The Magazine Of The Hilti Group

The magazine
of the Hilti Group
2/2006
Drilling for gold: revolution in mining
Exhibition in Paris: “Egypt’s sunken treasures”
Multitalented: the stud as lightning arrester
Interview: the coming dimensions of construction

Contents
Page 2
Worldwide
4 Paris: a clean sleeve for a waste plant
4 Clothes make the Hilti people on the construction
site
5 Monaragala, Sri Lanka: the future begins here
5 Leipzig: the travels of a railway station
Engineering
16 The stud as lightning arrester
Interview
20 Hans-Ulrich Litzner: the coming dimensions
of construction
Construction
6 Essen: a world heritage site in a rock wool coat
Company
8 The “Egypt’s sunken treasures” exhibition
Mining
10 Drilling for gold
Innovation
24 18 volts in top form
24 Through the ceiling and wall
25 The cordless technology of tomorrow
26 Complete measuring technology
26 Convincing a skeptical professional
26 Strongest in its class
8 An exhibition shows
Egypt’s treasures that
were once on the ocean
floor.
10 A revolution in mining is
about to take place. A
trip down the deepest
gold mine in the world.
16 A stud proves to make
a fine lightning arrester
and also serves to
ground electric equipment.
20 Hans-Ulrich Litzner:
“We have to learn
different methods of
construction.”
Impressum
Publisher: Hilti Corporation,
Corporate Communications,
Postbox 333, FL-9494 Schaan,
Principality of Liechtenstein
Editor-in-chief: Ursula Trunz,
phone: +423 234 26 30,
ursula.trunz@hilti.com
Distribution: Tamara Eberle,
tamara.eberle@hilti.com
Layout / design: milano-graphic,
CH-8640 Rapperswil, Switzerland
Composition / lithos / printing: Buchs
Medien AG, CH-9471 Buchs, Switzerland
Publication frequency: twice a year
Circulation: 36,000 (17,000 English,
10,500 German, 3,000 Spanish,
2,500 French, 2,000 Japanese,
1,000 Italian)
Cover photo: Tau Tona gold mine,
South Africa (Photo: Luca Zanetti)
The Magazine is also available
in electronic form under
www.hilti.com/magazine
The articles published in this magazine
may be regarded as official statements
by the Executive Board only when expressly
marked as such. In the event of
differing interpretation, the original text
shall apply.
Hilti is a registered trademark of the
Hilti Corporation.
© Hilti Corporation, September 2006

Magazine 2/2006
Editorial
Page 3
A tradition of
innovation
It was one of her most impressive
professional experiences, explained
Ursula Trunz, the editor of
our corporate magazine, after she
returned from Johannesburg. Together
with photographer Luca
Zanetti and three colleagues from
Hilti South Africa she went into the
deepest gold mine in the world to
see the world’s first explosion-protected,
hand-held rotary hammer
made expressly for underground
mining in action.
With the development of the completely
new Hilti TE MD20 rotary
hammer system for underground
mining we not only made headway
into a new application area, we also
once again proved one of our
strengths, namely innovation. A
passing remark by one of our customers
pointed up a need. This triggered
an exemplary research and
development project that may very
well end up being revolutionary. I
don’t like to use this word as it is
generally used to describe political
upheaval. But specialists who have
seen this tool actually call it revolutionary
in terms of underground
mining.
I admit that this success did not
take place overnight. An international
and interdisciplinary team
worked very hard over many
years in South Africa, in Germany
and at our corporate headquarters
in Liechtenstein. They experienced
moments when they doubted
their own efforts. But they never
lost faith in the revolutionary power
of innovation that was inherent
in the Hilti TE MD20 rotary hammer.
Innovation requires courage, teamwork
and a great deal of commitment.
The integrity of the individual
team members among themselves
also generates energy. These basic
human factors form the foundation
of our corporate culture. This is why
innovation and a will to create new
things enjoy a long tradition at Hilti.
We intend to keep this tradition
alive.
Pius Baschera
Chief Executive Officer

Worldwide
Page 4
A clean sleeve for a
Parisian waste plant
The waste incineration plant will largely function underground and
won’t have any chimneys.
The city of Issy-les-Moulineaux,
near Paris, is constructing
a waste incineration plant
designed to dispose of 480,000 tons
of waste a year. The garbage will
come from one million residents
in the western end of the French
capital.
The plant, located in the middle of
the city and only a few kilometers
from the Eifel Tower, has been designed
to be as environmentally
friendly as possible. The architecture
of the complex is very austere
and modern and two-thirds of the
plant will be located below ground.
The height of the plant above
ground is limited to 21 meters
(68.9 ft), or about the height of a
six-story building. This will do
away with a large amount of the
noise the plant will generate. There
will be no chimneys shooting into
the air and belching vapor. A special
system has been designed to
suppress the emissions.
But in the middle of the building,
ovens will heat up and conveyor
belts will cause vibrations. It will
be very humid. This type of demanding
environment calls for
Hilti fastening solutions.
As the facility will be placed in the
ground at the groundwater level,
and while the Seine River is only
ten meters distant, piles had to be
driven down for the foundation and
an 80,000 square meter concrete
wall (861,112 sq ft) had to be
poured that reached some 50 meters
down (164 ft). Some 95,000 cubic
meters of concrete (3,354,893
cu ft) were reinforced with 6000
tons of steel. To ensure that everything
remained watertight, engineers
selected Hilti HIT-RE 500
injectable adhesive mortar for additional
work on the wall.
I know that shirt!
The famous red toolbox will
remain the unmistakable
Hilti trademark, Hilti employees
having direct customer contact
have had an additional identifying
trait for the last few weeks. They
wear the same clothes. Because
the clothing is so practical and
robust, but also smart and fashionable,
the company’s managers
are also interested. The presentation
of the clothing line to employees
was made by the heads
of the worldwide sales regions
and Executive Board member
Marco Meyrat, who all served as
models.
Now Hilti salespeople will be more easily identifiable on construction sites, thanks to Hilti attire. But managers
also like the clothing and even suited up as models.

