View Full May PDF Issue - Utility Contractor Online

More documents

Recommendations

Info

operate and provide excellent stability especially on jobsites with steep grades. Many skid steer applications can be achieved by either the articulated or AWS machines; however, each type has distinct advantages. The AWS machines have a rigid frame, so their operating capacities do not change when turning the machine. They also have a great deal of stability and can handle a 40-degree side slope. Most articulated machines are equipped with an on-demand differential lock that allows both axles to lock 100 percent for maximum traction when pushing and loading material. For example, the Wacker Neuson’s WL 30 has a monstrous amount of breakout force, over 9,000 lbs of breakout in a 7,000-lb machine. While skid steers still have their place in the market, more and more contractors are finding that wheel loaders can get the job done more efficiently and safer. Fuel and tire economy are huge benefits in this competitive market. Because wheel loaders do not use shear force to turn, they can be operated with far lower horsepower than what a skid steer will use. Wheel Loaders Green with Energy In a world with limited natural resources, volatile energy prices and increasingly strained ecosystems and manufacturers’ long-term commitment to make use of technological innovations to advance energy efficiency, low emissions and overall eco-friendliness are indispensable. With the ultimate engineering target of developing the green machine in mind, evolutionary concepts of wheel loader technology have and will continue to shape each new product generation. The ultimate goal remains a machine with minimal environmental impact and maximum operator comfort. Green machine concepts therefore focus on features such as fuel efficiency, reduction of the overall carbon footprint, biodegradable fluids, reusable or biodegradable components, recyclable electronics, heat and energy recovery and noise reduction. 22 Utility Contractor | May 2009 New Technology Makes for Eco-Friendly, Efficient Machines Additional ergonomic efficiencies can be gained with a more comfortable operator’s platform that allows 360-degree visibility and a birds-eye view that not only allows the operator to be more efficient in digging and grading, but also much safer on the jobsite when loading and unloading materials. Add to that the smooth hydraulics and automotive style steering that allows a new employee or rental operator to get into a wheel loader and be productive immediately. Finally, because the engine does not constantly run at full throttle, the way a typical skid steer works, a large amount of engine and pump life is saved. This allows the end-user/ owner to capitalize on low input and maintenance costs, as well as resale value. Wheel loaders in Europe are as common on the jobsite as skid steer units in the North American jobsites. However, as more contractors learn about the many advantages of wheel loaders, that trend might shift. Jay Baudhuin is the Compact Equipment Product Manager for Wacker Neuson Corp. By Mike Murphy Riddle 4: I’m always moving forward, push a button to start. You may see me on its screen or in the metal valves of its heart. Any thing made always makes use of me, and it’s all possible because I’m… Engine and Fuel Technology Research and development are following many different roads and have already made huge strides in terms of fuel efficiency and reduced emissions over the past few years. With Tier 4 technology in sight for January 2011, manufacturers continue to aggressively pursue concepts such as diesel-electric hybrid engines, hybrid transmission systems, brake energy recovery, more sophisticated and energy-efficient hydraulic systems, and electronic control of transmission, engine and diagnostics. Many manufacturers are working towards the long-term goal of significantly reducing fuel consumption. New Holland Construction, for example, aims to reduce fuel consumption by at least one-third and biodiesel-operated machines are already a reality for smaller size models. Maintainability Aside from engine and fuel technology, maintainability is another priority when it comes to technological advances. The industry is moving to increasingly longer service cycles that reduce both time and expense needed over a machine’s life cycle. Engine oil changes that were in the past required every 100 hours are now only necessary every 500 hours, and similar maintenance schedules apply to transmission fluids and coolants.
