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The eLION platform is described as an advanced, high-voltage portfolio that includes a full range of modular systems for the electrification of mobile machinery, including motor-generators, inverters, gearboxes, software and accessories.

Developed for the challenging off-highway environment, the portfolio is scalable and supports driving and work functions in a power range from 20 kW to 200 kW (peak power up to 400 kW), for applications in both compact and heavy machines.

The eLION motor-generators and inverters are rugged, robust systems that comply with the IP6K9K ingress protection requirements, says the company, and are engineered to operate across demanding temperature ranges from -40 °C to 85 °C.  The shock and vibration resistance of the eLION components is up to 50 g for shock and 10 g for vibration.

Bosch Rexroth also announced that it has acquired HydraForce, which focuses on mechanical and electrical cartridge valves and hydraulic integrated circuits (HIC). The acquisition allows Bosch Rexroth to offer a wider range of compact hydraulic components and systems, the company said.

Rich Humphrey of Bentley Systems commented that with the continued expansion of the use of general construction management software and 3D and 4D twins, there is a growing need for assistance in using this technology. He said, “This is why we’ve partnered with WSB, to facilitate the digital delivery for owners or DOTs in North America.”

Andy Kaiyala is vice-president of Construction Technology & Controls at WSB and commented, “The market needs somebody to show the industry how to use it. For a lot of contractors, it still seems a challenge. WSB can assist firms in using digital twins.”

WSB can also supply expertise to help clients with developing project models. According to Kaiyala, this allows discussions with customers on how to work through from the bidding process to delivery. The model can be used to simulate what is wanted from a project and allows more time to avoid errors. Design changes are also far easier to implement than using conventional methods. For the customer, being able to show a model to those involved in a project provides greater confidence.

The use of SYNCHRO also means that the various members of the project team will not be working in separate silos as the data is all in the cloud, allowing collaboration in real time. Humphrey said, “It’s about monitoring a project and keeping it under control.”

With the combination of sophisticated software, expertise, and innovation, Bentley and WSB say this digital construction management initiative will help shape the way infrastructure projects are delivered. A single source of truth can connect project, contract, and document management to the future of design, a constructable model, as well as the ability to generate constructable models from current 2D plan sets.

Looking ahead, Humphrey commented, “We need a step function change. Infrastructure needs to move ahead with the times.”

Booth N11865

The CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2023 exhibition in Las Vegas has been bigger and better than ever before as the North American construction and aggregates sector embraces the green revolution and the federal government invests heavily in the nation’s infrastructure.

The show was full of great new ideas for driving down emissions, finding new power platforms, and improving the industry’s productivity, profitability, and safety levels.

Join World Highways editor Mike Woof and Aggregates Business editor Guy Woodford as they take a few minutes out of their busy schedule to talk through some of the key trends.

The expansion of the recycling market is very exciting, says Guy, not least because it is providing new revenue streams, creating better sustainability outputs, and helping contractors win new projects.

It’s what the customer wants and expects. Turning dirt into dollars with the lowest possible carbon footprint is definitely the way it’s going.

“And it’s right way to go,” say our expert editors, “for the market, for growth, and for the planet.”  

Outset, based in Vicenza in the north of Italy, says the module is suitable for use in articulated lorries, wheeled loaders, excavators, and aggregates dumper trucks.

All weighing and TPMS (tyre pressure monitoring system) data can be transmitted via a serial line to the on-board computer or directly in-cloud on external devices, helping users maintain the control and management of productivity, in addition to the safety of their vehicle fleet.

The data can be transmitted via GPS, SIM card or Wi-Fi to the cloud platform, with printed reports to ensure the continuous updating and management of the loading process and tyre monitoring activity.

Luca Toneatti, export area executive at Outset, says the company has more than twenty years' experience in on-board weighing. It supplies TPMS devices for commercial vehicles, earthmoving machines, mining, and logistic vehicles.

Outset technology is designed to provide precise and efficient weighing while loading, in addition to continuous monitoring of tyre pressure and temperature.

Toneatti says that Outset and makes constant, significant investments in R&D to improve its products and develop new, innovative instruments that incorporate the best new technology. The company also works hard, he says, to maintain its reputation for developing user-friendly tech.

The company has an extensive network of authorised sales partners around the world, and plans to expand its network further in the coming years.

Outset provides a range of technologically advanced devices compliant with Industry 4.0 directives, and it works closely with operators to optimise loads. The company’s systems ensure that payloads stay within legal limits and that vehicles do not get overloaded.

Booth S5134

“There are many efforts underway to harden the grid,” said Kayla Breja, senior brand manager at Vermeer. “That includes burying the wires – but there are other applications, too.” Among them: laying pipe and water lines.

