The spray manipulator vehicle (SMF) was specially developed for the storage of radioactive waste in the former Konrad ore mine. It was developed in co-operation with the Federal Company for Final Disposal (BGE) and is subject to strict guidelines and requirements in accordance with the Atomic Energy and Disposal Sites Act.

The main task of the SMF is to use its spray manipulator arm to create bulkheads (backfill walls) from shotcrete and thus completely fill the spaces behind them, approx. 7 x 6 m (width x height).

The vehicle is articulated and has an unladen weight of 48.8 tonnes. It consists of a front and a rear vehicle, each with a cabin that is specially shielded against ionising radiation. The front cabin can be raised by 1,695 millimetres using a lifting unit, while the rear cabin is rigid. The required building material is transported from the rear to the front of the spray manipulator arm via a concrete pump, and the spraying process itself is carried out electrically. Cameras are mounted on the vehicle for good all-round visibility.

A 6-cylinder Deutz® diesel engine with an output of 180 kW is installed for driving. The vehicle reaches a maximum speed of 2.78 m/s and can climb gradients of up to 25 %. The front and rear axles are rigid axles with wheel drive, while the articulated steering is controlled by an axial piston variable displacement pump. The maximum articulation angle is 40 degrees, resulting in an inside turning radius of 5.3 metres and an outside turning radius of 9.2 metres.

The spray manipulator arm is also positioned using an axial piston variable displacement pump. Several swivel joints allow great freedom of movement so that the spraying process can be precisely controlled electronically.