Heavy Equipment Guide July/August 2021, Volume 36, Number 7 by Baum Publications Ltd.

JULY/AUGUST 2021

heavyequipmentguide.ca

UNIQUE GOMACO CONFIGURATION CUTS DOLLY PAD PAVING TIME IN HALF STRAIGHT TALK ON PAVING ROUNDABOUTS

PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40069270

WEARABLE TECH TRANSFORMS RISK MANAGEMENT

Attachments add versatility, and versatility wins you more jobs. With 100+ John Deere attachments for your construction needs, you can decide how you want to Run Your World.

JohnDeere.ca/compactattachments

Expect more tire life

Give tires with large injuries a second life. Send tires with large injuries back into production and see thousands of hours of like-new performance with Ultra Repair™. Our proprietary process effectively repairs injuries on all areas of the tire, restoring its original strength and integrity at a fraction of the cost of new tires.

Exhibiting at MINExpo 2021 Booth 8609, Central Hall Sept 13 - 15, 2021

Kaltiremining.com

Tougher made smarter Introducing the new VHD

On the jobsite you need a truck that’s tough, safe, and smart. So, we built the new Volvo VHD to be the best-looking, most rugged vocational vehicle in the industry, packed with innovative ideas like Volvo Active Driver Assist and the revolutionary Volvo Dynamic Steering. Your toughest jobs just got easier. Learn more at volvotrucks.ca/en-ca/trucks/vhd/

The New Volvo VHD

INTEGRATED PRECISION

INTRODUCING HITACHI INTEGRATED GRADE CONTROL Imagine your best operators made even better. More accuracy. More efficiency. More productivity. With our 2D grade control and Solution Linkage 3D grade control, operators can simply set a grade and hold it – spending less time getting it right the first time. It’s a no-stakes-needed setup for your crew. And it’s factory-integrated precision ready to work on day one.

HitachiConstruction.com

FEATURE STORY

ALL ROADS CONSTRUCTION TACKLES HIGH-PROFILE REPAVING JOB

44 54

UNIQUE GOMACO CONFIGURATION

WEARABLE TECH TRANSFORMS RISK MANAGEMENT

THE LIFE CYCLE OF TIRES

July/August 2021 | Volume 36, Number 7

FEATURES

DEPARTMENTS & SECTIONS

Technology and connectivity the core of wheel loader updates

From the Editor

News Room

Excavator and wheel loader lines updated around new engines

18 Spotlight

All Roads Construction tackles high-profile repaving job

32 Roadbuilding

Straight talk on paving roundabouts

Unique GOMACO configuration cuts dolly pad paving time in half

Parts management takes virtual step forward with online services

Remote monitoring smooths out auto lube system management

Wearable tech transforms risk management

The life cycle of tires

Earthmoving & Excavation

Concrete Equipment

Equipment Maintenance

54 Safety 60

Equipment Roundup: Tires

Last Word

Advertiser Index

JULY/AUGUST 2021 | VOLUME 36 • NUMBER 7 EDITOR Lee Toop ltoop@baumpub.com 604-291-9900 ext. 315 EDITOR IN CHIEF Kaitlyn Till ktill@baumpub.com 604-291-9900 ext. 330 DIGITAL EDITOR Slone Fox sfox@baumpub.com 604-291-9900 ext. 335 ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Sam Esmaili sam@baumpub.com 604-291-9900 ext. 110

ADVERTISING PRODUCTION MANAGER Tina Anderson production@baumpub.com 604-291-9900 ext. 222 DESIGN & PRODUCTION Morena Zanotto morena@baumpub.com 604-291-9900 ext. 325 PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER Ken Singer ksinger@baumpub.com 604-291-9900 ext. 226 VICE PRESIDENT/CONTROLLER Melvin Date Chong mdatechong@baumpub.com

FOUNDER Engelbert J. Baum

Published by: Baum Publications Ltd. 124 - 2323 Boundary Road Vancouver, BC, Canada V5M 4V8

COVER PHOTO: GOMACO XTREME COMMANDER III CURB AND GUTTER MACHINE Unique GOMACO configuration cuts dolly pad paving time in half for Curbside Construction Read the article on page 44 .

Tel: 604-291-9900 Toll Free: 1-888-286-3630 Fax: 604-291-1906 www.baumpub.com www.heavyequipmentguide.ca @HeavyEquipGuide FOR ALL CIRCULATION INQUIRIES Phone: 1-855-329-1909 • Fax: 1-855-272-0972 e-mail: baumpublications@circlink.ca

Subscription: To subscribe, renew your subscription, or change your address or other information, go to: http://mysubscription.ca/heg/ Heavy Equipment Guide serves the Canadian engineered construction industry including: roadbuilding and maintenance; highways, bridges, tunnels; grading and excavating; earthmoving; crushing; trucking and hauling; underground utilities; trenching; concrete paving; asphalt paving; demolition; aggregates production; fleet maintenance; and asset security and management. The magazine is distributed to key industry personnel involved in these sectors.

CONNECT WITH US @HeavyEquipGuide

Subscription Price: In Canada, CDN $91.00; Outside Canada, US$149. Heavy Equipment Guide is published ten times a year in January, February, March, April, May, June, July/August, September, October and November/December. Heavy Equipment Guide accepts no responsibility or liability for reported claims made by manufacturers and/or distributors for products or services; the views and opinions expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Baum Publications Ltd. Copyright 2021, Baum Publications Ltd. No portion of this publication may be reproduced without permission of the publishers. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada. Printed in Canada on recycled paper by Mitchell Press Ltd. ISSN 1485-6085

WE’D LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU Do you have a job site story, innovation or industry concern that our readers should know about? We’d like to hear from you. Contact: Editor in Chief Kaitlyn Till at ktill@baumpub.com or 604-291-9900 ext. 330

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Experience the Progress.

Liebherr Wheel Loaders L 550 XPower® - L 586 XPower® XPower ® is the new generation of Liebherr’s large wheel loaders. Liebherr XPower® is an integrated, innovative machine concept that sets new standards in terms of reliability, performance, robust design and comfort. The XPower ® power-split driveline combines hydrostatic with mechanical drive and ensures maximum efficiency, whatever the application. The Liebherr-Power-Efficiency (LPE) System of the XPower® wheel loaders adjusts the power to the job for fuel savings of up to 30 percent – so you handle more, faster.

Liebherr-Canada Ltd. 1015 Sutton Drive, Burlington, Ontario L7L 5Z8 Phone: +1 800 387 3922 E-mail: info.lca@liebherr.com www.facebook.com/LiebherrConstruction www.liebherr.ca

2016-501_029 LBH_088_L550-L586-IV_Z-K_US-Markt_CHEG_CAN_GB.indd 1

24.06.21 10:32

FROM THE EDITOR

FROM THE EDITOR DRIVING GOVERNMENT TO REPAIR CRUMBLING ROADS

anada has a serious problem with aging infrastructure, a fact that I’ve discussed here previously – and one that, despite regular announcements about focus and funding, rarely changes. One piece of that infrastructure that we all experience in one way or another is our road network. Highways and city streets across the country are in a constant state of update and repair, and yet it’s hard to go a few kilometres without finding a road that could benefit from immediate attention. Rural areas fare even worse. Roads, though, seem to be less of a focus for major funding efforts. Municipalities find themselves footing the bill for repair and maintenance on their road networks, and frequently are left having to pick and choose between projects because the budget is tight. Funding from the federal government – whether it be specific infrastructure investment, contributions from the federal gas tax program, or otherwise – tends to go toward large transportation programs, while secondary roads are left to linger. Some groups are making an effort to bring the need for road infrastructure improvements to the forefront, in hopes of increased funding. The Alberta Roadbuilders and Heavy Construction Association (ARHCA), for example, conducted a campaign earlier this year that encouraged the public to get involved – by pointing out the province’s worst roads. A request for Alberta residents to share pictures of the worst roads in their region turned up some pretty shocking images that really hammer home the need for more road repair funding province-wide. Crumbling shoulders, giant potholes, water running along the roadway – there are some very ugly scenes out there. The ARHCA’s efforts got the public engaged in hopes of pushing politicians to bring more funding to the table. At the same time, there are growing opportunities to improve roads from a technological perspective; these new approaches can save time and money, while giving road surfaces a longer lifespan. We look at one of these in this issue: our colleague Larry Trojak’s article on All Roads Construction on page 32 digs into the use of SmoothRide technology from Topcon to improve construction efficiency and road longevity. LIDAR scans of the road surface allow crews to determine exactly