“This new drill is designed to meet the needs of utility contractors performing large-diameter city work, as well as pipeliners that are performing long, large-diameter bores,” said Tod Michael, product manager of trenchless products for Vermeer.

The 310kW revamped drill is more versatile than its predecessor. “The combination of the D220x500 S3 drill’s class-leading rotary torque and fluid pressure delivers optimised drilling and reaming performance in challenging ground conditions like rock,” Michael adds.

More torque helps reduce the number of passes crews need to make when widening a hole, says Vermeer. High fluid flow helps protect tooling while maintaining drill hole integrity and operational efficiency.

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The Deere Next Generation engine line-up includes the JD4, JD14 and JD18. The engines were built from “a clean sheet of paper,” which essentially meant stripping the engine down to its block and designing from there, said David Wendt, account manager at John Deere.

This allowed Deere to provide maximum power at the smallest size and enable the use of diesel or alternative fuels. It also meant relocating (and protecting) the wire harness, an enormous benefit for technicians.

The 3.9-litre JD4 provides up to 120kW of power and fills a void beneath the current 4.5litre model.

“For some OEMs, the 4.5 litres is too large,” said Wendt. “The JD4 is smaller in size, with less weight and smaller dimensions.

All the Next Generation engines can integrate alternative fuels, yet have no unnecessary technology, Wendt said. “We’re not using technology where we don’t have to. We’re using technology in the smartest way possible.”

The JD4 will power OEM products such as water pumps, telehandlers and woodchippers.

While released in North America, the engine will also be a good fit in Europe, said Florent Goujon, account manager for Deere.

Its use of renewable fuels is necessary in the region, and European businesses tend to prefer smaller machines, he said.

“When thinking about how to move toward a low-carbon future, we as an industry need to be open to a variety of solutions to meet the vast and varied needs of the off-highway market. There will be no singular solution to reaching our goal of low- and near-zero-carbon emissions,” said Pierre Guyot, senior vice- president of John Deere Power Systems.

“We must prioritise the continued improvement and innovation of ICE technologies, as renewable fuels and electric and hybrid drivetrains play a role in creating a more sustainable future for the off-highway industry.”

Booth W40844

That’s one reason for the release of the TCD 3.9 engine, developed in partnership with John Deere. The engine can be fuelled by diesel or lower-emission alternatives such as hydrogen and HVO, yet it delivers the power contractors still (and always will) need, Mueller said.

The TCD 3.9 provides 130kW, a power level that is difficult for electric machines to reach, Mueller said. He believes 100 kW is the threshold for electric power. “After that, we need combustion,” he said.

Mueller is quick to point out that there is a place for electric engines. They are a very effective solution for smaller machines that require less power – and likely always will be.

“Electric will get more and more penetration at the bottom, with lower-powered machines,” he said. Above 100 kW, “We will talk about combustion engines.”

In addition, the larger machines frequently are at sites that are difficult to support with electricity, while smaller machines tend to be used in more developed areas.

Deutz also has developed the TCG 7.8 H2 hydrogen engine. The six-cylinder engine is based on an existing design, and despite producing 220 kW of power is both carbon-neutral and very quiet.

In principle, the hydrogen engine can be used in all current Deutz applications, and even in the on-highway segment, the company said. After initially being piloted in a genset for generating electricity, the engine will now be trialled in an 18tonne truck.

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Joe Ouellette is president at Miller Formless and commented, “We’ve redone the hydraulics and the control system.” He said that the unit offers a price-competitive package when supplied with two moulds that can meet the needs of small contractors. The unit is also productive, versatile and manoeuvrable, the company says. Customers can select automatic or manual control options and the machine is able to pour on compacted soil or paved surfaces.

Meanwhile, the firm continues to offer its other models, such as the strong-selling M-1000 and ranging up to the top-of-the-line M-8800, which can pave widths up to 6m. This last unit is said to be productive and versatile and Ouellette said, “It’ll expand and contract on the fly.”

The machines are ready for use with machine control technology and customers can, at present, select from Leica Geosystems or Topcon packages, but Ouellette said that the firm also plans to offer a Trimble option in due course.

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The paver is specifically for the North American market and comes with a vibrating screed. Key enhancements over its predecessor, the FC1700 C, include a fail-safe heat management system for increased efficiency and reliability. The newly designed proportional auger conveyor system controls the material flow to the screed.

Dynapac’s entire product range is built on the principle of ‘Designed to Perform and Built to Last’. With this in mind, bolted-on conveyor floor plates, segmented auger flights and screed plates mean that all the wear parts are easily replaced and can be rebuilt several times.

