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KEY FEATURES DETAILS LITERATURE MANUAL VIDEOS
KEY FEATURES, ONGRADE SYSTEM
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- OnGrade simplifies gravity-flow sewer installation without need for pre-survey of reference points, recalculation of depths at points along the bore path, or sight relief holes for depth verification.
- Sophisticated electronic guidance system—8500TK tracker/display and 850BG beacon—offers 60 roll positions, 0.1 percent pitch resolution, offset locating capability and drill-through functionality.
- Grade pole functions with the 8500TK tracker/display to provide continuous grade reference during the bore; with extensions, grade pole can cover 13 ft (4 m) of elevation change.
DETAILS, ONGRADE SYSTEM
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- Class II grade laser requires line-of-sight between the laser plane and grade pole apparatus, either of which can be offset from the desired bore path when jobsite conditions demand it.
- Laser comes with a multiple adjustment tripod (crank center height and adjustable legs) and protective carrying case.
- OnGrade's calibration fixture provides precise, repeatable depth/grade electronics calibration prior to the bore, and a Digital Smart Level for precise pitch reading during grade calibration.
- OnGrade's end-load beacon housing designed to provide consistent signal strength in all roll positions.
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- Beacon housing's thread-head system designed for pocket-bit or flat-bit heads, depending on soil conditions.
- Grade inspection trolley and camera, which is pulled through service pipe after installation to verify the grade, utilizes the existing beacon and comes with a 500-ft (152 m) power cable.
- All components of the OnGrade system (except downhole tooling) fit in a sturdy job box.
- Optional grade reamer has a three-wing cutting structure and mixing paddles that make contact with bore sides to improve stability.
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LITERATURE, OnGrade System
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MANUAL, OnGrade System
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| ONGRADE SYSTEM
The Ditch Witch OnGrade™ system is the most advanced, most accurate way to install new gravity-flow sewer systems using horizontal directional drilling. |
Overview Of The OnGrade Process
The following is a general overview to describe the OnGrade method. Complete step-by-step instructions can be found in the OnGrade operator's manual.
After determining the start (1) and end (4) pits, the drilling unit and grade laser (5) are positioned as shown. The laser plane (2) is set to the desired grade.
With the help of a Ditch Witch 8500TK tracker, the drilling unit drills into the start pit, typically a manhole. Once the drill head enters the start pit, a visual depth reading is taken from ground level to the top of the beacon housing. Another visual depth reading will be taken at the end of the bore, for comparison.
The 8500TK tracker is then mounted on the laser grade pole (3). The drill operator bores into the far side of the start pit, and the tracker takes an initial reading. If the distance from the laser plane to the center of the beacon (A) is maintained for the duration of the bore, then the bore will be completed on grade.
With reliable information provided by the OnGrade system and sent to the operator display, the drill operator knows precisely how much to correct each time a reading is taken in order to maintain this target distance.
The sophisticated 8500TK tracker/850BG beacon system is important to the success of the OnGrade system. The fixed-length calibration feature of the 850BG beacon ensures precise depth calibration, and the 8500TK can read and display percent of grade in tenths-of-a-percent increments. Calibration Fixture | 8500TK Tracker/Display and 850BG Beacon | Grade Pole | Grade Drill Housing | Grade Inspection Trolley and Camera | Job Box (optional) | Grade Reamer (optional) | AS2 Grade Laser (optional) |
- Provides precise, repeatable depth/grade electronics calibration prior to bore
- Collapsible for easy transport and storage
- Digital Smart Level for precise pitch reading during grade calibration
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| 8500TK TRACKER/DISPLAY AND 850BG BEACON | « Back |
- 60 roll positions
- Offset locating capability
- Drill-through functionality with left/right guidance
- 0.1% pitch resolution
- Functions with the laser grade pole
- Includes protective carrying case
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- Pre-survey and reference points not required
- Couples with the 8500TK tracker for continuous grade reference during the bore
- Simple depth/grade target for driller
- Can cover 13 ft (4 m) of elevation change with extensions
- Includes protective carrying case
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- End-load housing for consistent signal strength in all roll positions
- Thread-head system for pocket-bit or flat-bit heads
- Beacon clocked from back of bit head (no shims)
- Grade tailpiece holds rear of housing centered in the bore
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| GRADE INSPECTION TROLLEY AND CAMERA | « Back |
- Pulled through service pipe after installation for grade verification
- Utilizes existing beacon
- Camera with digital recorder for video inspection
- 500 ft (152 m) power cable
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- For protection and transport of all OnGrade components except downhole tooling
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- Three-wing cutting structure
- Mixing paddles make contact with bore sides to improve stability
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| AS2 GRADE LASER (OPTIONAL) | « Back |
- Class II laser
- Requires line-of-sight between laser plane and grade pole apparatus, either of which can be offset from the desired bore path
- Multiple adjustment tripod (crank center height and adjustable legs)
- Includes protective carrying case
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JOB RELATED, ONGRADE SYSTEM
Stay Cool And Stay Alive
If you work outdoors, summer is one of your busiest times of the year because it’s typically the driest season and offers the most hours of daylight. But the sun providing all that productive daylight can be the biggest jobsite hazard you face all year. Excessive heat can bring down anyone who doesn’t take the necessary precautions.Planning Ahead For WinterWinterizing your equipment is a small investment of your time that is guaranteed to pay big dividends. Your operator’s manual provides details on proper care during winter, but here are five essential steps you should take. OnGrade Webinar Now AvailableA recent trenchless technology webinar discusses the benefits of installing gravity-flow sewer systems using horizontal directional drilling.
