One Team: Expanding Sonic Service Expertise, Together

When Enviroprobe Integrated Solutions 8150LS V2 sonic rig rolled into the Kansas Service Center (KSSC) for a V3 sonic breakout upgrade, it wasn't a simple swap.

"They had an original breakout that was in pretty rough shape," said Troy Bourbon, KSSC sonic rig specialist. "Rather than putting considerable money into a rebuild, they decided to upgrade to the new one, which is faster and stronger."

The V3 sonic breakout:

delivers significantly more clamping and twist force

simplifies future service with replaceable components instead of swapping the entire breakout

But fitting a next-generation breakout to a field-proven machine demanded fabrication, problem-solving, and teamwork.

Learning by Doing

The upgrade gave newer technicians a chance to learn alongside Bourbon — dedicated sonic service expert — and lead sonic machine design engineer Mark Abker.

"This was a great chance for the team to learn about installing the new breakout and the sonic machines themselves," Bourbon said.

KSSC Technician Bryce Nichols came to service from his previous role as a Geoprobe^® machine design engineer. Service Intern Jackson Sprecker is pursuing his mechanical engineering technology degree after spending a year and a half on the distribution team

Now they're applying an engineering mindset to service — cutting brackets, routing hoses, and positioning valve blocks together.

"Next time this comes around, I can say, 'Hey, I've done that before'," Sprecker said.

Nichols' instincts helped bridge the gap between design and execution.

"There was a lot of understanding how things should be put together," Nichols said. "Not just throwing stuff together, but knowing how to make it work like it should."

Engineering Backs Sonic Service

This was only the second V3 sonic breakout installation on a legacy sonic rig, and Bourbon leaned on engineering throughout.

"Engineering was a great resource," Bourbon said. "Abker helped us get things documented and parts modified. We took what we learned from the first install and improved the hose kit and mounting configuration."

Abker focused on the real-world details: hose routing, component placement, adapting a proven design to a different machine.

"On the V2 sonic rig, things are just a little bit different than on a V3 rig," Abker said. "We were figuring out how to route hoses and mount smaller components."

The seamless collaboration documented processes for future service support.

"Updates like this allow service team members to work closely with engineering, which makes our team and products better," Darren Stanley, service director, said.

More Than a Breakout

While the 8150LS V2 sonic rig was in the shop, the team also evaluated the sonic head, adjusted the head-feed chains, and confirmed turbine oil cleanliness — giving the customer confidence that the whole rig was ready to return to work.

The sonic breakout upgrade became a training ground for the next generation and proof that engineers and service technicians working together as one team build better solutions.