Kobelco SK130LC-11

LATEST KOBELCO SK130LC IMPRESSES WIND FARM CONTRACTOR

As one of the leading contractors within the renewable energy industry, County Tyrone based William & Henry Alexander (Civil Engineering) Ltd has been involved in over 40 wind farm projects throughout the UK and Ireland.

The company prides itself in having an excellent record in terms of all aspects of Health & Safety and Environmental responsibilities. Indeed, it recently obtained a National Silver award in recognition of its Environmental Best Practices. Many of its contracts, wind farms in particular, are carried out in areas where protected species are evident so it is key that its policies and procedures are robust to prevent damage and protect these environments for future generations. It has also been part of its investment strategy to not only keep the plant and machinery it has well maintained but also utilise the latest technological advancements available on the market, one reason it recently invested in a new Kobelco SK130LC-11 excavator, powered by the latest generation Stage V compliant Isuzu engine.

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A STABLE, WELL BALANCED EXCAVATOR WITH SMOOTH HYDRAULICS AND EXCELLENT DIGGING FORCE

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Currently, the company is carrying out enabling works for the Altgolan windfarm off the Castlederg Road in Fermanagh where the Kobelco SK130LC-11 is being utilised. Supplied by McSharry TRACK, it is one of three Kobelco machines in the Alexander (Plant) Ltd fleet. So what is it the company likes about the Kobelco brand? Explains Plant Manager John McElholm: “Downtime can be costly, so reliability is essential and we can depend on Kobelco which also offers better fuel economy than some of its competitors.” He adds: “We also enjoy an excellent level of aftersales support from McSharrys; as a family run business they will always go the extra mile.” Operator Peter Foy has been working with different brands of excavators for more than 20 years and says the Kobelco SK1340LC-11 sits up there with the very best of them. “I am very happy with the machine,” he says. “It is stable and well balanced. It packs plenty of power, with excellent digging force, and smooth hydraulics that are easy to set. The cab cannot be faulted, either; it is spacious, comfortable, and with right side and rear cameras it offers good all round visibility, while all the controls are well positioned and easily reached from my seat.” Indeed, the 10-inch colour monitor – the largest in-cab visual information screen within the excavator industry – provides easily accessible and programmable menu functions, machine status information and provides clear rear and right-side views from the standard-fit upper deck cameras. An LED back-lit multifunction jog-type dial is the access point to all monitor functions. LED backlighting is also standard on all control switches. As Peter mentioned, the machine’s hydraulic system promotes smooth hydraulic control in conjunction with shorter and horizontal control lever movements. This design alleviates stress and tension of the operator’s fingers, wrist and arm, while at the same time providing precise control movement. Seven pre-set hydraulic attachment modes (e.g. bucket, nibbler, tilt rotator and breaker etc.) can be accessed via the master jog-dial and on-screen selection modes. This system ensures a greater range of working versatility and the correct hydraulic performance is delivered to suit the working task. Furthermore, four customisable modes are available and can be pre-set by service engineers to extend the range of hydraulic operations for additional machine roles. An air suspended Grammer seat comes as standard, providing excellent shock absorption and superior ride comfort, comfort that is further enhanced by an air conditioning system that blows from the rear against the operator’s waist and the back of their head. Worthy of note, too, is the FOPS Level II roof guard. While previous roof guards have always been rigid mounted for safety and security, this upgraded roof guard features a swing-open door section so the external roof glass can now be easily cleaned for visibility without reducing its structural integrity. Other areas under the design spotlight include repositioning the safety valve on the cylinder arm to further minimise the risk of accidental contact with site obstacles, and the mounting lug dimensions on the standard bucket have been uprated to suit the available digging force. Bucket capacity: 0.24 - 0.70 m3 Engine power: 78.5 kW/2,000 min-1 Operating weight: 14,200 - 17,100 kg