Search

Construction machines usually operate with heavy payloads and are exposed to a variety of harsh ground conditions, such as rock, gravel, or rubble. The LD-Master L5 Traction is specifically designed for loaders operating on abrasive surfaces and in face working jobs where high productivity and assured vehicle uptime are of most importance.  

The reinforced 3* carcass is said to satisfy the highest load carrying capacity requirements, even under extensive production cycles. The L5 traction tread pattern protects the carcass and ensures smooth and safe operation on the construction site.  

The solid tread block design always provides secure traction. The extra deep tread and sidewall protection are also said by Continental to make the tyre more robust and ensure long-term productivity.

To minimise idle time and ensure serviceability even under harsh conditions, the special tires fitted to construction machinery should be controlled as precisely as possible.  

The LD-Master L5 Traction is fitted with an integrated tyre sensor, making monitoring possible in real time. The sensor monitors temperature and tyre pressure, said to assure the most efficient operation mode for a long tyre life.

In addition to the LD-Master L5 Traction, Continental is presenting its EM-Master E3/L3 as 65-series for construction/surface applications and a sneak preview for a new solid skid-steer tyre.

Engine specialist from the firm, Nicholas Pfeiffer commented: “The 14 and 18 are the next generation of engines from us. They’ve been developed with a focus on serviceability and have the latest diagnostics.”  

According to Pfeiffer, the diagnostics ensure that the engines offer predictive maintenance capabilities, catching potential faults before they develop and making significant reductions in maintenance costs while also preventing unplanned downtime.  

He said: “We have our telematics gateway and if you opt in, the dealer is able to call you even before you know there’s an issue.”

Meanwhile, the wiring harnesses are all external to the engines making them easier to maintain and also less vulnerable to damage. Customers are also able to select different fuel and oil filter locations to best suit the installation.  

Pfeiffer also notes that the simplification of the after-treatment package for the JD18X engine offers significant benefits with fewer sensors required and a further reduction in maintenance costs. These engines are suitable for biofuels and, Pfeiffer added, “We are working on HVO.”

Matthias Ruppel, CEO of Goldhofer, commented: “It’s a revolutionary tyre that gives us the advantage of a smaller diameter and a higher load.”

Loading height is reduced by up to 75mm, which is a significant reduction. This can make the difference between a piece of heavy equipment being transported on a trailer being able to pass under a low headroom bridge or tunnel … or having to be diverted and causing delays in equipment arriving on time.

 There are different CARGOPLUS tyres in the range. The 60 model can carry a 10tonne load and a speed rating of 80km/h, while the 80 model offers a 12tonne axled load and a speed rating of 80km/h.

The new tyres help boost performance for the latest load carrying units from the firm also such as the TRAILSTAR trailer. The design has been optimised to ensure stability, while maintenance needs have been reduced.  

According to Ruppel: “By using the new CARGOPLUS tyres we can reach a loading height of just 720mm.”

Meanwhile, the STEPSTAR semi-trailer uses proven technology but now features forced steering for greater versatility as well as a remote control system for safe loading and unloading.  

Also benefiting from improved performance due to the new CARGOPLUS tyres are the latest ARCUS, SELF TRACKING and FT SERIES models from Goldhofer.

Moog’s Intelligent electric system includes an electric traction motor, lift, tilt and steering electric cylinders, power electronics, a system control computer, battery, and battery management system.  

The integrated control system connects and coordinates the actions across the machine, while the all-electric actuators and motors drive the machine’s traction and loading system, offering high efficiency and controllability.  

“To achieve our CO2 emission reduction targets from products in use of 50% by 2030 from 2010 levels, to achieve carbon neutrality by the end of 2050, we are looking for promising technologies from suppliers to accelerate our electric machine development,” said Seiichi Fuchita, chief technology officer (CTO) and president of the Development Division at Komatsu.  

“The machine built together with Moog combines the strengths of both companies and was finalised within a short period of time and we expect the joint testing will show the advantages of a full electric machine.”  

The companies are testing the electric loader jointly to prove that it can achieve a new level of efficiency, operating time, and comfort. The companies will show that the operating cycle is extended, and, with innovative assist functions, provides a comfortable environment for the operator.  

The prototype’s intelligent machine electrification system is designed to be connected and automation-ready. The system has the sensing and control capabilities needed for automation while the integrated software framework comes with built-in tools to coordinate multiple axes of motion and precisely control torque, velocity, position, and force.

