Mechanical Drill Engine, Hydraulic Pump Repair

Driller Mike Bump relies on a series of CME and Diedrich mechanical drills to complete exploration and foundation work for Universal Engineering in Sarasota, Florida. However, when his CME45 rig stopped running due to an electrical interlock, the machine was out of commission for almost a month as they waited to get it repaired.

After being recommended to the Geoprobe^® Southeast Service Center (SESC) in Ocala, Florida, by an engineer, Bump dropped off the CME45 on a Monday afternoon. That Wednesday afternoon, the rig was ready for pickup. Not only was the mechanical drill engine running again, but they completed a hydraulic pump repair to solve lack of pressure.

“I’ve worked with many people over the 11 years that I’ve been drilling, and rigs are a whole different animal than the equipment they typically work on,” Bump said. “The SESC did a good job and did it in good time.”

Since getting the CME45 mechanical drill rig back in house, Bump has taken two Diedrich D25s to get repairs done as well — one to fix the rotation and replace a couple of parts, the other an older unit to get a cylinder upgrade and hoses made in-house.

“I’ve had rigs sitting there in [other] shops for a month,” Bump said. “Geoprobe® has usually done it in a week or so, and if it’s going to be longer, they let me know.”

As a part of their commitment to servicing any make or model of machines, the SESC team has been working to streamline the repair process for non-Geoprobe^® rigs. This includes staying in conversation with drillers about the mechanical drills they operate and asking for insight, as well as creating their own in-house “spec sheets”.

“When working on other manufacturers' units, we start with the components on the rig and add those to the spec sheet with model and serial number. Then we source parts like filters, fluids, etc.," Seth Sammons, SESC manager, said. “As we identify those parts, we add them to the spec sheet and into our parts system. Then, later down the road when a customer calls asking about service items for their unit, we can assist them without having to source the part again.”

Bump has his mechanical drills back in the field and feels confident in having the SESC available to help.

“They do an amazing job. They’re quick, they call me if they have questions. It is a good experience all around,” Bump said. “It’s hard to find someone to service our rigs. If [Geoprobe^® service] gets into other rigs, it would be awesome.”