The worldwide construction equipment ... - Contractors World

Volume 1 No 6

The worldwide construction equipment magazine

• construction demolition quarrying mining

The Case 1650L bulldozer being

demonstrated at Monthyon, France.

�� Case bulldozers and more for Europe

�� The latest from the Doosan range

�� Manitou's new compact telehandler in action

�� The Giraf Track handler/platform versatility

�� CompAir goes high pressure

�� Volvo Trucks targets construction

Page 2

CP&E Contractors Plant & Equipment Vol 1 No 6


CONTENTS

CONTENTS

16 Case demonstrates latest European additions

Report from the recently improved Case demonstration and product

testing facility near Paris where the company has been promoting its

expanded range of industrial handlers and the introduction of two

bulldozers into Europe.

21 New Manitou makes its mark

Highlighting the latest compact telehandler from the French maker

Manitou – the Maniscopic MT625T which has a maximum lift height of

5.85m.

23 Doosan adds new models and looks to the future

Report on the latest additions to the Doosan range which now includes

heavy-duty telehandlers as well as more excavators and a new wheel

loader.

28 Graf Track provides greater versatility

The interesting Giraf Track is a rotary telescopic handler with a difference

– it combines a Merlo boom with a Caterpillar excavator undercarriage

(complete with a levelling blade).

30 CompAir piles on the pressure

The latest fuel-efficient portable compressors from CompAir – the new

high-pressure additions to the company’s innovative lightweight

TurboScrew C series.

32 Volvo Trucks targets construction sector

Nick Johnson reports on the new Volvo FMX construction trucks whose

features include the recently updated construction version of the I-Shift

automated manual transmission.

Editorial Comment

• Industry News

Plant @ W ork

EDITORIAL SYMBOLS

Look for these symbols which indicate a link to a product brochure or link to a video.

brochure links shown in BROWN or with this symbol

video links are shown in RED or with this symbol

Keep up with and comment on breaking news, news of a local nature and

other developments on our blog pages.

Page 3

R

EDIT EDITORIAL EDIT ORIAL COMMENT

COMMENT

A A balancing balancing act

act

Construction can be a very dangerous business. And, if

the machinery used to speed up the work is not employed

correctly, it can add dramatically to the accident statistics.

Given human nature, some regulation and guidance is

necessary to promote good practice. But there can be a

danger of swamping simple tasks in a sea of paperwork –

if the balance is not right, the focus can be more on

ticking the boxes on forms rather than actually doing the

job safely.

Common sense should prevail. People also need to

practice self-preservation rather than being given the

impression that some one else is always going to be

responsible for their safety – from both practical and legal

standpoints.

When it comes to providing detailed guidance on the

safe operation of construction machinery, some countries

are more advanced than others. Given that the goal of

preventing death or injury on site should be the same anywhere in the world – it is a shame that simple, practical

guidance cannot be applied much more universally.

A new best practise guide to the safe use of lorry loader cranes has recently been published in the UK. Produced

jointly by the CPA (Construction Plant-hire Association) and ALLMI (the Association of Lorry Loader Manufacturers and

Importers), this detailed document stretches to 82 pages. It was produced by a working group of 22 people chaired by

a Principal Specialist Inspector of the HSE (Health & Safety Executive) in the UK.

To address both the different sizes of lorry loader cranes now available and the increasingly diverse range of tasks

they carry out, the new best practise guide lists three different Categories of Lift. These are Basic, Intermediate and

Complex. Determining the right category for a particular lift is dependent on differing environmental and load

complexities.

According to this guide, all lifts require the preparation of risk assessments and method statements by a suitably

qualified Appointed Person. Although, for many Basic Lifts, these documents can be generic and the operator may

take the roles of Crane Supervisor, Slinger/Signaller and Operator.

For Complex Lifts, the Appointed Person should prepare a site-specific risk assessment and method statement. A

separate Crane Supervisor should oversee the lifting operation and the Operator takes the role of Operator only. A

separate Slinger/Signaller is needed – particularly if a load is being placed on a roof.

The Best Practice Guide – which can be viewed online at: CPA web site – covers lift planning, the roles and duties

of the personnel involved in the lifting operation, the positioning and operation of

lorry loaders and the checks, maintenance and thorough examination of the

equipment. Appendices include legal requirements, case studies, an example

Lifting Schedule and an example Method Statement (Lift Plan).

Guidance is also given to lifting persons with a lorry loader. This sensible

information had clearly not been adopted by the person I caught on camera

whilst on holiday in Menorca last month. He might not read an 82-page

document, even if it were available in his native tongue, but carrying out such a

balancing act partly outside the suspended basket simply does not make

common sense.

Page 4

Nick Johnson

Plant Editor


CP&E Contractors

CP&E

Plant & Equipment Vol

Contractors Plant & Equipment

Page 5

Page 5

Industry Industry News

News

Caterpillar Caterpillar to to expand

expand

excavator excavator production production in

in

China China and and the the US

US

Initiatives to increase its excavator making capability

around the world have been announced by Caterpillar.

In the US, the company is planning a new excavator

factory in Victoria, Texas and in China it has plans to

increase excavator production at its Xuzhou facility by

as much as 400% by 2014.

In China, Caterpillar has reached an agreement with

the Xuzhou Construction Machinery Group (XCMG) to

acquire XCMG’s 15.87% ownership interest in

Caterpillar Xuzhou Ltd (CXL), a joint venture which was

initially established in 1995. When the transaction,

which is subject to Chinese regulatory approval, is

complete, CXL will be a wholly owned Caterpillar company.

“In the next few years, we expect China to continue to invest heavily across the country in a wide range of

infrastructure improvements,” says Rich Lavin, Caterpillar Group President with responsibility for emerging markets.

“So it is critical for Caterpillar and its dealer network to continue investing in China to increase manufacturing

operations, research and development, marketing and customer support for success in this growing market.”

In June, Rich Lavin, along with Caterpillar China Vice President Jiming Zhu and Caterpillar Excavation Division

Vice President Gary Stampanato, attended a groundbreaking ceremony in Xuzhou on the site of what will become a

new manufacturing building for large excavators. In addition, the company also celebrated the grand opening of

another new facility in Xuzhou that will increase capacity for the production of small and medium excavators – models

306D, 315DL, 320D, 320DL, 323DL, 324D, 324DL, 329D, 329DL, 336D and 336DL - primarily for sale on the Chinese

market.

In March this year, CXL In Xuzhun rolled out its first locally engineered and produced 315DL hydraulic excavator.

More than half of the parts in this new model are made in China.

Work on the US excavator factory in Victoria, Texas is expected to commence this September. Once production

starts in mid-2012, the facility is expected to employ more than 500 people. It will triple Caterpillar’s US-based

excavator capacity.

The new Victoria facility will manufacture the two models now made in Aurora, Illinois as well as several additional

excavator models now produced in Akashi, Japan and exported to the United States. The expansion of excavator

production in the US will allow the Caterpillar facility in Japan to better serve the growing demand for excavators in

Asia.

Hydrema Hydrema gets gets big big US US Army Army contract

contract

Page 6

As it develops new models like this 336E, Caterpillar is

planning big expansions of its excavator production

capability in both China and the US.

Caterpillar

The Danish machinery maker. Hydrema, is best known for its construction equipment. But as well as its articulated

dumptrucks, 360° excavators, articulated backhoe loaders and multi-purpose tool carriers, the company also makes

very specialist military machines.

The success of this original Hydrema 910MCV2 mine clearing vehicles

has resulted in a big order for AMCS versions from the US Army.


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of up to £3,546 over three years*. Add improved operator comfort, durability and versatility,

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Page 7


News

The company’s diversification into military hardware has resulted in it being awarded a five-year contract from the

US Army for MCVs (mine clearing vehicles). Worth up to $168 million, the contract will result in Hydrema supplying

not only area mine clearing systems (AMCS) but also spares, training and maintenance support.

Hydrema CEO Werner Jensen says, “This MCV contract gives us an excellent opportunity for further development

of the US market, both for our military and construction equipment products. It increases our level of activity and

expands our sales and service facilities in the US.”

The MCVs are standard operating equipment in other NATO countries and now the newest version released by

Hydrema fulfils all US requirements. The US Army is scheduled to begin receiving the 910MCV2-AMCS vehicles in the

next few months.

The proven Hydrema 910MCV2 is a heavily armoured two axle articulated machine. With the operator’s cab at the

front, the rear chassis carries a substantial blast deflector plate at the back together with a heavy-duty flail.

The 910MCV2 can be transported inside a Hercules C130 aircraft. The machine has two Perkins 1006-6TW

engines (the second for mine clearing equipment on the rear chassis) and two transmission systems. As well as a ZF

Ergopower powershift transmission for road travel (up to 42 km/h) and hard surface mine clearing (up to 7.5 km/h)

there is also a hydrostatic transmission that is used for soft surface mine clearing (up to 0.9 m/h).

Three of Mammoet’s nine new 250 tonne capacity Kobelco

CKE2500-2 crawler cranes have gone to work on the

large new Mammoet/IRGA dry-dock project for

Petronas in Rio Grande, Brazil.

Hydrema

Kobelco obelco plans plans Indian Indian factory

factory

and and sells sells more more cranes cranes to

to

Mammoet

Mammoet

A 1.2 billion yen investment is being made by Kobelco

Cranes Co Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Kobe Steel Ltd,

to establish a new crawler crane factory in India. This

additional manufacturing capability will enable the Japanese

company to further develop its overseas business and to

strengthen its position in the Indian market which is

anticipated to grow rapidly in the future.

Kobelco claims to be Japan’s leading manufacturer of

crawler cranes, with a roughly 50% share of the domestic

market. Worldwide, Kobelco estimates that it has a 17%

share of the crawler crane market.

The new Kobelco crane factory in India is scheduled to

begin production in October 2011. It will be built in the Sri

City Special Economic Zone in Andhra Pradesh in south-eastern India. The new 6,900m³ crane facility will be located

adjacent to Kobelco Construction Machinery Co Ltd’s new hydraulic excavator factory which will become operational

in January 2011. The close proximity of the new factories will enable the two companies to share distribution and

information, which will increase the business efficiency of their Indian operations.

To operate its Indian business, a new wholly owned subsidiary company called Kobelco Cranes India Pvt. Ltd. (or

KCI) is being established. KCI will manufacture crawler cranes with capacities ranging from 90 to 250 tonnes.

Kobelco Cranes Co Ltd has also announced that the international crane hire, heavy lifting and transportation

company Mammoet has ordered four more 250 tonne capacity CKE2500-2 crawler cranes. These are in addition to

the five units ordered by the Dutch company at the Bauma plant exhibition.

The first three CKE2500-2s of Mammoet’s original order have already been delivered to Santos Port near Sao

Paolo for operation in Brazil. Their first project in Rio Grande is the construction of a large new dry-dock facility for the

offshore industry, being constructed by Mammoet/IRGA for Petrobas.

