The human arsenal might be expansive beyond all known limits, but it still hasn’t possessed anything more significant than that tendency of ours to grow on a consistent basis. We can claim what we did because the stated tendency has already got us to hit upon some huge milestones, with technology emerging as a major member of the group. The reason why we hold technology in such a high regard is, by and large, centered upon its skill-set, which ushered us towards a reality that nobody could have ever imagined otherwise. Nevertheless, if we look beyond the surface for a second, it will become clear how the whole runner was also very much inspired from the way we applied those skills across a real world environment. The latter component actually did a lot to give the creation a spectrum-wide presence and start a full-blown tech revolution. Of course, this revolution then went on to scale up the human experience through some outright unique avenues, but even after reaching so far ahead, this prodigious concept called technology will somehow keep on delivering the goods. The same has turned more and more evident in recent times, and assuming a new construction-related development shakes out just like we envision, it will only put that trend on a higher pedestal moving forward.

Ditch Witch, an Oklahoma-based company that focuses on underground utility construction equipment, has officially launched its AT120 All Terrain (AT) directional drill, which is the company’s largest AT system till date. According to certain reports, the AT120 leverages hard rock to deliver at your disposal the power and stability needed for efficient fiber, pipeline, and utility installation. Among more specific features, we have the AT’s 15,500 ft.-lbs. of rotational torque and 3,000 ft.-lbs. of inner rotational torque, with the latter figure showcasing almost a 50% increase from what was being offered by its predecessor in AT100. The product also boasts a 120, 000 lbs. worth of thrust and pullback that enables it to fulfill various different tasks, while simultaneously making it possible for the AT to move through longer bores and larger diameter installations in a rather efficient manner. Moving on, the AT120 does well on its promise to boost jobsite uptime, and it does so through the offer of a 20-ft. end-to-end drill pipe, which lets the operator put more drill pipe in ground. Staying on the drill pipe for another second, it is further complemented by a patent-pending Virtually Assisted Makeup and Breakout (VAM) solution. You see, the solution ensures that the drill pipe and tooling are at an optimal level throughout the process, thus simplifying the integration and removal of the former and bolstering overall productivity. However, this isn’t the only thing Ditch Witch has done to maximize uptime, as it has also introduced a new saver lock design to protect the drill pipe and drive system against usual wear and tear. But how does the design manages such a lofty goal? It basically conceives for you an enhanced access to critical components that demand constant maintenance, and guess what; it even streamlines the very method of maintenance.

“Anyone drilling through hard rock needs a machine that has the brawn to push through,” said Jeff Davis, Ditch Witch HDD product manager. “The AT120 delivers the exceptional power that these jobs require. And as our largest AT drill yet, the AT120 pushes Ditch Witch users to larger-scale jobs that typically run maxi-rigs, which means maxi-rig operators can bring less equipment to the jobsite, maximizing cost savings and boosting jobsite uptime.”

Apart from the stated offerings, the AT120 further provides you with a multimode joystick, which allows the operator to set up their joystick controls to their style of drilling, an option that will significantly reduce the required timelines, and as a result, save money.