Magazine 2/2006
Worldwide
Page 5
The future
begins here
Each kilometer that a Hilti team covered in a mountain bike race
in Belgium brought money for the vocational training center.
The vocational training center in Monaragala,
in the quiet southeastern part of Sri Lanka,
the financing of which is being made possible
by Hilti employees around the globe, is filling
with life. Workshops and classrooms offer
space for 150 young people.
The first vocational courses
that began were the carpentry
courses. Other vocations offered at
the center are mechanic, welder
and electrician. Other students venture
into the world of computer
hardware and software. The study
of English is also planned for all
students.
“The project is promising,” reports
Cedric de Silva, National Director
of SOS Children's Villages of Sri
Lanka. The Hilti employees trust
the specialist knowledge of SOS
Children's Villages to establish and
operate the vocational training
center. “We are training an equal
number of girls and boys, and that
is rather unusual for a vocational
training center in Sri Lanka. We are
very grateful to Hilti employees.
The professional training and
knowledge gained here by the students
will prepare them to earn a
reasonable living.”
Hilti employees continue to collect
and donate money as they also
want to finance the annual operation
and upkeep costs of the vocational
training center. They sell
homemade cakes to their colleagues,
organize auctions and lotteries
and continue to come up
with new ideas. Stefan Ehrnborg, a
Hilti employee in the United Arab
Emirates says “It is great to see
how the team is willing to share the
success for a good cause.” Building
a better future for young
people is indeed a wonderful feeling.
The travels
of a railway station
The German city of Leipzig
needs additional room for
the construction of the new City
Tunnel. This required moving the
gate of the Bavarian Station. The
historical gate, stemming from the
mid-19th century, has rail tracks
running through each of its four
arches. It is 20 meters high (65.6
ft), 30 meters wide (98.4 ft) and
weighs 2800 tons. The foundation
was wrapped in concrete and then
steel beams were attached that
would serve as the handles by
which the gate was lifted. To stabilize
it for transportation, the work-
Short yet costly
trip. The almost
3000 ton portal
of Leipzig’s
Bavarian Station
was moved some
30 meters.
ers used Hilti HZA loading claws
that they anchored in the stone of
the gate with Hilti HIT-RE 500 injectable
adhesive mortar. The old
foundation was attached to the new
one with anchor rods and with
Hilti HIT-HY 150 and Hilti HIT-
RE 500 injectable adhesive mortars.
Concrete was then poured
over the anchor rods to make the
new foundation. Once the City
Tunnel is completed at the Bavarian
Station in 2008, the gate will
again be placed in its original position.

Construction
Page 6
Rock wool coat for a
The German city of Essen has been named the cultural capital of Europe for
2010. The hallmark of the metropolis in the Ruhr is the hauling framework
for shaft XII of the Zollverein Coal Mine. By the end of 2007 the mine’s
grounds, and the massive building housing the former coal wash, will be
completely renovated.
The coal mine grounds, designed
in 1932 by Bauhaus
architects Fritz Schupp and Martin
Kremmer, were designated as a
UNESCO World Heritage Site in
2001. The grounds stand as a symbol
of the structural shift in the
Ruhr, an area that was once characterized
by heavy industry.
Having a foundation of 34 x 91 meters
(112 x 299 ft) and a height of
about 50 meters (164 ft), the coal
wash is the largest building on the
mine grounds. The complex, which
was permanently shut down in
1986, was where the coal was transported
to from 12 different shafts,
and then washed and prepared for
further processing. Until the fall of
2003 visitors could see the coal
wash in its original condition and
be transported into the past through
the atmosphere made black by
decades of coal dust. Since then the
building has been comprehensively
renovated at a cost of about 42 million
euro. When completed it will
house both the Zollverein Coal
Mine visitor center and the new
Ruhr Museum.
Sustainable protection
In order to maintain the original
character of the building and the
entire facility, while meeting the
strict requirements of UNESCO
and landmark protection authorities,
the renovation work had to
balance care with sustainability. To
protect the renovated architectural
core against future weather influences
and to ensure that future museum
guests enjoy a pleasant indoor
climate, the contractor and
the responsible architects from
Heinrich Böll, of Essen, decided
on a thermal-insulating compound
system (WDVS) having a rock
wool core. The permeable rock
wool, that allows diffusion to take
place, avoids the development of
condensate and thereby guarantees
rapid drying in addition to out-
Once characterized by heavy industry,
Germany’s Ruhr has undergone a massive
structural shift. The coal mine grounds in
Essen with its hauling framework (left) is a
symbol of the change.
The largest building on the coal mine
grounds is the coal wash (right).
It is being renovated and will later house a
visitor center and museum.
The façade of the coal wash will maintain its original character. It contains rock wool insulation that was fastened with Hilti composite insulation anchors.

Magazine 2/2006
Construction
Page 7
world heritage site
standing heat and acoustic insulation.
This protects the building
against damage associated with
moisture. Additionally, the rock
wool insulation has a melting point
above 1000° C, greatly contributing
to fire prevention.
The special procedure
Last spring about 7000 square meters
(75,347 sq ft) of the total
façade surface was completely insulated
and plastered. To keep the
original look and charm of the coal
wash, certain geometric irregularities
and uneven spots were left
alone. As a result there were many
detailed tasks. An additional 5000
square meters (53,819 sq ft) of the
façade was newly clinkered at the
same time.
The fins selected for the thermalinsulating
compound system are
characterized by a verticallystanding
structure of rock wool
fibers and therefore are very difficult
to rip down. They were additionally
fastened with the Hilti XI-
FV 120 composite insulation
anchor to ensure that the thermalinsulating
compound system
would hold through loads generated
by strong wind gusts in buildings
of above-average height. The
north gable of the coal wash is
about 50 meters high. After the
mechanical reinforcing was finished
in the subsequent step, the
façade received a specially-developed
machine-applied mineral
plaster having a slightly rough surface.
Industrial history for
the senses
The Ruhr Museum, which is to be
housed in the coal wash beginning
in 2007, is to become a historical
institution of culture for the entire
region. The Zollverein development
company, responsible for establishing
the museum, is not planning
a classic industrial museum,
but a rather unconventional concept
that aims at using a substantial
archive of images, sounds and
tones that will relay the story of the
Ruhr in a vivid manner and trace
the path of the region from prototype
of an industrial landscape to a
city that has fundamentally altered
its history without turning away
from the past.
Detailed service
Suppliers of thermal-insulating compound systems (WDVS) can count on
Hilti competence: specialists analyze the base material and record the
individual needs of the customer before studying these and developing
and suggesting the suitable Hilti fastening system. Tensile load tests, that
are carried out by the specialists on location and are recorded in detail,
lead to ideal solutions that the customer can then choose from. Depending
on base material and application, either an impact anchor or a composite
insulation anchor is preferred. Construction supervisory authority
approval exists for either one.
For the façade insulation on the largest building of the former Zollverein
Coal Mine in Essen, careful analysis led to the decision to use Hilti XI-FV
120 composite insulation anchors. Specialists from Hilti Germany have
supported the WDVS supplier in his discussions with the planners
since 2004. A cost comparison for the calculation was included in the Hilti
service.
The company assigned to carry out the work trained their workers, allowing
them to perform the set check on their own. As a matter of course,
material deliveries were made within 24 hours and a Hilti salesperson,
specialized in WDVS, appeared directly at the construction site.
About 7000 square meters were completely insulated and plastered.