The new 4x4 version of the DA45-7 ADT complements the company’s standard range of 6x6 ADT models, including the 28-tonne DA30-7 and 41-tonne payload DA45-7. The 4x4 DA45-7 aims to compete with 40-tonne class rigid dump trucks (RDTs).

In Doosan’s new 4x4 ADT, the front truck and cab unit is the same as in the original 6x6 model, with modifications being made to the rear dumper unit only. Featuring a ZF EP8-420 transmission, the 4x4 DA45-7 is a two-axle ADT with twin wheels at the rear, and with a dumper section like that on RDTs in the 40-tonne class.

“With superior operation on poorer roads, smoother surfaces and steeper terrain, the aim of our new 4x4 machine is to challenge RDTs in the 40-tonne class, by providing a dumper product that delivers much more than RDTs,” says Beka Nemstsveridze, Doosan’s ADT product manager.

As well as performing better in conditions that are tough for RDTs, the new 4x4 DA45-7 ADT has a width of less than four metres to avoid the need for special transport and is said to offer a better turning radius than a comparable RDT. The smaller turning radius and the design of the rear dumper unit, which is more suited to carrying flat and heavy rocks, provide particular advantages in the mining and tunnelling industries.

The latter are growing markets for ADTs, and include short-term mining projects, quarrying and contract mining industries, especially those in southern Africa, the UK and Australia. Construction and bulk earthmoving contractors involved in roads, dams, airports, landfills and development projects are also large users of ADTs. Together, these areas make the ADT market a wide one, ensuring a large customer base.

“The development of our 4x4 ADT was inspired by customer demand and the new 4x4 ADT can meet the needs of markets around the world by offering a compelling advantage to customers with specific requirements,” says Nemstsveridze.  

“For example, a machine like this might be able to extend the season for a mine that normally has to be stopped for a certain period due to the rainy season.”

The electric prototypes are the 301.9 mini excavator, 320 medium excavator, 950 GC medium wheeled loader and 906 compact wheeled loader. The machines are powered by Caterpillar battery prototypes and include an onboard AC charger. Cat says it also plans to offer an offboard DC fast charging option. All four models feature Caterpillar’s dedicated blue branding for electric machines.

In addition to construction, Cat says the 22-tonne 320 excavator is suitable for quarrying operations. It utilises five 600V Cat lithium-ion batteries that provide a total of 320kw/h electric power.  

Thierry Brasseur, Caterpillar medium wheeled loader product and applications specialist, said that this enables up to six hours’ operation before recharging is required. More demanding operations, such as trenching, will have a shorter period before recharging is necessary.

The 19.7-tonne GC wheeled loader is suitable for secondary operations in quarrying and uses four Cat 300V lithium-ion batteries for a total of 256kw/h electric power. It takes around one hour to recharge.

Both the 320 medium excavator and 950 GC medium wheeled loader can use DC fast charging.

Cat construction industries group president Tony Fassino commented, “It’s important we meet customers on their sustainability journey today with a variety of solutions including machines that run on renewable fuels or technology that increases fuel efficiency, as well as supporting them into the future as we power our next generation of machines.”

The four machines feature Caterpillar-designed batteries that will also be available to power other industrial applications. The lithium-ion battery range has a modular design to offer flexible configurations across multiple applications. Cat says the batteries are engineered to be scalable to industry and customer performance needs and maximise sustainability throughout their lifecycle, including recycling and reuse at the end of life.

“We’re focused on helping our customers achieve the optimal product and jobsite energy lifecycle, allowing them to maximise value and minimise their total cost of operation,” said Joe Creed, energy & transportation group president.

The 301.9 and 906 are expected to be the first of the four electric prototypes to become commercially available models, although specific launch dates have not yet been given.

As well as zero-exhaust emissions, the new unit will deliver lower noise levels, enhanced efficiency numbers, exceptional performance in confined spaces, and fewer maintenance requirements says the Japanese manufacturer. There should also be less downtime than that required by conventional models too.

The new ZX55U-6EB is said to operate with exceptional manoeuvrability in confined spaces, as it has inherited the short tail swing of the diesel-powered ZX55U-6 model. It also provides equally high levels of performance.  

Hitachi hopes that customers will be able to work on a diverse range of projects with the ZX55U-6EB, including urban construction sites, residential building and waste material handling projects – wherever the environment is a priority.