stopimg title="keepCool_img1" style="padding-right: 20px;" align="left" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px solid; BORDER-LEFT: 0px solid; WIDTH: 260px; PADDING-RIGHT: 10px; HEIGHT: 195px; BORDER-TOP: 0px solid; align: left" alt="keepCool_img1" src="/uploadedImages/Left_Nav/Press_Room/Job_Related_List/1_KeepCool_260x195(1).jpg" border="0" />Catastrophic tornadoes and floods have grabbed recent headlines, but each year one weather phenomenon kills more people than tornadoes, floods, hurricanes, and lightning combined: heat.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), an average of more than 1,500 people in the U.S. die each year from excessive heat—yet it is the most preventable of weather-related deaths.
If you work in construction, summer is one of your busiest times of the year because it’s typically the driest season and offers the most hours of daylight. But the sun providing all that productive daylight can be the biggest jobsite hazard you face all year. No matter how tough you are or how used to the heat you think you are, excessive heat can bring down anyone who doesn’t take the necessary precautions.
The following information applies to anyone who is employed in an outdoor profession—construction workers in particular—but also applies to those who work in hot factories and anyone who spends time outdoors exercising, gardening, or laboring in any capacity during the summer months. (This is general information. More specific information can be found in the sources cited below.)
Know Your Chemistry
Our bodies dissipate heat by varying the rate and depth of blood circulation, and by expelling water through the skin and sweat glands. When we reach the danger zone, when our blood is heated above 98.6 degrees, we begin to pant—we’re literally “working like a dog.”
Sweating alone does little to cool the body, unless the sweat is removed by evaporation. But high relative humidity inhibits evaporation. When you’re checking the forecast for tomorrow, pay close attention to the heat index: the combination of relative humidity and air temperature. For example, if the air temperature is 96° F and the relative humidity is 65 percent, the heat index is 121° F. This is the heat your body really feels.
Heat disorders involve a reduction or collapse of our bodies’ ability to shed heat by circulatory changes and sweating, or a chemical (salt) imbalance caused by too much sweating. When heat gain exceeds the level the body can remove, or when the body cannot compensate for fluids and salt lost through perspiration, the temperature of the body's inner core begins to rise, bringing on various degrees of heat-related illnesses.
stopimg title="keepCool_img2" style="padding-left: 20px;" align="right" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px solid; BORDER-LEFT: 0px solid; WIDTH: 260px; PADDING-RIGHT: 10px; HEIGHT: 195px; BORDER-TOP: 0px solid; align: right" alt="keepCool_img2" src="/uploadedImages/Left_Nav/Press_Room/Job_Related_List/2_KeepCool_260x195.jpg" border="0" />Ranking Heat Disorders
The severity of heat disorders is relative to a person’s age, weight, fitness, medical condition, and degree of acclimatization to the heat. For example, heat cramps in a 17-year-old may translate as heat exhaustion in someone who is 40, and heat stroke in a person over 60. Common heat disorders include:
- Sunburn. Along with being painful and irritating, sunburn can significantly retard the skin’s ability to shed excess heat. The best solution for sunburn is prevention, by applying sunscreen throughout the day.
- Heat cramps. Symptoms are painful spasms, usually in the muscles of the legs and abdomen, often preceded by profuse sweating.
- Heat rash. Also known as prickly heat, heat rash can occur in hot, humid environments where sweat is not easily removed from the surface of the skin by evaporation. Serious heat rash can be so uncomfortable that it inhibits sleep and impedes a worker’s performance.
- Heat exhaustion. Symptoms include heavy sweating, weakness, headache, fainting, vomiting, and skin that is cold, pale and clammy. It is possible to have a normal temperature with heat exhaustion.
- Heat stroke or sunstroke. This is the most serious health problem for workers in hot environments. Heat stroke occurs when sweating stops and the body can no longer rid itself of excess heat. Symptoms include an excessively high body temperature (106° F or higher); mental confusion or delirium; convulsions; hot, dry skin; strong and rapid pulse; and possible unconsciousness. Make no mistake: heat stroke can be fatal, and victims need immediate medical attention.
