Cement and concret

SPRITZ BETON
AT HIGH TECHNOLOGY
Machines for pumping the concrete, for perforations and electroventilation in
gallery, but especially machines for spritz beton dry or wet: this is the target of
Euromacchine, company of Mantova of primary importance in the branch of
the rental of construction equipment.
Franco Crescini, one of the partners of the company, outlines for us the main
coordinates of the activity and he takes us for yards to truly touch the benefits
of spritz dry.
Buy or rent? in this age-old question, recurrent in the construction world,
EUROMACCHINE answers with certainty: to rent.
And not by chance, since it is one of the leading companies in our country for
the rental of equipment for major infrastructure projects but also for small jobs
niche.
On a nice spring day, we went at Goito (Mn) in the Company's headquarters
where we met Franco Crescini, owner of Euromacchine with Daniele
Varasco, who described us the characteristics and targets of the company.
With us Roberto Cauzzi, foreman who outlined us the various operation
phases of his work.
Mr. Crescini can you outline the coordinates of Euromacchine for our
readers?
Euromacchine is a company founded in 2003 with the aim of dealing with the
cold-rental of machinery mainly for the implementation of infrastructure
projects: machines for spritz beton, concrete pumping, drilling and electric
ventilation in gallery.
In particular we are specialized on the spritz beton which we can achieve in
all its types, from manual to automated, from dry to wet.
We actually provide the equipment and the all necessary advice to work the
best in each site: a comprehensive support to 360 degrees.

In addition, in our fleet we also have equipment for small sections of tunnel
for water tunnels or mines: so, the consolidation is not only for large
infrastructure projects, but also for the needs of niche.
However I want to underline that our business philosophy has always been,
from the beginning, the one to give priority to the maintenance and service on
site, compared to the number of vehicles in the fleet that still amounts to 100
units.
A winning choice which allowed to make ourselves known and appreciated by
users.
Our headquarters is located here in Goito and it is composed by the
administrative offices, by a workshop for maintenance and tooling.
At this, we add a spare parts warehouse where we get both we internally and
external buyers who need parts and they come to us knowing our availability.
I am proud to say that we have 99.9% of the parts for the spritz beton: it was
a great sacrifice on the economy, because we had to invest a lot, but in two
years we expanded to the most, not in the quantity, but with the assortment.
Another aspect which I think is meaningful: the 60% of the spare parts for the
spritz beton is produced inside.
In terms of personnel in Euromacchine we are 14 included my partner
Daniele Varesco and me.
Our operators are specialized in a specific branch, but at the same time they
have an overall preparation that guarantees them to be able to manage any
possible problem of the machines.
Which kind of machine do customers request more?
The machine that is most required is that for the spritz beton, namely that
kind of concrete which, due to the mixing with air and the setting liquid
accelerator (an additive which may be alkaline or based on sodium or sodium
silicate) It is ideal to cover works at vertical development.
We supply machines especially for spritz robotic at wet, as in Italy spritz at
dry, which differs from that at wet substantially by the lack of the liquid
additive, is little used.
Actually the problem is that the spritz at dry needs of a manual laying and
therefore it needs an operator who is able to perform it.

Our idea was to automate this process, using small arms and small
miniaturized equipment we made it do by a very large company of Brescia
who performs carpentry and developing materially our products.
In addition to the spritz beton customers also require a lot concrete pumps of
every kind: stationary, tracked, diesel tracking shot, electric tracking shot.
We supply particular machines that we buy from trustworthy manufacturers
and then we arrange to modify to make them suitable for any type of site.
For this reason all those companies that have problematic sites come to us:
problems such as pumping in the high mountains or in places where ordinary
concrete mixers and concrete pumps do not arrive or fail to operate.
Our usual working procedure invariably provides the replacement of standard
arms with arms made by us: they are modular tools of the same weight and
the same size as the original ones, in addition, being made very ad hoc,
always work perfectly.
Even the electrical system is usually made entirely again, from the push
button to the electrical panel.
In this way, we get a simple, manageable and above all accessible structure
in any circumstances for the electrician of the construction site.
This procedure allows us to have machines with features and opportunities to
use extremely wide.
We have for example a tracking shot pump and a tracked pump with both
electric and diesel motorization: you can choose the best solution according
to the different job situations on site.
It is unique and we created it for those jobs in tunnel inclinations where the
slope is very marked and traditional pumps are in trouble.
At last, I want to mention that we import concrete pumps by the Finnish
company Normet: until now we only address them to the foreign market,
since it is an equipment with characteristics and modus operandi very similar
to the Italian trade.
But we do not exclude that in the future we can find space even in our country
as they are really excellent quality machines.
And at the electroventilation level and drilling machines?
As far as the electric ventilation is concerned We perform calculations for the
correct sizing of electric ventilations in the tunnel, in accordance with the law,

and then we directly rent the measured car with the inverter apparatus and
line disconnecting switch.
We deal with only major brands in the industry, as it ensures a level of quality
far superior.
The electric ventilation is still an operating environment less complex than
spritz beton or concrete pumping: it is a mathematical calculation, which, if
the starting data are correct, there is no room for mistake in.
Finally we rent Jumbi manual drillers to perform those work niche which need
special machines: we have 2 Jumbi three arms, 2 with two arms and two
single arms.
a small fleet, moreover only one trademark Atlas Copco to realize the spare
parts and service assistance covering an area of about 120 square meters
and which is mainly used to make rivets.
At the moment we do not think of increasing it even because we lack of
specialized staff able to optimize it to the best.
on the other hand the drilling is not our core business, but rather just a
service we offer our customers.
What can you tell us about your assistance service?
Our service consists of 4 equipped vans that realize operative support all
around Italy, trying to educate operators on the use of equipment, and to
explain the ordinary maintenance and to provide assistance for any failure or
electrical breaks.
each van is fully self contained gifted with phone and company credit card,
and of course all the spare parts that may be needed.
Each of them has a standard equipment, and in addition a particular
orientation, as it is mainly addressed to a specific type of fault: so, we have
the electric van, the mechanical one, the oleodynamic one ...
In the same way our operators have an high level of general preparation, but
each of them is particularly specialized in a particular field of activity in such a
way as they are complementary with each other.
Upon delivery of the machines, our operators are there to teach and train the
staff on site, illustrating them how to use the machines.
The assistance is obviously very important, because it closes the cycle of the
service we provide: We guarantee a time of intervention within 24 hours
throughout the country excluding the islands.

