Pathfinder, the slurry tunnel boring machine. [Photo/IC]

Pathfinder, a world-leading slurry tunnel boring machine (TBM), rolled off the production line at China Railway Equipment's base in Xiaoshan district, Hangzhou on Jan 27.

Developed jointly by the China Railway Tunnel Bureau and China Railway Equipment, the machine is hailed as the first TBM with super large diameter. It can use exceedingly high water pressure to dig very long distances at extreme depths.

The machine will be deployed for the construction of the Chongming Island-Taicang Yangtze River Tunnel, a key project on the Shanghai-Chongqing-Chengdu High-Speed Railway, boasting the largest and longest high-speed rail tunnel currently under construction in China. It will significantly contribute to the development of the "Yangtze River Delta on Rails."

Pathfinder boasts a 15.4-meter excavation diameter and a total length of about 128 m. It has overcome key technological challenges and is equipped with innovative technologies such as an automatic assembly system, enhancing the overall intelligence of the system and human-machine experience.

Pathfinder, the slurry tunnel boring machine. [Photo/xsnet.cn]