A rotary piling rig's productivity ranges from 4 to 30 piles per day depending on diameter, depth, soil type and operator skill. In soft soil with 0.8meterdiameter piles at a depth of 15 m, a SANY SR285R achieves more than 25 piles per day; in rock with Ø2.0 m piles at 40 m depth, productivity drops to 46 piles per day. This article breaks down the factors, compares productivity by machine type and teaches you to calculate the real output of your foundation front in 2026.

1. Introducción

Asking “how many piles per day can a piling rig produce?” is like asking “how many kilometers can a truck travel?”: the answer depends on load, terrain and the driver. Still, there are real ranges every site manager should know to plan schedules and costs.

In 2026, with contracts indexed to delay penalties, knowing the real productivity of a SANY SR-series rig is decisive. As a supplier of this equipment, we share the field data we use to size foundation fleets, always within ACI 318 tolerances and ASTM D1143 load tests.

Critical Decision 2026

Underestimating productivity by 20 percent can delay foundation‑construction work by several full weeks. Using our free productivity sheet for SANY equipment avoids promising impossible deadlines to the client.

2. Factors That Affect Productivity

2.1 Diameter, depth and soil

The time required for each pile increases with the square of the pile diameter and also with pile depth. A 0.8 m pile at 15 m in clay takes 25-35 minutes; a 2.0 m pile at 40 m in rock takes 3-5 hours. Soil is the dominant factor.

In loose sand and gravel, the requirement for stabilizing mud and casing extends work cycles. In rock, frequent tool change and cutting speed set the pace.SANY records these cycle times within its soilspecific cycletime library.

2.2 Operator, logistics and weather

An experienced operator delivers 20-30 percent higher productivity than an untrained operator, thanks to reduced idle time when changing augers and correcting verticality. Concrete‑supply logistics (trucks, concrete pumps) are usually the bottleneck, rather than the machine itself.

Heavy rain, wind on the mast and short shifts cut real output. Planning using a 7080 percent utilization factor helps prevent unexpected schedulesetbacks.

Condition	Time/pile	Piles/day (8 h)
Ø0.8 m, 15 m, clay	25-35 min	14-19
Ø1.2 m, 25 m, sand	50-70 min	7-10
Ø1.5 m, 30 m, gravel	90-130 min	4-5
Ø2.0 m, 40 m, rock	180-300 min	2-3

 

3. Productivity by Piling Rig Type

3.1 SANY SR-series rotary rig

The SR285R delivers 8-25 piles/day in mid ranges; The higher‑torque SR405R maintains good performance in hard soils where smaller‑capacity machines would stall. On mixedcondition job sites, units from the SRseries achieve an average of 1018 piles per day.SANY‑supplied telemetry allows you to compare actual output against standard cycle‑time benchmarks and identify operator‑related deviations or tool wear before they impact the project schedule.

3.2 CFA and hammer

Continuousflightauger (CFA) rigs can achieve 2040 piles per day in cohesive soils because they do not require casing. Pilehammer equipment can drive 3080 piles per day for shortpile screeningtype work, yet it is only suitable for shallow precast piles.

Each system has its niche: the rotary dominates large, deep piles; CFA and hammer win on cadence of small elements. Misapplying the wrong equipment type will skew schedule‑calculation results.

Equipment	Piles/day range	Best for
SR285R	8-25	Mid piles, mixed soil
SR405R	6-20	Large Ø and rock
CFA continuous	20-40	Cohesive, urban
Hammer	30-80	Short prefabricated

 

4. How to Calculate Real Productivity

4.1 The base formula

Piles per day = (usable working hours × 60) ÷ time consumed per pile. Usable working hours equal the length of the 8hour shift multiplied by the utilization factor (0.75 is typical).

You must add the time for rebar‑cage assembly, concreting, and auger replacement to the drilling‑time value. Neglecting these auxiliary‑work cycles is the most frequent mistake when committing to project deadlines.