Kobelco Cranes

Mastenbroek Mastenbroek adds adds GPS GPS option option for for its its drainage drainage trenchers

trenchers

The UK based equipment maker Mastenbroek has launched a new GPS system for its drainage trenchers. Developed

in partnership with Trimble Germany GmbH, this GPS system for chain trenchers is said to represent a significant

improvement on the laser-assisted technology currently available to assist the positioning of drainage pipes.

Mastenbroek will continue to offer existing laser technology with its trenching equipment. But the company states

that the new GPS option affords greater accuracy where, in the case of laser positioning, uncorrected data is ‘laser

flat’ not ‘earth flat’.

Page 8



News

A Mastenbroek 30/20 trencher (complete

with a GPS receiver attached to its boom)

working in tandem with a Mastenbroek

CT12 crawler carrier.

Based on Trimble’s Field Level II

technology, Mastenbroek’s GPS

system should allow field surveying

times to be reduced and drainage

installation costs may be cut

dramatically through more accurate

deployment of gravel fill. An on-board

computerised touch-screen display

records every detail of the job and the data can be easily downloaded for analysis and customer billing.

Compared to laser systems, GPS does not need regular calibration and there are no issues arising from dust, rain,

fog, snow, wind or other related weather conditions. Mastenbroek reports that the system has undergone extensive

field trials over the last year in a variety of site conditions and with a number of operators and surveyors. It claims that

GPS conclusively scored better over laser systems on every count including, crucially, speed and accuracy of the

drainage installation.

During recent trials the survey work was carried out using a GPS system mounted on a quad-bike to produce a

three-dimensional map. This map gave an exaggerated view of the peaks and troughs across the field, from which the

system could calculate the natural water run-off courses.

The system plans the depth of each run of pipe, which is followed in real time by the trencher operator with no

need to carry out laborious calculations back in the office. All of the information gained from the survey is immediately

available to the trencher operator on a touch-screen interface located within the cab.

By acquiring SMC and its portable lighting tower line

ArcGen Hilta has increased its product range and

gained more overseas sales opportunities.

ArcGen ArcGen Hilta Hilta buys buys SMC SMC to

to

broaden broaden its its product product range

range

Mastenbroek

As a strategic addition to its product portfolio, UK based ArcGen

Hilta has acquired the business and trading assets of lighting

tower manufacturer Sandhurst Manufacturing Ltd (SMC). With

its base in Gosberton, Lincolnshire, SMC is one of the largest

UK manufacturers of portable lighting towers and these products

ideally complement the portable generators, welder generators,

variable messaging boards, water pumps and pressure washers

also available for sale from ArcGen Hilta.

The SMC brand name is being retained and the portable

lighting tower business will continue to operate from Gosberton.

SMC’s Sales Manger Iain Curran has joined ArcGen Hilta to

become the General Manager of the SMC operation. SMC

founder Tim Dean continues to run his separate business

Sandhurst Equipment Rental which hires out hydraulically

operated attachments for excavators.

ArcGen Hilta’s Chief Executive Mark Hodgkins says, “Even

though our sector has been hard hit during the economic

downturn, we have had a long held focus on a strategy for

growth and development. This includes investing in our product

portfolio to meet the needs of our customers.”

The SMC purchase sees ArcGen Hilta increase its staff from 36 to 45. It is expected that the deal will increase the

company’s turnover by 30% and its profitability by 25%.

SMC provides portable lighting towers for the construction, events management, quarries and petrochemical sites

in the UK and oversees including Australia and New Zealand. It has also supplied Genpac branded power generation

equipment across a range of industries and customers. Similarly ArcGen Hilta provides on-site equipment to the

rental, construction, rail, petrochemical, water and other related industries.


ArcGen Hilta

Page 9


News

Finning International has gained the Caterpillar

sales territory in Northern Ireland and the Republic

of Ireland following the decision of former dealer

McCormack Macnaughton to call in the receivers.

smaller, more cost effective premises can be found in the Dublin area.

Page 10

Finning inning gains gains Irish Irish Caterpillar

Caterpillar

dealerships

dealerships

The Canada based Finning International Inc has increased its

Caterpillar sales territory in the wake of the Irish dealers –

McCormick Macnaughton (NI) Ltd in Northern Ireland and

McCormick Macnaughton Ltd in the Republic of Ireland calling in the

receivers in June. A new business called Finning Ireland has been

established with former McCormick Macnaughton employee Sean

Magadigan as its general manager.

Sean Magadigan will be responsible for managing a total of 120

staff, 69 in the Republic of Ireland and 51 in Northern Ireland. As part

of the deal Finning has acquired the former McCormick Macnaughton

premises in Lisburn, Northern Ireland and Cork in the Republic of

Ireland. The new dealer is also operating temporarily from the former

McCormick Macnaughton HQ facility at Rathcoole in Dublin until

At the Lisburn depot, Finning Ireland has employed over 50 staff including a sales support team, service engineers

and parts specialists. In southern Ireland, the new Caterpillar dealer has taken on Republic of Ireland operation.

Finning has to date employed 69 staff with 11 based at the Cork depot and the rest located in Dublin.

The Mac Rental business, which McCormick Macnaughton established through the purchase of A-Plant’s Irish hire

operation some six years ago, has not been acquired by Finning. This is not surprising as Finning recently sold its

Hewden hire business in England, Wales and Scotland to concentrate on its long established Caterpillar dealership

there.

Mike Waites, President and CEO of Finning, says, "We are pleased to add this neighbouring territory to our

established operations in Great Britain from which we will be able to leverage our existing infrastructure and service

expertise. "With a history stretching back to 1933, Finning International Inc. is now the world's largest Caterpillar

equipment dealer. Headquartered in Vancouver, B.C., the company operates in Western Canada, Chile, Argentina,

Bolivia, Uruguay, the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

McCormick Macnaughton had been the Caterpillar dealer in Northern Ireland since the late 1950s. It would appear

that the company’s recent financial woes were exasperated by the economic crisis and its decision, in the good times,

to move to a new 8 million Euro HQ in Dublin on the basis that its old site near the Red Cow roundabout would be

attractive to property developers.

Bobcat Bobcat machines machines assist assist flood

flood

recovery recovery work work Czech Czech Republic

Republic

Finning

One example of construction equipment being supplied to help

in the wake of the severe flooding that has struck in many parts

of the world comes from the Czech Republic. Volunteers and

machines from the Doosan - Bobcat Training Centre at Dobris,

45 km south of Prague recently responded to requests for

assistance from the emergency services after flooding occurred

in the Liberec Region in the north central region of the country.

During the weekend of the 7-8 August, the equivalent of

three months’ rain fell in just 24 hours, resulting in widespread

floods. To assist the regional fire brigade, Doosan quickly

This T320 was one of four machines quickly dispatched

dispatched three volunteer operators together with a Bobcat from the Doosan – Bobcat Training Centre in Dobris to

S330 skid steer loader, a T320 compact tracked loader, an E45

assist after flooding in the Czech Republic.

mini excavator and a Doosan Portable Power lighting tower to the town of Chrastava which had been extensively

damaged by the flood.

Easy to transport skid steer loaders, compact tracked loaders and mini excavators can provide invaluable

mechanical muscle during for emergency recovery and clean-up operations. With the Bobcat factory at Dobris on

summer shutdown over the first weekend in August, the company’s fast response was coordinated by a support team

from the Product Development and Training Centre led by Jaroslav Fiser, Arnaud Gabarre and Stanislav Foukner.

Bobcat



News

JCB JCB commences commences excavator

excavator

production production in in Brazil…..

Brazil…..

July saw the first 20 tonne class JS200LC roll off the production line

at JCB’s new factory in Brazil. The new excavator production facility

is next to the company’s recently expended backhoe loader factory

in the city of Sorocaba.

The construction of the new Brazilian excavator factory took just

seven months and includes a new training area to enhance the

service backup provided to excavator customers in the region. The

landmark JS200LC has been bought by Jorcal Engenharia E

Construções S/A, a company based in Sao Paulo State and owner

Renato Rédis says he is “extremely pleased” with the performance

of the machine.

JCB has also recently doubled its backhoe loader production

capacity in Brazil to help meet demand for machines in the region.

The ceremony to mark the production of the first excavator in

Brazil was attended by Vitor Lippi, the Mayor of Sorocaba, David

JCB has delivered the first JS200LC to be made

in its new Brazil factory to Jorcal Engenharia E

Bell, JCB’s Chief Corporate Development Officer and Carlos

Construções S/A based in Sao Paulo State.

Hernández, Regional Director JCB in Latin America. Carlos

Hernández said: “The Latin American region is undergoing strong

growth this year and our decision to invest in the expansion of

production capability will help us achieve our objective of maintaining business growth and increasing our market

share in the region.”

…….and …….and gains gains big big UK UK order order from from L LLynch

L ynch Plant

Plant

A positive sign of confidence in the UK rental market is the news that JCB has won a multi-million pound order from

London-based L Lynch Plant Hire. The machines included in the deal are 42 tracked and wheeled excavators, 40 JCB

Loadall telescopic handlers and six backhoe loaders.

The excavators Lynch has selected are 20 JS220 and 20 JS130 tracked excavator models together with two

wheeled excavators - a JS175W and a JS130W. The wheeled machines have already gone to work carrying out

groundworks on part of the M25 London orbital motorway-widening

scheme.

L Lynch Plant Hire Director, Robert Lynch says, “One of key criteria

when selecting our plant is product quality – ensuring that our

customers have access to the best equipment available and that it is

always up to the task. With this in mind, we have offered JCB Loadalls

and backhoe loaders for over fifteen years as they are universally

accepted as the best machines on the market.”

“When it came to expanding our tracked and wheeled excavator

fleet we conducted trials of the leading models using our own operators

to carry out the tests. We ultimately chose the JCB machines as the

operator feedback was very, very positive, particularly regarding

smoothness of controls and stability when digging.”

Founded in 1980, L Lynch Plant Hire now has an operations centre

in Stanmore, North West London as well as depots in London, the

Midlands and the South East. It offers machines on self-drive hire or

with experienced operators. As well as excavators, telehandlers and

backhoe loaders, the company’s rental fleet includes site dumpers,

articulated dumptrucks, lightweight tandem vibrating rollers and skid

steer loaders.


JCB

Pictured together after completing the big UK deal are (from left) JCB

Heavyline Sales Manager (South) Steve Bradley, JCB UK and Ireland Sales

Director Yvette Henshall-Bell, L Lynch Plant Hire Directors Merrill and Robert

Lynch and Greenshields JCB Major Accounts Director Paul Serby.

Page 11


News

The new 2300 tonne capacity Manitowoc

31000 crawler crane complete with its

Variable Position Counterweight system has

successfully raised its maximum test load.

Page 12

Manitowoc Manitowoc 31000 31000 successfully

successfully

completes completes overload overload test

test

The design capacity of Manitowoc’s new flagship heavy lift 31000 crawler

crane has been physically verified with an impressive overload test at the

company’s factory in the US. The machine has a rated maximum

capacity of 2,300 tonnes and it has successfully lifted a test load of 2,500

tonnes.

During its test lifts, the 31000 has been fitted with over 600 strain

gauges to enable the Manitowoc engineers to monitor the stress levels in

the crane under load. Larry Weyers, Manitowoc’s Senior Vice President

of the Americas region, said the test went as expected and the

company’s engineers were pleased with how the crane performed.

