Brute force battles the toughest surfaces under and above water

It's the nightmare of every contractor who has to do an underwater job at sea: unwanted surprises when working the seabed. No visibility, test borings that are just snapshots and then encounter that stubborn piece of bottom that won't budge or a rebounding bottom, which can be penetrated with setbacks. The result: the energy is not absorbed by the layer in which one is working, but is fed back, into the machine. Often this results in material damage, delay of the work and the chance of success is minimized and the deadline is not met.

However, no more if it is up to Henk Saes. The new Erkat ER5500-UW cutter is a real 'sea monster'. The Saes team from Weert is rapidly specializing to become the ideal partner for everyone who wants to tackle the seabed with less trouble. Henk Saes takes us through the lineup of equipment that gets the job done.

A superhero trio
"Anyone who wants to master all the problems on the seabed must be well aware that using regular demolition hammers and Xcentric Rippers is still a gamble. After all, you have no view of the work and the only thing you can focus on are the results of exploratory drilling and GPS data. An exploratory drilling only says something about where it was drilled. Meters away, the situation can already be different and you can sometimes encounter unpleasant surprises," explains Saes. "A waste of all the preparations and a high risk of damage to the machinery and a delay in the project in terms of time."

Meanwhile, Saes points to the impressive lineup of three powerhouses. A sort of "superhero trio. "This trio gets the job done. The Xcentric Ripper XR80, for layered material, the Epiroc HB10000 (or the HB7000) as a demolition hammer and the icing on the cake, the Erkat ER5500-UW cutter. Combined, this trio gives unprecedented clout at sea," Saes outlines. We believe him, the Erkat ER5500-UW is reminiscent of a deep-sea monster. "With the ER5500-UW, you achieve forces to attack rocks up to 170 MPa (MegaPascal)."

Wise by experience
Saes knows from experience how things can get during seabed operations. "When working off the coast of Morocco, a nasty surprise awaited. It just couldn't be done with the demolition hammer. Had we had the ER5500-UW from Erkat at the time, that would have been the solution. We experienced the same problem off the coast of Curaçao. The seabed had to be deepened in places by three meters. The Xcentric Ripper had more than enormous difficulty with this, given the circumstances and the time pressure. Even there, the Erkat ER5500 had really offered a solution."

Fortunately, they don't bite at the boss ... Henk Saes next to the three huge powerhouses.

Working thirty meters underwater without preparation is now possible
As previously announced, Saes International BV has spared no expense when it comes to the execution of the Erkat ER5500-UW. "Everything is seawater resistant, the seals on the hydraulics have special seats, the drums are armored, factory optional, as are the sides. Compare that to all the measures you have to take to work with a demolition hammer underwater. That requires constant air at all times to prevent water from entering the hydraulic system. With the ER5500-UW, you can work effortlessly up to 30 meters under water without any additional preparation."

Also lord and master about the quarry
The ER5500 may be seen as the solution for seabed work, but the giant also performs unprecedentedly well on dry land. "This way of working opens up new worlds. In many countries, drilling in a quarry is no longer allowed and the use of dynamite is now prohibited. With an ordinary demolition hammer you get -literally- stuck. However, with the combination of the Xcentric ripper, the Epiroc demolition hammer and the Erkat ER5500 cutter, the stone or rocky material no longer has anything to contend with."

With the arrival of the Erkat ER5500 as the protagonist in a brutal film on land and sea, 10 years of expertise are immediately brought to bear. "The machine was born on steroids, so to speak," Saes concludes. "Also for work in concrete, this cutter is ideal. The great thing is that everything is simply in stock here."