heavyequipmentguide.ca | JULY/AUGUST 2021

The infrastructure deficit needs to be closed in Canada, and there are plenty of new opportunities to use the latest roadbuilding innovation as a way to narrow that gap – and keep it closed. how much material they need for the project and where problem spots might turn up, improving the placement of asphalt right up front. Innovations in hot mix formulations are also making it easier to improve and extend the life of infrastructure. New additives improve strength and lifespan of asphalt road surfaces, and more are coming on to the market all the time, giving government agencies an opportunity to extend the lives of their road assets. The infrastructure deficit needs to be closed in Canada, and there are plenty of new opportunities to use the latest roadbuilding innovation as a way to narrow that gap – and keep it closed.

Lee Toop Editor ltoop@baumpub.com heavyequipmentguide.ca

B O B C A T. C O M / L A R G E E X C A VA T O R S

Impressive performance. Superior comfort. Excellent uptime and reliability. Bobcat ® large excavators deliver everything you’ve come to expect from Bobcat equipment – only more of it.

Bobcat is a Doosan company. Doosan is a global leader in construction equipment, power and water solutions, engines, and engineering, proudly serving customers and communities for more than a century. Bobcat ®, the Bobcat logo and the colors of the Bobcat machine are registered trademarks of Bobcat Company in the United States and various other countries. ©2021 Bobcat Company. All rights reserved. | 1472

NEWS ROOM

IPAF REPORT HIGHLIGHTS NEED FOR NEAR-MISS DATA FROM POWERED ACCESS MACHINE USERS

T STAY CURRENT www.heavyequipmentguide.ca CONNECT WITH US @HeavyEquipGuide

he latest IPAF Global Safety Report analyzes the main causes of serious injuries and fatalities occurring when using powered access machines to conduct temporary work at height, highlighting the need to gather more near-miss data to help avoid serious accidents in the future. While the report indicates the main causes of serious injuries and deaths while using powered access machines have not changed significantly across the most recent two years of data, electrocutions have increased slightly, joining falls from the platform as the most common cause. Over the five-year period 2016–2020, the most common causes of fatal incidents were falls from the platform and electrocutions, both accounting for 23 percent of deaths, followed by entrapments (19 percent), MEWP overturns/tip-overs (12 percent), MEWPs being struck by another machine or vehicle (6 percent) or being hit by falling objects (5 percent). Brian Parker, IPAF’s Head of Safety & Technical, says: “One thing that we all agree on is we must now focus on areas we know we need more data from; this means gathering more information about near misses – we are getting comprehensive reporting of serious injuries and deaths but need more reports of the seemingly innocuous mistakes that might have led to a serious outcome but didn’t. Near misses are important in understanding trends and preventing serious accidents in the future.”

CUMMINS TO ACQUIRE 50 PERCENT OF MOMENTUM FUEL TECHNOLOGIES

ummins will acquire a 50 percent equity interest in Momentum Fuel Technologies from Rush Enterprises. The joint venture will produce Cummins-branded natural gas fuel delivery systems for the commercial vehicle market in North America. The proposed transaction is expected to close later this year.

heavyequipmentguide.ca | JULY/AUGUST 2021

SAFEAI EXPANDS TO CANADA

afeAI has continued its global expansion with its entry into Canada. “At SafeAI, we believe autonomy has the power to create smarter, safer, more productive heavy industry. With flourishing construction and mining sectors, Canada is a natural fit for our business,” said Bibhrajit Halder, founder and CEO at SafeAI. Expansion into Canada comes on the heels of a year of significant growth for SafeAI as the company accelerated off-road deployment of autonomous technology. In late 2020, the company entered partnerships with industry leaders – including Obayashi and The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company – to expand its ecosystem and more effectively deliver autonomy at scale. Most recently, the company announced $21 million in Series A funding to accelerate research and development and global growth.

THREE CANADIAN DEALERS WIN 2020 DIAMOND DEALER AWARDS FROM CASE CE

TRADE SHOWS RETURNING IN 2022

he World of Asphalt Show & Conference and AGG1 Aggregates Academy & Expo are gearing up to return to the first in-person edition of the combined show. The show will run from March 29 to 31, 2022 at the Nashville Music City Centre in Nashville, Tennessee. Visitors from the heavy equipment, roadbuilding, construction, snow removal, aggregate and infrastructure sectors will once again come together for the National Heavy Equipment Show’s biennial exhibition when it returns to Mississauga’s International Centre March 31 to April 1, 2022. The last edition of the show saw 12,668 attendees. The Atlantic Truck Show will return to the Moncton Coliseum June 3 to 4, 2022. This event showcases the latest trucks and truck-related products on the market, and the 2022 show will offer a renewed focus on trucks for all trades – focusing on vehicles for construction and building supply, dump trucks and forestry.

ASE CE has named five Canadian dealers as winners of its 2020 Diamond Dealer and Gold Dealer awards that recognize dealerships across the US and Canada for excellence in sales performance, marketing, product support, parts support and training. The Diamond Dealer award winners are J.R. Brisson Equipment (Ontario, Quebec), Longus Equipment (Quebec) and Redhead Equipment (Saskatchewan). The Gold Dealer award winners are HiTrac (Winnipeg, Manitoba) and Kucera Group (Ontario).

GEARFLOW WINS CONSTRUCTION TECH STARTUP COMPETITION

SAFETY FOCUS For more on the value of collecting near-miss data, turn to page 54 to learn how wearable tech can transform risk management on your job site.

earflow, an online parts marketplace built for the construction industry, won the Mid-Continent Startup Challenge at the BuiltWorlds 2021 Construction Tech Conference. The competition awards the top early stage construction tech startup based in a U.S. metropolitan area other than the East and West coasts. JULY/AUGUST 2021 | heavyequipmentguide.ca

NEWS ROOM

TEREX ACQUIRES MDS INTERNATIONAL, OPENS FIRST LOCATION IN IRELAND

erex Materials Processing has purchased MDS International, a manufacturer of heavy-duty and recycling trommels, apron feeders and conveyor systems. This acquisition allows Terex to expand its offerings in the crushing and screening and environmental industries, including heavy-duty trommels from MDS that will enable expansion into areas of the market that Terex MP does not currently serve.

CAISSON CONSULTANT JOINS ATLAS COPCO POWER TECHNIQUE DEALER NETWORK

tlas Copco Power Technique has named Caisson Consultant as a dealer, effective immediately. Caisson Consultant will be a resource to support sales, service warranty, and application knowledge for Atlas Copco DrillAir high-pressure air compressors. Specializing in piling, anchor, tieback, and limited access machines, Caisson Consultant offers technical support, rentals, sales, RPOs, tooling and wear parts.

heavyequipmentguide.ca | JULY/AUGUST 2021

MORE NEWS www.heavyequipmentguide.ca

CSDA LAUNCHES NEW ONLINE TRAINING PLATFORM FOR CONCRETE CUTTING AND DRILLING INDUSTRY

SDA has launched a brand-new online training platform, giving members of the concrete industry more opportunities to advance their knowledge of diamond tools and technology. The new website features an updated version of the association’s Cutting Edge training class which is geared towards less experienced operators who want to learn about the basics of diamond tools, how diamonds cut, the basics of slab sawing, core drilling, wall sawing, hand sawing, job site safety best practices, and more. Owners and managers can track their team’s progress and sign up multiple employees to take the course.