Company
Page 8
As if on the oc
The “Egypt’s sunken treasures” exhibition shows the splendor and magnificence
of antique Egypt and captivates by taking one into the exciting world
discovered and explored by Franck Goddio and his team. After some 500
objects from the spectacular underwater excavations caused a sensation
in Berlin, they will be transferred to the Grand Palais in Paris where they
will be shown beginning on December 8. The Hilti Group and the Hilti Foundation,
a supporter of Franck Goddio’s work since 1996, make the exhibitions
possible.
By Manfred Schiefer
Researcher Franck Goddio is amazed every time he stands next to the
monumental statue of a pharaoh at the exhibition.
Placing the object, weighing tons,
required precise work.
The charming sphinx lay on
the ocean floor for more than
2000 years before divers glimpsed
him. This is only one of many fascinating
images that have gone
around the world stemming from
Franck Goddio’s discoveries. But
his area of research brings a great
deal more to light than magnificent
objects. His finds have, for example,
proven for the first time that
the Egyptian port city of Heraklion-Thônis,
long shrouded in legend,
actually existed.
As spectacular as the recovery of
the objects was, including monumental
pieces, their transportation
to the exhibition sights was just as
impressive. The largest civilian
cargo aircraft, an Airbus Beluga,
was deployed to ensure that the objects,
some of them six meters tall
(19.6 ft) and weighing several tons,
were safely transported from
Egypt to Germany and then on to
Paris. Having wowed archaeologists
and causing Egyptian history
to be redefined, the cultural treasures
unearthed by Franck Goddio
and his team caused astonishment
among visitors at the exhibition
in Berlin’s Martin-Gropius-Bau,
where the impressive objects were
shown to the public for the first
time.
Soft music and sounds of an underwater
world make the Egypt’s
sunken treasures exhibition both
an informative exhibit as well as
one for the senses. Underwater
photos, helpful explanations and
quotes in ancient characters are
projected on the walls of the exhibition
hall. One finds, for example,
that the Roman philosopher
and statesman Seneca warned his
countrymen against visiting the
corrupt city of Canopus, as “there
are no limits to the excesses seen
there,” or how the Arabian explorer
Ibn Battuta expounded on the
“great pearl” of Alexandria, that
“brightens the West with its
beauty.” It was a successful exhibition
launch with the finds divided
into rooms according to the locations
Canopus, Heraklion and
Alexandria. The impressive, monumental
statues and steles were
presented in a rather unconventional
manner. The visitor walks
past them as if on a procession
while the floor is as uneven as the
floor of the ocean. “This gives a bit
of the impression as to how my
divers and I found the excavation

Magazine 2/2006
Company
Page 9
ean floor
Franck Goddio and his team retrieved statues and other treasures from
the sunken cities of Canopus and Heraklion.
Only the Airbus Beluga was large enough to transport the finds from
Egypt to Germany. Now they travel onward to Paris.
sites,” says underwater archaeologist
Franck Goddio.
Although the exhibition is lightened
somewhat by these experience-oriented
elements, the overall
emphasis of the unique finds, presented
over an area of some 3000
square meters (32,291 sq ft), is on
the fascination of the objects and
their scientific refurbishing. “This
is being done in cooperation with
noteworthy scientists and the Oxford
Centre for Maritime Archaeology
of the University of Oxford,”
explains Michael Hilti, Chairman
of the Hilti Foundation. Although
the monumental antique works of
art can now be viewed by the
public, it will still be decades before
all the secrets have been revealed.
More on the exhibition and on
Franck Goddio on the Internet:
www.aegyptens-versunkeneschaetze.org
www.egypts-sunkentreasures.org
www.franckgoddio.org
A commitment having a sustainable
influence
The Hilti Foundation is committed to innovative projects that lead to
new findings and have worldwide scope and significance. The comprehensive
support of the work of Franck Goddio has been one emphasis
of the Hilti Foundation’s cultural commitment for over ten years. The finds
and research results are being made available to the public for the
first time in the “Egypt’s Sunken Treasures” exhibition. The exhibition
in the Grand Palais in Paris runs from December 8, 2006 to March 16,
2007.

Drilling for g

Magazine 2/2006
old
The
Hilti TE MD20 rotary hammer is beginning to conquer South Africa.
According to specialists the first electro pneumatic drilling system
in the world, operated by hand in spite of the comprehensive explosion
protection system, will revolutionize underground mining. A look into
the Tau Tona gold mine, one of the deepest in the world
By Ursula Trunz (text) and Luca Zanetti (photos)

Mining
Page 12
Those hand signals again.
Hardly a word is spoken,
only hand signals and a few telling
glances. A pointing index finger
draws attention to something.
Thumbs up - understood, everything
OK. Only an hour ago, I was
urged along by a hand on my back
before being ushered into the corner
of the cage. The roll-up door,
pulled down from the outside,
closed with a clatter.
Packed to capacity, each of the
cage’s four floor levels held thirty
persons. There was no lighting in
this giant elevator-like metal contraption.
A rumble and a shudder
signaled the start of our descent.
Dropping at a rate of 18 meters
(59 ft) per second, the cage accelerated
to a speed of 60 kilometers (37
mi) per hour as it plummeted down
the shaft in almost total darkness.
90 pairs of rubber boots soon shuffled
hastily along the tunnel connecting
the main shaft to the sub
shaft. We squeezed into the next
cage and our descent continued.
Having reached the third, or tertiary
shaft, the cage door again clattered
loudly as it was closed, followed
once more by a slightly
uneasy silence as we patiently
waited, a little apprehensively, for
the cage to be set in motion.
Extreme heat and
humidity
We arrived at a depth of 3,600 meters
(11,811 ft) at our initial destination
– level 116 of the Tau Tona
mine, one of the deepest in the
world. At this point, our distance
from the earth’s surface is almost
equal to the height of Japan’s
Mount Fujiyama. No more cool
rock down here. It’s hot – like the
Sahara sand in summer – more than
50 degrees centigrade or 122 degrees
Fahrenheit. A wall of heat and
humidity greets us. Together with
the photographer and three colleagues
from Hilti, all three experi-
enced mining specialists, we climb
aboard the train that will take us
four kilometers closer to the gold.
Our group is accompanied by
Barend Strydom. As an overseer,
he is responsible for the 400 mine
workers of a section. After returning
from the mine with us he’ll retrace
our journey on the huge chart
on the wall of his office, showing
all the shafts, galleries and sections
worked. Between 4,500 and 5,000
mine workers descend every day of
the year into this seemingly endless
labyrinth-like underground world -
a potentially dangerous world with
laws all of its own.
Tau Tona is operated by AngloGold
Ashanti, one of the world’s leading
gold producers. The mine has been
a hive of activity for the past forty
years. It’s an underground tower of
Babylon, going down rather than
up, with tunnels and galleries now
extending to more than 1700 kilometers
(1056 mi). Three to four
further kilometers are added each
month and several thousand tons
of ore are extracted every day. A
ton of ore from the main reef at the
Tau Tona Mine – which runs
north-to-south at a 21° angle –
yields an average of thirty grams
of gold – a little more than an
ounce. Other mines have to be
content with only about 10 grams.
Up to 600 earthquakes
each month
The brakes squeal and the train
comes to a stop. We climb out over
loose rock and rubble. At this
point, the gallery leading to the
section we’re making for is only
head-high. Heat and dampness
simply can’t escape, making the atmosphere
even more obtrusive
than before. Glasses steam up constantly
and we drip with sweat.
Then a finger points to the wooden
beams. Tons of these are transported
into new galleries every day
where they are used as props.
Stacked one on top of the other,

