Designed and built at their Wodonga base the unit looks poised to assist the Australian pipeline industry with its mobility and productivity capabilities following the successful introduction into USA pipeline sites two years ago.
In the USA, the MISU unit fast gained a reputation for cost-effective and versatile performance in all manner of environments. The units proved themselves in a range of varied and difficult gas pipeline conditions including locations such as Boston, Alabama and the Colorado Rockies.
The Rockies provided some of the toughest conditions at altitudes of up to 9,000 feet with a large range of temperatures. As an extremely sensitive environmental area the Rockies also required solutions that would cause minimal impacts.
The MISU is a true screening unit that separates fine material from oversize material. As such, no crushing of material takes place in the process.
The MISU screen is capable of screening material down to an end product of 22 mm minus. To ensure longevity of the components, the material engaging parts are made from abrasive resistant Hardox 500.
Integrating a duplex chain drive and additional all round strengthening of the units chassis were vital factors in providing a “˜Heavy Duty’ MISU model for the pipeline industry’s operating conditions. MISU’s knowledge of Australian conditions meant that they have been able to design the unit to take into account unique conditions that the Australian environment can generate.
The knowledge that was gained from experience in the USA is now being applied in Australia to fully utilise the potential of the unit, including work on the recent SEA Gas project and currently on the North Queensland Gas Pipeline project.
Combining the MISU screen with existing padding equipment provides an excellent pipeline partnership – the MISU unit can complete tasks such as bell holes, crossings and areas of trench in both wet and dry conditions that standard padders find difficulty with. The MISU unit is ideally placed to handle tricky situations such as tight and winding terrain and high level ground.
The ability to screen wet material is a feature that puts the unit ahead of the pack, ensuring that, despite wet soil, work can continue immediately after or even during rain.
As a locally made product, MISU has drawn from over 35 years of earthmoving experience – with company directors having been based in the Albury/Wodonga region for that time. MISU also places a high priority on customer service and it is standard company policy to deliver and commission each screening attachment to ensure proper commissioning and testing of the unit on the carrier machine.
MISU believes that an important part of any product is ensuring that development is ongoing and new advances are incorporated as soon as possible. MISU constantly seeks customer feedback to improve their product range, ensuring that the features customers want are the ones they get.
MISU units have been operating in a broad range of areas in Australia over the past six years in industries such as soil/landscape yards, recycling, mining and feedlots.