The company’s quad auger system includes screed-mounted augers on both main and extensions. This allows the material to feed with a smoother process whatever the pavement width, without needing a lot of manual work to get the material to wider paving widths.

The independent conveyor system, along with reversible conveyor capability, allows for ease of operation while paving and eliminates spillage onto the ground when transporting the paver between jobsites.

The proportional feed system offers precise control of the head of material in front the screed. Operators can personalise from the display the various material pile-height settings according to job requirements.

Dynapac’s D17 C is paired with the VF0816 front extension screed for high-quality paving results. Weighing in at just over 2,040kg, the VF0816 is the heaviest in its class, providing unbeatable pre-compaction, says the company.

D17 C screed heating is the next-level technology for commercial-class pavers. A newly designed, direct drive 3-phase 16kW engine-mounted generator increases the efficiency and reduces heat-up time. The heating system includes multi-zone heat monitoring for even temperatures across the entire width of the screed. The reliability of the heat control system is further enhanced by having redundancy sensors combined with smart fail-safe heat management technology.

Booth Central Hall 300931

The Italy-headquartered company has had a presence in the North American market for 18-months through its CAMS America operation. The APR 1000-2S was launched in Europe in 2019.

The APR 1000-2S is a hybrid diesel-electric machine that combines the features of two shredders, one iron separator and a screening unit in a single tracked machine. CAMS says it is the perfect solution to recycle slabs and milled asphalt with low fuel consumption, running costs and environmental impact.

The machine incorporates three shredding stages plus a screening unit in one machine. It has the ability to handle steel chunks (including toolholders, manhole covers and steel bars)

The APR 1000-2S features a patented hydraulic pusher system, output weighing system, remote service, and can be transported with one standard size truck.

Features include built-in specific crushing programmes depending on the type of material, the capability to process wet materials, low dust and acoustic emissions, and the ability to provide electrical power on-site.

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The Chinese manufacturer XCMG will market a full line of heavy equipment in North America and Europe. That includes the RP705 Paver-Finisher.

“It is the first high-end paver produced in China and developed in China,” said Thomas Mavrudis, director of road machinery for the Chinese manufacturer.

But cracking the paving market is difficult. A breakdown of that machine can idle compactors, the plant, trucks and workers and a create a host of logistical problems. An idled paver is a contractor’s nightmare.

“It’s hard to buy a product like a paver, where reliability is so crucial, without being very familiar with the machine and the company supporting it,” Mavrudis said.

Paver demos will help, but Mavrudis sees light rollers as the most likely path to market share.

“We’ve sold some single-drum rollers in the U.S. – and some light, compact rollers,” said Mavrudis. “Those are the door openers for us.”

The rollers – mostly in the 1.5 tonne to 4.5 tonne range – will be used to build trust and prove that XCMG products can perform and be supported.

Then the company will more aggressively market a premium paver.

The RP705, a 600-tonne capacity paver best-suited for road work and city streets, will be adjusted to meet the needs of the US and European markets, Mavrudis said. That will include changes to the screeds, tracks and feeder system.

Mavrudis is convinced the XCMG paver will then be a hit in North America and Europe. He believes the market will be particularly impressed with the paver’s control system and ease of operation.

The company has had success selling a variety of construction equipment globally – without even penetrating the North American or European markets.

XCMG had recent annual sales of 1,800 pavers; 2,300 motor graders; 10,000 rollers (single-drum and tandem) and 300 milling machines, Mavrudis said. It also manufactures asphalt-mixing plants.

XCMG is bringing almost all of its heavy equipment to the new markets, Mavrudis added.

Booth F9413

“With this machine, we can dig for at least two hours and drive about 60 miles,” Michael Norman, director of sales and marketing at Gradall, said of the EL41H4. The company believes it must develop a machine that can dig for eight hours and drive back-and-forth between jobsites.

Gradall expects to reach the hour and distance targets in the next few years. “Two to three years from now, a battery of the same size will last twice as long,” Norman said.

The company will also have an essentially separate power system for digging, which will help extend operation. “There will be lots of regeneration with that as well,” Norman said.

Unlike a traditional hydraulic excavator, Gradall’s highway-speed solution features a telescopic boom mounted next to a separate cab sitting to the rear of a road-going chassis. This enables the machine to be independently dispatched to many locations throughout the workday, rather than requiring a low loader for transport.

“That’s what we do,” Norman said. “It’s, ‘One man, one machine.’”

The concept machine is powered entirely by two Volvo Penta batteries, matched to the duty cycle of the excavator, which fit neatly into the existing engine bay. The electric driveline system from Volvo Penta also includes the complete high-voltage system — electric motors, converters, junction boxes and cabling.

Booth W41500