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of construction machines, as well as on the operation
practice. A sensible balance between the greatest possible
safety and reasonable operational feasibility should be
aimed at.
The new developments in the construction machine
market were not only discussed in the innovation examples
of the represented manufacturers and suppliers. The
introduction of the revolutionary vehicle concept ETF, as
well as the activities of the Chinese construction machine
manufacturers and suppliers, which increasingly operate
internationally, offered concrete perspectives.
Challenges of machine manufacturers
Shortly before the tightened exhaust gas regulations
Tier4i/EU-step IIIb come into effect, which is from 2011, the
representatives of the machine manufacturers informed
about the status and perspectives of reduction of pollutants.
Dirk Stukkens, corporate client agent of Komatsu Europe,
and Bill Law, marketing expert of the Volvo-Group, oriented
the participants to new drive concepts in the construction
machine sector. In addition to developed, multi-level
emission control systems for conventional combustion
engines, many manufacturers are already working on
hybrid systems, which are meant to significantly lower the
fuel consumption, as an indispensable prerequisite for the
improvement of the CO2 point balance.
Through cost examples on the basis of TCO models, Dirk
Stukkens demonstrated the extent, to which the operator
himself can influence the cost-effectiveness of his
machines. Thus a timely renewal of the vehicle fleet can
avoid disproportionally increasing maintenance costs. The
avoidance of idle running times is also an important theme:
According to Stukkens, fuel expenses account for up to
40% of the life cycle costs of a construction machine, and
as a result the saving potential through targeted or early
switching off of the motor in waiting phases is high. In case
this is consistently practiced, the sales value of a machine
increases due to less documented operating hours.
Bill Law also believes that correct operation of the
machine is an important prerequisite for cost-efficient
operation. In this endeavor Volvo Construction Equipment
supports the operator with specific computer analyses
of the actual operation practice and special training
programmes, which for example communicate fuelefficient
modes of operation during loading and driving
operation.
Issue 04 | 2010
NEWS & REPORTS
Exclusive networking: Numerous participants of
the CEWEF conference used the eve of the event
for an intensive exchange of experiences.
Exclusive networking: Numerous participants of
the CEWEF conference used the eve of the event
for an intensive exchange of experiences.
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