Magazine 2/2006
Mining
Page 13
The gallery leading to the stope face begins to rise more steeply
and its height drops to between sixty and eighty centimeters. The underground
work is extremely taxing. A hand-held drilling tool, that is
quieter and produces less vibration, is therefore greatly welcomed.
Compressed air drills (far left) release an oily vapor.
The Hilti TE MD20 keeps the air clean. Additionally, electricity
is easier to supply than compressed air.
they support the billions of tons of
rock above our heads. Without
these wooden props, the galleries
would simply cave in.
Even so, falling rock is one of the
biggest hazards faced by mine
workers. Besides, South Africa’s
mines are situated in a zone of frequent
seismic activity. Up to 600
earthquakes are registered every
month in the Tau Tona Mine, some
of which reach a force of up to 3.5
on the Richter scale. Barend Strydom
will never forget the moment
in his life when a rock fall in the
gallery blocked his way back from
the section. It took him five hours
to free himself. “You learn to handle
the rough, arduous conditions
down here,” he had assured us
while we were still on the train.
“And at home, do you speak to
your wife about your experiences?”
– “No, not usually.”
The gallery begins to rise more
steeply and its height drops to between
about 60 and 80 centimeters
(23.6 – 31.5 in). As walking upright
is impossible, we crawl on all
fours toward the stope face. I suddenly
realize that it’s becoming
increasingly difficult to gathering
a few crystal clear thoughts. The
deeper the stope, the higher the
temperature and thus the greater
the danger of being unable to concentrate
properly. How can anyone
work under these conditions for
three and a half hours without a
break? The answer is simple: Without
the air-cooling system it would
be impossible. The fresh air certainly
brings down the temperature
at this depth of 3,600 meters, but
it’s still probably well over thirty
degrees. The heat, the dampness
and the cramped conditions are unpleasant,
to say the least. But then
there’s the noise – the deafening
drilling noise.
Mine workers consider the job of
the driller to be something of an
honor. Working with extremely
More holes with less energy
“A study has shown that energy losses in a pneumatic system can reach
90 percent, whereas losses in the electrical system would typically be
around 8 percent. This means that one can power ten times as many electric
drills than pneumatic drills for the same energy output.”
“Water is circulated through the motor of the Hilti TE MD20 electric rotary
hammer to keep temperature down, after which it is directed through the
drill steel and out at the bit, lubricating the rock face, suppressing the
dust and flushing the drill hole. The rotary hammer does not need inline
lubrication, which is a major economic and health benefit.” (Editor’s note:
conversely, pneumatic hammer drills must be lubricated every day and release
an oily vapor when used.) “In the mine Mining Mirror visited, full electric
drilling would eliminate the need for lubricating grease, thereby saving
one mine company roughly 1 million liters of grease per year. It would
also keep all of that grease out of the water reticulation system and out of
the ore enrichment process, which will eliminate the need for whatever
chemicals are used to eliminate the oil from the ore.”
Henri-John Kock, Mining Mirror

Mining
Page 14
Underground
efficiency
Twenty minutes of drilling instead of eight hours: a new elevator shaft
being prepared in a South African Mine.
Ventilation curtains direct fresh air into the
mines. For their assembly and for other
work, as in the elevator shaft, specialists
depend on Hilti.
Gerrie Pienaar counts the possibilities
on his fingers. Fastening wires
to the gallery walls for attaching
ventilation curtains: It takes time.
Adhesive: It takes time. Hilti direct
fastening: That’s the answer! He
smacks his fist into the palm of his
hand. “Two, three seconds – finished.
Six of my men put up
320 meters of curtain in three
days. With other methods it would
have taken them two and a half
weeks!”
Gerrie Pienaar, ventilation specialist
of the Driefontein Gold Mine,
points out the importance of ensuring
that these installations are
not only efficient but also effective:
“The temperature in the mine also
depends on the speed of the incoming
fresh air flow. We can double
the flow speed with the ventilation
curtains we install using the
Hilti direct fastening system.
Where the air was previously coming
through at 0.4 meters per second,
it’s now flowing at between
0.8 and 1 meter per second. Keeping
the temperatures as low as
possible makes it easier to work in
the mines, lowers the risk of accidents
and improves quality. A
strong air flow also distributes any
gases better and reduces the risk
of explosions accordingly.” The
South African authorities and the
U.S. Department of Mine Safety
and Health have approved the Hilti
powder-actuated direct fastening
system for use in underground
mining.
Working with a pneumatic jackhammer,
it took two workers eight
hours to break out a recess for anchoring
a steel beam, for a new lift
shaft, in the concrete wall. “With
the Hilti DD 250 diamond core
drilling system, we do it in twenty
minutes,” they said. “Noise and
vibration are also much lower.”
heavy, noisy pneumatic hammer
drills, they drill the blasting holes
a few centimeters above and below
the gold vein, which is hardly discernible
to the untrained eye. Compressed
air hoses and water hoses
stretch in confusion across the
stope face and the drillers and their
assistants, always close at hand, almost
disappear behind the thick,
stinking oily mist that fills the air.
But what if one of the metal drill
bits suddenly, unexpectedly breaks
through into a pocket of methane
gas? The gas would escape through
the hole being drilled. At that moment,
a spark could be lethal. In a
concentration of up to 5 percent,
methane begins to burn. In concentrations
above 5 percent, it explodes.
A methane explosion can
form a fireball that incinerates
everything in its path. Accordingly,
the methane concentration is
measured at regular intervals, a
somewhat risky process in itself.
Highly explosive methane gas, together
with the extremely arduous
conditions faced in the mines, have
been a hindrance to technical advances
in gold mining - up to now.
In the low gallery, dimly lit by the
workers’ head torches, the air is
noticeably clearer in an area alongside
where conventional pneumatic
drills are in use. Two drillers
here are working with a new approach
- the Hilti approach. The
tool they are using is the Hilti TE
MD20, the first electric hammer
drill that can be guided by hand,
despite being equipped with comprehensive
explosion-protection
systems. According to the experts,
it will revolutionize underground
mining. The fact that the workers
no longer have to breath in oily vapors
from the air is only one of the
benefits of this new tool.
Better performance
with less energy
Asked about the advantages of the
Hilti TE MD20 hammer drill, a
driller spontaneously mentions the
much lower noise – the Hilti drill
is quieter. The level of vibration
emitted by the tool is also much
lower than with conventional pneumatic
drills. The risk of damage
to the hearing, or of the operator
suffering white finger syndrome
as a result of vibration-induced
blood circulation problems in the
hands, can now be much better controlled.
The next driller is obviously impressed
by the new hammer drill’s
performance. With the Hilti TE
MD20 he can position the drill bit
more easily and more precisely
when starting a hole and control
the drilling operation more exactly.
It also takes less effort to pull the
drill bit back out of the hole. He
doesn’t really need an assistant any
more.
The two drillers are part of Barend
Strydom’s team of 400 workers. As
overseer he’s not only responsible
for his team’s safety, but also for
productivity in his section. The
deeper a section, the more difficult
it becomes to ensure safety while
maintaining productivity and efficiency.
But safety must never be
neglected in pursuit of higher efficiency.
Up to now, the Hilti TE
MD20 is almost certainly the only
mining drill that can meet all of
these demands. The most important
point, as far as productivity
and efficiency is concerned, is that
the Hilti TE MD20 needs no compressed
air supply. The greater the
distance over which compressed
air has to be supplied, the greater
the drop in pressure. And the lower
the air pressure, the lower the performance
of the pneumatic drill.
“In the depths of the mine,” Barend
Strydom reminds us, “air becomes
a highly valued and costly commodity.”
Electric power can be
supplied more easily and at significantly
lower cost than compressed
air. The high performance of the
Hilti TE MD20 also remains con-