Customers can choose between battery-powered operation, using 39kWh lithium-ion batteries, and wired operation, which allows the machine to work while charging from a CEE 400VAC 3-phase power source. The cab has air conditioning as standard.

The status of the electric drive system, including the battery level and motor load factor, can be monitored remotely. Reduced external sound levels (91dB) allow for greater flexibility for working times and options. Safety is enhanced by the rear camera to monitor the secure connection of the cable during wired operation.

The ZX55U-6EB shares the same concept of Hitachi’s eight-tonne ZE85 electric excavator, which was developed by EAC (European Application Center), a joint venture between Hitachi Construction Machinery Co and KTEG (Kiesel Technologie Entwicklung). Further underlining its commitments to delivering sustainable solutions, Hitachi intends to expand its battery-powered products line-up in Europe in the future.

“Hitachi is delighted to offer our customers a new battery-powered model capable of working productively and efficiently in small spaces,” said HCME president Takaharu Ikeda.  

“We are working hard to meet the growing demand for zero-emission equipment and listening carefully to our customers’ requirements for improved safety, increased productivity and reduced life-cycle costs.”

The new 500WE, 600WE and 700WE series of electric drives allows the power of the motor to be adjusted as well as the gearing to be customised to match the original equipment manufacturer’s needs for its clients.

Whether it be a compact skid-steer loader, midi excavator or a cement mixing truck, Bonfiglioli has the right drive.

Leveraging expertise across the construction, quarrying and mining equipment giant’s global network of technical centres in the US, UK, China and India, the programme focuses initially on battery solutions for equipment used predominantly in industrial applications.   

The battery range, currently in prototype form, uses lithium-ion technology and features a modular design to optimise performance and packaging.

They have also been engineered with sustainability in mind throughout their lifecycle, with the potential to reuse and recycle the units at the end of their life.  

The development programme also encompasses inverters, motors, electronic controls, digital services, and other critical technologies to deliver the performance, reliability, durability, maintainability, and long-term value needed for equipment buyers working in harsh operating environments.  

“Caterpillar has demonstrated a long-standing commitment to sustainability through improvements in our operations and by helping our customers achieve their climate-related goals,” said Steve Ferguson, senior vice president Caterpillar Industrial Power Systems.  

“Our battery programme is our latest step in combining a wide-ranging inventory of innovations with extensive knowledge of the off-highway industry to offer solutions for a range of power needs, application types, duty cycles and operating environments.”  

Caterpillar has committed that 100% of its new products through 2030 will be more sustainable than the previous generation, which is reflected in the company’s line-up of industrial-power solutions and integrated services finely tuned for owners of third-party equipment powered by Cat engines.  

“Improved sustainability is a journey, not a destination, and one size doesn’t fit all in determining the appropriate power solution for equipment owners,” continued Ferguson.  

“Our offerings can help customers and end users start improving the sustainability of their operations today through high-efficiency engines, fuels and digital solutions now available for the jobsite, by extending value and reducing waste over the lifecycle of equipment they already own, and by powering the next generation of equipment with innovations precisely configured for the jobsite.” 

Sandvik’s Mechanical Cutting Division located in Zeltweg, Austria, is among global market leaders in roadheaders and its powerful machines are often used for cavity construction on tunnel projects.  

The cutting process in underground mining produces strong vibrations and huge quantities of dust. According to Uwe Restner, product manager for roadheaders and digitalisation at Sandvik: “The enormous forces at play in underground mining pose great challenges on the components in our machines. We, therefore, subject the components to intensive tests before we use them in our machines, and Liebherr’s MDC3 convinced us in particular due to its high quality and robustness.”

Sandvik has extensively tested the suitability of the MDC3 digital smart camera for underground mining. It has been put through demanding vibration tests and performed convincingly well under heavy shock loads without any failure or impairment.

Sandvik says that it wants its machines to be compatible with tele-remote operation in the future. This requires a high-resolution camera and, above all, reliable 360° viewing, even under heavy vibrations.  

Due to the blind angle, failure of the camera would require immediate interruption of the tele-remote operation for safety reasons, and thus result in downtimes.

“The most decisive factors in the choice of the camera, besides its robustness, were its reliability and latency. The MDC3 has proven to reliably deliver images to our displays, with minimal delays,” added Restner. “This will be key to future tele-remote operations.”