To maximise its lifting capacities, the 31000 is equipped with

Manitowoc’s Variable Position Counterweight (VPC) system. This clever

arrangement automatically extends out rearwards when more

counterweight moment is needed during a heavy lift. The VPC weights

do not touch the ground (thereby greatly reducing site preparation work)

and the device will allow enhanced pick-and-carry duties.

As Manitowoc engineers progress with their commissioning of the first

full sized 31000, it has been announced that model maker TWH

Collectibles is to produce a limited run of 500 1:50 scale models of the big machine. A prototype of this model was

displayed at the Conexpo exhibition in 2008 to illustrate the design of the new crane with its four crawler tracks. The

production scale model will be produced in time for next year’s Conexpo.

When fully rigged with a replica 80m main boom and a 40m luffing jib, this high quality scale model will be over

2.5m in height. Complete with the VPC system, the model will retail for $1,800. Individuals interested in reserving a

31000 model should visit The Manitowoc Model Shop website.

Having its own on-line model shop shows how Manitowoc is keen to embrace every aspect of marketing. The man

in charge of marketing at Manitowoc is now Ingo Schiller who has just become Senior Vice President of Global

Marketing. He succeeds Bob Hund, who is now concentrating solely on his role as Executive Vice President of

Manitowoc Crane Care.

Ingo Schiller has over 20 years of experience in the crane industry working mostly in sales, marketing and product

support. He joined Manitowoc in 2008 as the vice president of mobile cranes and was recently appointed to senior

vice president of sales and marketing for Manitowoc Cranes Americas. His duties will also now embrace global

product management.

Equipment Equipment Manufacturers Manufacturers Call Call on on Congress Congress to to Act

Act

on on V VVoter

V oter Demands

Demands

Manitowoc

Congress prepares to return to Washington in a few weeks, and voters across America, regardless of political party

affiliation, have one issue as their top priority -- improving the economy. A number of recent surveys show that

American voters want to restore the unlimited potential of manufacturing jobs in America as a sure way to lift stagnant

unemployment numbers.

"When Congress returns in September, it cannot merely tinker around the edges of policies that will impact

manufacturing jobs and the future of America's economy," said Dennis Slater, president of the Association of

Equipment Manufacturers (AEM). “Two very direct ways to create jobs: meaningful funding of needed infrastructure

improvements across the nation and export-friendly policies that spur trade.”

AEM recently released results of a non-partisan nationwide voter survey that showed nearly 9 out of 10 voters

agree that the nation needs to “dramatically increase manufacturing jobs” so our economy can compete with other

countries. The survey asked voter attitudes on the economy, manufacturing jobs and infrastructure.

In a bipartisan poll by Mark Mellman and Ayres McHenry, two-thirds of Democrats, Independents and Republicans

agree that "high-tech and services" industries cannot replace manufacturing in a strong U.S. economy. A top concern

among independent voters in this April poll is that “we have lost too many manufacturing jobs in this country.”

“Poll after poll shows that American voters want the federal government to focus on creating a national

manufacturing strategy that really drives job creation and a revival of manufacturing,” stated Slater. “We hope Speaker

Pelosi and her colleagues heed this call when they return to work in September.” [CP&E]


Plant

Plant

@

W WWork

W ork

Unimog Unimog shunts shunts plant plant into

into

Swiss Swiss tunnel

tunnel

A 40 year old road/rail Mercedes Benz Unimog U406 has been

proving useful to move equipment on rail wagons to assist with repair

work to Cassanawald road tunnel in Switzerland. Running on

temporary rails laid in the tunnel, the 40 year old vehicle has being

acting as a shunter to propel special works trains weighing up to 60

tonnes into and out of the 1.2 km long Alpine tunnel.

The work of the Luzern-based construction company Marti AG

inside the tunnel includes the application of fireproof mortar to the

walls. To efficiently carry out this work, the contractor is using four

specially equipped Swiss Railway (SBB) freight wagons.

The main 19.0m long wagon in the construction train carries

machines for wet and dry spraying as well as 4.0m high protective

screens. The second freight wagon has been fitted with concrete

mixer whilst the third and fourth wagons carry compressors and

hoppers for construction materials. The use of protective screens

protects passing traffic from being splattered with any of the fire

proofing mortar.

Even the Unimog itself has been wrapped up to protect it from

stray spray. The vintage vehicle, which was originally used by the

Swiss army, is equipped with the rail equipment from the German

company Zwiehof.

For its work inside the tunnel, the U406 has been fitted with a

particle filter and it has other various engine modifications in order to

comply with the European exhaust emission standards. Thus

equipped, the Unimog successfully shunts the works train to where it is needed within the tunnel where the track has

gradients of up to 3%.

Martin Werthmüller, Marti AG’s construction engineer on the Cassanawald repair project, considers that using the

works train with its construction equipment and protective screen will help the construction work stay on schedule. He

says, “We usually work on SBB railway tracks where using engines to pull and shunt our work trains is not an issue.

But here we have quickly realized that there is no alternative to the Unimog as a substitute engine when road-rail

operations are involved.”

Having been partially dismantled

to allow it to be lowered down a

shaft, this Bobcat T300 was

reassembled so that it could

remove spoil from a new

pedestrian tunnel in Italy.


This 40 year old road/rail Unimog U406 is

playing a vital role in the repair of a Swiss road

tunnel by shunting special works wagons.

Borrowing Borrowing Bobcat Bobcat helps helps construct

construct

monastery monastery link

link

Mercedes-Benz Unimog

A Bobcat T300 compact tracked loader has been busy removing spoil during the

construction of a pedestrian tunnel at the site of the 14th century monastery of

Santa Caterina del Sasso in Italy. Located at the base of a sheer cliff face above

one of the deepest points on the eastern shore of Lake Maggiore, this old

monastery is a popular destination for pilgrims,

Together with a range of attachments, the T300 loader was purchased by

Sondrio-based excavation special ACCISA SpA, which is working for main

contractor I.CO.P. SpA. The machine was fitted with a diesel particulate filter by

local Bobcat dealer MAIE. To reach the tunnel, the T300 had to be partially

dismantled so that it could be lowered in pieces by the site crane (which had a

maximum capacity of only 1.6 tonnes) down a shaft to the tunnel entrance.

The new monastery access works have been commissioned by the

Architectural Heritage Sector of the Province of Varese, with the collaboration of

the Achille Balossi Restelli Engineering Company in Milan. Together with a new 12person

lift system, the new tunnel will make it easier for visitors, particularly the

elderly and disabled, to reach the monastery from a car park situated 50m above.

Bobcat

Page 13

Plant

Plant

Volvo olvo Pipelayers Pipelayers at

at

work work in in Germany

Germany

Ten of the innovative Volvo PL4611

pipelayers are being used on the major

Bunde-Etzel gas pipeline project in

Northern Germany. The machines are

being deployed by the Italian main

contractor Ghizzoni SpA which has a 60

million Euro contract to complete the

pipeline for Bunde Etzel Pipeline (BEP) by

mid 2011.

The 60km long Bunde-Etzel pipeline will

run between a cavern storage facility at

Etzel and the gas pipeline hub at Bunde –

situated on the German-Dutch border. IVG

Caverns GmbH, which operates caverns Two of the Volvo PL4611 pipelayers being used to lift a section of the 1200mm

for both crude oil and gas in Etzel, is

diameter pipe on the Bunde-Etzel gas pipeline project in Northern Germany.

expanding its storage facilities and the new

1200mm diameter pipeline is needed to deal with the increasing demand for gas.

Ghizzoni has been operating in the pipeline industry for 60 years and has extensive experience of constructing and

laying cross-country pipelines for oil, gas and water transportation. On this gas pipeline job it is using 10 Volvo

EC290BNLC crawler excavators to help dig the trench. The Volvo pipelayers are then used to feed sections of the gas

pipe into the trench.

The pipelayers have been used in groups operating in as many as four different areas consecutively. Alternatively

they can all be used in one line. Marco Scazzina, the Construction Leader at Ghizzoni, says, “We can lower a 1km

long pipe in one go using 10 pipelayers at the same time.”

Whilst conventional pipelayers utilise hinged booms fixed to the sides of crawler tractors (side-booms), the Volvo

PL4611s carry their booms on the front of Volvo EC460C tracked hydraulic excavator superstructures. This design

configuration provides the PL4611 with 360° rotation and increases operational versatility because the pipelayer boom

can be interchanged with standard backhoe digging equipment.

The 9.2m boom on the PL4611 is longer than a conventional side-boom pipelayer that means the Volvo can

operate more safely further back from the edge of the trench. “In very wet conditions, the risk of slippage is

considerable, if not inevitable, when conventional side-boom pipelayers are required to work close to the trench,” says

Marco Scazzina.

Complete with a Load Management System, the PL4611 on its 5.5m wide tracked undercarriage has a tipping load

rating of 113 tonnes (depending on the terrain). The boom has a three-stage light indicator system situated at its end,

which shows when the machine reaches its load capacity.

Paul Johnson, Key Customer Business Development for Volvo Construction Equipment Europe, says the Ghizzoni

project shows how Volvo is expanding into the oil and gas segment. “Despite the recession, the pipeline segment has

more than doubled in recent years and there has never been a better time for Volvo to become more involved in this

growing market.”

Terex erex tandem tandem lift lift in in Bavaria

Bavaria

Page 14

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W WWork

W ork

Volvo Construction Equipment

Two Terex mobile cranes – a 100 tonne capacity AC100/4 and a 55 tonne capacity AC55 City – were recently used by

Kran Saller GmbH to help replace two large truck scales. Each weighing 43 tonnes, the old scales had to be carefully

removed in extremely tight working conditions at a waste management company’s facilities in the Bavarian town of

Passau, Germany.

The most difficult part of this job was a tandem lift that had to be partially performed under a projecting roof with a

height of only 5.0m. To further complicate the lifting operation, the area immediately surrounding the truck scales had

a maximum width of approximately 4m.

By selecting the compact AC55 City crane, the Kran Saller team was able make use of its ability to telescope its

boom with a load even when the boom is horizontal. Using the AC55 City in this way, it was able to lift and manoeuvre

the end of the scale under the low roof. The other end of each scale was handled by the AC100/4 which operated


Plant

Plant

@

W WWork

W ork

with a reduced outrigger spread in order to

fit into the restricted space available.

Once each of the truck scales was lifted

1.0m off the floor, they were swung out

beyond the edge of the projecting roof so

that they could be safely raised high

enough to be placed onto a semi-trailer for

transport from the site. The procedure was

reversed from the installation of the new

scales.

Headquartered in the eastern Bavarian

town of Deggendorf, Kran Saller GmbH has

been active in the region for over 50 years.

The company was founded in 1959 and it

now carries out not only crane rental and

contract lifting but also heavy haulage,

forklift and aerial platform rental, machinery

movement and vehicle recovery. It has six

locations and 80 employees.

The narrow travel width of Panther’s

Omme 220 access platform allowed

it to pass through the doors of

Salisbury Cathedral.


