Challenges in Developing Tailored Technologies – The EURODRILL RHP15 Case Study
When a customer from Singapore approached EURODRILL in 2014 with a request for a solution that did not yet exist on the market, it marked the beginning of an ambitious development project. The required drilling head system needed to deliver approximately 70 rpm and 150 kNm of torque—performance levels that, at the time, could only have been achieved by hydraulically and mechanically coupling both heads of the existing VDW 1005 drilling system. However, such an approach didn’t meet EURODRILL’s standards for advanced engineering solutions. Cooling limitations at these performance levels, as well as unfavorable size and cost implications, made this solution impractical.
The breakthrough came from EURODRILL’s engineering team with the idea of integrating even more hydraulic motors onto a single gearbox housing.
This concept laid the foundation for a completely new class of drilling heads. The new technology enabled a remark-able power input of up to 640 kW, combined with an exceptionally wide speed and torque range (up to 150 kNm and 69 rpm). The RHP15 was born.
Shortly thereafter, EURODRILL secured one of the largest orders in its history, including ten drilling heads, five of which were RHP15 drilling heads. The prototype underwent extensive field testing at the customer’s site in Singapore in late summer 2014. To
this day, these units remain in operation, each having accumulated approximately 15,000 operating hours on average, with minimal need for spare parts.
Driven by growing market demand and increasingly demanding applications, the RHP concept was continuously refined in the following years. Various motor configurations were implemented to increase both torque and rotation speed.
A research project initiated in Turkey in 2016 by Iksa, the first company to introduce DSM (Deep Soil Mixing) technology in the country, further confirmed market demand. Local civil engineers analyzed the relationship between soil conditions and the mixing performance required for DSM applica tions. They determined that a minimum rotation speed of 80 rpm is necessary to ensure effective mixing quality and process efficiency. As a result, this value has been established as a standard requirement in Turkish DSM tenders and represents a significant barrier to entry for drilling equipment suppliers.
Hakan Cevik from DEL-MAK Muhendislik. MAD. MAK. LTD, EURODRILL’s Turkish dealer, commented:
“The RHP15 was at that time—and still is today—the only drilling head on the market capable of fully meeting these combined performance requirements, making it a decisive factor in enabling market entry and competitive-ness in Turkey’s DSM sector.”
A significant milestone was reached in 2022 with the introduction of the 160 VGS system, launched at BAUMA 2022. This system features a shiftable planetary gearbox combined with an axial piston motor. As a result, maxi-mum performance has increased to approximately 170 kNm and up to 110 rpm. In addition, the new design eliminates the need for external gearbox oil cooling.
In response to continued market demand, the RHP15 concept has been further expanded and now covers a performance range from 50 kNm to 328 kNm (RHP5 to RHP30). Applications extend from deep soil mixing projects in Asia to major infrastructure developments such as airport construction in Istanbul, as well as specialist foundation engineering projects in North America.
Hakan Cevik adds regarding daily operation: “In daily operations, the most impressive aspect is the system’s ability to deliver maximum productivity on site. The combination of high speed and high torque enables the transmission of high hydraulic power, resulting in extremely efficient production rates and very fast mixing cycles.
This translates directly into high daily output. As a result, the system ensures strong overall performance on the construction site, both in terms of productivity and reliability. In Turkey, EURODRILL has effectively become the name for Deep Soil Mixing.”
With around 100 units delivered to date, the RHP15 has established itself as a field-proven solution. Its development exemplifies how a highly specific project requirement can lead to the creation of an entirely new class of drilling heads.
Productdetail RHP15
GeoDrilling International - July-August 2026
