A new product innovation for soil investigation

GMSampler

Geomachine is constantly developing its product range so that soil investigation can be done more efficiently and profitably. The most recent addition to offering is a sampler that enhances clay soil research.

“As the world’s leading provider of geotechnical, geological and geothermal drilling concepts, it is important for us to constantly develop our product range,” says Alexander Packalen, the COO of Geomachine. “Most recently, we have improved our product offering with a sampler for clay soil investigations. It makes the driller’s work more efficient and improves the quality of the sample.”

In cooperation with a Norwegian partner

Geomachine works closely with the Norwegian soil investigation company NGI. The new sampler was developed by NGI, and in the future its manufacturing will be transferred exclusively to Geomachine.

Kristoffer Kåsin, senior engineer of NGI’s field research, sheds light on the background of the sampler’s product development. “The first hydraulically activated sampler was designed decades ago, in 1952. We created this latest innovation to meet the needs of today’s soil investigation. The two-bar system has previously been used in the samplers. This new sampler can be attached directly to the drill rod, which takes away the need for changing the rod and thus increases the working speed.”

The driving force of the sampler is water pressure. “We came up with the idea of using water pressure, because every soil investigation machine has a water pump. By guiding the water through the hollow drill rod to the sampler, a driving force can be generated to push the sampler into the ground. The empty test tube, on the other hand, is sucked back into the rod with compressed air.”

The new sampler makes work a lot simpler. In addition to saving time, the product also improves the quality of the soil sample. “In the new sampler, the piston rod doesn’t move, which ensures that the sample can be taken from exactly the right depth.”

First for use in the Nordic countries

The sampler will be launched on the soil investigation market during the summer of 2024. Geomachine’s customers in Norway, Sweden and Finland will be the first to get to use it. Currently, there are 54 mm and 72 mm diameter versions of the sampler.

According to Alexander Packalen, the new sampler has been proven to improve the driller’s work and is therefore an innovation that Geomachine is proud of. “Users have praised this new solution as great, well-functioning and easy to use. So we dare to promise that this purchase is worth making for every soil investigation professional who wants their work to become easier and more efficient.”

Interested? Contact us!

GM2000

With the GM2000 drilling rig, it is now possible to drill a geothermal well to a depth of more than two kilometers – quickly, replicably and at competitive costs.

More energy from a smaller land area

An energy field consisting of traditional 300-meter-deep geothermal wells requires a lot of land, and is therefore not suitable for densely built-up areas, large sites, or the needs of district heating networks.

One 2000 meters deep geothermal well produces more than 60 times more energy than a traditional shallow well. It only needs 1% of the land area required to build an energy field. A deep geothermal well provides heat a long time without losing its production capacity.

In deep wells, the losses in the coaxial heat exchange system are small and the heat transfer from the soil to the geothermal system is efficient. Only water is used in the system.

Deep well is also an energy storage

By changing the flow direction in the well, the geothermal well can be used for cooling properties and storing energy in the bedrock. This makes it possible to utilize the waste heat produced in the summer when the energy consumption increases in the winter.

Efficient and reliable drilling

The GM2000 drilling rig enables efficient and repeatable drilling to a depth of two kilometers in hard granite. The measurement and control technology used in soil investigation, has now been brought to well drilling, making it possible to control the process even in deep wells.

Find out more here.

Clean energy

Geothermal energy is renewable energy and is available continuously regardless of weather conditions. It produces carbon dioxide emissions up to 150–300 kg/MWh* less annually compared to oil or district heating. The CO2 emission reduction of one deep geothermal well is 257,000 kg per year, which corresponds to the emission reduction potential of more than 10,000 solar panels**.

Geothermal wells meet the criteria of the EU taxonomy and are a socially responsible alternative, as they do not have landscape or noise effects on their surroundings.

Self-sufficiency in energy production

A deep geothermal well can be an independent energy source. Well can also be a part of district heating network reducing network’s carbon dioxide emissions and improving the energy efficiency of the system. On a larger scale, the utilization of deep geothermal wells increases the energy self-sufficiency of the whole country.