Modern Modern platform platform squeezes squeezes into into old

old

cathedral

cathedral

Terex Cranes

An Omme 2200 rubber tracked spider style powered access platform was

recently supplied by the rental company Panther to facilitate the internal roof

inspection of the 750 year old cathedral in Salisbury, UK. The machine was

selected because its narrow travel width of only 1.1m allowed it to get through

the through the cathedral’s doors.

Once inside the cathedral, the Omme was unfolded so that the facilities

managers could carry out important structural surveys of the roof. The

machine’s ability to reach up to a maximum working height of 21.8m allowed

the inspectors to reach places that had not been accessible for close

inspection since the building was erected in medieval times.

The custodians of historical buildings like Salisbury Cathedral are rightly

concerned to safeguard what

are often ancient and precious

floors. So they appreciated the

Omme 2200 having rubber

tracks to spread its weight more

evenly, therefore reducing the

risk of damage.

Another very useful feature of

this product is its tri-energy

power source. For any external

work undertaken, the machine works from diesel and it can also operate

from a mains electricity supply. For the interior work at Salisbury

Cathedral its electric battery was used.

Panther’s Senior Sales Manager Stewart Green said it is also a very

significant time saver: “Surveying the same area from scaffolding would

have taken days, as the scaffolding structure would have needed to be

taken down and rebuilt to access different areas. It would be much more

expensive and in a busy, public building like a cathedral it might not

have been feasible.”

Omme

The Omme 220’s ability to reach up to a maximum working height of 21.8m

enabled a thorough inspection of the impressive internal roof structure.

The ability of the Terex AC50 City to telescope under load with its boom

almost horizontal allowed Kran Saller to use under a low roof

to lift one end of a heavy truck scale.

Page 15

Case has added this new visitor

centre to improve its demonstration,

product testing and training facility

at Monthyon in France.

Nick Johnson reports from

the recently improved Case

demonstration and product

testing facility near Paris

where the company has been

promoting its expanded range

of industrial handlers and the

introduction of two bulldozers

into Europe.

Case

demonstrates

latest European

additions

Think of Paris and many people will doubtless

picture the engineering marvel that is the

symbol of the city – Gustave Eiffel’s amazing

tower. But for many European construction

plant professionals that is one site – not on the

At Monthyon, machines being demonstrated outside can be

tourist map – that they may also have visited at

viewed from the comfort of the new 80 seat indoor auditorium.

least once over the years – the Case

demonstration, product testing and training facility on the outskirts of the French capital.

Conveniently situated not far from Charles de Gaulle airport, the Case facility at Monthyon has a long history

extending well back into the era of another French icon – the red Poclain excavator. Now, following a £3 million

investment by Case last year, the centre has been vastly improved with the addition of new customer centre.

Visitors now benefit from the provision of a new 80 seat all-weather auditorium from which the machines can be

viewed, as well as several classroom areas, canteen facilities and even a Case museum. The facility continues to

carry out technical training for service engineers and it is also home to an operator training school.

Page 16

Well-preserved

Construction King

Old Case machines on display in the

museum area include a wellpreserved

Case Construction King

centre mount backhoe loader built on

a 530 tractor introduced in 1960.

Three years earlier the similar 320

based Construction King was hailed

Old machines on display in the museum

area at Monthyon include this classic

Construction King 530 backhoe loader

dating from 1960.


The high level cab and good reach of

the Case CX240B-MH material handler

enable it to safety load waste into 44

tonne gross refuse bulkers.

as the first integrated machine to

provide a tractor loader backhoe with

all three components made by the

same company under a single

warranty.

To illustrate the history of the

Case skid steer line there are

examples of old and new machines.

The vintage unit is a 1530 Uni-Loader

skid steer loader with a Wisconsin

engine (dating from 1969) and the

recent machine is the special 40th anniversary,

black liveried 410 produced in 2009. Interestingly

the term Uni-Loader comes from Case's purchase

of the Universal Loader Company in 1968.

Sadly, given the heritage of the location, there is

not a full sized old Poclain excavator in evidence.

There are, however, some scale models of these

famous machines on display in the customer centre

to rekindle the memories of visitors familiar with the

marque.

The new customer centre now conveniently

provides a central hub for the demonstration and

operator familiarisation of Case products. With a

land area of 6.5 hectares, the facility is now

designed around six zones, each of which has

features replicating specific job sites for different

types of machines.

The CX240B-MH is equipped with twin dipper arm cylinders and a

special linkage to provide a larger working envelope.

Different demonstration zones

One zone is specifically for smaller machines – mini excavators, skid steers and backhoes – whilst another is for

machinery used in re-handling such as material handlers or telehandlers. Other zones include areas for operating

medium and large excavators, wheel loaders and articulated dumptrucks. There is a road-building zone and a ditch

and canal area for realistic use of long-reach excavators.

The introduction of the first latest generation tracked Case materials handler in Europe last year (and the

subsequent expansion of the range this year) has provided the Monthyon facility with a good opportunity to

demonstrate the units to potential customers. Produced specially for Case by Sumitomo in Japan, the first of the new

purpose-built tracked material handlers was the CX240B-MH.

Compared to a standard CX240B tracked excavator, the MH version incorporates a strengthened main frame and

a heavier 6.9 tonne counterweight that bring its operating weight up to 27.8 tonnes. To maximise stability, the materials

handler has a 3.19m wide tracked undercarriage when fitted with 600mm track shoes. Wider 700mm shoes are an

Basic Specs – Case CX210B & CX240B Handlers

Model Weight Power Max Top Max Top Cab Riser

tonne kW Pin Height Pin Reach Stroke

m m m

CX210B-MH 25.7 132 12.7 11.3 2.3

CX210B-SL 25.3 132 12.8 11.1 2.3

CX240B-MH 27.8 132 12.6 11.6 2.3

CX240B-SL 30.1 132 14.4 12.8 2.3


Page 17

option to maximise stability.

Larger working envelope

The CX240B-MH is equipped with a 7.1m standard boom and a

special 5.0m long materials handling straight dipper arm with

twin dipper arm cylinders.

These cylinders, together with a special linkage to the

dipper, are mounted outside the boom to allow an increase in

operating angle for a larger working envelope. This

arrangement also provides a very low boom height for ease of

transportation.

When fitted with the longer 5.0m arm, the materials handling

front end on the CX240B-MH provides a maximum working

height (to the attachment pin on the dipper) of 12.3m. Maximum

working outreach is 11.6m.

Attachments for the CX240B-MH include demolition and

sorting grabs weighing up to 1610kg and timber grabs weighing

up to 1340kg.

In the UK, the CX240B-MH with a sorting grab has already

been successfully deployed in waste transfer stations. Here the

machine’s purpose-built hydraulically elevated cab provides the operator into the trailers of the 44 tonne gross refuse

bulkers used to transport the waste material.

The top of the elevating cab on the CX240B-MH can be raised from an entry / transport height of 3.23m up to a

maximum operating height of 5.53m. At this maximum elevation the operator on his KAB seat gets a maximum eye

level working height of 5.06m.

Emergency descent switch and ladder

The cab rises up smoothly and does not flex so the operator feels secure when fully elevated. A safety valve limits

descent speed and there is both an emergency

descent switch which can be operated from ground

level and a rear escape ladder to cover all

eventualities.

Practical features include an optional swingaway

front screen guard to protect the operator from stray

debris. It hinges out to allow access to clean the cab

glass from a forward step.

Additional steps and handrails assist service

engineers and there are mechanical locking pins to

secure the cab in the elevated position for service

and maintenance. Keeping the machine properly

lubricated is aided by the centralised greasing points

for the elevating cab structure.

Power for the CX240B-MH is provided by a Tier

III compliant 132.1kW (177hp) Isuzu AH-4HK1X

water-cooled, turbocharged engine that is very quiet

in operation.

This engine is also used in the CX240B-MH’s

smaller brother – the more recently announced

CX210B-MH which has a lower operating weight of

25.7 tonnes.

Page 18

The elevating cab on the CX240B-MH can be

lowered from ground level by means of an

emergency descent switch.

This new CX210B-SL scrap loader made it’s

European exhibition debut at Bauma 2010 in April.


for the mass movement of industrial waste.


This 1650L is the larger of the two

South American built bulldozers that

Case is now bringing into Europe.

New scrap handler

versions

There are now two scrap handler

versions of CX240B and CX210B with

the Isuzu AH-42H21X engine. Also

equipped with the now proven

hydraulically elevated cab, these SL

machines have operating weights of

30.1 and 25.3 tonnes respectively.

The CX210B-SL made its European

exhibition debut at Bauma in April. It

has a straight, rather than curved, 6.8m

boom and a 5.2m goose neck dipper

Its operating envelope embraces a maximum attachment pin height of 12.8m and a maximum forward reach of

11.1m.

Attachments for the CX210B-SL include four or five tine grabs weighing up to 1145kg. The larger CX240B-SL can

be equipped with four, five or six tine grabs that can be raised to a higher attachment pin height of 14.4m.

The new MH and SL tracked machines allow Case to offer customers with an alternative to its longer established

WX210MH and WX240MH wheeled excavators with materials or industrial handling equipment. Whilst wheels can

provide faster mobility around a site, tracks provide better stability and higher lifting capacities.

European debut for dozers

Monthyon is also being used to demonstrate the Case 1650L – one of two bulldozers that had their official European

launch at Bauma. Case has been building this sort of machine in the USA and other associated markets since it

bought the American Tractor Corporation (ATC) in 1956.

At one time Case also made some tracked dozers and loaders in Cornwall in the UK but since the mid 1980s these

products have been absent from Europe despite the production of machines across the Atlantic. Now the 1650L and

the smaller 1150K Series 3, which are produced in the Case factory in South America, are in Europe.

The 1650L and 1150K have operating weight ranges of 16.0 to 17.0 tonnes and 12.6 to 13.3 tonnes respectively.

They both have Case Tier 3 emissions compliant engines – with power ratings of 107kW (144hp) and 88kw (118hp) –

teamed with Rexroth PowerStat hydrostatic transmissions.

The engine in the 1650KL at Monthyon was a 6-cylinder, direct common rail Case Family IV 667TA/EDJ. It delivers

a peak torque of 669kN at 1400rpm - useful low down torque for dozing applications. Electronic fuel injection and a

charged air cooler help to maximize engine power and improve fuel efficiency.

The conventional low drive tracks get their power through the variable axial piston pumps and motors of the dual path

hydrostatic transmission. The use of a drive

shaft between the engine and the hydrostatic

pumps helps reduce machine vibration,

thereby improving operator comfort.

The undercarriage has pinned equaliser

beam suspension to aid stability and provide

the traction needed for work on slopes as well

as pushing hard at low speeds and carrying

out demanding tasks such as stump removal.

A test drive of the machine revealed that

the hydrostatic transmission operated

smoothly and allowed power turns with a full

The 1650L’s narrow instrument panel and

tapered bonnet allows a clear view of the front

of the tracks and both sides of the PAT blade.