NEW ONLINE LEARNING PORTAL PROMOTES CONSTRUCTION TO YOUTH

lass Of Your Own (COYO), a social enterprise dedicated to helping the construction industry engage with schools and educators to develop the skills of young people, has debuted a new online learning portal. DEC SCHOOL makes COYO’s learning program available anywhere in the world, enabling children and young people to quickly and easily gain an introduction to various professional disciplines in the construction industry. As the workforce continues to age out, recruiting new talent to its ranks has become a priority. The new portal aims to prove that construction, survey and design are exciting, viable career considerations.

CUMMINS BEGINS TESTING HYDROGEN-FUELLED INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE

ummins is advancing its zero-carbon technology with the testing of a hydrogen-fuelled internal combustion engine. Following the testing, the company plans to evaluate the engine in a variety of on- and off-highway applications. According to Cummins, hydrogen engines offer OEMs and end users the benefit of adaptability by continuing to use familiar mechanical drivelines with vehicle and equipment integration mirroring that of current powertrains while continuing to provide the power and capability for meeting application needs. The hydrogen engines can use green hydrogen fuel, emitting near-zero CO2 emissions through the tailpipe and near-zero levels of NOx. The projected investment in renewable hydrogen production globally will provide a growing opportunity for the deployment of hydrogen-powered fleets utilizing either Cummins fuel cell or engine power. The high energy density of hydrogen enables easily integrated onboard gas storage without compromising either the vehicle payload or operating range. Cummins’ joint venture partnership with hydrogen storage specialist NPROXX adds the ability to integrate the fuel cell or hydrogen engine with the high-pressure gas cylinder tanks and supply lines on the vehicle.

STRONGER AXLE AND FRAME LARGER BUCKET CAPACITY IMPROVED CAB VISIBILITY

DESIGNED TO DOMINATE. POWERED BY INNOVATION. Load more material. Carry it with confidence. Get more done. New -7 Series wheel loaders. Learn more at NA.DOOSANEQUIPMENT.COM/WL/HEG ©2021 Doosan Infracore North America, LLC. All rights reserved.

JULY/AUGUST 2021 | heavyequipmentguide.ca

SPOTLIGHT

INTRODUCTIONS & UPDATES

EC550E EXCAVATOR

Volvo Construction Equipment

50-ton-class excavators for mass excavation The new EC530E and EC550E excavators are made for heavy-duty digging, mass excavation and large-scale site preparation. When coupled with large buckets, these excavators are designed to efficiently fill articulated haulers in the 30- to 40-ton class. These excavators feature a super-rigid reinforced undercarriage, which provides durability and strength. This is supported by equally sturdy lower and upper frames. The EC550E undercarriage has a long and wide lower frame, giving it extra stability when working with heavier loads. The boom and arm on both machines features a larger pin size for added strength. The electro-hydraulic system contributes to a 25 percent improvement in fuel efficiency with its Independent Metering Valve Technology that, due to intelligent electronic control, offers more precise operation and efficiency than a traditional

heavyequipmentguide.ca | JULY/AUGUST 2021

mechanically coupled hydraulic system, according to Volvo. Engine pump optimization lowers engine speed while maintaining power. The EC530E and EC550E offer high levels of control and efficiency, including creep mode for precise lift-and-carry work and optional Comfort Drive Control which helps reduce operator fatigue by allowing the excavator to be steered with joystick rollers instead of pedals. Operators can also select functions like boom/swing and boom/travel priority, which enables one function to take the lead over another. The boom-down speed can also be adjusted, giving optimum control for tasks that require extra precision. New boom-and-arm bounce reduction technology lessens machine shock.

TAKE A SEAT in a Newly Enhanced G Series Wheel Loader

With a more intuitive touchscreen display, configurable buttons and adjustable electro-hydraulic controls, you’ll experience the ease of having customizable settings and core functions at your fingertips. Plus, enjoy added convenience with Uptime Center monitoring, remote diagnostics with software update capabilities, and ProCare. Learn more and request a demo at CaseCE.com/Get-In.

©2021 CNH Industrial America LLC. All rights reserved. CASE is a trademark registered in the United States and many other countries, owned by or licensed to CNH Industrial N.V., its subsidiaries or affiliates.

SPOTLIGHT

MOBILE CONE CRUSHER

Kleemann

Mobile cone crusher

The MOBICONE MCO 90(i) EVO2 mobile cone crusher delivers a maximum feed capacity of up to 270 tph, is powered by diesel-direct drive and is simple to transport, according to Kleemann. The conveyor belts are driven electrically, and the continuous feed system uses a probe to monitor the crusher level and regulates the material supply for the optimum volume. The cone crusher covers a wide gap range of 6 to 45 mm for flexibility. All crushing gap widths are set conveniently via the radio remote control. Equipped with an intelligent overload system, Kleemann says that safety and stable processes can be guaranteed even under difficult conditions. The tramp release system provides protection from uncrushable materials, such as wood or metal. The software-supported overload system has two modes that give users a choice of whether to focus more on product quality or product volume.

Caterpillar

Mini excavators

The new 2.7- to 3.5-tonne 302.7 CR, 303 CR and 303.5 CR hydraulic mini excavators feature stick steer, cruise control, operator adjustable settings and tilt-up canopy or cab as standard. According to Caterpillar, design changes to the machines in this size class deliver up to 10 percent more performance in travel and trenching over previous models. Hydraulic system upgrades improve lifting performance and cycle times. These mini excavators feature a compact radius swing, and an expandable undercarriage option is available for the 302.7 CR. Interchangeable counterweight packages are also available. All three models offer both standard- and long-stick configurations. Standard digging depths range from 96.5 to 110.6 inches (2,450 to 2,810 mm), while the long stick configuration delivers reach from 104.3- to 122.4-inch (2,650- to 3,110-mm) depths. A dozer blade comes as standard and an angle blade option is available on the 303.5 CR.

heavyequipmentguide.ca | JULY/AUGUST 2021

MINI EXCAVATOR

SPOTLIGHT

Ammann

Light tandem rollers

Ammann says its new series of light tandem rollers are easy to operate, transport and maintain. The rollers retain their ability to work in-line or off-set, enabling compaction against curbs and other obstructions. The new double drum rollers are the ARX 12-2, ARX 16-2 and ARX 20-2. The combination ARX 16-2C roller utilizes a steel drum in front and pneumatic tires in the rear for higher machine traction and improved sealing of surfaces. A new vibratory circuit setting delivers expanded vibratory frequencies that facilitate quicker compaction. Operators can now effortlessly switch between drive modes; in previous generations, this required a service technician. Soft drive enables smooth, steady adjustments to directional changes. Hard drive responds quickly to directional changes. Panic stop idles the machine if the operator makes very sudden directional changes or significantly adjusts the travel lever position. LIGHT TANDEM ROLLER

Xtreme Manufacturing

World’s tallest fixed boom telehandler

TELEHANDLER

The new Xtreme XR1585-C delivers a maximum lift height of 85 feet (25.9m) and is the first Xtreme telehandler to utilize a five-section boom design. Capable of lifting loads weighing up to 15,000 pounds (5,443 kg), the Xtreme XR1585-C delivers a 67-foot (20.4 m) maximum forward reach and is available with a choice of fixed, fork positioning, swing or side tilt C-class carriages. Weighing 65,500 pounds (29,710 kg), the Xtreme XR1585-C is powered by a 4.5 L Cummins 173-hp Tier 4 Final diesel engine and features a large-capacity 100-gallon (272.5 L) fuel tank. Utilizing a newly designed chassis, specific to this model, the XR1585-C is 102 inches (2.6 m) wide, has a stowed height of 10 feet 1 inch (2.7 m), and a turning radius of 16 feet 8 inches (4.8 m), and has wide stance outriggers as standard for maximum stability. A B-class carriage version, the XR1285-B, is available with a reduced 12,000 pounds maximum capacity.