Interested? Take contact!

*Statistics Finland 2023
** Calculated with the average emission factor of Finnish electricity production

Ercüment Akcengiz, BODO Int. GmbH & Co. KG

Growth is strongly embedded in Geomachine’s business strategy and new markets are constantly being conquered. Professional, high-quality resellers play a key role in internationalisation, and Geomachine is constantly looking to expand its network.

The latest additions to our dealer network are Turkish Ercüment Akcengiz and German BODO Int. GmbH & Co. KG.

Geomachine welcomes new dealers!

Find out more:
www.geotra.com.tr
www.bodonet.com

GMTracker

When there is something to be repaired in the drilling rig, it is good to carry out the maintenance work as quickly as possible. That’s why we have now opened a connection between the GMTracker data-logger, Geomachine’s service and its contracted service shops.

GMIssues is a feature added to GMTracker, which allows you to report and solve problems in the drilling rig more quickly in cooperation with the machine’s maintenance partner.

A report with pictures of the observations is sent to the maintenance partner via GMTracker. With one click, it is also possible to add the real-time inspection results and fault codes saved in GMTracker to the maintenance work order.

Thanks to a thorough error report, fixing problems is straightforward. For example, the software faults of the drilling rig can now be solved remotely, and in addition, the machine’s maintenance manager can also correct some of the faults himself with the help of the maintenance partner.

Fast problem reporting leads to faster problem resolution. The sooner the problems are fixed, the better the repair costs are kept under control and the cost efficiency of the machine at the best level.

Interested? Contact us!

GMTracker

It is extremely important that the drilling rig works on the site without interruption and problems. The drilling rig’s operational condition is ensured by its daily inspection, which can now be done effortlessly with the GMTracker data-logger.

During the rig’s daily condition check, its structures and the amount of liquids are reviewed, and the operation of its warning and alarm devices is verified. The daily inspection is aimed at ensuring the operational safety and uninterrupted operation of the machine.

Carrying out the daily inspection has now been made extremely easy, as it can be done completely electronically with the help of the GMTracker data-logger. Possible fault findings can be saved in the form of pictures and comments via the data-logger to the GMCloud cloud service, which immediately transmits information about repair needs to the party responsible for the repair.

GMTracker saves the entire inspection history of the machine as uniform documentation. If necessary, it is possible to modify the inspection forms according to the customer’s needs.

Interested? Contact us!

CPTu analytics

CPTu testing has been added as an investigation method to the GMTracker data-logger. This new feature makes GMTracker a perfect tool for producing high-quality data from all the most common ground investigation methods.

Geomachine has now added also CPTu testing to the GMTracker data-logger. CPTu drilling analytics is produced with Geotech Nova CPTu equipment, which works reliably in various research environments. During the investigations, the equipment provides information on, for example, tip resistance, casing friction, pore pressure, drilling angle and, as an option, also the temperature of the research environment. The real-time data transfer feature enables the driller to know what is happening below the surface at all times as the work progresses.

This additional feature makes the driller’s working day even smoother, more efficient and more productive, as all investigation methods can now be conveniently analyzed with the same data-logger.

Interested? Contact us!

DGPS smart antenna

In our opinion, the product is only functional when it genuinely improves work performance. That’s why Geomachine has added a feature to its GMTracker data-logger, thanks to which the drill hole can now be precisely located with the DGPS smart antenna. This makes GMTracker an even more accurate tool for ground investigation data management.

In the ground investigation process, the consultant must add the exact level and height coordinates to the investigation data before handing it over to the next stage of the process.

This is now even easier, as integration with a smart antenna has been added to the GMTracker data-logger. The coordinates located by the antenna can be added as part of the project data already in the field, which makes the work smoother. The integration is now implemented via Bluetooth with the Novatron Xsite Rover antenna, but in the future it’s also possible with similar devices from other manufacturers.

This new feature means faster and more error-free data management for our customers, i.e. a clear added value to the ground investigation data storage process.

Interested? Contact us!