Page 19

Basic Specs – Case Bulldozers

Model Weight Engine Engine Blade

Range Power Torque Capacity

tonnes kW Nm m³

1150K 12.6-13.3 88 567 2.9-3.2

1650L 16.0-17.0 107 689 3.1-3.2

cab (optional in some markets), one gets good all round vision.

Page 20

Customers at Monthyon are shown

how easy it is to tilt the cab on the

1150K to gain good access

to its power train, electrical and

hydraulic systems.

blade. The left hand joystick used to

select travel direction and to provide

infinite speed control up to a

maximum of 9.7 km/h. Side mounted

buttons allow manual selection of any

of the 10 speed increments to suit

particular operating requirements. To

hold the 1650L stationary when the

engine is switched off, the machine

comes as standard with a heavy-duty,

spring-applied hydraulic release

parking brake.

Low-effort blade

hydraulics

The right hand joystick controls all the

motions of the PAT (power, angle and tilt)

blade by means of logical forward/reverse,

left/right and twisting movements.

The low-effort hydraulics aid precise blade

adjustment on the move to maximise load

retention and carry out efficient dozing to the

required grades. A separate right hand lever

operates the optional ripper (not fitted on the

Monthyon demonstration machine) that can

be equipped with three or five teeth.

When sitting on the comfortable

suspension seat in the air conditioned ROPS

The use of a narrow instrumentation panel and a tapered bonnet view provides a clear view of the front of the

tracks and both sides of the 3.98m wide, 3.2m³ capacity PAT blade.

The test dozer had the 2.13m gauge LGP (low ground pressure) tracks with 864mm wide shoes which maximise

flotation when used on soft ground. Other track options are the 1.87m gauge XLT (extra long track) with 610mm track

shoes for precision grading and the 2.13m gauge WT (wide track) with 864mm shoes – most suitable when extra

stability and a wider blade are needed for finish grading or slope work.

Sealed and lubricated track pins

Ground pressure varies from the XLT at 42.8kPa, to the WT at 38.7kPa and the LGP undercarriage, which puts down

just 31.9kPa. All models use the Case Lubricated Track system with its sealed and lubricated pins. An optional Case

Extended Life Track, with a second hardened bushing, is available for abrasive soil conditions.

All the three LGP, XLT and WT configurations utilise Case Lubricated Track with sealed and lubricated pins as

standard. An option for sustained use on abrasive ground is the more durable Case Extended Life Track (CELT).

Daily service checks can be carried out from ground level and there are quick-disconnect diagnostic test points to

assist any necessary troubleshooting. Mechanics will appreciate the side tilting operator platform and cab. It takes less

than ten minutes to ‘open up’ the machine in this way to obtain really good access to its power train, electrical and

hydraulic systems.

The 1650L and 1150K were launched in the USA at the ConExpo exhibition in 2008. Now their availability in

Europe will provide Case and its dealers with more sales opportunities. Time will tell whether the other Case

bulldozers are also offered in Europe. [CP&E]

Case Construction



Nick Johnson highlights the latest compact

telehandler from the French maker Manitou

– the Maniscopic MT625T which has a

maximum lift height of 5.85m.

New Manitou makes

its mark

Amongst all the new machinery being launched at the

Bauma exhibition in April was the latest small telescopic

handler from Manitou. Designated the Maniscopic MT625T,

this compact machine slots into the increasingly popular

market segment for handlers which are less than two meters

wide and high.

The MT625T is actually 1.82m wide and 1.92m high (with

its magnetic flashing beacon removed) so that it can access

low headroom areas and operate in confined spaces. The

machine is a little bigger than the long established

Buggiscopic but it scores over its smaller brother by offering

greater lift height and a more roomy cab.

Equipped with a two section telescopic boom, the

MT625T can raise 2000kg up to its maximum lift height of

5.85m – to enable a 3rd tier lift onto scaffolds. Maximum forward reach is 3.4m at which an 800kg load can be carried.

Usefully a 1.2 tonne pallet can be can be picked up 2.5m in front of the front wheels.

Side mounted Kubota engine

The new design, low boom MT625T telehandler has a side mounted 55.4kW (75hp) Kubota V3307-D1-T-E3B Euro 3A

emissions compliant engine and a hydrostatic transmission. There are two speed ranges – up to 7 km/h for site

operation and a maximum of 25 km/h on the highway.

An ergonomically shaped JSM multifunction joystick allows the MT625T operator to conveniently select travel

direction and control all the boom and carriage motions with his right hand whilst keeping his left hand on the steering

wheel. Roller controls on the JSM joysticks are sensibly used to facilitate boom extension / retraction and auxiliary

equipment operation. To aid smooth operation, all the telescopic boom functions are proportional and independent.

The low slung, side mounted ROPS/FOPS cab is easy to enter and inside the operator finds a quiet (76db(A))

environment with an adjustable seat. The machine features a simple 10 second start-up sequence, a safe load

indicator (with a vertical display of green, amber and red LEDs) and a switch to neutralise the JSM joystick to prevent

involuntary movement of the boom or carriage during

road travel.

Safe load indicator display

There is an emergency engine stop button located

next to the JSM joystick and the machine has an

easy-to-read instrument panel. As well as housing

the safe load indicator display, this panel includes an

hour meter and fuel gauge as well as being able to

show when the next service is due and indicating

diagnostic codes for fault finding and servicing.

The MT625T is only 1.92m high so that

it can access low headroom areas

and operate in confined spaces.

The new MT625T compact telescopic handler

was launched by Manitou at the Bauma exhibition

in April 2010.

Page 21

The MT625T has all wheel drive and steer with three

steering modes – front wheel, all wheel and crab steer.

With all wheel steer selected, the machine can achieve

a tight turning radius of 3.3m.

The cab provides plenty of glazing so, when the lowslung

boom is lowered, the operator has good all round

vision. The main door window can be hinged back and

latched against the side of the cab but, in this position, it

might be considered by some people to be a little

vulnerable to site damage. The rear cab window can

also be hinged up open to provide more natural

ventilation in warm weather.

Superior Comfort version

The machine comes, as standard with heating and demisting but air conditioning is

an optional extra and only available with the superior Comfort version. The

enhanced Comfort specification also includes an adjustable steering column, roof

light, windscreen and roof sun visors, a roof window wiper, enhanced cab trim

working lights and an aggravating movements cut-out as standard.

Good service access to the engine, and especially to the air and diesel fuel

filters, is provided by the wide opening offside canopy. A lockable hinged panel at the rear provides secure fuel tank

access.

The Comfort version of the MT625T comes with an auxiliary hydraulic circuit at the head of the telescopic boom as

standard. Options for both versions include hydraulically activated attachment locking, a side-shift carriage and a load

back rest.

Whilst the compact MT625T is particularly suitable for use on building sites where there are space or headroom

constraints, it can also be very effective on road reconstruction and maintenance jobs. Its small size and

manoeuvrability allow it to be used safely in restricted width coned off areas beside live traffic lanes.

First UK MT625T on prominent London job

A good example of this new Maniscopic being used on an interesting road project can currently be found in London.

The first MT625T to be sold in the UK has been supplied to Leighton Hire Centre Ltd (LHC) which has hired it to major

contractor Balfour Beatty Regional Civil Engineering (BBRCE) for use on a prestigious street improvement scheme in

the centre of the capital.

The $38 million Exhibition Road Streetscape Project for the City of Westminster and the Royal Borough of

Kensington & Chelsea involves repaving the well-used road to create a kerb free ‘shared space’ for both pedestrians

and vehicles. It will provide more pedestrian space for the many visitors to all the well-known buildings in this area of

central London – including the Natural History, Science and V&A Museums, the Royal Albert Hall and Imperial

College.

BBRCE Construction Superintendent Cliff Short says, “The MT625T has ample capacity for our needs and its

compact dimensions and all wheel steering allow it to work safely within the confines of our site.” He particularly likes

the ease with which the forks can be folded back

over the carriage to enhance safety when travelling

on the public highway without a load.

Operator Kulvinder Dhanda is also

complimentary about the new Manitou. He says

that the machine is easy to drive and he likes its

power steering, operator comfort and good all

round visibility. Having a good view from the cab is

essential on this central London job where the

machine often has to travel in amongst the heavy

city traffic. [CP&E]

Page 22

The easy-to-enter cab provides a quiet environment

with an adjustable seat and a clear digital display

instrument panel.

The first MT625T in the UK has been hired from

LHC for use on the prestigious Exhibition

Road improvement scheme in London.

Manitou


Plant Editor Nick Johnson reports on

the latest additions to the Doosan

which now includes heavy-duty

telehandlers as well as excavators

and wheel loaders. He also provides

an insight into the company’s future

ideas on excavator design

Doosan adds

new models and

looks to the

future

Aided by its Bobcat brand and its leading

position as a supplier of excavators in

China, Doosan Infracore Construction

Equipment claims to be number four in the

world construction equipment business. It

aims to move up to number three and any

visitor to the company’s large Bauma stand

in April will have seen the many new models

that indicate the company’s forward thinking

strategy.

The latest Bobcat machines were covered in the last issue of CP&E so this article will focus on the new orange

liveried Doosan units. After Bauma I was able to inspect many of the newcomers in operation at the Doosan Training

Centre at Dobris in the Czech Republic.

Of particular interest was the new 23.7 tonne DX235LCR short tail swing crawler excavator. This joins the 14.5

tonne DX140LCR that was introduced at the Intermat exhibition in Paris during 2009. These two units now allow

Doosan to compete strongly in markets where demand is increasing for crawler excavators to work more safely

without a significant tail radius in confined spaces or in road works next to live traffic lanes.

Tight tail swing

The smaller DX140LCR utilises a 71.0kW (91hp) Cummins QSB 4.5 engine rather than one of Doosan’s own engines

because it can be installed in a smaller space. The fitting of the 4-

To aid safe operation close to

obstructions, the DX235LCR has a

rear overhang of only 85mm beyond

the edge of 800mm wide tracks.


Doosan now has two near zero tail

swing tracked excavators – the

14.5 tonne DX140LCR (left) and

the new 23.7 tonne DX235LCR.

cylinder QSB 4.5 allows this machine to have a tight tail swing of

1480mm which means that its superstructure only protrudes beyond

edge of its standard 600mm wide tracks by 185mm. By contrast, the

tail of the standard swing 14.0 tonne Doosan DX140LC tracked

excavator (with 600mm shoes) has a side overhang of 905mm.

A short test drive of a near zero swing DX140LC with an excavating

bucket at the Doosan Training Centre revealed a very stable machine

with smooth controls and plenty of digging power. The cab is

comfortable and there is an easy to use multifunction colour LCD

monitor panel. Curved access doors at the rear corners open up to aid

maintenance and the standard safety features include a rear view

camera.

Now, with the arrival of the DX235LCR, Doosan has scaled up its

short tail swing design. The company states that its new model has

been produced to satisfy customer demands for a bigger excavator

that can better work in a confined environment whilst maintaining the

operating performance of a standard swing machine of the same size

class.

