Micro-trenching

In this era of massive expansion of digital communication networks, micro-trenching has become an important method of excavation for installing optical fibre and electrical cables on roadways and in urban areas.

Microtrenching is the process of cutting a trench that is just the right size. It is a cleaner, faster method than the standard trenching methods and has the advantage of

minimisation of disturbance to communities
reduction of time taken for trenching, and hence costs
reducing time backfilling and making good of road surfaces etc

Echidna micro-trenching attachments are suitable for excavators, skid-steers, remote controlled robots and tractors.

The Echidna OmniCut microtrenching technology offers a cleaner cut than a typical tungsten-carbide tipped micro-trenching machine, reducing damage to concrete and asphalt surfaces to a very bare minimum.
The Echidna OmniCut cutting speed is at least 5x faster than the equivalent tungsten carbide cutting disks
The minimum width of the OmniCut trench is 26mm.
The OmniCut cutting tips have excellent wear properties, giving very long times between servicing.
OmniCut microtrenching attachments easily cut through reinforcing bars in concrete

Grooved Road surface

Echidna OmniCut micortrenching attachments can be designed for as little as 1mm cutting depth. This precision cannot be achieved by

Micro-trench Parameters

Echidna micro-trenching attachments can be customised to suit the application requirements.

Excavator	Mass	tonnes	12
Excavator	Used Power	kW	30
Cut	Width	mm	80	40
	Depth	mm	160	200
	Length	m	300	300
Time to Cut		hours	3	2

Case Study

Stavoplast KL spol s.r.o. utilised the Echidna O4S microtrenching attachment on their Menzimuck excavator to cut this 300m long trench in the concrete floor of an old cowshed, to run optical fibre cables.

Microtrench through concrete with Echidna omnicut microtrencher

The attachment was required to cut an 80mm wide trench, 160mm deep and 300m long, through old reinforced concrete.

After 3 hours, the job was complete.

Company owner Ing. Kamil Zizka of Stavoplast KL was very happy with the result - a trench that he would have expected to take 3 days to finish was completed in less than half of 1 day, with a very smooth and tidy finish that would require minimal repair work after the cable has been laid.