We at PIKA take great pride in the cutting-edge technologies we have developed, engineered, and implemented. This is one of the many reasons our clients come to us with their complex remediation problems, particularly in the areas of decontamination and removal of explosive and radiological contamination. PIKA’s proven development and implementation of cold-cutting technologies, construction material recovery and reduction, and range management and scrap processing systems set us apart from our competition. PIKA also developed, designed, implemented, and currently has a patent pending on a new process termed the Thermal Convection System (TCS) that enables us to decontaminate and render safe explosively contaminated buildings and equipment by desensitizing and decontaminating the volatile compounds at a molecular level.
In addition to developing our own technologies, PIKA also works with other companies to test and develop innovative applications. For example, the Defense Ammunition Center asked PIKA to assist them in a technology transfer program with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories to test and implement the thin layer chromatography (TLC) application to detect the amount of stabilizer remaining in propellants.
This technology system analyzes the percent remaining effective stabilizer (%RES) in any Diphenylamine (DPA), 2-Nitrodiphenylamine (2NDPA), Ethyl Centralite (EC) and Akardite II (AKII) stabilized propellant formulation. It accurately characterizes all propellant stabilizer compounds and nitrate decomposition products. The system has been validated by the U.S. Army Defense Ammunition Center (DAC), endorsed by the Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC) Army Propellant Surveillance Laboratory (APSL), and is pending the endorsement of the Joint Propellant Safety Surveillance Board, for use in screening solid propellants not in the active stockpile (e.g. third party assets and demil assets). The system is ready for fielding.
PIKA owns and operates a car bottom mobile flashing furnace, or thermal treatment unit, PIKA requested that the manufacturer fabricate the flashing furnace to be a scaled-down version, allowing the unit to be trailer-mounted for field applications, or installed in a fixed location. This system allows for the safe recycling of munitions debris and range debris from the MEC removal projects.
per cycle and 4-5 cycles per day.
PIKA employs a cold cutting technology using a remotely operated high-pressure, low-volume water jet cutter to safely disassemble and dismantle potentially dangerous high explosives components. With an operating pressure of between 5,000 to 55,000 psi, the water mixed with very fine abrasives easily cuts through high-strength piping and explosive production vessels. PIKA owns and operates a 55-260DXS Jet Edge, ultra-high pressure waterjet system, which can be used for water jet cutting and cleaning applications.
PIKA has pioneered the use of innovative technologies and approaches associated with the Desensitization of Explosives-contaminated Buildings and Equipment. Desensitization of explosives using the TCS can be safely accomplished by generating a clean, constant, and regulated heat source between 200,000 and 135,000,000 Btu’s utilizing liquid propane, natural gas, or fuel oil and introducing it into a structure and its internal components. PIKA’s TCS allows the operator to thermally neutralize the explosive residue in and around equipment, surfaces and buildings 
with minimal disruption to the structure or its contents. When used correctly in conjunction with the appropriate Quality Assurance/Quality Control QA/QC confirmation checks, the PIKA TCS will render the risk acceptable for standard disassembly and demolition of equipment and structures.
The cost of disposing of concrete from D&D projects is often more than the cost of demolishing the facility. Employing concrete crushing and recycling technologies can reduce the cost of the overall project, allow for the safe recyclying of construction materials, and provide a reusable product for our clients. PIKA works closely with clients to meet their specific program objectives, including environmental restoration, waste minimization, and recycling goals.
The concrete crusher has the ability to sort and segregate steel from the concrete allowing both materials to be recycled separately with greatest flexibility and the highest return for recycling efforts. 
PIKA has pioneered the use of innovative technologies and approaches associated with Range Management Systems. These technologies have played a key role in improving safety, minimizing waste, and reducing overall project costs. There currently are numerous active, inactive, transferred, transferring, and closed military ranges that may contain or be affected by MEC. Working with clients to define project goals, PIKA has developed proprietary technology and methods used for the inspection and sorting of MEC and range and munitions debris that could include mixed metals scrap and/or soil.
PIKA has developed a proven process of inspecting, demilitarizing, and certifying munitions and range debris as safe. Munitions Debris presents an imminent danger to the general public, contractors, and private businesses when it is not properly inspected, certified, and disposed. PIKA uses a proven and established process for Range Management:
PIKA has pioneered the use of innovative technologies and approaches associated with soil remediation technologies. PIKA has in-depth experience and expertise in the selection of physical, chemical, and biological methods for both above- and below-ground treatment, allowing facilities to maintain full operations during performance of remediation activities. As a company that specializes in firm fixed price contracts, PIKA works with clients to determine the most appropriate and cost-effective technologies to meet clients’ project and regulatory requirements.
In the D&D of buildings containing high explosives, it is critical to know if there are raw explosives in piping and equipment. Non-intrusive inspection with a borescope has helped PIKA reduce safety risks and has accelerated high explosive characterization, decontamination and demolition. Safety is PIKA's top priority, be it worker safety or the safety and health of the public and PIKA’s borescope technology has proven to safeguard both.
The Flat Pack SeeSnake features a 1.2-inch camera head with 24 infrared LEDs for superior illumination; a 100-foot push cable that travels deep inside pipes; and a unique, stainless steel, tapered spring for maneuverability through traps and connections. PIKA’s Flat Pack SeeSnake comes witha color camera. The Flat Pack allows quick and easy viewing of inside pipes and equipment to determine the exact location of any residual explosive and/or explosive dust.
PIKA designs and builds custom robotics and computer controlled, remotely operated systems for the safe excavation and remediation of high hazard materials. Robotic and remotely operated equipment provide an extra level of safety during MEC retrieval as well as the excavation of radioactive material and unknown chemical agents. As a safe efficient and cost-effective alternative to manual cleanup, PIKA designs, builds, and operates systems that remove personnel from the immediate area of danger and increase productivity in high risk environments.
PIKA personnel have the capability to retrofit, design and build heavy equipment excavators and loaders with robotic controls for remote and safe-distance work. MEC can include anti-personnel mines and raw explosives which are not readily detected with standard MEC detection techniques such as magnetometers. During remote operations, EOD technicians would provide continuous monitoring using remote high-resolution cameras. To address smaller MEC not readily visible through the cameras, they would use a remote-controlled mobile sifter to process the stockpiled soil after a detailed MEC inspection.
PIKA has safely and cost effectively dismantled and decontaminated hundreds of pieces of high explosive (HE) process equipment and piping using several methods with particular use and focus on the Army-approved method of utilizing specially shaped and strategically placed charges. Specially designed explosive charges are often used to desensitize, disassemble and decontaminate explosive process equipment and piping. PIKA’s highly trained experts have extensive knowledge of explosives and process equipment design explosive shape charges to provide just enough explosive energy to severe the piping and the process equipment.
PIKA employs special shaped-explosive charges that apply the science of physics to surgically cut the appropriate materials. Shape charges are specifically designed on a project-by-project basis, taking into consideration the type of piping, dimensions, thickness of steel, length, configuration of equipment and types and amounts of residual explosives. A minimum number of grams of explosives