4.2 Numerical example

Project example: 120 piles with Ø1.2 m diameter and 25 m depth, located in sandy soil. SANY standard cycletime: 60 minutes. With a 0.75 utilizationfactor and a 10hour shift: (10 × 60 × 0.75) ÷ 60 = 7.5 piles per day.For 120 piles, one SR285R needs about 16 shifts.

If the soil transitions to gravel starting from a depth of 15 m, the cycletime rises to 90 minutes, and the required schedule extends to 24 workshifts. This is why a geotechnical soil investigation is indispensable for these calculations.

Variable	Example value	Effect
Shift (h)	10	Calculation base
Utilization factor	0.75	Subtracts 25% for surprises
Time/pile (min)	60	Sets the rate
Piles/day	7.5	Result

 

5. How to Maximize Productivity

5.1 Prepare logistics and tooling

Arrange advance supply of rebar cages and concrete so that the rig does not sit idle waiting for materials. Select a concrete pump whose output matches the rig’s working‑flow requirements. A set of well‑sharpened auger bits can shorten drilling‑cycle time when working in rock formations.

5.2 Train and monitor

Operate the rig with experienced personnel, and review telemetry data daily to correct cycle-time deviations.Strict adherence to preventive-maintenance procedures prevents long-hour downtimes that can wipe out multiple days of project progress.

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Want to know how many piles per day YOUR machine will make in YOUR soil? Send us the soil report and schedule. Our engineers simulate productivity free of charge. WhatsApp +86 195 7293 2608.

Hybrid‑Equipment Combination

When a job site includes both large structural piles and smaller auxiliary piles, deploy an SR rotary rig for structural piles alongside a CFA rig for smaller piles. Overall output improves because each machine operates within its optimal working envelope in parallel.

1. Use utilization factor 0.75: the theoretical 8-10 h are rarely 100% productive.

2. Add auxiliary cycles (cage, concrete, auger change) to time per pile.

3. Fine-tune per-soil time with SANY's cycle library, not generic averages.

4. Avoid the concrete pump becoming the bottleneck: size flow to the rate.

5. Review telemetry daily: a cycle deviation caught early saves the schedule.

6. Preguntas Frecuentes

P1: How many piles does a piling rig make per day?

From 4 to 30 depending on diameter, depth and soil. In soft clay with Ø0.8 m piles at 15 m depth, an SR285R achieves over 25 piles per day; in rock with Ø2.0 m piles at 40 m depth, productivity falls to 46 piles per day.

P2: Which soil gives most productivity?

Soft clay and stable cohesive soils: 25-40 min. Rock and dense gravel can multiply required cycletime by a factor of 510. The use of stabilizing mud and casing within sandy‑soil conditions also extends work cycles.

P3: Is the SR405R faster than the SR285R?

In hard soil and large diameters, yes, because it does not stall. In soft soil the difference is small and the SR285R is cheaper per pile.

P4: Does the operator matter much?

Yes: an experienced operator yields 20-30% more through less dead time changing tools and correcting verticality. Training pays for itself.

P5: How do I calculate my piles per day?

Piles/day = (useful hours x 60) / time per pile. Useful hours = shift x 0.75. Add cage and concrete cycles to time per pile.

P6: Does weather affect it?

Heavy rain and wind on the mast cut output; that is why a 0.70-0.80 utilization factor is used in planning.

P7: Is CFA faster than rotary?

For small cohesive piles, yes (20-40/day). For large or deep piles, the SR rotary is superior in total output and quality.

P8: Does SANY give real field data?

Yes. SANY shares the per-soil cycle library and the free productivity sheet to size fleets with field data, not estimates.

7. Conclusión

A piling rig's productivity is not a fixed number: it swings between 4 and 30 piles daily by diameter, depth, soil and operator. Whoever plans with real ranges and an honest utilization factor delivers on time and within budget.

In 2026, telemetry built into SANY SRseries rotary piling rigs transforms subjective guesswork into measurable data: every piledrilling operation is logged, allowing accurate productivity forecasting.That control is the difference between promising and delivering.

Free Personalized Advice

Our engineers simulate your foundation front's productivity with real field data. Request your free productivity sheet on WhatsApp +86 195 7293 2608.