Sometimes it is enough the phone support, as it is just to clarify some aspects

of operation.
Let us now turn the word to Roberto Cauzzi, the foreman of Euromacchine to
have us explained the different phases of his activities and illustrated us the
characteristics of the stock.
Mr Cauzzi, which is your role in Euromacchine?
My role is multi-faceted, as I am concerned with different activities.
A first when the rental finishes and the cars come back to the workshop, I the
inspect them carefully and then I create the job order.
Without removing them, I draft a first report where I point out the maintenance
or the repair works which are to be carried out.
Secondly, however, the technicians actually operate on the machine to
determine more precisely what exactly are the measures to be taken to make
it better.
Apart from this aspect also I follow the assistance on site: at first by phone to
see if it is possible to unblock the situation from a distance.
If there is not this opportunity, according to what the operators on site told
me, I try to identify what kind of problem may be, and I establish which of our
mechanics must go on the site and which of our vans with.
What can you tell us instead of the spare parts store?
Our store has a computer automated system that ensures maximum
convenience and efficiency: the mechanicians put a code in the computer
which is in the entry of the store, a different code for each work order and
then they select the spare part which they need of.
At once the computer system gives the indication both of the availability and
the position of the spare part.
In this way, we work with preciseness and speed and there is no need of a
warehouseman.
even when they call us up for the assistance on site, this computer system is
very handy, as it allows go up to every spare part which has been assembled
on a settled machine: practically there is a complete story which is accessible
in any moment.

ARTICLE: SPRITZ BETON IN DRY

THE COVERING OF BIFFIS CHANNEL OF PASTRENGO (VR)
The covering of the riverbed channel Biffis of Pastrengo through the spritz
beton was ordered by Enel which uses this water course for the production of
the covering of the river bed channel Biffis of Pastrengo through the spritz
beton was ordered by Enel which uses this water course for the production of
hydroelectric energy.
One of the two members of Euromacchine Franco Crescini takes us on site
and he explains us the formality and the objectives of the work.
the work consists on the water proofing of the river bed of the channel which
has to be entirely free from microcracks. Besides, it is a continuation of work,
a kind of second episode, since last year we had already carried out the
same intervention on the first part of the water course.
As in the previous occasion, we opted for the spritz beton in dry because with
on the wet one we would have met many complications, above all on the
logistic level.
The part of the channel to be cemented is located in a cramped area near a
very narrow road and a set of all inhabited buildings.
Producing the spritz beton in wet in a plant and then bringing it here it would
have meant working with a poor quality material because the time would be
dilated.
Instead, with the spritz in dry which is pumped by the Clever special machine
here on site, not only this problem is not proposed, but we can have an
optimal productivity by using a line of special steel pumping of 500 m and
reducing remarkably time and costs.
Among other things with respect to the roadmap, we are in large advance, as
the work proceeds expeditiously and more we can avoid any dusting and then
not to create inconvenience to residents of the area.
While the traditional systems for the spritz in dry introduce water at low
pressure, our system is at very high pressure. Thats to say 150 bar: thanks
to this pressure, the special atomizers placed in the pump, allow the material
to come out already perfectly homogeneous with a right amount of water.

the fact the water is introduced at the last moment, before the spout, in an
automated form, not a liquid one is useful to guarantee the homogeneity of
the spout and its adhesion to the surface to cover.
Thanks to the rotary technology and not selected, the material goes out of the
pump continuous flow without undergoing either interruptions or the formation
of clots.
In this way we do not run any risk of creating any microcracks that can
compromise the good outcome of the work.
The first part of the work which we carried out more than one year ago and
that it is completely lacking of infiltrations and cracks, is about to testify the
effectivenesss of the procedure.

ARTICLE: SPRITZ BETON AT DRY

THE TUNNELS OF THE FIRE BRIGATES STATION IN BOLZANO
The second site where we go to touch by hand the technology of the Spritz at
dry is the one of the fire brigade station in Bolzano.
This time we go with Roberto Cauzzi the Euromacchine foreman who
personally points out us the different phases of the spritz beton use. the work
consists of covering 3 small tunnels through the spritz; each tunnel has about
25 mt in length, needful for the mobility of the firemen inside the station.
With the help of the compressed air, the machine, which is a Clever model as
at Pastrengo, pushes the lower drum the dry product until the launch of exit
that has some special holes.
In spearhead, the compound is mixed with the water which makes the small
percentage of additive react by making it wet, and making it tie to the rib of
the galleries. In lance there is a handle with which the operator regulates the
flow and the output of the concrete: in this case the pressure is 100 bar and
serves to make the spritz join perfectly also to the vault of the tunnel.
The choice fell on spritz at dry and not on that at wet because, in the case of
a tunnel, this option involves not only greater strength, higher quality and a
much less waste of material, but also a very strong reduction of polluting
substances released in the environment.
The additives which are used in the spritz at wet are not ideal for the
environment as they are based on sodium or sulphate of sodium or alkalis.
Alto adige is a territory of high environmental sensibility and for this we pay a
lot of attention to this aspect.