Scanreco

Geomachine is constantly developing new features for its products so that working at the investigation site can be more productive and efficient. One such is the integration between the GMTracker data-logger and the Scanreco radio remote controller.

When changing the rod, the machine operator must remember to acknowledge the change with the physical button on the side of the machine, so that the measurement of the depth of investigation works correctly.

To facilitate this function, we have now built an integration between the GMTracker, which stores the investigation data, and the Scanreco radio controller, which is used to remotely control the machine.

The integration brings added value to the ground investigation data logging process by streamlining it and reducing the risk of errors in the process. Practical work also becomes safer when the rod change can be confirmed by remote control.

Interested? Contact us!

Geomachine | QHeat | Lounavoima

The world’s first 2,000-meter-deep geothermal well drilled for the use of Waste-to-Energy (WtE) plant has been completed at Waste-to-Energy company Lounavoima’s plant in Salo, Finland. The operation of the well is based on the geothermal well solution developed by Quantitative Heat Oy (QHeat) and it was drilled with a GM2000 drill rig developed by Geomachine Oy.

“Geothermal heat is an environmentally friendly and sustainable solution to the world’s growing energy needs,” says Samuli Salmela, CEO of Geomachine Oy. “Since there will be less land available for geothermal wells in the future, the wells must be drilled deeper. One geothermal well drilled to 2,000 meters produces the same amount of energy as some dozens of traditional energy wells, and it is also suitable for heat storage and cooling. Therefore, the solution developed now is suitable e.g. for use on larger construction sites and district heating networks.”

The world’s first GM2000 well drilling rig has been commissioned in Salo, Finland by WtE company Lounavoima’s order. “The operation of the plant generates energy for the district heating network evenly,” QHeat CEO Erika Salmenvaara says. “In the network, however, the heat consumption load changes all the time, so when the consumption is at a low level, the plant has produced excess heat. This energy can now be stored in deep geothermal wells and released from there later as consumption increases. A similar solution has not been used at a waste-to-energy plant before, so we are now the first in the world to implement the project in such an environment. Over the next few years, a total of six wells will be drilled for the Lounavoima waste-to-energy plant.”

In the past, QHeat’s record depth for drilling geothermal wells has been 1,600 meters. The fact that drilling can now be carried out with Geomachine’s GM2000 drilling rig up to 2,000 meters and even beyond, takes the utilization of geothermal energy to a whole new level. “The drilling depth has been increased by a third, which means that the energy production of the well increases more than 60 %. Annually, 950 megawatt-hours were obtained from a 1,500-meter-deep well, and now we obtain 1,530 megawatt-hours from a 2,000-meter deep well,” says Erika Salmenvaara. The numbers are even higher if the energy output of a 2,000-meter-deep well is compared to a traditional 300-meter-deep geothermal well. “Compared to a traditional well, we can now capture up to 60 times more energy from one well than before.”

Geomachine’s geothermal well drilling solution is optimized for down-the-hole drilling in hard Scandinavian rock. Its product development has focused on the overall economy of drilling, the fast drilling progress enabled by DTH technology, automatic recording of drilling data, real-time analysis of the drilling process, and working safety. In addition to the GM2000 well drilling rig, the overall solution includes needed air compressors, drilling accessories and an intelligent control and data logging system for optimizing the drilling process. The solution is also available with electric powerline, which enables a reduction in emissions. The rig’s easy mobility and ramp up also contribute to the overall economic efficiency of drilling. “Thanks to our solution, the driller can monitor the drilling parameters in real time, even though the drilling itself takes place at a depth of hundreds of meters. This reduces equipment breakdowns, speeds up drilling and makes it cost-effective,” says Samuli Salmela, CEO of Geomachine Oy.

The relative share of geothermal heat as the main heat source for buildings has been
growing since the beginning of the 2000s. In the future, the GM2000 solution will especially benefit large real estate sites where the concept can be used as a regional energy source. From one well, there is enough energy to heat even more than three hundred, A energy class 70 m2 apartments.