JULY/AUGUST 2021 | heavyequipmentguide.ca

EARTHMOVING & EXCAVATION

TECHNOLOGY AND CONNECTIVITY THE CORE OF WHEEL LOADER UPDATES CASE CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT HAS FOCUSED ON INTEGRATING NEW TECHNOLOGY FEATURES AND IMPROVEMENTS IN ITS G SERIES LINE BY LEE TOOP, EDITOR

ASE Construction Equipment has introduced a suite of enhancements for its G Series wheel loader line that adds new technology, connectivity and uptime improvements along with various other updates across the seven model series. CASE’s goals were focused on shortening cycle times, making operation easier and reducing maintenance downtime. Those targets are met through a range of changes that encompass everything from machine design updates to smartphone apps.

INTEGRATED PAYLOAD SYSTEM AND MATERIAL HANDLING IMPROVEMENTS

Many of the updates are aimed at assisting owners and operators in specific uses, including loading and material handling. According to North American Product Manager Andrew Dargatz, one new feature makes material handling easier. “We know that many contractors use wheel loaders pretty extensively as material handlers, with forks, to load palletized material, pipe and so forth. We’ve now given them parallel lift capability across the entire wheel loader line,” said Dargatz, who has been working with CASE and its wheel loaders for more than ten years. “We’ve now made it more accessible, even if users prefer one of our Z-bar or extended reach models, with the new electro-hydraulic Parallel Lift setting. This setting

heavyequipmentguide.ca | JULY/AUGUST 2021

automatically maintains the angle and position of the bucket or forks. Enabling ride control in this mode further minimizes the risk of material shifting while loading or transporting.” For buyers who use their loaders for just that – loading – a factory-integrated payload system will be a real bonus, Dargatz noted. Purpose-built by CASE for the G Series loaders, the payload system is available directly in the loader’s primary display and offers bucket weight, pass counts, accumulated and running weight, job tracking data and more, providing plenty of information in high-volume loading and production environments. “This allows operators to precisely load each truck to reduce under/overload situations by accurately weighing each bucket, and cumulatively track the total weight of material loaded into each truck,” Dargatz said. “It also helps operators track total loads and total volume of material moved over a period of time, and can also track history by customer, truck or material as well as provide ticket histories.” Using that information improves efficiency in loading cycles while also removing the need for operators to top trucks off on the scale or offload overweight trucks. It can also provide training opportunities and guide future buying decisions around bucket or machine sizes, Dargatz noted.

A NEW INTEGRATED PAYLOAD SYSTEM ADDS TO OPERATOR EFFICIENCY.

NEW TOUCHSCREEN CONNECTS OPERATOR WITH TECHNOLOGY IMPROVEMENTS

A key update in the G Series loader cab is the new touchscreen display, which provides the operator with a connection to a variety of technology features beyond the new payload management system. Dargatz said the touchscreen provides a broad array of functionality to improve operation. “One of the new settings you’ll see to make operation more intuitive is for the new adjustable electro-hydraulic controls. These allow you to independently set lift and tilt functionality to smooth, moderate or aggressive, to adjust the boom and bucket responsiveness for the type of work you do,” he said. Smooth provides deliberate movement and the most control, moderate is a more standard responsiveness and aggressive gives more immediate response to joystick operations. A fine bucket metering setting allows for easier and more precise topping off of loads, he added. Another setting available from the touchscreen is the engine power mode; options have been reduced to two from four, with Smart and Max available, Dargatz said. Max is for when working at full throttle, while Smart improves communication between the engine and transmission to provide smoother shifting, high performance and enhanced operator experience. It can also reduce fuel use by up to 10 percent.

Uptime and responsiveness are primary drivers when it comes to heavy construction equipment consideration, and the advances brought to the CASE G Series with remote diagnostics and the ability to update software and clear codes remotely will significantly shorten any downtime events experienced by the owner/operator. Andrew Dargatz North American Product Manager

JULY/AUGUST 2021 | heavyequipmentguide.ca

EARTHMOVING & EXCAVATION

G SERIES MACHINES HAVE A VARIETY OF ENHANCED SETTINGS FOR LOADING OR MATERIAL HANDLING.

Other settings are available through new configurable buttons on the loader armrest, which allow the operator to set a range of tasks or for settings to be accessed quickly.

UPTIME IMPROVED WITH TELEMATICS AND TIRE MONITORING

Beyond the in-cab connectivity, the G Series is able to work with CASE’s Site Connect module and SiteManager app that allow for faster resolution of key issues remotely, saving time and expense. “Uptime and responsiveness are primary drivers when it comes to heavy construction equipment consideration, and the advances brought to the CASE G Series with remote diagnostics and the ability to update software and clear codes remotely will significantly shorten any downtime events experienced by the

owner/operator,” Dargatz described. “This will significantly improve uptime for the machine owner and allow the dealer to better understand the status or issue at hand, resolve the issue faster and save the dealer hours in travel time and expense.” A new tire pressure monitoring system has been added to the G Series to aid with tire health and keep fuel efficiency up through avoiding underinflated tires. “As with any truck or car, tire health and performance has a significant effect on overall performance, tire and component life, and fuel efficiency, especially when driving on underinflated tires,” Dargatz said. “The all-new TPMS features individual sensors that mount to the valve stem of each tire along with a receiver module that communicates the pressure for each tire onto the display and alerts the operator when the tire pressure is outside of a set range.” HEG

Trimble Insight provides real-time operations visibility to improve performance and productivity. See target vs. actual production, delays, downtime and more, so you have the confidence to make more informed decisions. Insight supports a mixed fleet of all your loaders, excavators, haul trucks, and conveyor belts to track productivity from the pit to stockpile. ACTIONABLE INSIGHTS | DASHBOARDS | NOTIFICATIONS

Actionable Insights

Call 1.800.528.5623, email aggregates@trimble.com or learn more at trimble.com/insight

022482-4309_Insight Advert for HEG_7.5 x 4.875in_0421.indd 1

heavyequipmentguide.ca | JULY/AUGUST 2021

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Excavator Excavator lifetime warranty Excavator total cost of ownership Excavator fuel efficiency Excavator cab comfort Excavator safety Excavator Dig Assist

WHATEVER YOU’RE SEARCHING FOR IN AN EXCAVATOR,

YOU’LL FIND IT IN A VOLVO. Whether it’s lower fuel consumption to keep costs down, a lifetime warranty on the boom, arm and frame, or integrated work modes to dial in customized power and hydraulic flow for the job, Volvo excavators give you more. There is a difference — find the excavator you need on your terms. See how we’re different at volvoce.com/excavatorsearch.

EARTHMOVING & EXCAVATION

EXCAVATOR AND WHEEL LOADER LINES UPDATED AROUND NEW ENGINES CUMMINS PARTNERSHIP DRIVES POWER AND DESIGN CHANGES FOR HYUNDAI A SERIES MACHINES BY LEE TOOP, EDITOR

hen Hyundai headed to CONEXPO 2020, it came with some big news: a repowering and redesign for key pieces of its heavy equipment portfolio. The introduction of the A Series wheel loaders and excavators, easily identified by its distinctive new colour scheme with all-black boom and stick, was the start of a process that continues to bring new machines and new power options to the table. Key to the A Series introduction was a drive to meet emissions regulations, in this case Europe Stage V. To make that move, Hyundai has partnered with Cummins and powered the entire A Series line with Performance Series engines. That partnership is one aspect of a refresh for lines that were introduced in 2015, explained Juston Thompson, Hyundai senior product manager. “As emission requirements change and we receive customer feedback, we adapt those things and requirements to what’s needed,” Thompson said. “The other driving forces were demand from customers on product changes and feedback to better develop our equipment to meet those customers’ needs.” The Cummins Performance Series engines paired with A Series machines use the company’s Single Module aftertreatment system, which operates without exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), leading to simpler installation and lower operating costs. Single Module incorporates a diesel particulate filter (DPF), selective catalytic reduction (SCR) and urea-dosing technologies into a single unit, reducing the package size by 50 percent and cutting weight by 30 percent. In addition, the Cummins engines provide increased power and torque compared to previous engines, while cutting fuel consumption. Plus, a single engine manufacturer common to all machines in each line provides service and maintenance benefits, Thompson added.

