Koppers Has Released Our 2024 Annual Report
Spotlight
Employee-Driven Utility Innovation
September 22, 2023
The Corporate Innovation Team recently accepted an iShare idea for Thor pole testing, submitted by Tommy Hedgepath, Koppers Utility Services (KUS) Business Development Manager.
What is Thor? 🔨Thor is a non-destructive timber pole testing system that assesses strength and serviceability of an entire pole from tip to base in a single test by using an impulse hammer.
How does it work? ⚙️
1. An impulse hammer generates and measures the force of strikes imparted into the pole while a geophone detects and measures the stress wave data as it travels from tip to base of the pole.
2. Thor assesses the data produced by the impulse hammer and the algorithm then analyzes the data from the hammer and geophone and calculates a pole health index (PHI) and foundation health index (FHI).
Why it matters 👷
1. Reduces harm to employees by eliminating manual sounding with a hammer.
2. Utilizes new technology, automation and data tracking in support of sustainability and long-term growth for KUS.
3. Provides objective assessment of the remaining strength of a utility pole.
Thank you to Tommy Hedgepath and the KUS team for this innovative idea and continuing to make process improvements at Koppers!