• MicroGator GT operated with the KW 306 cable winch, an ultra high pressure water jet nozzle and the CutterCam

"Mineral deposits from springs" is a frequent clue in crossword puzzles; however, they cause major problems in rainwater sewers. This was experienced by the municipality of Röfingen in the Swabian district of Günzburg where rock-hard sediments obstructed the flow in concrete pipes with pipe dimensions of DN 300 to DN 500 for more than 440 metres. The rock had accumulated in layers in the invert due to the flow of natural spring water and had led to a 50 per cent blockage of the pipes. The solution here was ultra high pressure water jet technology to effectively and efficiently counteract the extensive massive disruption.

But it is not only the power of the GT Lite that is needed to optimise the cleaning performance of the water pressure underground. Precise control via the IBAK system is also necessary for a perfect cleaning result. The angle of incidence of the respective nozzle can be adjusted so that only the material to be removed is worked on and not the pipe wall. "I can always align the nozzle perfectly, even for the fine work, so that the old pipe substance is preserved. We have even utilised the 4th axis to clean into a connection pipe that was at 2 o'clock position. This is possible because I can precisely approach any point in the pipe," emphasises Patrick Eisenring.

He observes his work in the sewer on the monitors in the vehicle's control room. The CutterCam camera integrated into the GT Lite gives him an unrestricted view of his work area. Patrick Eisenring can closely monitor the progress of the removal and adjust his approach in a controlled manner if necessary. "We always shoot the material away from us," he emphasises, pointing out that with ultra high pressure water jet technology, the tool itself does not come into contact with the material to be removed.

Ultra high pressure water jetting technology currently only accounts for a few per cent of all orders, which is due to the lack of personnel: "Like so many other firms, we are also looking for motivated people to join our team. Our job gives you a good feeling at the end of the day because the success of the work is immediately recognisable. I can only encourage people to take the step of joining our industry, which is so varied. We have four women working for us, two of whom actively work in the field. Jennii is a trained hairdresser and initially worked with me on an inspection vehicle for a year and a half. She qualified as a sewer inspector four years ago and completed the advanced course for manhole inspection last year. She is an asset to us and a great example of how our industry doesn't have to be a male domain," says Patrick Eisenring. He would like to use the ultra high pressure water jet technology more often, as the demand for this specialised cleaning method is huge, especially from an economic point of view.

The name Kanal-Eisenring unites a 14-strong team that serves a customer base throughout southern Germany with 14 vehicles, state-of-the-art technology, specialist expertise and innovative ideas. The family business that was founded in 1961 has developed over three generations from one-man operation into a full-service provider with a comprehensive range of services from pipe and sewer cleaning to sewer TV inspection and leak testing of sewers. "As different as our customers' problems are, our services have to be just as varied and innovative," explains Martin Eisenring, who already took over his father's business at the age of 20. The creative inventor is proud that he has been successfully running the company which is based in Sontheim on the river Brenz together with his eldest son since 2014. Patrick Eisenring shares his father's passion for developing customised technical products and integrating them into vehicles. This is also how the two of them breathed new life into an old, supposedly disused IBAK TV vehicle. In addition to inspection, the system can now even be used for a completely new task: ultra high pressure water jet cleaning.