heavyequipmentguide.ca | JULY/AUGUST 2021

REDESIGN IMPROVES VISIBILITY ON WHEEL LOADERS

The move to Stage V compliance meant redesigning to bring in the new engines, and that, Thompson noted, provided an opportunity to take Hyundai’s machines in a new direction and address the feedback that had come in over the years. “We had a whole list of things we wanted to come up with, and customer requests – it made good sense to do some redesigns and incorporate that feedback,” Thompson said. One key change, especially on the six A Series wheel loaders, had to do with visibility. When Tier 4 Final engines and equipment were installed on the loaders, some adjustments had to be made for the cooling package that cost some visibility for operators, Thompson noted. The A Series development meant a redesign of the hood while keeping the popular swing-out cooling package and its standard reversing fan. While the cab design has remained similar to the previous series of loaders, greater visibility has definitely piqued the interest of customers. “They get into the cab and say ‘man, this is a great, comfortable cab with lots of room and a great operating environment’ – we didn’t change any part of that. The cabs are basically identical,” Thompson noted. “When they actually look over their shoulder they say ‘this thing has a lot more visibility – we can see inside this machine a whole lot better than we could before.’” That visibility improvement is a key part of Hyundai’s safety improvements on all of its machines. The company offers rear-view cameras as well as its AAVM – All Around View Monitoring – camera system, which is available on both excavators and wheel loaders. Four cameras provide a

We had a whole list of things we wanted to come up with, and customer requests – it made good sense to do some redesigns and incorporate that feedback. Juston Thompson Senior Product Manager

THE HX520A IS THE LARGEST OF HYUNDAI’S A SERIES EXCAVATORS TO BE RELEASED.

360-degree view around the machine on the in-cab monitor with the touch of a button, and the Intelligent Moving Object Detection feature alerts to the presence of people or objects within a certain distance of the machine. “We aren’t going to stop with just AAVM – we brought out radar along with it, bringing in a secondary monitor for some added visibility and make it a little easier for the operator to see as opposed to just being on the standard monitor,” Thompson noted.

HYUNDAI HL930A WHEEL LOADER

JULY/AUGUST 2021 | heavyequipmentguide.ca

EARTHMOVING & EXCAVATION

HYUNDAI HX85A EXCAVATOR

EXCAVATOR LINE EXPANDS INTO NEW SIZE

Much of the excavator design was also carried over, but the nine-model line has been expanded with new machines, including the HX210A L, Thompson noted. Based on the popular HX220 – itself updated as the HX220A L and equipped with a powerful B6.7-litre Cummins engine – the HX210A L is targeted at price-conscious buyers and rental markets. “It’s a little bit lighter, so it saves you about 4,000 pounds, and it is powered by a four-cylinder Cummins engine, the B4.5 – it gains fuel efficiency and saves some weight,” Thompson described. Hyundai’s excavators are designed with easy serviceability in mind. A design change made the DEF/AdBlue compartment and access door easier to access, making refills faster, and overfilling is prevented with better visibility of a ¾ to Full sight gauge. Cooling efficiency is improved through aluminum open-core coolers that are stacked, improving air flow. Mid-size to large A Series excavators, along with the wheel loaders, can take advantage of the Hyundai Hi MATE remote management system, which offers easy access to service and

heavyequipmentguide.ca | JULY/AUGUST 2021

diagnostic information. Machine location, operating history, fuel condition and more can be tracked through the system, giving owners the opportunity to manage and maintain their fleets easier. More A Series models will arrive in the near future, Thompson said, as well as other options. “The 965 and 975 are the only two we haven’t launched yet in the A Series, but they’re on the slate,” he said. “We are going to have an updated HL875 – it won’t have all the updates the A Series has, but it will be a bridge . . . we’re going to make those same changes on the hood to improve visibility before we actually launch the A Series version.” With the A Series well established with customers, Thompson said that customer feedback as the machines hit the ground will help guide further updates and improvements down the road. “We’re always looking for customer feedback and surveying our current and potential customers on what they would like to see on models going forward – options, enhancements, things that would make them more productive,” he said. “We’re always working on new things to help customers improve their productivity.” HEG

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EARTHMOVING & EXCAVATION

CATERPILLAR

MOVE MORE MATERIAL WITH EFFICIENT NEW MEDIUM WHEEL LOADERS

aterpillar has updated its medium wheel loaders in the 9- to 11-tonne class, adding greater productivity and lowering maintenance costs compared to previous models. Caterpillar has also added new XE models that feature a continuous variable transmission for even greater efficiency. The Cat 980 and 982 are redesigned and updated from the previous 980M and 982M, and feature a range of updates from comfort and safety improvements to added technology that makes jobs easier for operators.

CVT-EQUIPPED XE MODELS IMPROVE FUEL EFFICIENCY

A feature available on a number of previous models in the Cat wheel loader lineup, the 980 and 982 XE models offer a high-efficiency continuously variable parallel path drive system that combines a direct mechanical path from the engine to the wheels with a Hystat variator. Integration of the CVT, engine, hydraulic and cooling system improves fuel efficiency by up to 35 percent through lowering rated engine speed with high rimpull. The XE models feature fine rimpull modulation capability and virtual gears to give operators a seamless switch from powershift machines. Plus, these models feature reduced operating noise levels.

REAL-TIME INFORMATION COLLECTED BY NEW TECH TOOLS

Cat has added a number of features that help operators and managers collect data on the job site. For example, Cat Payload with Assist is standard on all 980 and 982 series loaders. It offers accurate weighing of bucket payloads, allowing operators to hit their loading targets on the first try every time. Low lift weight and manual tip-off functions are included. As an option, Advanced Payload can expand the system functionality with a variety of additional tools. Compatible with third-party scale house software, it can wirelessly integrate the machine with Dispatch for Loading. A new Autodig feature with Auto Set Tires helps operators hone their loading technique to significantly reduce tire slip and loading time. It can automate the complete bucket loading cycle to deliver consistently high bucket fill factors and improve productivity by up to 10 percent. Also standard are Application Profiles; with the press of a button, operators can set multiple machine parameters to optimize settings for particular applications.

heavyequipmentguide.ca | JULY/AUGUST 2021

SAFETY IN FOCUS WITH MULTIPLE DESIGN ADDITIONS

Access to the new cab is safer on these machines thanks to a wide door, stair-like steps and grabrails. There’s a new adjustable suspension seat, and monitored seat belts that can be linked to an exterior beacon that can enhance job site safety. The new cab also offers greater legroom, lower noise and reduced vibration levels. A floor-to-ceiling windshield improves forward visibility, and is paired with a standard rear-vision camera as well as mirrors to give good vision around the machines. Safety options include Cat Detect radar to alert operators to hazards, and a 360-degree multi-view camera vision system. A new dashboard and high-resolution touchscreen display offer user-friendly control and improve performance. A seat-mounted electrohydraulic joystick steering system provides precise control and reduces arm movement to increase comfort and loading accuracy. A push-to-start system requiring a valid operator ID input through the display or an optional Cat Bluetooth key improves security.

MAINTENANCE INTERVALS ALL AT 1,000-HOUR INCREMENTS

Cat has increased fluid and filter change intervals on the new machines to 1,000-hour increments, removing service downtime at 500 hours. According to Cat, this helps reduce maintenance costs by up to 20 percent, or 25 percent on the 980 and 982 XE models. Access for maintenance has been designed with convenient grouped points for lubrication and easy service centres for hydraulics and electrical systems. Remote services technologies help reduce service trips to the job site and ensure peak performance at all times. The Remote Troubleshoot feature allows dealer service departments to diagnose fault codes without being on site. Remote Flash ensures the machine has the most up-to-date operating software with easy over-the-air downloads.