The Doosan engineers have succeeded in giving the DX235LCR a

tight overall swing diameter (with boom fully raised and dipper arm

tucked right in) of 3990mm. Composed of a 2310mm front swing

Page 23

adius and a tail radius of 1680mm, his

diameter is much less than some notable

competitors. The rear overhang beyond the

edge of 800mm wide tracks is only 85mm -

compared to 1070mm for the conventional

configuration DX225LC with the same size

track shoes.

Enhanced excavating force

The DX235LCR is powered by a 6-cylinder

Doosan DL06 turbocharged diesel engine

providing 125.0kW (166hp). This is 13.4kW

(18hp) more than the conventional

DX225LC and this contributes to enhanced excavating force. Digging force over the bucket is 14.2 tonne, while that

over the arm is 10.3 tonne. Use of power boost increases both forces by about 5% which, Doosan contends, are the

highest forces of any excavator in this class.

Thanks to the high engine power and the high swing torque, the DX235LCR can work efficiently on slopes. Its

slewing speed is 11.3rpm and, when equipped with the longer 2900mm dipper arm, the machine can dig down to

6670mm.

The DX235LCR is equipped with the same cab as the smaller DX140LCR. This has a durable hinged door which

can be clipped back neatly against the superstructure. Inside the cab is quiet (the stated noise level is 72 dB(A) at the

operator’s ear) and comfortable.

Visibility is good and the operator gets both a rear view spherical mirror and a camera to see behind in order to

enhance safety when working in a confined space. Like its smaller brother and other Doosan DX excavators, the

DX235LCR gets the e-EPOS (Electronic Power Optimising System). Designed to balance the hydraulic power

requirement to available engine power, e-EPOS effectively manages the hydraulic pumps to reduce fuel consumption.

The machine has a manually selected ‘auto idle’ fuel saving feature together with two speed travel (up to 5.8 km/h

or 3.1 km/h), a straight travel pedal for trenching and a power boost button to raise hydraulic pressure for between 10

and 12 seconds in order to provide a burst of greater breakout as required during hard digging.

Smooth and precise operation

During a stint at the controls of the DX235LCR I was impressed by the

ability of the load sensing piston pump and the closed centre valve to

allow fine metering of hydraulic flow to enable me to effectively carry out

precise grading. Smooth operation is aided by the provision of end-of

stroke cushioning on the boom and dipper arm cylinders.

I found the machine to be very stable to operate and this virtue will

make it attractive for use with a wide variety of attachments. To improve

its operational flexibility, the new DX235LCR can be supplied with the

same auxiliary hydraulic lines as can be fitted to the conventional

DX225LC.

Engine service intervals are 500 hours and the DX235LCR also

shares the extended lubrication intervals of the whole Doosan excavator

range. To facilitate servicing the machine has hinged side panels. The

water trap and the engine oil filter are both located in the hydraulic pump

bay on the offside for easy access from the ground level.

This machine clearly has the power to perform and its availability

should help to increase the population of this size of short tail excavator

on sites with limited operating space. To appeal to contractors and rental

companies in countries such as Italy where narrower machines are

popular, Doosan will shortly introduce a DX235LCRN version.

Page 24

The LED monitor panel in the cab of the DX235LCR

has different information displays as well as

buttons for mode, flow rate and auto deceleration selection.

The compact, curved superstructure and the

access to the Doosan DL06 turbocharged

engine can be clearly seen in this aerial view

of the DX235LCR.


New DX380LC fills a gap

Above 25 tonnes, conventional style tracked excavators with pronounced rear tails are the norm. To fill a gap in its

range between the 34.1 tonne DX340LC and 40.9 tonne DX420LC, Doosan has added a 37.9 tonne DX380LC.

This new DX380LC utilises a lot of the well-proven parts from the bigger DX420LC including the undercarriage.

This serves to make the new 38 tonne class excavator very stable.

The turbocharged engine in the DX380LC is a 6-cylinder ‘common rail’ Doosan DL08 rated at 202.0kW (271hp),

thereby providing 18.0kW (24hp) more than the DX340LC. The larger unit has a 6500 mm boom and its longest

3950mm dipper allows a maximum digging depth of 8200mm.

The arm and bucket cylinders are sized to provide enhanced excavating force. Digging force over the bucket is

21.7 tonne, while that over the arm is 17.3 tonne. Use of power boost increases both forces by about 5%, claimed by

Doosan to be the highest forces of any excavator in this class.

New Doosan flagship excavator

Whist not at the Doosan Training Centre at the time of my visit, the other new excavator in the company’s range is its

flagship DX700LC. Propelling the company up into the heavier excavator league, this machine weighs in at 70.1

tonnes - a significant step up in weight from the previous top-of-the-range DX520LC with its operating weight of 50.7

tonnes.

When equipped with the EU-approved 2900mm dipper arm, the DX700LC offers a maximum digging depth of

7765mm. The machine has a 6-cylinder ‘common rail’ Isuzu AH-6WG1X turbocharged diesel engine which is rated at

345.0kW (463hp). This engine, with its high-pressure fuel injection system and exhaust gas recirculation, is emissions

Tier 3 / Stage IIIA certified.

The DX700LC has Doosan’s e-EPOS electronic control system to optimise power whilst conserving fuel. The

operator can chose between Power Mode (for very heavy duty digging and loading), Standard Mode (for heavy duty

excavating and operation of a breaker), Economy Mode (for medium duty excavation) and Lifting Mode.

To provide adequate cooling of the engine and hydraulic systems the DX700LC is equipped with a Doosan Cooling

Fan Control (DCFC) system. Audible and visual monitoring sensors warn the operator of excessive temperatures,

while an overheat prevention system is automatically activated if coolant temperature should reach 110°C. As the

machine is destined to be used in quarries and

heavy construction, it has multi-stage filters

and features such as track guards, an auto

grease system and greased and sealed track

links.


This new 37.9 tonne DX380LC fills a previous gap

in the Doosan tracked excavator range between the

34.1 tonne DX340LC and 40.9 tonne DX420LC.

Hybrid excavator under

development

Another Doosan excavator attracting attention

at Bauma was a working prototype of the

company’s 22 tonne class Hybrid machine.

Now scheduled to become available for sale in

2012, this Hybrid tracked excavator is being

developed as part of a Strategic Technologic

Doosan used Bauma to show this working prototype

of its 22 tonne class Hybrid tracked excavator which

should go on sale in 2012.

Page 25

Development Programme funded by the

Ministry of Knowledge Economy in South Korea.

Doosan is the lead partner in the project.

Expected to burn at least 20% less fuel than

a standard DX225 hydraulic excavator, the

Hybrid machine will also dramatically cut CO2

emissions. It is equipped with will be equipped

with a diesel engine, an electric slew motor, an

electric converter and an ultra-capacitor that will

store excess energy during slewing and lightduty

work. The reserve of electricity that has

been generated and stored will then be utilised

to part power the excavator during heavier duty

work. This arrangement allows the speed of the

diesel engine to be reduced.

The next step in the Doosan’s hybrid

machine development programme is likely to be

the application of the technology to both wheel loaders and forklifts. Meanwhile, the company also used Bauma to

provide a visual indication of how its excavators and wheel loaders might appear even further into the future.

Futuristic concept excavator

Colourful graphics and scale models were used to depict a pair of futuristic ‘eco transformers’ – a CX Eco Energy

tracked excavator and a CL Eco Energy wheeled loader. The excavator has four articulating triangular track

assemblies to enable it to traverse rough ground and operate more safely on slopes.

The cab of the CX Eco Energy excavator slides forward to provide the operator with a better view down the hole

when required. However, somewhat surprisingly given the current trend towards short tail machines, this concept unit

has an extending counterweight at the back of what is already a lengthy superstructure!

The ‘star gazers’ have included a hybrid power system and they predict the use of an emotional haptic control

system and intelligent solar-control glass (which will adjust its transparency level and colour according to the weather

conditions).

This glass sounds expensive – let’s hope that vandalism has been eradicated before its introduction!

New Doosan branded breakers

Coming back down to earth, Bauma was used to introduce its new Doosan branded hydraulic breakers for the

European market. Models on show were the DXB170 and the DXB260 (suitable for use on excavators weighing 18 to

28 tonnes and 27 to 37 tonnes respectively).

Other breakers in the DSC36 (for 4 to 10 tonne carriers, DXB100 (10 to 20 tonne carriers) and DXB190 (20 to 30

tonne carriers. The breakers, which incorporate Montabert technology) include an energy recovery system and a

patented valve system.

Wheel loaders represent an important

part of Doosan’s construction equipment

line-up and the company used Bauma to

highlight its replacement of the DL400 with

the new DL420. The DL400 has been

Doosan’s best selling wheel loader as it,

like the DL420, slots into the very important

250 to 300hp segment of the wheel loader

market.

Page 26

This scale model of a CX Eco

Energy tracked excavator

reveals some of the features that

could be included on Doosan

machines in the future.

Cummins QSM 11 in new

DL420 loader

At the heart of the new DL420 is the Tier 3 /

Stage IIIA emissions compliant Cummins

QSM 11 10.8 litre electronically controlled

engine. Rated at 209 kW (284hp) this

To utilise the latest Cummins QSM 11

engine, Doosan has introduced this DL420

to replace its popular DL400.


engine makes the DL420 a bit more powerful than the

former DL400 that had a Cummins QSL 9 engine rated at

204kW (274hp).

The switch to the more technically advanced 6-cylinder

Cummins engine with its high-pressure injectors and new

combustion system provides better acceleration. It also

saves diesel and Doosan reports that tests have shown that

fuel consumption is about 7 % less when compared to the

DL400.

The standard bucket capacity for the DL420 is 4.0m³ (up

from 3.9m³) and the machine’s 210KN breakout force is

claimed to be amongst the highest in its category. The

operator gets the choice of working modes (standard and

economical) and the ZF 4WG210 powershift torque

converter transmission provides maximum travel speeds of

38 km/h forwards and 18.4 km/h in reverse.

The DL420 offers a static tipping load with bucket of

18.9 tonnes (at maximum reach with a straight frame) and a

height at bucket pivot point of 4.35m. Equipped with a pinon

bucket with teeth and tipped forward at 45°, the dump

height is 2.96m and the dump reach is 1.40m.

New integrated monitoring system

In upgrading from DL400 to DL420, the Doosan engineers

have taken the opportunity to improve the visibility, heating

and air conditioning. There is now a new integrated

monitoring system, a vehicle control unit (VCU) and an

optional electric steering system.

An integrated LCD panel displays information about the

loader, engine and transmission, including the service

intervals for each filter and the engine oil. The transmission

can be tuned by the operator without the assistance of a

mechanic. Transmission status is easily verified and various

adjustments such as compensation for disc wear are done

automatically with no disassembly required.

The DL420 is now being produced at Doosan’s new

factory at Gunsan in South Korea. Situated some 100km south of Seoul, this factory with its 125,400m³ covered area

went on stream at the start of 2010. Making the larger Doosan wheel loaders and excavators (30 tonnes and above),

it has a maximum production capacity of 5,200 units a year.

Development work is now proceeding for the next generation of wheel loaders with Tier 4 / Stage IV engines.

Interestingly, Doosan is planning to switch to Scania engines for the new versions of its DL300 and larger loaders.

