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New boom design
 New
Holland has introduced two new compact loaders that have more engine and
hydraulic horsepower than earlier models and a new boom design that features
one lift cylinder and one bucket cylinder. The boom design improves
visibility and adds dump reach, according to the company. The 10,173-pound,
55-gross-horsepower W50TC and 12,727-pound, 75-gross-horsepower W80TC have
an integrated hydraulic coupler, a quick-attach mounting system, and
built-in, front-mounted disconnects for rapid tool changes; they accept a
wide range of wheel loader and skid-steer loader attachments. The W80TC can
be ordered with an optional high-speed transmission that provides a top
speed of 21.7 miles per hour.
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Long-range total station
 Topcon
says its new GPT-8203M total station can expedite layout of formwork,
structural components, and other construction elements at long distances.
Using Topcon’s advanced EDM, the unit can make reflectorless measurements up
to 1,200 meters; with a standard prism, the measurement range extends to
7,000 meters. The new model can be upgraded to a full robotic unit.
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Gets a better grip
Amulet calls its new StickGrip weld-on attachment a
solidly built, inexpensive accessory that maximizes an excavator’s grasping
ability by providing a positive grip profile on the machine’s lower dipper
stick. The unit is recommended for moving debris, logs, boulders, and scrap.
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Upgrades popular models
 Mustang
has upgraded the two most popular models in its skid-steer loader line, the
1,450-pound-rated 2044 and 1,650-pound-rated 2054. Both machines have a
50-horsepower engine and now feature a more contemporary cab with larger
rear window and redesigned side screen for enhanced visibility. Optional
dual lever hand controls require as much as 18% less effort. Also new: an
improved heating system, easier ingress and egress, and a new acoustical
sound package.
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Works harder, longer
 Stanley
LaBounty is rolling out a new line of shears that feature an automated blade
lubrication system that is said to significantly reduce maintenance and
enhance shearing performance. The company says in extensive field testing,
the MSD Saber-Lube Series had double the blade life of previous models and
cut build-up welding time on the affected jaw areas in half. There was at
least two weeks less downtime per year with the new system, and usable
cutting power was increased up to 8% by reducing blade friction.
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Faster, more comfortable
John Deere says the new D-series version of its
54,000-pound excavator has faster, more powerful hydraulics than the
previous model, as well as a bigger cab and a new cooling system that will
enhance life expectancy and reliability. The 240D features a new Tier-3
engine rated at 177 net horsepower. Improved hydraulic flow has increased
drawbar pull and swing torque. Deere says productivity has been increased by
up to 8% overall. The enlarged cab has 47% more right-hand window glass, a
larger roof hatch area, and a fully adjustable suspension seat.
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Industrial loader tractor
 Caterpillar
has created the 416D IL industrial loader tractor as a variation on its 416D
backhoe loader. The machine features a rear 3-point hitch with down pressure
and a box blade with three pilot-operated controls for low-effort, intuitive
operation. The front loader is the same as the system used on the 416D
backhoe loader. The operator seat rotates 22.5 degrees to provide operator
visibility of rear implements. The box blade has five controllable functions
— raise, lower (with pressure), float, tilt, and pitch. The machine has
three pilot hydraulic control levers. One joystick controls lift, lower, and
pitch forward and back; another controls tilt right and left; and the third
joystick controls auxiliary hydraulics. Power comes from a
74-net-horsepower, naturally aspirated diesel, or an optional
81-net-hosepower turbodiesel.
Work tools for the rear include mowers, blades,
rippers, and landscape rakes. Front-end attachments include snow pushers,
forks, material handling arms, angle brooms, and various buckets.
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Next-generation skid steers
 Volvo
Construction Equipment is rolling out the second generation of its
skid-steer loader line. The five-model B-series ranges in size from the
1,350-pound rated MC60B to the 2,250-pound-rated MC110B. The new machines
have been upgraded or redesigned completely in 33 areas, according to Volvo,
which introduced its skid-steer loader line in 2003.
New features include a choice of foot and hand
mechanical controls or hand-operated hydraulic pilot controls — the only
machines in the industry to offer such a choice, according to Volvo. A new
seat bar provides an ergonomic armrest and control lever positions fall
naturally to hand, improving efficiency and reducing fatigue.
The hydraulic pilot control system uses two
joysticks, with the right hand controlling loader functions and the left
hand controlling drive functions. The new cabs are larger, and boast
improved lines of sight. Isolation mounts reduce vibration and noise.
Structurally, a rear counterweight has been added to
improve weight distribution and on-site operation. Loader arms have been
engineered to reduce stress points and increase service life. Buckets have
been upgraded and better matched to each machine to improve breakout force
and dump angles.
Hydraulic and driveline systems have been modified
to improve performance and increase top travel speeds. The three largest
models offer an optional high-flow hydraulic system to operate
high-performance attachments like snow blowers and planers.