The Cat 980 and 982 are redesigned and updated from the previous 980M and 982M, and feature a range of updates from comfort and safety improvements to added technology that makes jobs easier for operators.

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JULY/AUGUST 2021 | heavyequipmentguide.ca

ROADBUILDING

A Smooth Move

ALL ROADS CONSTRUCTION TACKLES HIGH-PROFILE VANCOUVER REPAVING JOB WITH TOPCON SMOOTHRIDE TECHNOLOGY BY LARRY TROJAK

hen All Roads Construction was established, its goals were simple: to provide excellent service, to consistently create a product about which they and their customer could be proud, and to employ whatever technology was needed to make those two things happen. Today, a mere three years later, the company has not only proven more than capable of achieving those objectives, it has also opened the eyes of its peers to the alternative solutions available for traditional problems. Nowhere was that more evident than on a recent high-profile overlay project, rife with time constraints, seemingly insurmountable logistical demands and the threat of crushing economic penalties. Yet, the company sought out the best solution to the problems at hand, found it in a LiDAR-based technology called SmoothRide from Topcon Positioning Systems and got accolades from their customer, the general public – and their competition. A smooth move by anyone’s standards.

ROADBUILDING

PRODUCTION ON THE HIGHWAY 1 PROJECT WAS IMPRESSIVE: CONSISTENT RATES OF BETWEEN 1,600 AND 2,000 TONS PER FOUR-HOUR WORK WINDOW.

A LONG-OVERDUE RESURFACING

In Vancouver, a city with the dubious distinction of having the worst traffic congestion in all of Canada, it has been estimated that rush hour drivers spend a whopping 6.2 days per year more in traffic than normal commuters. Not surprisingly, much of that wasted time is spent on Highway 1, part of the Trans Canada Highway and the main artery into and out of the city. Handling more than 90,000 vehicles per day, a sizeable section of the highway was recently slated for a long-overdue resurfacing, complete with a laundry list of challenges, according to Denis Labelle, the company’s operations manager.

[The ministry was] impressed not only with how quickly we were getting the job done, but also by how smooth a surface could be, given that speedy performance. Rod Stephens President, All Roads Construction “This project was linked to a much larger one that took place back in 2015,” he said. “That work, which included construction of the Port Mann Bridge, also improved several interchanges into Vancouver. However, when that project was in progress, it was decided to only pave up to the intermediate lift. After having been in operation for more than five years,

heavyequipmentguide.ca | JULY/AUGUST 2021

the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure felt that the road had settled to their satisfaction and they decided to overlay and top lift the entire section. That is what we were awarded the bid for: an overlay of 78 lane km of Highway 1 east of Vancouver near Burnaby.” Because of the critical role Highway 1 plays moving traffic into and out of Vancouver, the Ministry chose to have all work done at night to avoid delays and disruptions. The production schedule, which was already daunting at seven hours, was made even more so by a dictate that all equipment had to be totally removed from the worksite during non-construction periods. “When you factor in the time it takes to close lanes, offload equipment, set barriers, etc. to begin work – and then do the same thing in reverse at the end of each shift – our work window was suddenly reduced to four hours each night, with stiff penalties for exceeding those constraints. But we felt confident we could work within those parameters and ended up proving it each night.”

PROJECT STARTS WITH LIDAR SCAN

All Roads’ level of confidence was based on data received from the SmoothRide solution, a multi-step process that starts with a LiDAR scan – at a rate of 100 scans/second – of the entire road surface slated to be overlaid. Using an RD-M1 scanner attached to the rear of one of their company pickup trucks, scanning was easily and safely conducted in traffic, minimizing the need for costly lane closures. Once gathered, that data was processed and converted into a digital model, from which the company could determine not just the way to achieve the highest quality, i.e., the smoothest ride possible, but also the volumes of material needed to make that happen. “That last point became critical early on when we were presented with the tonnages of asphalt allotted for the project. Our projections indicated that we needed 108 percent of

USING SMOOTHRIDE, ALL ROADS SCANNED THE SURFACE WITH LIDAR THEN PROCESSED AND CONVERTED THE DATA INTO A DIGITAL MODEL, FROM WHICH THE COMPANY COULD DETERMINE HOW TO ACHIEVE THE HIGHEST QUALITY AND VOLUME OF MATERIAL NEEDED FOR THE OVERLAY.

what the Ministry was allotting, which would have put us in a penalty-risk situation. After some convincing on our part, they gave us the additional mix we requested and, when the job was done, we were at 107.6 percent,” said Rod Stephens, president of All Roads. “Our numbers were that good.” It’s worth noting that All Roads had done some advance legwork to make the Ministry aware of the SmoothRide technology they’d planned on using. Realizing their point could be best made with a demonstration, they invited Ministry personnel out to a “mill and fill” project happening in nearby Chilliwack. “By the end of that demo, they were believers in the concept,” said Stephens. “That helped us tremendously.”

DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES ON PAVING

One of the challenges any contractor faces is proving that they have the owners’ best interests in mind when making decisions. All Roads did that with their choice of paving solution and it did so again when laying out their plan for the actual pave. While the Ministry had its own paving sequence in mind, Labelle and his team offered an alternative that ultimately proved a better answer for the Ministry and for future ridership. “The Ministry was very clear on how they wanted the job done,” he said. “They felt we should pave the inner shoulder and the HOV lane, then the fast lane and middle lane, then the slow lane and the outer shoulder. They wanted us to do it in three passes. Instead, we suggested doing the shoulder, HOV and fast lane, then the middle and slow lane. We left the outer shoulder for last to allow for coordinating all the barrier removals, which we felt worked very well.” All Roads’ sequence also improved upon the quality of the finished product by minimizing the number of joints. As designed, the Ministry’s suggested sequence would have resulted in two joints in the live lanes.

“Ours reduced that to one by putting the second joint on the shoulder,” said Labelle. “The joint is always the biggest point of failure in a highway, so reducing that number to one for the length of the project was huge. In addition, using our sequence, we were able to get through the main part of the project quickly and then complete the shoulders at a slower pace. At the same time, however, traffic was able to ride on a completed road with lane markings, so the safety factor was enhanced as well.”

SMOOTHRIDE DELIVERS CONSISTENCY

Despite the job site constraints (daily installation and removal of 20 km of concrete barriers), production on the Highway 1 project was impressive: consistent rates of between 1,600 and 2,000 tons per four-hour work window. All Roads’ Stephens said much of the credit for that goes directly to the technology, in this case the SmoothRide solution. “Letting the guys pave without worrying about what’s behind them was huge,” said Stephens. “Traditionally, paving is a very reactive concept; you are always looking behind you to verify what you’ve already placed and then adjusting accordingly. Because it is difficult to change on the fly, that doesn’t help with either your application rate or your smoothness. SmoothRide, on the other hand, is very proactive – it knows what it needs to get down and where. We had the surveyor periodically check, expecting to see a 50 mm mat (with compaction), and we were almost always dead on. In addition, as we mentioned, it helps dramatically reduce the risk of material shortages or overages.” For the Highway 1 project, All Roads used a pair of 10-footwide pavers: a Cat 1055 and a Vogele 200i. Stephens said the outstanding performance was not lost on the Ministry. “They were impressed not only with how quickly we were getting the job done, but also by how smooth a surface could be, given that speedy performance.” JULY/AUGUST 2021 | heavyequipmentguide.ca

ROADBUILDING

A HAMM ROLLER AT WORK ON HIGHWAY 1.