Dieci sourced new capacity telehandlers

To extend its product portfolio, Doosan Infracore Construction Equipment has signed a deal with the Italian telescopic

handler maker Dieci to supply badge-engineered units. Doosan’s Bobcat range gains Dieci sourced rotating

telehandlers whilst four large capacity rigid frame models are to be supplied in orange to provide a new Doosan DT

series.

Complete with frame levelling, the new DT70, DT120, DT160 and DT210 have maximum lift heights of between

9.4m and 10.2m and maximum lifting capacities ranging from 7 to 21 tonnes. The DT70 has an Iveco NEF TA engine

whilst its three bigger brothers utilise Perkins power. All have hydrostatic transmissions.

The machine shown at Bauma and subsequently available for customer evaluation at the Doosan Training Centre

in the Czech Republic was the DT160.

This substantial four wheel drive and steer telehandler weighs 23.7 tonnes and can lift a maximum load of 16

tonnes. It can raise 14.5 tonnes up to its maximum lift height of 10.2m and extend 7 tonnes to its maximum forward

reach of 5.15m.

As well as pallet forks, these new high capacity telehandlers can be used with crane jibs, loader and mixing

buckets as well as access platforms. They now ideally complement the existing Doosan ranges of medium and large

excavators, wheel loaders and articulated dump trucks used by contractors in civil engineering, mining and quarrying

applications. [CP&E]


Bauma 2010 saw the

unveiling of the first of

four new high capacity

telehandlers that Doosan

is sourcing from Dieci.

This 16 tonne maximum capacity DT160 telehandler

weighs 23.7 tonnes and can lift up to 5.0 tonnes

at its maximum outreach of 5.15m.

Doosan

Page 27

The interesting Giraf Track is a rotary telescopic handler

with a difference – it combines a Merlo boom with a

Caterpillar excavator undercarriage (complete with a

levelling blade).

Nick Johnson reports on this unusual multi-purpose machine.

Graf Track provides greater versatility

I first saw the Giraf Track at the APEX access show in Maastricht, Holland in the autumn of 2008. It was immediately

obvious as a new product because it was markedly different to most other machines. The problem was how to

describe in simply.

Developed by TDL (Testcentrum De Lille NV) – the Merlo dealer in Belgium – the Giraf Track cleverly combines a

Merlo telehandler boom and the undercarriage from an 18 tonne class Caterpillar tracked excavator. The result is

effectively a heavy-duty rotary telehandler on tracks, complete with an optional blade (to level up the machine on

slopes) and the ability to utilise an array of different attachments (including access platforms).

By the time the original Giraf Track GT580B had made its APEX debut it had been under development for four

years. Now the product is being increasingly accepted as a specialist

machine able, according to its makers, of being equipped to do jobs

that other handlers and platforms cannot.

The GT580B weighs 16.5 tonnes and it is operated by radio remote

control. Undercarriage width is 2.49m and the unit’s steel tracks can be

fitted with rubber street pads.

Proven telescopic boom and carriage

TDL buys a proven telescopic boom assembly and fork carriage from

Merlo. The boom is the one used by Merlo for its P38.16 Roto. When

fitted onto the Giraf Track machine, this boom allows a maximum

capacity of 3800kg.

When used as telehandler with forks, 2000kg can be raised up to

the maximum lift height of 15.2m and 700kg can be extended forward

to the maximum reach of 13.7m. The use of a loader bucket, different

crane jibs and a variety of access platform options greatly increase

operational versatility.

Maximum platform capacity (A1829 basket) is 1000kg and, when a

5.5m long 181LIMS basket is fitted, maximum working height and

outreach are 17.8m and 16.0m respectively. At the Bauma exhibition in

Page 28

The new 7.0m to 13.0m long extending

access platform for the Giraf Track

was a prominent exhibit at Bauma.

Long cladding panels being installing using

the new 13.m maximum length extending

platform on the Giraf Track GT580B.


Germany and the Vertikal Days event in the UK, the Giraf

Track GT580B was shown with the new 7.0m to 13.0m long

extending platform designed for use by glazing contractors.

Complete with 180° rotation, this 1.3m wide platform has a

payload of 500kg for the sheet materials plus 250kg to carry

three persons.

Also on show at Vertikal Days was a CE approved

access platform and hydraulic loader crane. With this

attachment both the basket and the crane can be rotated

independently. The crane was a Palfinger PC2700 which

has a maximum capacity of 950m with its three section

telescopic boom closed and 550kg at full 1.55m extension.

The basket and crane combination for the Giraf Track

isesigned specifically to aid the installation of glass with

frames. There are four extending supports on the front of

the 2.5m wide basket to carry the glass panel weighing up

to 950kg. The basket capacity is 600kg with the crane

retracted and 200kg with the crane in use. This latter rating

allows two people be carried in the basket - one person to

operate the crane whilst the other person does the

manipulation of the glass panel.

Platforms can also be used with a detachable winch unit

and short jib. Providing a lifting capacity of 500kg, this lifting

equipment aids the placing of lightweight panels (such as

insulation borads) onto the wall of a building in front of the

basket. If the 13.0m platform is used with this winch, the

platform capacity is 300kg.

Caterpillar engine and undercarriage

The Giraf Track is powered by a Caterpillar 4-cylinder turbo

charged diesel engine rated at 74.5kW (101hp). This well

proven power source is Stage IIIA emissions compliant. As

well as this engine, the tracks, undercarriage and slewing

ring are amongst other components sourced from

Caterpillar.

The use of a 2490mm wide Caterpillar 318 size tracked

undercarriage provides the Giraf Track with plenty of stability

CropMech’s cabequipped Giraf Track GT580-3C

so that it can operate without outriggers. The tracks provide

levelled up on its Vblade to carry out power line

a low ground bearing pressure and allow the machine to

pole maintenance from sloping ground.

traverse soft and wet ground that would be too much of an

obstacle for conventional wheeled access platforms or telescopic handlers. The downside of tracks versus wheels is

that the Giraf Track is heavier to transport and has a maximum travel speed of only 2.5 km/h.

The Giraf Track will drive up steep slopes and works with unrestricted 360° operation on inclines of up to 7° (12%)

as standard. It has the capability to work on even steeper gradients with the optional VBLADE slope compensation

and anchoring blade. Providing additional levelling of up to 12° (21%), the VBLADE allows the machine to be used on

gradients of up to 19° (34%) although, when perched on the blade and the other end of the tracks, ground bearing

pressure will increase dramatically.

Version with fully enclosed cab

As well as the original Giraf Track GT580B, TDL also now produces the GT580-3C complete with a fully enclosed cab.

Inside there is a cradle to carry the radio remote control box in front of the operator.

One company which has purchased a GT580B is CropMech of Okehampton in the UK. This agricultural,

contracting and rental business runs the Giraf Track alongside a fleet of Merlo telehandlers. The tracked machine has

proved particularly useful for erecting and maintaining power line poles in bad weather or on soft or wet rough terrain.

Frans Van Dooren, the Export Manager of TDL says that over 30 machines have been sold to contractors and,

increasingly, into rental fleets in Belgium, Germany, Holland, Switzerland and the UK. When used as an access

platform, customers have found that it can work well in applications where conventional access platforms have

insufficient size and capacity - especially in the industrial, construction and utilities sectors. [CP&E]


This basket and Palfinger hydraulic crane attachment aids

the installation of glazing units with the Giraf Track.

Giraf Track

Page 29

Nick Johnson inspects the latest fuel-efficient

portable compressors from CompAir

– the new high-pressure additions to

the company’s innovative lightweight

TurboScrew C series.

CompAir piles on the pressure

Having originally introduced its low-pressure TurboScrew C series portable compressors in 2007, CompAir used the

Bauma exhibition tin April to extend its range with three new high-pressure models. The newcomers are designated

the C230TS-17, C210TS-21 and C200TS-24 which respectively deliver compressed air with maximum operating

pressures of 17, 21 and 24 bar. The big feature of these units is that they weigh less than 3.5 tonnes so that they can

be towed, in Europe, behind a suitable 4x4 vehicle.

The C230TS-17, C210TS-21 and C200TS-24 compressors provide free air deliveries of 23m³/min (812 cfm), 21m³/

min (742 cfm) and 20m³/min (706 cfm). Their high-pressure output makes them particularly suitable for powering the

down-the-hole drills used in water well and geothermal drilling. On such work on-time job completion is dependant on

maintaining sufficient air pressures at depths of 100m and below.

Each of the C series CompAir TurboScrew compressors are powered by an electronically controlled Cummins

QSB 6.7 6-cylinder turbo-charged engine made at Darlington in the UK. This compact Tier 3A emissions compliant

engine has been developed by Cummins specifically for use in the company’s TurboScrew C series compressors – so

it is unique design supplied only to CompAir.

Patented bi-turbo technology

The TurboScrew compressors cleverly utilise CompAir’s patented bi-turbo technology with two Holset turbochargers.

Air enters the system through a dual filter assembly and passes through the first turbocharger which is running at

approximately 115,000rpm to pre-compresses the air.

The pre-compressed air then passes through an intercooler where it is cooled increasing the air’s density before it

reaches the engine. The increased air pressure and air density means more fuel can be mixed with the air resulting in

greater power and greater fuel efficiency from

a smaller engine.

With TurboScrew, CompAir applies the

same principles to the compressor, precompressing

its inlet air via a second turbo

charger which runs at around 75,000rpm. This

air is also cooled within an intercooler before it

enters the compressor. This total process can

as much as double the atmospheric pressure

at the compressor’s air inlet. The net result is

greater compressor performance from a

smaller, lighter, more economical package.

Page 30

A big feature of the new CompAir highpressure

compressors is that they weigh

less than 3500kg and so can be easily

towed on European roads.


Significant fuel saving

CompAir claims that its C series TurboScrew machines can deliver, without any loss in pressure, up to 30% better fuel

efficiency than most conventional portable compressors of similar output. The use of a smaller airend with a lower

torque demand allows CompAir to reduce its engine idle speed to 1000rpm in offload mode compared to other

designs that cannot reduce their idle speed lower than 1300 or 1400rpm.

When auto idle kicks in, fuel consumption drops by as much as 58%. This is useful as compressors used to power

down-the-hole drills revert to idle each time a new length of drill rod is added.

According to CompAir, the lifetime cost of

conventional compressors typically breaks down as 15%

purchase cost, 10% service costs and 75% fuel costs.

(based on average site running conditions over a lifetime

of 10,000 hours). It contends that, with TurboScrew’s

Bi-Turbo fuel efficiency, lifetime compressor costs

can be reduced by as much as 20%.

New high-pressure airend

Having proved its TurboScrew technology in its lowpressure

(9 to 14 bar) C series portable compressors,

CompAir decided to develop high-pressure versions in

mid 2007. The company’s Portable Compressor Product

Manager Harald Wenzel says that the project involved

developing a new high-pressure air end with a different

internal pressure ratio. The machines also required a

different oil coolers and a pressure vessel rated at 28

CompAir’s engineers have succeeded in producing this

bar to provide the required safety margin.

new small sized screw compressor capable of delivering

air up to a maximum pressure of 24 bar.