Aluetaito

Aluetaito Oy and Geomachine have been collaborating for a decade. Over the years, the customer relationship has evolved into a genuine partnership, playing a significant role in the development of Geomachine’s data-logging software, GMTracker.

“Founded in 2010, our company offers various infrastructure planning and investigation services, as well as field surveys and terrain measurements,” begins Juha Porre, CEO of Aluetaito Oy. “Currently, we employ 13 top professionals in our field and primarily offer our services within approximately a 200-kilometre radius of our main office in Lapua.”

In 2021, Aluetaito began investing in the development of its ground investigation operations. “At that time, we explored the offerings of different drilling equipment suppliers and chose to make our equipment acquisition from Geomachine. One reason for our choice was Geomachine’s in-development data-logging software, GMTracker, which appeared to be a completely new tool in the field of ground investigation. Compared to other available data-logging software, Geomachine’s solution focused specifically on drilling management, which was entirely novel. It very much felt like we were now developing something good that was worth being a part of from the very beginning.”

Development hand in hand

Geomachine designs its products with a strong customer-centric approach and therefore invited Aluetaito to participate in the GMTracker development project. “Our role was to start testing Geomachine’s data-logging software and help them develop a product that serves the needs of customers as well as possible.”

Over a trial period, Aluetaito used GMTracker and GMCloud cloud service in their ongoing projects for two years. “We tried to make the most of them and report our observations to Geomachine in our weekly meetings.”

In addition to user experiences, Aluetaito also made its own suggestions for the development of GMTracker. “We passed on a lot of information to Geomachine about how drilling progresses in practice on our sites. We also made proactive suggestions for improving the software, and these suggestions have been taken into account in product development. For example, we hoped the software would have the ability to share a project set-up in the cloud service with multiple drilling rigs simultaneously. This is an important feature because drilling needs to be carried out with multiple rigs simultaneously in larger projects.”

The first version of the GMTracker data-logging software and the associated GMCloud cloud service have now been launched, but development work continues. “We will continue to provide feedback on the software’s functionality, and we hope that it will also assist in GMTracker’s future product development.”

Overall, more profitable business

GMTracker software enables the world’s first real-time data-logging, processing, visualisation, and transmission of ground investigation data on the same device. Data is stored in real-time in the GMCloud cloud service, making it immediately available to everyone who needs it. The data-logger operates reliably even in challenging weather conditions, and its user interface clarity, ease of use, and logic ensure the software’s usability in the right work situations.

GMTracker is now installed in Aluetaito’s GM50 and GM75 drilling rigs and in another manufacturer’s rig as well. The company has noticed improvements in several areas of its operations since implementing the data-logging software.

“Because the processing of drilling results and data logging are now automated, we save a tremendous amount of time in our practical work. When drillers no longer need to manually transfer the day’s investigation results from their notebooks into electronic format after work, the need for overtime has decreased. Such operational efficiency naturally has a positive impact on the profitability of our business.”

GMTracker and GMCloud also play a significant role in project management. “Our project planners now have an easier time because they can share information about sites and tasks with multiple people simultaneously in the field where the work is done, eliminating the need to print maps and documents. All of this contributes to better project management.”

The benefits are also evident in fieldwork. “With the software, fieldworkers can navigate effortlessly to investigation points and see directly what tasks need to be performed at that point. In larger projects, the software conveniently displays all points and their task lists at once, without the need to check separate pieces of paper.”

Most importantly, also Aluetaito’s customers benefit from the use of GMTracker and GMCloud. “Our customers now have access to higher quality and error-free transfer files, even as they are generated daily in the field. This is a significant help when ground investigation data is needed on a tight schedule.”

For those who value expertise and service

When Aluetaito initially chose a supplier for their drilling equipment, they carefully considered various options. “It seemed that Geomachine had things under control and that assistance was available if needed. We formed a reliable image of a company with which it would be good to work in the long run.”

Based on his own experiences, Juha Porre can recommend Geomachine to companies in the ground investigation field that value expertise and customer service. “If the goal is to find a partner whose products are high-quality and up-to-date, with a high level of customer service, Geomachine is the right choice.”