Prevention: The Best Solution
The number one method of avoiding heat disorders: avoiding heat. But for construction workers in the summer, this is simply not possible. So, here are some tips for staying cool and staying alive, beginning with the most obvious:
- Drink plenty of fluids. Your body needs water to keep cool. Drink water even if you don't feel thirsty. Proper hydration actually begins the day before a long, strenuous day in the sun. Before increasing your fluid consumption, consult a physician if you (1) have epilepsy or heart, kidney, or liver disease; (2) are on a fluid-restrictive diet; or (3) have a problem with fluid retention.
- Do not drink alcoholic beverages. Alcohol dehydrates your body. Enough said.
- Limit caffeine intake.
- Do not take salt tablets unless specified by a physician.
- Put less fuel on your inner fires. Foods that are heavy in protein increase metabolic heat production and also increase water loss.
- Dress as lightly as possible. You need protective clothing, of course, but consider light-colored fabrics, such as cotton, that breathe.
- When possible, take longer breaks than normal in a cool, shaded area. A rested worker is a more productive worker.
- Know the symptoms of heat illnesses. Use a buddy system to keep tabs on your fellow workers.
- Acclimate yourself to the heat. You can “get used to” the heat, to some degree. Workers, especially those who follow the advice above, can eventually develop some degree of tolerance. However, new employees and workers returning from an absence of two weeks or more should have a five-day period of acclimatization: 50 percent of the normal workload and time exposure the first day, gradually building up to 100 percent on the fifth day.
stopimg title="keepCool_img3" style="padding-left: 20px;" align="right" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px solid; BORDER-LEFT: 0px solid; WIDTH: 260px; PADDING-LEFT: 10px; HEIGHT: 195px; BORDER-TOP: 0px solid; align: left" alt="keepCool_img3" src="/uploadedImages/Left_Nav/Press_Room/Job_Related_List/3_KeepCool_260x195.jpg" border="0" />Supervisor Obligations
There are precautions every employer should take when temperatures are high and the job involves physical work.
- Understand the signs of heat stress and permit workers to interrupt their work if they are extremely uncomfortable.
- Provide training about the hazards leading to heat stress and how to prevent them.
- If possible, schedule the heaviest workload for the coolest part of the day: early morning or late evening, when the sun is less intense.
- Make sure your workers have easy access to cool water—a minimum of one quart of water per hour, per worker.
- Schedule frequent rest periods with water breaks in shaded or air- conditioned areas.
- Routinely check on workers who are at risk of heat stress due to protective clothing and high temperature. Pay close attention to those who are at risk because of age and physical condition (including obesity and diabetes).
When A Fellow Worker Is Ill From The Heat
- Call a supervisor for help. If the supervisor is not available, call 911.
- Have someone stay with the worker until help arrives.
- Move the worker to a cooler/shaded area.
- Remove outer clothing.
- Fan and mist the worker with water; apply ice (ice bags or ice towels).
- Provide cool drinking water, if the worker is able to drink.
For more information about preventing and treating heat-related illness, consult these articles:
Sources for this article:
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (noaawatch.gov)
- Occupational and Safety Health Administration (osha.gov)
stopimg title="19a" style="padding-right: 20px;" align="left" alt="19a" src="/uploadedImages/Left_Nav/Press_Room/Job_Related_List/19astopimg4Take the time to winterize your equipment this year. A few minutes spent could save you time and money in the months to come. The amount of winter care your equipment needs depends both on the climate and how it is used. Check your service manual guidelines, and keep the following tips in mind:
1. Check coolant. Provide protection by using the recommended antifreeze/water mixture for the lowest temperature expected during operations.
2. Change the oil and filter before cold weather arrives. In addition, use lubricants recommended for low temperature applications.
3. Maintain the battery. Remove cables, clean cable ends and posts, and clean and tighten terminals on the cranking motor. And remember never to charge a frozen battery.
4. Check tire inflation. Tires inflated in a warm shop will be under-inflated when used in cold temperatures.
5. Give hydraulic components time to warm up before beginning work. If you’re running diesel equipment, be sure to idle the engine a few minutes before shutting down to properly lubricate internal components. Your local Ditch Witch® service technicians can help you make the most of your cold-weather equipment productivity, and can suggest winterizing techniques that are perfectly suited to your operation.
Installing gravity-flow sewer systems using horizontal directional drilling (HDD)—including those lines on critical grades of <1%—has been a goal of the directional drilling industry that has been achieved with varying degrees of success in recent years. HDD offers the advantages of reduced surface restoration, the ability to install product under roadways and structures, and reduced cost versus microtunneling.
A recent trenchless technology webinar presented by the Ditch Witch organization, Gravity Sewer Installations Using HDD, discusses advances in on-grade installation, including improvements in downhole tooling, tracking electronics, and drilling techniques.
Download the webinar.
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