INTELLIGENT COMPACTION KEEPS PACE

Had they not anticipated it, the impressive paving rates All Roads was getting could have had a detrimental effect on the compaction effort and, by extension, the quality of the product. However, working with Topcon and Brandt Positioning Group, All Roads utilized an intelligent compaction (IC) solution on their Hamm 110i and 140i rollers which kept both facets of the project working in sync with each other. “We were paving so quickly that we had to make sure our rollers were able to keep up before the mat got cold. So we equipped all three of our rollers with IC which colour codes passes from each machine and shares that data between all the compaction units. Doing so helped ensure that we were meeting our pass count and not slowing production by hitting areas that had already been compacted. Such wasted effort can not only result in material segregation, it can also slow the whole rolling train down, which slows the paving train down, and so on. It is critical that the rollers keep up with the paver – they ultimately dictate how fast we can pave.” And, in a nod to both efficiency and accuracy, the same data gathered by the RD-M1 during the original scanning session was turned into the digital model used for the paving and compaction facets of the job.

TECHNOLOGY ATTRACTS TALENT

To hear them tell it, the benefits All Roads derived from the solutions used on the Highway 1 project go far beyond simply helping give the client what they asked for. Both Labelle and Stephens see the new technology as key in their ability to attract new talent to their company. “It’s no secret that parents aren’t encouraging their children to work on a paving crew,” said Stephens. “We are seeing a gen-

heavyequipmentguide.ca | JULY/AUGUST 2021

erational gap in this industry. In about ten years, a good many of the experienced operators will be retiring and right now paving is not attracting new talent. But the younger generation understands joysticks and data and thrives on looking at controls and monitors. That’s one of the intangibles we get from using these solutions. The technology is new, it is intriguing and it can be very rewarding. We have seen an uptick in younger people calling us saying they want to be a part of our company because of what we offer in terms of technology.” Labelle is also quick to acknowledge the support he and his team received in making the Highway 1 project happen. “This was a huge undertaking that we chose to tackle with new technology,” he said. “We have a great team that made it all work – I’d say one of the best teams in all the province. But kudos have to go to Topcon and Mark Piotto at Brandt for stepping up right from the start, walking us through the process step by step, and getting us the complete design which was at the heart of the whole project.” As mentioned at the outset, the Highway 1 project garnered praise from the general public; unsolicited emails citing the pavement’s smoothness and comfort were a common occurrence. However, All Roads also heard from colleagues in the paving business – many of whom originally doubted they could do the job – congratulating them and asking them what made the difference. “We are happy to tell them about the new technologies available to the paving industry,” said Labelle. “Our company has always believed that when one paving company benefits, we all benefit, so we share what we’ve learned. This is an amazing system that we have already used in other projects; it is a big part of how we do business now.”

LARRY TROJAK is a technical writer.

ROADBUILDING

STRAIGHT TALK ON PAVING ROUNDABOUTS TRAFFIC FLOW, PROPER MIX, AUTOMATIC GRADE CONTROL ALL TOP TIPS FOR ROUNDABOUT CONSTRUCTION BY LEE TOOP, EDITOR

popular traffic management approach in Europe for many years, roundabout intersections are becoming a regular sight on North American roads. The safety aspect of roundabouts, which reduce injury crashes and fatalities by a significant amount over traditional signalled intersections, are a big draw for road planners at all levels. Roundabouts, however, are a little more complicated to construct and pave than regular intersections. The flow of traffic on roundabouts can mean different wear and tear on road surfaces, and thus it is important to plan a roundabout paving construction project carefully, use the right asphalt mixes and compact surfaces in a way that ensures longevity.

TRAFFIC FLOW CONSIDERATION CRITICAL FOR ROUNDABOUT PLANNING

Paving crews working on roundabout projects must be aware that everything from traffic movement to construction itself can cause problems with road surfaces, according to Todd Mansell, a paving product application specialist with Caterpillar. “The wheels are turning, the vehicles are putting forces on the pavement – a lot more lateral force or stress strain on that

heavyequipmentguide.ca | JULY/AUGUST 2021

asphalt pavement compared to a straight roadway. And, we have a lot of traffic with acceleration, stops and starts along the approaches,” Mansell said. “It can be difficult to perform the paving because of the many joints involved, longitudinal and transverse, and all the approaches.”

PLAN AHEAD FOR ROUNDABOUT CONSTRUCTION

Good pavement relies on a good base, so it’s important that the condition of the road base be considered before paving starts. If rehabilitating an existing roundabout, milling the full surface is highly recommended. For paving a new roundabout, ensure that the aggregate base is protected from damage and grading plans are in place to ensure proper drainage. “Base repairs on a roundabout are more difficult to go back and do afterward, and get everything to match,” Mansell noted. Truck movement should be planned early to reduce strain on the base, and truck drivers should be warned to avoid too many trips onto potentially fragile base courses. The base design also ties in to drainage – the grading plan needs to be precise to ensure water moves in the right direc-

ROUNDABOUTS ARE GAINING POPULARITY BUT CAN BE A CHALLENGE TO PAVE.

tions, rather than pooling on the roadway. While straight roads only require water to drain left and right, roundabouts have drainage all the way around the circle, as well as having to deal with water from tie-ins and elsewhere. “It’s very important to get the grading plan correct and make sure the base is right before we get into paving. I can’t overemphasize checking that,” Mansell said.

SELECT THE CORRECT ASPHALT MIX FOR PAVING ROUNDABOUTS

Another consideration is the type of asphalt that will be used for the roundabout project. With the amount of turning traffic, rutting and shoving of material can occur, so it’s important to choose a mix that can handle such pressures. “We want a stable mix with a high crush count of rock or aggregate in the design,” Mansell said. “Most Superpave mixes nowadays meet that criteria, so it’s not really a huge factor, but you also need to be sure to get good compaction or density on that material after we put it down.” Choosing the direction in which to pave roundabouts is relatively simple – look at how traffic normally flows through the intersection and follow it, to start off.

CURVES CAUSE DIFFICULTY FOR COMPACTION - KEEPING PASSES STRAIGHT CAN HELP.

“If we’re looking at a single lane roundabout, a general rule of thumb is to pave through in the direction of highest traffic flow or volume,” he said. For example, if the main flow of traffic enters an intersection from the north, it’s best to start there and pave counter clockwise to match the way in which the most traffic pressure will move. Paving multiple lanes is a little more complex. Mansell suggests starting from the outside and working inward, allowing for easier connection with roadways entering the roundabout and offering an anchor point – the island at the middle – for the paver when on the inside.

ECHELON PAVING REDUCES POTENTIAL JOINT PAIN

An even better approach, when possible, is to plan for echelon paving. “If it’s multi-lane, with two lanes in the roundabout, try to run two pavers side by side so you get a hot joint – it makes the compaction process easier, and we do end up with longitudinal joints,” Mansell said. The process is also a good way to ensure that drainage plans and grades are met effectively. It’s also a good idea to pave tie-in connections first, and then JULY/AUGUST 2021 | heavyequipmentguide.ca

ROADBUILDING the circular part of roundabouts, Mansell suggested. That ensures that the roads coming in to the roundabout are at the right level to meet the asphalt being laid down in the circle, providing for better joints and less potential problems. One of the most important tips Mansell offered for paving roundabouts is the use of automatic grade and slope control on pavers. The use of automatics helps in ensuring that joints are properly matched and grades are correct without costly repairs in the near future. “Using automated grade and slope control is really going to help on that joint match, because it’s a little trickier to eyeball and match manually when you’re paving through a curve as opposed to looking at a conventional straight-on roadway,” he noted.

KEEP PAVER SET-UP IN MIND

Consideration should also be given to the set-up of the paver for the job, as well. Crews familiar with paving cul-desacs will be familiar with the concept – the outside edge of the screed moves faster than the inside edge, leading to

E RID

PAVE ROUNDABOUTS IN THE DIRECTION OF TRAFFIC TO REDUCE STRAIN ON ASPHALT.

potential feed issues. “We’ve really got to think about the feed system on the paver, bringing that mix back on the conveyors to the screed and spreading that mix across the face as we pave,” Mansell said. “You tend to have to overfeed that outside edge that’s moving faster, to keep the screed supported . . . but that can lead to bumps and irregularities in the mat.” Auger and tunnel extensions are a good way to ensure that mix is moved to

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the outside edge where possible. In cases where the screed is prone to dropping on the inside or outside edge, systems that lock it in place can be helpful – though they affect compaction and density, so should be used sparingly.