Magazine 2/2006
Mining
Page 15
stant, irrespective of the depth underground
at which the drilling
work is taking place.
We leave the stope face and crawl
backwards down to the point
where the gallery offers more
headroom. At midday, at the end of
the early shift, the workforce
leaves the mine. The hoists run flat
out to bring the workers to the surface.
Explosives placed in the
newly-drilled holes by the blasting
specialists are detonated, causing a
shockwave to thunder through the
galleries. Then the hard work begins
all over again. The ore has to
be transported to the surface,
where it disappears behind the
high walls and locked doors of the
gold production plant. .
The mine empties after the end of the early shift and the workers ride in cage-like elevators to the surface.
The drilled holes are now filled with explosives and the ore containing the gold will be blasted free.
Simply revolutionary
The customer and their needs are the trigger
for innovation. A provocative question led to
the development of the TE MD20.
The question was somewhat
provocative: “Why can’t you
equip the hammer drills we use in
the gold mines with electric motors?”
But Wayne Sterley of Hilti
South Africa pricked up his ears and
accepted the challenge when this
question was put to him by a member
of the managerial staff at Anglo-
Gold Ashanti. He passed the question
on and it started the ball rolling
– all the way to Hilti’s Corporate
Headquarters in Liechtenstein.
An international team took up the
question for closer examination
and held discussions with representatives
of AngloGold Ashanti to
ensure that the needs of the customer
could flow directly into the
project. An entirely new hammer
drill system would have to be “invented”,
all the way from the cable
and plug to the explosion-protected
modular motor section and
sturdy drill bit. Ideas already existed
and some concepts had previously
been realized by the specialists
in Hilti’s research and
development departments. “But it
took courage to combine these
with the required technical perfection,
safety and reliability,” says
mechanical engineer Karl Neuper
in recollection. Within a few
months, Martin Richter and his development
team at Kaufering, the
site of Hilti Germany’s head office,
had built a functional model.
It was a fascinating and exciting
moment. Wayne Sterley remembers
that the telephone lines sometimes
ran very hot. “There were
days when I was on the phone for
up to five hours. We experienced
moments of elation as well as deep
disappointment, but we were convinced
that the idea would be a
success.” This joint effort did come
to a successful conclusion: The
world’s first explosion-protected,
hand-guided electric hammer drill
for underground mining - the Hilti
TE MD20 – has reached the serial
production stage. Nevertheless, as
Wayne Sterley admits, “The tool
looks entirely different from what
was originally planned.”
Although built to withstand extremely
hard use, the Hilti TE
MD20 is still compact and convenient.
The more than twenty patents
combined in this machine give
some indication of the number of
innovations it incorporates. The
workers are no longer required to
breath in the oily vapors released
by conventional pneumatic hammer
drills. In addition, the cost of
supplying power for the new machine
is significantly lower than
with compressed air. As the experts
agree, this tool isn’t only innovative,
it’s simply revolutionary

Magazine 2/2006
Engineering
Page 17
A stud as lightning
arrester
The stainless steel Hilti X-BT threaded stud has turned out to be a
versatile fastener. Its range of applications continues to grow. An innovative
customer uses it as a fastener for lightning protection systems.
Tests have also pointed up its suitability for grounding electric tools or
equipment.
By Michael Siemers*
The Hilti X-BT threaded stud
has a blunt end. Developed
and optimized for simple fastening
in a corrosive environment, it is
used where welding is impractical
or where the welding would require
a significant amount of rework.
The stainless steel stud ensures
a secure fastening in highly
corrosive environments and does
not damage the protective anti-corrosion
coating of steel construction.
Additionally, it can also be set
exactly on the location desired as a
small hole must be drilled in advance.
The Hilti X-BT is therefore
also suitable for fastenings on very
thin base materials.
Lightning protection
A new application for the X-BT
stud is to aid in lightning protection
atop mobile telephone antennas
on high structures, such as
grain silos. When antennae are
mounted on such exposed places
they tend to attract lightning
strikes.
arrester systems, excess voltage
protection and industrial safety.
They see an ideal system, in the
combination of the Hilti X-BT and
Ferroscan PS 200, for using existing
rebars in silos as lightning arrester
systems.
Once the rebar that are detected
and localized with the Ferroscan
are exposed with a Hilti breaker
and a TE percussion core bit, the
stud is driven into the rebar. This
finishes off the fastening point in
the shortest time, allowing the
lightning arrester to be mounted on
the rebar. As the Hilti X-BT can be
placed in a very exact manner, it
can also be used on very thin rebar.
The minimum diameter of rebar
for a proper fastening is 8 mm
(5/16 in).
Each fastening point or each Hilti
X-BT can withstand a lightning
strike equal to a maximum of
50,000 amperes, directing the energy
through the rebar.
Steel and
concrete towers,
such as grain
silos, attract
lightning strikes.
The Hilti X-BT
threaded stud
is placed on
rebars, on which
connections for
lightning arresters
and measuring
points are
fastened.
To protect the antenna a relatively
inexpensive, efficient and effective
solution is required to direct the
lightning strike to the grounding
system. The German company
Dehn + Söhne in Bavaria’s Neumarkt,
are specialists for lightning
Before the system is operational,
and to aid running tests of the
lightning arrester system, measurements
must show a continuous
flow of electricity. The required
measuring points can be fastened
to the rebar with the Hilti X-BT, as

