the unit
also meets the latest North American environmental standards.
It’s low-emissions engine is in line with current Tier 4
emissions specifications and it uses a synthetic oil produced
by Panolin in Switzerland. Since the oil is biodegradable,
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
CENTURION FOUNDATION
The MITO 100 TB is
suited for anchoring
tiebacks and offers
remote control operation
30 Q4 2020 www.pilingcanada.ca
/www.pilingcanada.ca