As engine oil and filter changes can also have a potentially negative environmental impact through accidental spills if not properly executed, environmental drain is another key area for improvements. New Holland Construction has implemented advanced maintenance solutions on all wheel loaders. Quick coupling for draining hoses enables easy and clean drainage of engine oil and hydraulic oil, as well as coolant. Thus it allows for more controlled disposal, minimizing the chance of environmental pollution. Operator Comfort While the concept of the green wheel loader focuses primarily on the machine’s environmental impact, operator comfort and overall controllability are also considered, especially as the growing challenge to recruit qualified operators comes to the fore. Manufacturers are put to the test to make the operator’s “mobile office” as comfortable and efficient as possible. In this context, noise reduction, both inside the cab and as it relates to the environment — already a differentiating factor in densely populated areas such as Europe or other urban centers worldwide — has a significant impact on overall workplace quality. In wheel loaders, wide doors allow convenient cab egress/ingress while tightly sealed, heavily insulated and isolation-mounted cabs use maintenance-free oil-filled dampeners to keep out dust, dirt, noise and vibrations. Adjustable seat and tilting steering column add additional operator comfort, and an expansive flat area of nearly 50 sq ft of seamless glass provides optimum visibility. Without any front corner posts to obstruct the view to the front bucket and a low rear hood and frame design that offers outstanding rear visibility, the operator can focus on the task at hand, even during a long work day. He can never be trusted — he knows all the lines. He’s tricked you before, but he’s never lied. He’s dissected loaders and played your brain like a fiddle. He’s tormented UC readers with every dastardly riddle. So look over your shoulder and plug your ears, because not knowing the answer is your greatest fear. When it comes to clever questions about machines and the like, you never know when the Wheel Loader Riddler will strike! The Machine of the Future Last but not least, while working towards minimal environmental impact and maximum operator comfort, engineering and design advances always need to maintain and enhance the machine’s optimum productivity. Each new product generation faces the challenge of creating a product capable of using more tools to handle more applications and to increase the machine’s overall efficiency on the jobsite. On-board load weighing devices, rear camera systems that improve safety, increasingly sophisticated monitoring systems with satellite transmission to one single location monitoring a complete fleet of machines and ultimately, the autonomously operating machine of the future without operator on board are just some of the features we can envision and in some cases already encounter in experimental stages. Mike Murphy is the New Holland Global Product Marketing Manager. May 2009 | Utility Contractor 23 Answers: 1) A Wheel Loader; 2) A Bucket; 3) A Tire; 4) Technology
Page 4: MAY 2009 CONTENTS 12 Get Engine Sma
Page 8: GROUNDBREAKING NEWS Bobcat Lends a
Page 11 and 12: GROUNDBREAKING NEWS Cracking the Sa
Page 13 and 14: standards in 2011, with 75 to 174 h
Page 16 and 17: This John Deere D-Series Tier 2 mot
Page 18 and 19: Wheel Loader Riddler Answering the
Page 20 and 21: Wheel loaders have traditionally be
Page 25 and 26: Picture by Kaj Bjurman, Stockholm,
Page 27 and 28: 2009-2010 DIRECTORY The Voice of th
Page 31 and 32: 2009-2010 DIRECTORY A WORD ABOUT TH
Page 34 and 35: NUCA COMMITTEES 2009 Leadership Rol
Page 36 and 37: 2009-2010 CONTRACTORS As of April 3
Page 72 and 73:
2009-2010 ASSOCIATES As of April 3,
Page 74 and 75:
Page 76 and 77:
Page 78 and 79:
Page 80 and 81:
Page 82 and 83:
Page 84 and 85:
Page 86 and 87:
Page 88 and 89:
Page 90 and 91:
2009-2010 PRODUCT INDEX As of April
Page 92 and 93:
Page 94 and 95:
Page 96 and 97:
Page 98 and 99:
Page 100 and 101:
Page 102:
Page 106 and 107:
INSIDE WASHINGTON NUCA’s Legislat
Page 108 and 109:
SAFETY MANAGEMENT What You Need to
Page 110 and 111:
NUCA NEWS Tina Dillon Chairs Steeri
Page 112 and 113:
INDUSTRY CALENDAR June 2009 11-14 -
Page 114 and 115:
ADVERTISERS’ INDEX Al Asher & Son
show all

View Full May PDF Issue - Utility Contractor Online

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?