A particular challenge was to construct a strong

connection between the air end and the pressure vessel.

It had to withstand vibration and to safely accommodate pressure spikes.

The new high-pressure machines retain the low weight and compact dimensions as pioneered by the low-pressure

models in the TurboScrew C series. The machines feature a robust steel canopy (with wide opening side access

doors) that is carried on a twin axle trailer with an over-run braking system supplied by Knott. Alternatively the unit can

be skid mounted.

The new 24 bar C200TS-24 only weighs 3420kg including a full 370 litre tank of fuel - which is sufficient for working

an 8 hour shift. Being less than 3.5 tonnes allows the compressor to be towed in Europe by a large 4x4 vehicle such

as an Audi 27, Land Rover Defender 110 or Range Rover without the need for air brakes. CompAir claims a significant

weight and size advantage over competitive machines which need a bigger 9 litre engine due to the absence of a

second turbocharger.

The control panel on the C200TS-24

allows the selection of output pressure

from 13 to 24 bar in 0.1 bar steps.

Easy adjustment of air pressure

The electronic control panel for the high pressure C200TS-24 is at the back

beside the single air outlet. Together with an emergency stop button, the

operator gets simple, intuitive controls, a fuel gauge and a display screen. Use

of the arrow buttons allows output air pressure to be adjusted up or down in

0.1 bar steps within the range of 13 to 24 bar. The electronic regulator

ensures that the maximum operating pressure of 24 bar cannot be exceeded.

With language options of English, French, German, Italian and Spanish,

there is a menu that shows important operational data such as operating

hours, fuel consumption, engine oil pressure and engine water temperature.

Advance warning is given of the next scheduled service and fault codes help

mechanics to solve problems. Operational data can be downloaded to a

laptop but, at present, there is no remote monitoring system.

The new high-pressure compressors are produced at the CompAir factory

in Simmem, Germany and units have been field tested in the demanding

environment of the mines of South Africa. Now Harald Wenzel sees a bright

future for the machines in water well drilling worldwide as well as in the

growing business of geothermal drilling. [CP&E]


Compair

Page 31

Page 32

At the world premier of the new Volvo FMX

trucks, this FMX500 8x4 tipper (left) and

FMX450 6x6 hooklift tipper were seen in

action at Bauma.

Having been launched at the

Bauma exhibition in April, the

Volvo FMX construction truck

goes into series production this

month (September).

Nick Johnson reports on the truck’s new features including the recently updated construction

version of the I-Shift automated manual transmission.

Volvo Trucks targets construction sector

The big Volvo outdoor stand at the Bauma exhibition in Munich during April was used to demonstrate now only

machines from Volvo Construction Equipment but also for the world premiere of the latest vehicles from Volvo Trucks.

Bauma provided a most apt venue for the major launch of the new FMX construction trucks and they have

subsequently been exhibited at other events including the ComTrans commercial vehicle fair in Moscow, the Truck

Show in Jönköping, Sweden and the Hillhead quarry show in the UK.

Developed specifically for construction sector operation, the heavy-duty on/off road FMX trucks are now going into

series production. They are initially being introduced in Europe, followed by a global rollout during the rest of this year.

Volvo is keen to capitalise on the synergy of these new vehicles with its yellow construction products as the Group

seeks to strengthen its ability to provide ‘total solutions’ to construction sector customers.

The need for a more specialist on/off road truck was perceived by Volvo Trucks back in 2007. At that time the

company’s best selling vehicle for heavy construction was the FM truck which had found favour on both sites and the

road particularly in the Nordic countries, the UK and Eastern Europe.

Volvo Trucks Heavy Segment Product Manager Hayder Wokil reports that development of the new FMX models

started with customer clinics in Europe. The participants indicated a desire for FM series trucks improved for

construction applications and fitted with at least an 11-litre engine to provide more torque.

Another issue raised by some customers was the need for a front mounted central towing device.

Choice of 11- or 13-litre engines

Based on the well-proven FM platform, the resulting ‘Xtra’ heavy-duty FMX trucks provide a heavy weight option for

contractors requiring better off-road performance in muckshifting and demolition applications. To address the feedback

from the customer clinics, the new trucks utilise either a Volvo D11C 11-litre engine (330 to 450hp) or a D13C 13-litre

engine (380 to 500hp).

Transmission options include a fully automatic Powertronic gearbox and an updated construction version of the

I-Shift gearbox. The FMX trucks can be

fitted with a new load sensor which sends

precise load weight information to the

I-Shift for an optimal gear sequence and

smooth gear start.

Before releasing the new FMX trucks

for sale, Volvo has subjected them to

some particularly tough testing on the

demanding ‘construction track’ at its

Hallered proving ground outside

To check their durability, the new FMX

trucks have been subjected to

accelerated life cycle tests at Volvo’s

Hallered proving ground in Sweden.


Gothenburg in Sweden. Driven around the clock by a

team of test drivers for six months, the vehicles have

successfully completed accelerated life cycle tests.

The tortuous circuit with its steep hills, bumpy

surfaces and water traps is designed to simulate a

vehicle lifetime of around 15 years and a travel

distance of 2 million kilometres.

Visually, Volvo’s designers have sought to

distinguish the FMX models from the FM series

vehicles by giving them a more aggressive, rugged

look. This is particularly apparent at the front of the

vehicle where the new upper grill comes complete with a thicker diagonal bar carrying the Volvo emblem.

New central front towing device

Of more practical use is the inclusion of a new central front towing device. Rated at 25 tonnes for both push and pull,

this strong device will better facilitate the towing or shunting of trailers on construction site in countries such as

Germany where this is a common application.

The lower front of the FMX trucks has been extended 165 mm and there is a new anti-slip footstep integrated in

the skid plate to enhance access to the windscreen for cleaning. An extra foldable extension step and/or a front grab

handle at the upper grill are optional to provide even easier access.

The truck features modern headlights (with optional mesh protection) that allow the lamps to be changed

individually. LED lights in the side indicators have been selected to provide better light and longer life.

There is the option of fog lamps that are neatly integrated into corners of the new three-piece steel front bumper.

Complete with 3mm thick steel outer corners, the sectional bumper allows any damaged section to be more

conveniently, and cheaply, replaced than if a one-piece bumper had been used.

The FMX truck gains practical side mirrors that, whilst not being as stylish as those on FM vehicles offer very good

vision. Carried on a narrow arm, the two side mirrors are both heated and the larger, upper one can be electrically

adjusted.

Cab mounted load inspection ladder

The day cab variants of the new FMX trucks can be fitted with a ladder and grab handle assembly behind the driver’s

door. This optional arrangement allows the driver to safely step out from his cab and climb up to check the load in the

tipper body without having to go down to the ground and up again.

Another option with the day cab is the provision of a new, higher air intake. This loftier intake not only helps to

supply the engine with cleaner air but it also serves to improve visibility when reversing.

Inside the cab there are three new interior trims to choose from: vinyl seats and door panels, textile seats and vinyl

door panels or plush seats and door panels. A leather seat is optional. Practical interior features include easier to

clean rubber mats, a table with dedicated space for cups and pens, a practical storage box and a paper holder in

water resistant fabric.

The day cab variants of the new

FMX trucks can be fitted with a

ladder and grab handle assembly

behind the driver’s door.

The front of the FMX truck has a new

central towing device and a step to

aid cleaning the windscreen.


Page 33

To assist with the preparation of specific vehicle configurations, body

builders can specify the rear overhang they require. The factory is geared

up to provide pre-drilled frames with different lengths increasing in 50mm

increments. Hayder Wokil says that Volvo’s aim is that body builders will

not need to drill any holes in the FMX frame.

The FMX trucks come with several options of fuel tank. The largest

capacity tank has increased to 570 litres to satisfy requests made at the

initial customer clinics.

Dedicated construction I-Shift transmission

To enhance the performance of its FMX trucks, Volvo offers the option of

an updated construction version of its I-Shift automated manual

The I-Shift gear lever includes the E/P

mode selection button and the ‘plus’ / transmission. I-Shift was first introduced in 2002 in on-highway long haul

‘minus’ override buttons.

44 tonne trucks and subsequently its use has been greatly extended. Its

popularity is such that last year 70% of Volvo trucks sold in Europe had

I-Shift and 50% of the company’s construction customers also chose this transmission.

Now for construction applications, the I-Shift transmission gains the more versatile P+ software. Smart electronics

provide optimised gear selection and faster gearshifts whilst utilising higher engine revs.

The Construction I-Shift comes as standard with basic shift strategy, performance shift, Basic gear selection

Adjustment, a gearbox oil temperature monitor and launch control. Options include enhanced PTO functions,

enhanced gear selection adjustment (including kickdown) and improved performance.

A short test drive of I-Shift equipped FMX tippers on a twisty and hilly circuit in a large quarry near Gothenburg in

Sweden revealed just how driver friendly this enhanced construction transmission is. I was able to select the P+ (Extra

Performance) mode rather the Economic (on road) mode by pressing the E/P button on the gearlever. The P+ mode

provides extra torque for starting, higher revs to better facilitate climbing the steep hills as well as quicker automated

gear changes.

Fast and responsive automated gearshifting

With the automated gearshifting selected, I found that the gear changer was invariably fast and responsive. The

system reacted well to steep slopes with the electronics usually keeping the transmission in the highest practical gear.

Where the truck started to falter

on a steep grade, the transmission

quickly reacts to select a lower

gear and retain forward

momentum. Going down a

significant slope is also as

painless as the VEB+ (Volvo

Engine Braking) really proved its

worth.

Leaf spring suspension is the

most common choice for tippers

used in construction applications. The arrival of the FMX trucks provides the Volvo Group with another attractive option

Previously Volvo was not able to

for construction sector customers seeking vehicles to move material on site.

supply a load sensor on such vehicles and its I-Shift transmission could only start the vehicle in one to third gear. Now

there is a load sensor on the truck’s rear axles and this extends the automatic selection of the correct gear to starting

from first to fifth depending on weight and other factors.

Usefully, the I-Shift’s automatic mode can be overridden by means of ‘plus’ and ‘minus’ buttons on the side of the

gear lever. Just before reaching the bottom of a significant hill, you can press the minus button and let the engine

speed reach around 2000rpm. With the chosen gear, the truck will then proceed up the hill without making any

upshifts.

An established feature is the hill start aid which prevents the truck from rolling backwards on a hill. It is

automatically engaged when vehicle is on an incline of 1.5% or more.

Other useful features now available with the construction version of I-Shift are Rock Free and Heavy Start. The

former is a way of getting the truck unstuck from deep by rocking it to and fro by intermittent use of accelerator pedal.

The latter automatically senses a heavy load and engages the clutch a bit harder at full throttle to get the vehicle

moving.

I was impressed by the driveability of FMX trucks which gain from the enhancements made to the I-Shift

transmission. The arrival of this range with all its options should provide Volvo with ammunition to do much more truck

business in the construction sector in a significant number of different countries. [CP&E]

Page 34

Volvo Trucks


Page 35

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Finning

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