The first prototype of the penetrometer that over the years would become Pagani's best seller - TG 63 - was created 30 years ago. The versatility and high quality of this product have promoted its large-scale diffusion, so much so that the majority of operators in the sector have been able to use or see it at work.
Pagani Geotechnical Equipment, achieving such an important anniversary is a stimulus towards continuous innovation, necessary to guarantee the continuity of our products. This gave rise to the idea of developing a filter, available on corporate social media channels, that, by exploiting augmented reality, allows you to visualise TG 63 in a virtual way, interacting with it to better understand its dimensions and mobility. Last but not least, we decided to dedicate the first company video concept to our most popular model, the thirty-year-old TG 63.
TG 63 (2019)
TG 63 (1991)
A model born
to solve on-site issues
TG63 was born in 1991, after 12 long years of research and field observation that the founder of the company, Ermanno Pagani, carried out working directly alongside the technicians. And it is precisely from the synergy between the dialogue with the operators and the owner's intuitive visionaries that this penetrometer came to be, bearing a crucial innovation for the on-site geotechnical research sector. Indeed, the TG 63 has made it possible to solve many of the problems that limited the dissemination of static tests, still considered to be among the most valid for soil and subsoil interpretation.
We asked him to tell us how the idea came about: «I took the first steps in this area in the very early 1980s. I had already developed some machines that had aroused the interest and appreciation of several operators, but I was struggling to sell them. I therefore decided to bring my machines for geotechnical surveys to the construction sites, where geologists carried out the tests, to learn what they actually needed on site.»
This is how, from the first model - TG 73 - TG 63 was born, a newly designed penetrometer, capable of guaranteeing the same performance, but in a much smaller and lighter (and therefore more manageable) machine.
«TG 73 was a good device, but also very cumbersome: you needed a truck to transport it. This entailed high costs and difficulty in reaching certain sites, so it greatly limited the audience of potential users. TG 63, on the other hand, could be transported with a van that could be driven with a regular license, even in historic centres or in isolated and inaccessible areas, and although it was cheaper, compact and lighter, it maintained most of the functions and productivity of the larger model.
Thanks to all these qualities, TG 63 was immediately a great commercial success and also marked a turning point for our business.»
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TG 63-100 dynamic
TG 63-100 static/dynamic
Today, TG 63 is available in two petrol or diesel models - TG 63-100 (picture 1) and TG 63-150 (picture 2) - with static only, dynamic only or both static and dynamic configurations, plus a wide range of accessories to further expand machine capability.
Over time, TG 63's quality and high performance, combined with its versatility and small size, have led it to become the icon of Pagani Geotechnical Equipment. Precisely for this reason, in the last 30 years, we have continued to invest in continuous machine evolution, without forgetting the needs of the technicians who, since its inception, have characterized its affirmation at an international level.
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TG 63-150 static
TG 63-150 static/dynamic
Designed to be
used by a single operator
The human factor and the desire to make the technician's work more comfortable, have always been at the base of Pagani Geotechnical Equipment research.
In fact, TG 63 can be used by a single operator; thanks to its lightweight and small size, transport has been considerably simplified, while the choice of making the penetrometer on a crawler trolley allows the technician to move easily within the work area, even on the most marshy terrain. Lastly, the in-line anchoring system, necessary to obtain sufficient reaction during static tests, allows the operator to fix the machine in a few, intuitive and simple steps.
The ability to adapt
anywhere
In 2017, we participated in a project promoted by NGI, the Norwegian Geotechnical Institute; several manufacturers were asked to carry out penetrometric tests in various Norwegian sites, and to compare the different results, for land research and characterization purposes.
One of these sites was located in Svalbard, and Pagani Geotechnical Equipment was the only manufacturer to show up for that test; our TG 63 was used to perform a static penetrometric test in collaboration with UNIS (The University Centre in Svalbard).
The analysis made it possible to identify, for the first time, the geotechnical characteristics even in permafrost, providing very important data for the advancement of scientific and technical research.
This result is a source of pride for us, practical evidence of the machine's potential, the result of all the years of work we invested in it, and also an incentive to continue on the path of innovation that has always distinguished us, making our products cutting-edge and competitive on the market.
Penetrometer TG 63 during the tests in Svalbard
Today we celebrate a 30-year-long success, together with all our customers, research centres and all the people who have made it possible.