SAGEX is the perfect choice as a drilling template: For once, SAGEX is not being used for insulation. During the renewal of the rainwater pipe in Zug, the EPS insulation material SAGEX is being used as a drilling template to ensure that the piles are drilled with millimetre precision.

Millimetre by millimetre, the hot wire made its way through the EPS insulation. With eagle eyes, the technical draughtsman Mustafa Ziko watched very closely to ensure that every cut was precise. The 3D machine in the Sager AG production hall In Dürrenäsch, she had a special job to do: instead of using insulation boards, she shaped the SAGEX blocks Round elements. These are used as drilling templates during the construction of the new rainwater pipe in Zug. Drilling templates lay the groundwork for ensuring that subsequent stages of work on site can be prepared with precision. This is particularly crucial when dealing with complex geometries and tight tolerances. After all, the more precise the preparation, the more smoothly the subsequent work can be carried out.

The 125-year-old stone culvert, which channels rainwater from the Stierenmarkt site into Lake Zug, was in dire need of renovation. It was therefore replaced. The construction of the new rainwater pipe was carried out using Microtunnelling underneath the railway line and the cantonal road. The microtunnelling work required a launch shaft and two reception shafts. Rainwater in this area was channelled through a large culvert. For the three shafts, Sager AG’s custom-made product came into play: SAGEX defined the shape of the boreholes as the framework for each shaft. Precise specification of the drilling points is particularly crucial for shafts with circular geometry and high structural requirements. SAGEX, used as a drilling template, ensures that the positions can be reliably transferred, minimising the need for improvisation on site. This increases the reliability of the work and facilitates the subsequent stages of the project. The elements were then encased in concrete from both sides to create a stable wall. Once the concrete had set, the SAGEX had fulfilled its purpose as a drilling template and was removed. In total, Sager AG supplied 38.83 cubic metres of material, weighing around 1,200 kg, for the construction site in Zug.

Accuracy and time savings thanks to SAGEX as a drilling template

At the points where the EPS elements had previously been located, the drill pipe was then lowered into the ground. This enabled concrete piles to be cast, ensuring the reliable stability of the respective shaft. “Using the SAGEX as a drilling template, we achieved the required precision for the pile drilling,” explained Adrian Husner during the site inspection. The site manager from JMS Risi AG was responsible for constructing the shafts. Every millimetre counts, particularly with the 18-metre-deep circular shaft. “The circular arc is of great structural benefit. Using SAGEX as a drilling template is perfect for achieving this shape,” said the site manager. “It also saves us time. Any other method would have been much more labour-intensive.”

For Adrian Husner, making rapid progress was important. That is why he valued not only the materials but also the collaboration with Sager AG. “The production time is impressive and the staff are customer-focused.” The project in Zug was organised as a joint venture. André Hartmann from Landis Bau AG was in overall charge. “It goes without saying that I passed on Sager AG’s contact details to him,” Husner said with a smile.

Committee reduced to a minimum

And so the enquiry regarding SAGEX as a drilling template ended up with our sales representative, Roland Burger. Together with Hartmann and the technical draughtsman Mustafa Ziko, he devised the right solution. “It’s important to me to always involve customers in the process,” says the sales representative during a visit to the production facility. And Ziko adds: “It’s also important to show how we handle the material. When planning, I make sure to keep waste to a minimum.”  Burger knows: “The better we optimise the SAGEX, the lower the material consumption, which in turn also affects the price. Value and return are becoming increasingly important today. After all, we want our customers to benefit not only from a processing advantage thanks to our bespoke solutions, but also from added financial value.” This is important not only from a material perspective, but also for the project’s cost-effectiveness. Optimised cutting reduces material consumption, provides planning certainty and helps to implement the solution in a way that makes technical and economic sense. This is precisely where the key added value for our customers lies in such specialised applications.

Project: Renewal of the rainwater pipe

Location: Train

Application: SAGEX as a drilling template for pile drilling

Procedure: Microtunnelling

Special feature: Circular, precision-engineered components for shaft construction, accurate to the millimetre

Quantity of material: 38.83 m³

Total weight: around 1,200 kg

Overall responsibility: André Hartmann, Landis Bau AG

Shaft construction: JMS Risi AG

Site manager: Adrian Husner

Technical drawing: Mustafa Ziko, Sager AG

Field Service / Project Support: Roland Burger, Sager AG