In Bern, Switzerland, Marti Tunnel is using a Sandvik MT520 roadheader to dig new caverns for a railway station project. The machine has an operating weight of 115tonnes and a power output of 537kW. The MT520 is equipped with a unique telescopic arm, which enables cavity construction to a height of 7.1 metres and a width of 10.3 metres.

Six Liebherr cameras are installed on the MT520 for comfortable 360° viewing in the operator's cab: two in the front with a view of the telescopic boom, two on the sides and two more for rear-view monitoring. With its integrated high-performance imager, the MDC3 shows all the necessary information right on the display, even in very dark environments with an illuminance of 1 millilux.

One innovative solution devised by Sandvik illustrates the harsh environment during cutting: Dirt deposits from water and dust normally crystallise to form an opaque layer on the camera that clouds viewing. Sandvik’s underground specialist has therefore installed an air nozzle in front of the Liebherr camera to prevent the layer from building up.

Despite the challenging operating conditions, Sandvik says its high-quality machines are designed to stay operational for 20 years.

A raft of electric and alternative fuel product launches at bauma 2022 throw light on a sustainable and confident future for the construction industry...

The machine is powered by an internal combustion engine modified to run on hydrogen. This clean burning concept produces mostly water vapour from the tailpipe, ensuring low emissions. The CO2 emission profile of the machine from manufacturing to decommissioning are estimated to be around 70% lower than for a conventional machines.

The special H966 power unit was developed at the firm’s Liebherr Machines engine facility in Switzerland and is based on conventional technology adapted for the purpose. The port fuel injection (PFI) and direct injection (DI) systems are said to ensure efficient combustion. Series production of the Liebherr hydrogen-fuelled engines is scheduled to commence in 2025. The H966 engine features six cylinder and a four cylinder H964 unit is also in development. The machine has a 50tonne operating weight.

Operating weights range from 11-25tonnes while engine power outputs range from 85-160kW. However, new ECO modes ensure more efficient operation and allow the machines to operate in partial load mode unless more output is required, saving fuel.

The cabs are larger and more comfortable, with even lower vibration levels for the operator than on the earlier models. A wide array of options is available including an automatic engine stop system and a dozer blade, while CR variants with reinforced drums for use on rocky ground will be available in due course.

All the new soil compactors can be fitted with the latest machine control systems from the leading suppliers, to suit customer preference.

The firm recognises also that using up to 100% RAP in the feed is dependent on the availability of quality material as well as effective logistics with regard to its retrieval and storage. For applications where lower quantities of RAP are to be used in the feed, Ammann also offers the RAH50 and RAH60 dryers, which have maximum usage of 50% and 60% RAP, respectively. In addition, the firm offers the RAC system, which can handle up to 40% RAP in the feed.

All Ammann recycling systems are able to produce high-quality mix with 100% virgin aggregate if so desired.

As well as the standard version, it comes in a ‘summer’ edition with roofs and shade, and a ‘winter’ edition with full insulation cladding. Austria-based SBM is also adding a less expensive version to the range, which it hopes will sell in certain export markets.

The plants also come with a new, high-pressure cleaning system developed in-house by SBM.

Also being introduced is the Remax 600 crusher/screener, the idea for which was decided over the course of an afternoon and which has been developed in a year – around one-third of the time normally taken for equipment of this type. “We’re a family-run company and can make decisions straight away,” explained Jürgen Reischenböck from SBM’s marketing department.

The machine has what SBM describes as a very large capacity at the back of the unit, a 600tonnes/hour maximum capacity and has three deck screens, giving three finished products.

The RT105T-2 is based on the RT100-2, with an engine delivering 18.6kW compared with the 15kW of the earlier variant as well as a telescopic arm allowing a maximum height at hinge pin of 2820mm as against 2170mm. The company believes it will be an asset for customers requiring more reach, while still able to work in narrow jobsites like the RT100-2.

The RT210-2e and RT220-2e, meanwhile, are Kubota’s first electric articulated wheel loaders. Based on the diesel-powered RT210-2 and RT220-2, the Kubota engine is replaced by an electric system consisting of two electric motors – one to propel the machine and one working the hydraulics – plus a battery pack.

Kubota believes the RT210-2e will be of particular interest because of its lifting height, while the RT220-2e’s lifting capacity is aimed at construction and rental companies. The electric motors provide power on sites where quiet operation is at a premium, as well as having no CO2 emissions.

“The new RT105T-2 opens up the telescopic loaders segment for us and will be followed soon by another machine,” Kubota Europe product manager, Mathieu Bourson, said.