Minitap is shaking up the hot tapping sector with its compact and cost-effective solution.
As civil infrastructure develops, pipeline projects have become increasingly complex. Often, due to high-density residential areas and features such as highways, working space above the ground is limited. But the story below ground is no less convoluted.
The modern urban environment features an entire spider’s web of utility lines beneath the ground, which in many cases run parallel to one another. These cramped conditions make it difficult to conduct construction and maintenance work such as live tapping on pipelines, which typically requires large machinery.
The only real solution to this problem is to excavate a larger working area or re-route pipework, which significantly adds to the time and cost involved for these projects. That was, until Minitap came around.
While conventional hot tapping machines are equipped with an elongated drive shaft that makes it difficult to fit these machines into confined spaces, Minitap is designed to fit and operate in just a 1m2 area.
Minitap allows for large offtake hot tapping (up to 200mm) in standard low pressure (up to 1000 kilopascals) pipes. It was designed specifically for the water utility industry but can also handle other utility service pipes such as gas and chemicals.
Minitap offers over 400mm of cutter travel from a 600mm machine length, making live tapping work more compact and efficient than ever. As Minitap Managing Director Ben Worst puts it, Minitap is ideal for service contractors delivering a high frequency of large offtake tappings.
“The crux of it is that Minitap is a tool designed by contractors for the contractor market,” he said.
“Efficiency is one major aspect of the product. It’s highly mobile, requires smaller excavations, makes for a quicker job, and delivers a consistent result every time.
“Cost of ownership is another key area. Minitap is low maintenance, robust, and can handle all sorts of outdoor conditions – it can take a beating.”
Minitap is hydraulically driven, removing the risk of electricity from often waterlogged excavations. This both supports the compact design and further enhances user safety.
Minitap, and all of its individual components, were developed as a complete solution. The entire suite of components, support and various training options are offered in a single-source support model.
While its primary function is making new connections, Minitap can also be used to support several ancillary services such as CCTV inspection, leak detection, and the installation of new valves and hydrants.
To compliment the super compact design of the machine, Minitap utilises custom-designed cutters, which it uses to handle a range of piping material including cast iron, ductile iron, steel, reinforced concrete, asbestos, PVC, and MDPE.
“Most cutters on the market are developed for concrete cutting in more of a construction environment,” Worst said.
“But in the world of service contracting, you’re dealing with differing pipe surfaces and pressures, which requires a more tailored approach for optimal results.
“From the feedback we’re getting, our cutters are doing a better and faster job than other alternatives on the market. One of our customers even managed to achieve a tapping in just three minutes.”
Minitap was first designed in 2016, with an early prototype tested and approved under the supervision of Water Corporation. Since then, the product has delivered thousands of hot tappings across Australia.
“The size and mobility of Minitap has been a hit with contractors,” Worst said.
“It’s allowing workers to get into spaces that are a lot smaller than what they used to be, which makes live tapping highly efficient.
“One of our customers called Minitap impeccable in every aspect, from appearance to performance.”
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