Engineering
Page 18
Stainless steel,
easy to set and
suitable for fastening
on a very thin base
material. The
Hilti X-BT threaded
stud underscored
its talents in the
construction of a
tram station roof
in the Swiss city
of Zurich.
with the connections for the lightning
arrester system.
Grounding electric
tools and equipment
The Hilti X-BT is also suitable for
grounding electrical tools and
equipment such as switching
boxes, gas detectors or pipes on oil
platforms and in industrial installations.
The ground cable is fastened to the
X-BT stud between two nuts. This
ensures the safe arresting of electricity
even in coated steel construction
without damaging the
corrosion protection. On oil platforms
and other installations that
are subject to aggressive environmental
influences, this translates
into a significant time advantage
versus welded grounding studs.
The fastening point alone is threeto-four
times faster to create compared
to welding, with all the additional
work involved such as
removing the coating. Added to
this, corrosion protection must be
reapplied once welding work is
completed. This can take anywhere
between two-to-four days, depending
on the required layers of protective
coating, before the grounding
cable can be completely
installed.
Technical data
Tests have proven the suitability of
the Hilti X-BT threaded stud as a
grounding stud.
Literature
For usage as a lightning arrester
tests were conducted according to
European standard EN 50164-1,
“Lightning protection components.
Requirements for connection
components,” in the labs of
Dehn + Söhne. In the tests the Hilti
X-BT was fastened to 8 mm-thick
rebar. The test on steel plates corresponds
to the typical fastening as
used in grounding electric equipment.
Two additional testing series were
carried out to monitor the suitability
of the X-BT stud for grounding
electric equipment. These highlighted
the differences between
continuous electricity, that the connection
must withstand, and a brief
electrical impulse. As representative
of the many possible requirements,
the tests took place according
to European and American
standards. In both cases the Hilti
X-BT was fastened to a steel plate
and the cable attached to the stud
with two nuts.
The German Technical Inspection
Association, TÜV, carried out the
continuous electricity test in accordance
with European standard IEC
60204-1:1997, “Safety of machinery.
Electrical equipment of machines.”
Underwriter Laboratories
Inc. conducted the electrical impulse
test in the USA according to
U.S. standard UL 467, “Standard
for Grounding and Bonding Equipment,”
and the corresponding
[1] Technical Report No. 70064671; TÜV Product Service, Test Center
Frankfurt, Germany; February 2004 (XE_04_15)
[2] UL Approval – File E257069; X-BT for Grounding and Bonding Equipment
according to UL 467 and CSA C22.2 No. 41; December 2005
(XE_06_24)
[3] Test Report No. CF-791; Dehn and Söhne, Neumarkt, Germany;
March 2006 (XE_06_31)

Magazine 2/2006
Engineering
Page 19
The Hilti X-BT grounds switch
boxes, pipes and gas detectors.
The stud is assembled on a
steel plate and the cable is fastened
between two nuts.
Canadian standard CSA C22.2
No.41. The results of these tests
and the corresponding test parameters
are summarized in the tables
at right. The UL approval, granted
on the basis of the UL tests, is available
on the UL Website: http://database.ul.com/cgi-bin/XYV/template/LISEXT/1FRAME/index.ht
m, UL file number: E257069.
The tests showed that the Hilti X-
BT threaded stud is suitable to
serve as a fastening point in lightning
arrester systems up to a current
of 50,000 amperes and can tolerate
continuous electricity for
grounding electrical equipment of
up to 60 amperes and up to an electrical
impulse of 1530 amperes
over six seconds. This places a
quick and precise fastening solution
that meets the highest requirements
for safety and corrosion
protection at the disposal of technicians.
Lightning arrester test
Connection point Class Imax Time
1
2
X-BT M10-24-6 SN12-R
Continuous current test
Connection point
X-BT M10-24-6 SN12-R
With cable between two nuts
Impulse test
On rebar with connecting
plate
On steel base material with
two nuts
Connection point Cable designation /
Cable type and size
1
2
X-BT M10-24-6 SN12-R /
X-BT W10-24-6 SN12-R
With cable between two nuts
Cable
Material
copper
copper
Size
_> 10 mm 2
_> 16 mm 2 Continuous
current
40 A
60 A
Maximum
temperature
49 °C
78 °C
3
/4 , 1 (21. 27 metric) /
copper 6 AWG (13.3 mm 2 )
3
/4 , 1 (21. 27 metric) /
aluminum 6 AWG (13.3 mm 2 )
N
N
50 kA
50 kA
Electrical current
t d _< 2 ms
t d _< 2 ms
Time
1530 A 6 Seconds
* Michael Siemers, Hilti Consulting
Engineer in the area of direct
fastening, is responsible for the
application technology. For additional
information please contact
michael.siemers@hilti.com

Interview
Page 20
The coming
dimensions of
construction
The construction industry is overcoming what is often though to be an unjustified
poor reputation. Today, construction means creating sustainable
values and including future economic aspects in the planning stages. In this
comprehensive view, construction requires looking at things from new
perspectives, research and new abilities. Ursula Trunz spoke with Dr. Hans-
Ulrich Litzner about this. As the Managing Director of the German Concrete
Society and General Manager of the German Builders Federation for technology,
technology policy and divisional policy, he’s a proven expert on the
branch in Europe.
Construction is by definition
three dimensional. In a poor joke
the three Ds stand for dirty, difficult
and dangerous. How can the
construction industry lose this
image?
Hans-Ulrich Litzner: A construction
engineer doesn’t merely walk
around a construction site in steeltoed
rubber boots. A construction
engineer creates unique specimens.
Additionally, his work is no
longer merely technical in nature.
Construction continues to develop
to where the entire lifetime scope
of a project must be taken into consideration.
How must a commercial
or residential building be created
to ensure that it uses as little
energy as possible during its lifetime
while keeping maintenance
costs low? The wild market, that is
solely fixated on the cost of con-
struction, doesn’t exist any more.
Construction therefore consists of
much more than finite elements.
We need to get this point across.
“Construction continues to
develop into something that
deserves lifetime consideration.”
This comprehensive view of construction
is also aimed at three
Ps: public, private, partnership.
In this business model the public
sphere transfers not only the
construction but also the operation
to private companies for a
certain period of time. The
private sector functions as a
system provider and investor
vis-à-vis the state and compensates
or overcompensates the
invested amount with an operation
that is as low-cost as possible.
PPP requires new capabilities.
Hans-Ulrich Litzner: The trend is
heading in the direction that the
customer, whether private or public,
only defines the framework,
leaving everything else to the
group carrying out the project. To
be successful within this model
one must also know something
about financing and maintenance
issues and project management, as
well as being fluent in foreign languages
while having very high social
abilities. These and other socalled
soft skills must be highly
developed. The professional environment
of the construction engineer
and his training are changing
greatly.
Speaking of private enterprise
as a system provider, one would
imagine that research has a central
role.
Hans-Ulrich Litzner: We really do
have to develop new technologies
and find solutions, for example,
for the interface between rough
construction work and the technical
outfitting of a building. Today,
rough construction contributes
about 20-to-30 percent of added
value while the remaining building
manufacturing costs are on the

