Tritech Ground Engineering, part of the larger A E Yates Group of Companies based in England, has recently taken delivery of the U.K.’s first radio-controlled BSP JX-8 piling rig mounted on a low ground pressure JCB JS200 crawler carrier.
Already operating an earlier JX8 rig, Karl Amos, operations manager at Tritech, looked at tweaking the new arrival’s design to make it more productive and easier to operate. Mounted on a JCB JS200 carrier, the piling equipment is a collaboration between Colets Piling and BSP and comprises a 12.5 metre single mast and BSP DX25 hydraulically accelerated drop hammer.
The piling equipment comprises a fixed 12.5 metre boom capable of handling piles of up to eight metres in length.
The combined weight of the rig is just over 27 tonnes and this weight, combined with a wide and long undercarriage, reduces the ground pressure imposed by the machine to just 82kN/m2 without a pile. The design of the rig means that the weight of the outfit is only increased when a pile is lifted into position and reduces again as the weight of the hammer is carried through the pile once it is located in the driving position.
One of the major benefits of the new rig is its controllability. Whereas the older version is operated solely from the carrier’s cab, the new version is also operated from a remote-control box. Mirroring the in-cab control system, the remote allows the operator to see everything around the machine at all times.
“The standard cab view can be limiting for the operator,” said Amos. “The operator can now be on the ground, in full control and not need the constant attention of his assistant at all times. This again makes [the machine] safer and more productive.”
The design of the new rig has impressed both the management and operators at Tritech, who are all happy with the quality and productivity of the outfit.
Canadian companies interested in more information on any BSP products are encouraged to contact their nearest Jinnings Equipment service centre, JCB dealer or BSP directly. 