Many of the heavy-duty features of the original
machines are being carried over, including the one-piece welded mainframes
and cast iron axle housings.
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Runs light and smooth
ASV says its new SR-80 advances the sophistication
of the compact rubber track loader with innovations in suspension and track
design. The 80-horsepower unit has a 3,100-pound operating class rating. The
machine features the widest rubber tracks in the industry (20 inches) and an
independently suspended undercarriage with four wheel carriages on each side
that flex independently to maximize ground contact over uneven terrain. ASV
says the undercarriage is more sensitive to the ground than other machines
and provides the smoothest ride — an important consideration in
load-and-carry operations. The unit can travel at speeds up to 12.5 miles
per hour in its high speed range, and up to 7 miles per hour in the low
speed range.
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New compact roller
 Stone
Construction Equipment designed its new 47-inch double-drum vibratory roller
for high production road rolling as well as working in confined areas. Its
features include a unique vibration control that allows the operator to
vibrate either the front or the rear drum separately, or both at once. It is
powered by a 33.5-horsepower diesel and produces up to 6,518 pounds of
impact. Stone recommends the machine for compacting roads and shoulders, as
well as parking lots and driveways and other applications requiring impact
and maneuverability.
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New 2-yard loader survives
trial-by-editor
Even in the hands of an editor, John Deere’s new
344J wheel loader performs like a cross between a nimble, fuel-efficient
compact and a production machine.
John Deere says the J-series version of its
2-cubic-yard loader is heavier, more powerful, more fuel efficient, and
easier to maintain than the model it replaces, and also rates as the
fastest, most powerful (in terms of breakout force), and most maneuverable
machine in the 2-yard loader class.
The 98-horsepower machine features steering wheels
in the rear along with the loader’s traditional articulation. The rear
turning feature allows the machine to turn tighter than conventional
machines, and it also dramatically enhances stability when turning with a
load. The rear wheels also oscillate, improving ride and traction on rough
surfaces.
Revamped for 2006 with a Tier 3 engine, the 344J now
boasts 17,310 pounds of breakout force, by far the highest in the 2-yard
loader class and similar to some machines in the 2.5-yard loader class. The
boost in breakout force comes from an improved load-sensing, closed-center
hydraulic system that delivers power on demand.
Other features of the 344J include a hydrostatic
drive train that can propel the unit to a top speed of 19 miles per hour —
tops in the class, according to Deere. It also has more reach than leading
competitors, with a dump clearance of just over 9 feet, 4 inches. Also
making truck loading faster and easier is Deere’s return-to-dig feature. The
redesigned cab features more window area, walk-through doors, and low-effort
controls.
Announced last winter, the 344J was one of a fleet
of new machines turned over to the construction press for operating
impressions in March. It proved to have plenty of power and traction for
pile loading; even inexperienced operators were able to easily produce full
buckets and move quickly through loading cycles using the machine’s tight
turning radius capabilities. The cab got high marks for operator comfort and
lines of sight. So did the controls, including the push-button
forward-neutral-reverse feature on the joystick controlling the boom and
bucket.
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Oil analysis action plan
Two suppliers of Web-based equipment maintenance and
management technologies have joined forces to create a system that
integrates critical oil analysis results directly into an organization’s
maintenance management system, significantly reducing reaction time to
critical maintenance issues. eMaint Enterprises and Polaris Laboratories say
their new eMaint X3 system will improve the overall reliability of a fleet
by integrating oil analysis results and recommendations and maintenance
management systems.
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New compactor attachments
 Atlas
Copco has rolled out two models in a new line of hydraulic compactor
attachments for excavators. The HC 409 and HC 920 feature FAG bearings,
Permco motors and Lord shock mounts for performance and durability. They are
recommended for a variety of soil compaction applications and for driving
and extracting sheeting and posts. The HC 409 is a 24- by 36-inch plate for
use with 4- to 9-metric-ton excavators; the HC 920 is a 28- by 40-inch plate
for use with 9- to 20-metric-ton carriers.
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Modular GPS receivers
 Trimble
has announced a new series of modular GPS receivers and new antennas. The
new receivers offer four levels of operation — Location GPS, Basic, Max, and
Extreme — and cover a wide range of user price and performance requirements.
The Extreme level receivers (SPS850 and SPS880) can track next generation
GPS L2C and L5 signals plus GLONASS, improving the user’s ability to work in
difficult environments and at longer distances with faster initialization
times.
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PayStar name revived
International Truck and Engine has reprised the PayStar badge for its International 5000 Series trucks. The name is
association with International severe service trucks dating back to the
1970s. The name was dropped in 1998 with the introduction of the 5000
Series. International has also unveiled a new lightweight package to
increase bridge-formula payloads for transit mixer customers.
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Reprinted from Better Roads Magazine
April 2006 |