Magazine 2/2006
Interview
Page 21
Hans-Ulrich Litzner: “The type of wild market solely fixated on the cost of construction no longer exists.
Construction is therefore made up of much more than finite elements.”

Interview
Page 22
Photos: Pia Zanetti
“The question of how buildings can be constructed to withstand terrorist
attacks is also one of interest in today’s world.”
technical side. The construction
engineer is challenged to develop
corresponding systems with other
specialists. Private enterprise is
challenged as a whole.
According to the so-called Lisbon
Agreement of 2000, the nations of
the European Union should spend
three percent of their Gross Domestic
Product on research. Onethird
of this amount comes from
the state and the rest from private
enterprise. The construction industry,
as an important economic sector
in Europe, should also profit
from this. As a result of the Lisbon
Agreement the European Union’s
seventh framework program for research
and technological development
will begin in January 2007.
Up until 2013 the program will
“We must learn to build
differently. I see a great need
for research.”
spend some 40 billion euro on the
overall economy. We, the German
and the European construction industries,
want to take advantage
of this and move ahead of the US
and Japan. In doing so we want to
play to our strengths of performance
and quality.
To meet these goals the European
Construction Technology Platform
(ECTP) was founded in 2004 and it,
in turn, generated a strategic research
agenda. The ECTP has the
task of defining future-oriented
research projects and forming associated
consortiums together with
the European construction industry.
This also offers a chance to manufacturers
of high-tech products.
What are the trends in
research?
Hans-Ulrich Litzner: Clear application
research. The collapse of
several buildings last winter has
raised the issue of stability. Other
examples for important research
topics are how buildings use energy,
construction involving existing
buildings or fire safety in tunnels.
The question of how buildings
must be constructed to withstand
terrorist attacks is also one of interest
in today’s world. We have to
learn how to build differently and,
once again, shift our way of thinking
so that we do not merely look at
a construction material but at an entire
building when we think of a
product. Today construction is
streamlined but I’m convinced that
in the future greater robustness will
be in demand. Additionally, how do
we deal with climate and environmental
changes or with the increasing
frequency of flooding and
earthquakes? As I mentioned at the
outset of our discussion, the topic
of durability also requires a different
way of thinking. I see a tremendous
need for research.
If we speak of durability and
sustainability we must also include
the environment.
Hans-Ulrich Litzner: Environmental
protection is a hot topic. Subjecting
construction workers to sil-

Magazine 2/2006
Interview
Page 23
ica dust or vibrations caused by
tools are real issues. If the permissible
levels of silica dust are significantly
lowered, construction according
to what are now normal
methods will no longer be possible
because there is no natural construction
material that doesn’t contain
this material.
Ecological sustainability includes
the longevity of the building, possibilities
for renovation and dismantling
and the recycling of materials.
I believe there is still much
to be done, particularly in light of
the fact that people in Germany, for
And this means…?
Hans-Ulrich Litzner: We have to
get subsequent generations interested
in construction. In 1995
there were 12,500 students in Germany
who registered to study construction
engineering. This was
immediately after reunification
and Germany experienced a significant
boom. In 2005, the number
of students in their first semester
of construction engineering
was 5,000. But it will get worse.
According to our statistics, about
half of the students drop out. But
the career of a construction engineer
has never been more exciting.
And the construction industry in
Germany has developed standards
for teaching the broad-based
knowledge that is needed in today’s
construction industry.
“The profession of construction
engineer, is more exciting now
than ever.”
example view the environment and
its protection as their third most
significant problem.
Construction is becoming more
complex through this comprehensive
view while the actual
competence on the construction
site is decreasing…
Hans-Ulrich Litzner: The confidence
and optimism that formerly
prevailed on construction sites,
that the people there would fix
whatever needed fixing, is no
longer valid. We have to develop
construction processes and materials
that are functional and easy to
use by people who have more limited
qualifications. Take self-compacting
concrete for example. It is
sensitive and needs twice as much
effort as normal, vibrated concrete.
So there is a substantial requirement
for improvement here as
well.
Having a passion for construction.
How and where did you
discover this passion?
Hans-Ulrich Litzner: I also experienced
a construction boom in the
years following the Second World
War. In the 50s and 60s cranes
were seen everywhere in Germany.
When I studied in Aachen, I made
calculations under Professor Jürgen
Kammenhuber for the Felsenau
Bridge in Bern, Switzerland,
which was designed by Christian
Menn. That bridge and its dimensions
were the things that once
and for all awakened my fascination!
“We have to develop construction processes and materials
that are functional and easy to use by people who have more
limited qualifications.”

Innovation
Page 24
18 volts in top form
The new cordless hammer drill/driver
and drill/driver from Hilti impress through
their incredible power and unequalled
efficiency
Through ceiling
and wall
It pays to know the exit point. A completely
new system, the Hilti PX 10 transpointer, gives
construction professionals a real inside view.
Suitable for
all wall or ceiling
penetrations.
The Hilti PX 10
transpointer.
For powerful hammer drilling in masonry and lightweight concrete.
The Hilti SFH 181-A cordless hammer drill/driver.
Capable of tackling countless
jobs ranging from
hammer drilling to fast hole-sawing
in wood and metal or highspeed
drilling in sheet metal or
wood, these powerful new tools
are, of course, also ideal for driving
large-diameter screws. They
even make short work of heavy,
repetitive drilling work in wood.
Delivering the highest torque and
best speed in the 18-volt class, the
Hilti SFH 181-A cordless hammer
drill/driver sets the standard
for drilling in brick, masonry and
cellular concrete as well as demanding
screwdriving work. Its
new high-performance motor and
highly efficient 3-speed planetary
gearing ensure optimum performance
in each demanding application.
Almost identical in design and
lacking only the hammer drilling
function, the Hilti SF 181-A
is a thoroughbred cordless drill/
driver. Offering a torque of up
to 12 Nm, finely adjustable in
15 increments, this tool knows
virtually no limits in countless
applications. Despite this high
torque, it can be gripped and controlled
safely by its adjustable
side handle. Featuring a sturdy
glass-fiber reinforced, impactresistant
casing.
The unique system consists of
a transmitter and receiver. It
is capable of transferring reference
points through concrete or masonry
walls having a thickness of
up to 1.35 meters (4.4 ft) while also
giving an accurate reading of the
wall thickness. One knows in advance
the position of the drill bit
exit point and can also determine
the suitable drill bit type and
length.
This new and handy system is suitable
for penetrations of all walls
and floors. In many situations,
overhead drilling becomes completely
unnecessary because, after
transposing the hole-starting point
from the desired exit point on the
opposite side, the hole can be
drilled from the side that’s most
convenient to work from.
The transmitter is attached to the
surface at the reference point with
the special adhesive putty supplied.
The receiver can then be
used to find the target point on the
opposite side of the floor or wall
within seconds. A practical point
for diamond professionals: the
unique oblique drilling adapter allows
the drill bit exit point or holestarting
point to be determined for
a given angle or, alternatively, the
required drilling angle to be determined
for a given drill bit exit point
or hole-starting point.
Core drilling is much easier from above than from below.
The transpointer transfers the reference point to the other side.

