Giant hammer
Driving a pile into the ground involves lifting a 6,000 kg (13,200 pound) weight and accelerating it from a 150 cm (five feet) height, creating a 105 kilojoule force (78,000 foot pound) collision – a process that is repeated 60 times a minute, for hours at a time. Understandably, it is incredibly demanding on equipment.
Since it was founded nearly fifty years ago, Canadian company DFI has acquired plenty of experience, having driven over one million steel piles, measuring over 11,000 km (7,000 miles) in depth. In addition to transporting and driving piles, DFI also designs and manufactures most of its equipment, and operates an entire fleet of purpose-built cranes and hammers. Its latest hammer, the HHB600-60, is its most durable and capable hammer yet.
DFI has used Superbolt tensioners to fasten the larger components on its cranes’ hydraulic hammers since its first design in 1996. Since then, the DFI engineers have continuously improved and upgraded the cranes, and every component from the original design has been replaced, except one – the Superbolt tensioners. The conventional lock washers have also been replaced by Nord-Lock washers due to their proven reliability.
Customer: DFI
Maximum driving energy: 105 kilojoules/ 78,000 fT LBS pounds
Product: HHB600-60 hydraulic pile driving hammer
Blows per minute: 60
