By Rose Bell
As a plasma boring technology and development company, EarthGrid revealed their tunnel boring robot (TBR), which has successfully completed several field tests at scale through some of the toughest tunneling geologies in the world.
Including two plasma torches in a step forward in the viability, efficiency and capabilities of the TBR, the Plasma Excavation System (PES) was debuted.
Benefiting a single torch, the TBR successfully dug 40 cubic meters, creating a 10-foot by 12-foot tunnel through greywacke in 30 hours. Additionally,successful usage of this system in tunneling through granite, quartzite and basalt – some of the most challenging rock geologies in the world is another advantage.
Paving the way for combining additional torches to its TBR, and increasing the speed and efficiency of its operations, EarthGrid has unveiled the successful development and deployment of its proprietary two-torch PES.
According to Troy Helming, CEO and Founder of EarthGrid:” These two developments illustrate a clear step in proving our TBR model and its potential to rapidly connect our underground electrical and fiber optic grid safely. No company has ever tried boring through rock with more than one plasma torch – much less through rock like greywacke or granite. We are excited to deploy our two-torch system on several upcoming customer projects.”