Magazine 2/2006
Innovation
Page 25
Cordless
technology
Hilti Cordless Power Care brings lithium-ion technology to the next level.
The advantages: greater capacity, more performance and a longer lifetime
for mobile professional use.
Inside Hilti CPC high-tech, outside a battery housing strengthened with fiberglass components. The TE 7-A
rotary hammer, SID 144-A impact screwdriver and WSC 70-A36 hand-held circular saw.
Lithium ion technology (Liion)
is no stranger to the
commercial arena. Until now, however,
systems from the household
and home working areas were
largely the focus of this technology.
But for the professional with
specific demands, Li-ion technology
was not always able to keep the
promises it made..
Hilti has designed a new Li-ion
standard with Cordless Power Care
(CPC). This ensures all of the outstanding
characteristics of the new
battery technology even under the
most distressful construction site
conditions – coupled with the legendary
Hilti durability.
CPC monitors each individual cell
electronically. This is unique to the
market and particularly significant.
During charging, each cell
finds itself in a different condition
and must therefore be protected individually
to prevent deep discharge,
overcharging and overheating.
This is the only way to ensure
optimal long-term usage and care
for the entire system. For long-lasting,
cordless performance.
The universal Li-ion charger from
Hilti charges all CPC batteries in
the rapidly-expanding product
portfolio. This already includes
the TE 6-A and TE 7-A cordless
rotary hammers, the SID-144-A
impact screwdriver,
the WSC 70-A36
hand-held circular
saw as
well as the SFH
181-A cordless
hammer drill/
driver and the
SF 181-A cordless
drill/driver (more on
these two tools in the article
on the opposing page). As one
would expects from Hilti, the Lifetime
Service not only applies to all
tools, but also for all CPC system
batteries and chargers.
Power source:
the C 4/36-ACS charger for
all Hilti CPC tools.

Innovation
Page 26
Complete measuring
technology
With a slew of new precision tools Hilti is expanding its measuring
technology portfolio for large customers and thereby positioning itself in
this segment as a complete provider.
Getting everything in flow. Substantial working and self-leveling range in spite of the compact format. The new Hilti PP 10 and PP 11 pipe lasers.
Exact formwork alignment by a single person. One of many advantages of the Hilti PR 28 dual slope laser.
The Hilti PP 10 pipe laser emits
a red beam, and the Hilti PP 11
a green beam, to ensure better
visibility when working in
broad daylight.
Hilti’s first generation of pipe
lasers begins with two models
that are primarily different in
the wave length of their respective
laser beams. The Hilti PP 10 emits
a red laser beam while the Hilti PP
11 provides better daylight visibility
thanks to its up to four times
brighter green laser. The compact
electronic pipe lasers feature an
impressive working and self-leveling
range, an attribute of great advantage
when setting up, transferring
and checking heights in the
horizontal and inclined planes.
The PR 28 dual-slope, diode-type
laser is designed to increase efficiency
and simplify tasks such as
setting out, transferring heights
and checking alignment in the horizontal
and inclined planes. Using
buttons on the control panel, the
desired inclination can be set to an
accuracy of three decimal places.
With a range of up to 350 meters
(1148 ft) radius, the tool is ideal
for many applications such as
checking excavation work and
landscaping, machine controlling
or aligning concrete formwork.
By expanding the product range to
include pipe and dual-slope laser
tools, Hilti has completed its comprehensive
measuring technology
product range. This range includes
the unique-to-the-industry Hilti
PT 10 quick check device that
allows the customer to check their
Hilti leveling and alignment tools
for accuracy at the touch of a
button.

Magazine 2/2006
Innovation
Page 27
Convincing a
skeptical professional
Keep the professional performance high while
pushing down costs is a commandment as
old as the construction industry itself. Despite
this, the drywall installation professional
swears by using single screws. Only one thing
can help here: the new Hilti SMD 57 screw
magazine must find its way into the hands of
the user.
Hilti salesperson Mike Sessa
is not easily deterred. The
things that he gets excited about
and finds convincing will also do
the same for the customer. “The
initial customer reaction is generally
refusal,” he says. “The have
had no time for a demonstration,
and certainly not for one involving
a magazine system for drywall
screws. But when they experience
the new Hilti SMD 57 system in
action they are generally speechless.”
This is how it was for Dan Roscoe
of Mesquite Interiors in San Antonio,
Texas. Initially skeptical, at the
end of day he didn’t want to return
the test magazine. He estimates his
gain in productivity to be between
35 and 45 percent. While single
screws remain less expensive,
magazined screws reduce working
Hilti’s Mike Sessa convinced drywall professionals Dan Roscoe and
Ben Escobedo (from left) to use the screw magazine.
costs by a much higher factor. Together
with the simultaneously
launched Hilti SD 5000 and Hilti
SD 2500 drywall screw fasteners,
this forms a strong screw system
that makes possible a very fast
pace for screw setting. .
The machine for anchor holes
Whether for long periods of
demanding drilling or
light chiseling work, the new Hilti
TE 7-C rotary hammer is the frontrunner
in the lightweight class. Exceptionally
high-impact hammering
energy and an ergonomic
design combine to create the impressive
professional tool customers
have come to expect from
Hilti. A bundle of energy that is
less tiring in overhead applications,
it provides high-torque drilling in
wood and steel and is perfect for
drilling in sensitive environments
when using the DRS universal
dust-removal module.
The Hilti TE 7-C rotary
hammer is efficient and less
tiring when working on
overhead applications.

Hilti. Outperform. Outlast.