Finnish-based Maanrakennus Lampimäki Taneli was contracted to cut approximately 6,500 concrete piles at a railway construction site in Lapua, Finland. The constructor was Finnish Transport Agency.
The aim of the project was to build a second rail for VR-Group Ltd Passenger Services (hereinafter VR), which is a government-owned railway company. VR’s most important function is the operation of Finland’s passenger rail services with 250 long-distance and 800 commuter rail services every day. VR is one of the most significant operators in the Finnish public transport market area.
Faster and safer working method for construction sites with concrete piles
Maanrakennus Lampimäki Taneli used the MotoCut Q-350 now for the first time. The Q-350 device was attached to a Volvo 88 excavator, which had a water tank mounted on providing water for dust suppression and blade cooling. The Q-350 has 2 diamond blades which cut simultaneously the 4 rebars in the corners and the rest of the uncut concrete was snapped off. The cut & break method provided a smooth and constant cutting surface compared to manual cutting.
In the start of the project, the excavator drivers were trained by MotoCut. The owner Taneli Lampimäki comments: “It was easy to learn. Then we just used the machine and proceeded quickly from a pile to another.”
Compared to traditional, manual pile-cutting method, the automated process is clearly faster and a safer way to cut piles. Since the operator of the machine is isolated from the danger zone, there is no risk of cut piles falling on operators and no dust issues. Being able to just sit and operate the machine from the cabin significantly improves the job well-being in a smaller scale, too: It saves the workers from back pains and other symptoms of physically demanding work.
Compared to manual cutting, MotoCut cutters offer even five times higher productivity
On average, Maanrakennus Lampimäki Taneli was able to proceed from pile to pile in 2-3 minutes no matter what the weather was like. Just one person operated the MotoCut Q-350 and drive from pile to pile and do the cutting. This was considered to be one of the main benefits of the cutting process done with MotoCut Q-350.
Using a single excavator fitted with MotoCut’s cutter, they managed to cut around 200-300 piles in one day. The cut was clean and precise, since all the process is automated and standardised and not depended on the person making the cut. The process remains stable every day, in all weather conditions. For a constructor, this meant clear productivity and cost savings.
MotoCut Q-350 used by Maanrakennus Lampimäki Taneli is the smallest unit in the product range. Weighing 550 kg, the unit is designed to cut piles from 200mm to 350mm square. Cutting is monitored and controlled from the excavator cabinet. In addition to an auto-cut option, the operator can select a variety of cutting or sawing patterns, including the ability to cut from both sides simultaneously, or just from one side.
