TT Technologies: steerable boring, grundosteer

The Grundosteer® Advantage

Easy to operate and effective in the field, the Grundosteer is the world’s first steerable piercing tool. The Grundosteer is ideal for gas and water service line installations in difficult areas where minimal disruption is essential and for difficult service line installations where directional drill rigs are cost prohibitive and impractical. The Grundosteer provides directional installation capabilities with minimal crew requirements.

What it Does

The Grundosteer is a 3-inch steerable tool can bore up to 200 feet for HDPE pipe installation. Depending on soil conditions, the tool can be steered at a maximum 85-foot radius.

How it Works

Like standard piercing tools, the Grundosteer is pneumatically powered. Sensors on the tool provide pitch and roll information to the operator. An above ground locator is used to track the tool's position and movement. The operator can make adjustments to the tool's course by rotating the air hose with a hydraulic tensioning unit called a torquer. A specially designed, tapered steering head then guides the tool on course. HDPE pipe can be installed by using the air hose to pull in the pipe after the bore is completed. The tool does not require any special drilling fluid to work properly.


“Read on the fly” sensors monitor pitch and roll.	Minimal crew, minimal disruption.


The tool is “steered” by a rotating, wire reinforced hose with a hydraulic tensioning unit called a torquer.

Cost Savings

Features

	Cost effective solution for difficult installations
	Minimal disruption to traffic, buildings, and other utilities
	Avoids sizable surface damage and costly restoration required for old trenching methods
	Easy to set up and operate
	Minimal crew size