CONSIDERATIONS FOR COMPACTION OPERATION

Once the asphalt is placed, it’s time for the rollers to move in, but on roundabouts compactors need to be cautious not to push material or leave ruts due to the compaction pattern used. “Just like the screed on the paver, when the roller makes a turn, the outside edge of that drum wants to turn faster than the inside edge,” Mansell noted. The choice of roller type can make a difference in the quality of compaction on roundabouts. Narrower drums than normally used on straight road or highway projects may minimize tearing and checking in the mat as they go through turns. Split drum rollers are a good option – they allow drums to operate independently when working on tight turns. Combination rollers also provide some potential benefit, thanks to the rubber tires kneading together any checking or cracking being caused by the roller. Echelon paving helps compaction work by giving rollers a broader area to compact without making aggressive turns, Mansell noted. Doing the compaction work in a piecemeal approach – keeping passes straight, rather than making broad turns – keeps pushing, tearing and other potential issues at a minimum. All in all, roundabouts provide plenty of challenge for paving crews, but some planning and preparation, along with selecting the right equipment and tools for the job, all help in ensuring a clean, complete and high-quality finished roadway. HEG

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WHY TIRE CLASSIFICATION MATTERS

arge loaders are a big part of most construction jobs, and their versatility makes them useful for many different types of projects, such as general construction, snow removal, landscaping, building roads and loading dirt and rock at quarries. They are also used in more severe applications such as waste hauling, in landfills and in mines. For each of these different environments, it is important that loaders are fitted with the proper tires to handle the job. The Tire and Rim Association (TRA) classify loader tires based on their tread type and tread depth. Tread types are designed for differing applications from smooth, regular terrain to rocky, snowy and very severe mining environments. They are classified from L-2 to L-5. •

L-2 maximum traction for softer conditions

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L-3 is used in general applications with more durability and resistance

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L-4 is a deeper tread for durable wear and extended tire life in rocky conditions

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L-5 provides the deepest tread for the toughest applications with chip resistance and extreme durability

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L-2/L-3 are considered standard depth

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L-4 are 150 percent, or 1-1/2 times deeper

•

L-5 are 250 percent, or 2-1/2 times deeper

BKT has a full line of loader tires designed for every type of job, from light to severe applications. BKT designs both bias and radial tires for loader applications. Radial tires have a flexible casing which provides a smoother ride, yields fewer cuts and has lower heat generation. Radials also have a more consistent shape for longer tread life and better traction and flotation. Bias tires have a stiffer carcass which leads to increased lateral stability which keeps the bucket more stable. Bias tires are also more economical. The XL Grip is a bias tire with an L-3 code for heavy-duty loading operations. It has a wide base and excellent traction designed to minimize cuts and punctures. The EARTHMAX SR 22 (“S” designates tires with smooth treads) is an all-steel radial tire with an L-2 large, non-directional tread designed to operate in extreme winter conditions in ice and snow. It is also made for dozer and grader applications. The traction provides excellent stability. The EARTHMAX SR 30 is an L-3 radial tire that is excellent in harsh conditions, but also perfect for everyday SPECIAL ADVERTISING FEATURE

BKT has a full line of loader tires designed for every type of job, from light to severe applications.

use. It has multi-layer steel belts with a cut-resistant compound and a rigid block pattern for stability and durability. This dual-purpose tire is suitable for dump trucks as well. The L-4 EARTHMAX SR 41 all-steel radial tire has a special block pattern to provide extra resistance to punctures with the addition of a cut-resistant compound. It is also purposed for dump trucks and dozers and can be used for long working hours without downtime. The deep traction provides extra durability in severe conditions. For very severe, rocky conditions, like underground mines, quarries and scrapyards, the EARTHMAX SR 53 has an L-5 extra deep tread design. The cut-resistant compound and traction provide extra stability and

BKT EARTHMAX SR 30

BKT EARTHMAX SR 41

extended wear life. This radial tire is also designed for Dozers and Low-Profile Dump Trucks (LPDT). With so many different tires and applications, it is important to assess the situation and environment in order to choose the proper tire. All contractors want tires that perform at maximum efficiency and last as long as possible to provide them the best return on their tire investment. Choosing the right tire is a big part of any contractor’s bottom line. BKT has a trained sales and technical staff that can assist in determining the best choice for the job and equipment.

BKT EARTHMAX SR 53

For more information visit www.bkt-tires.com

SPECIAL ADVERTISING FEATURE

CONCRETE EQUIPMENT

PUSHING THE CONCRETE PAVING ENVELOPE UNIQUE GOMACO CONFIGURATION CUTS DOLLY PAD PAVING TIME IN HALF FOR CURBSIDE CONSTRUCTION BY KAITLYN TILL, EDITOR IN CHIEF

mbracing technology to keep competitive is built into the DNA of Curbside Construction, a multi-generational concrete paving contractor based in the GTA. That forward thinking has resulted in a unique set-up for the company’s latest GOMACO machine, which Larry Di Pietro, owner, says has halved the amount of time that it takes his crew to pave dolly pads for large distribution centres in Ontario.

distribution centres – all sites with buildings in the realm of one to two million square feet. Curbside Construction has also worked on large commercial projects, such as Walmarts. The company still has steady business from curb and sidewalk projects, and Di Pietro estimates that they complete between 100 and 150 projects per year and have between six and eight industrial projects on the go at any given time.

CURBSIDE CONSTRUCTION

PUSHING THE ENVELOPE WITH TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION

Formed in 1986, Curbside Construction started primarily as a curb and sidewalk construction company with expertise in slipform paving concrete curbs, barrier walls and sidewalks. Larry Di Pietro’s father, Greg Di Pietro was a 25 percent owner and in 2006 bought out his partners. Around that time Larry and his brother, Gerry Di Pietro, joined the company. Larry Di Pietro grew up with the paving business, spending weekends working with his father and eventually as a summer student on the site of Curbside’s projects. He studied Civil Engineering at Humber College and once out of school worked for Warren Paving, which was later acquired by Lafarge Construction. Di Pietro spent much of his time there as an estimator and then as a construction manager for the GTA until joining Curbside Construction. About eight years ago, Curbside Construction expanded into site grading and site development to complement its curb and sidewalk business. The company, which used to carry out just the concrete portions of jobs, could now build an entire parking lot from the ground up, for example. The site development side of the business is branded Gregor Siteworks, a division of Curbside Construction. The company now has between 80 and 90 employees and Di Pietro says that they are still growing. Today much of their focus is on industrial commercial projects, such as distribution centres, in the GTA. Projects include Amazon, Canada Post, Purolator and Canadian Tire

heavyequipmentguide.ca | JULY/AUGUST 2021

Di Pietro says that Curbside likes to push the envelope when it comes to adopting new technology – and he is on the lookout for new opportunities to be better and faster at what they do to get ahead of the competition. When it comes to working on these large distribution centre projects, the company has come up with a new solution to get the job done faster. Where typically a dolly pad would be formed and poured by hand, Curbside Construction is doing the job with a modified GOMACO Xtreme Commander III curb and gutter machine configured to slipform 4.5 metres wide. They’ve recently set up the machine with a Leica Geosystems 3D machine control system, instead of stringline, and Di Pietro says that this set-up is working out well for Curbside Construction. He credits his father with instilling forward thinking at the company and their willingness to embrace this new technology stems from him.

LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIP WITH GOMACO

Curbside Construction also has a strong relationship with GOMACO, which goes back 35 years, and their current dealer is Orangeville, Ontario–based HMA Equipment. GOMACO has been the company’s main slipform paver supplier since its inception, and over the years Greg Di Pietro collaborated with the manufacturer to provide feedback and come up with ideas to modify and take advantage of GOMACO machines’

CURBSIDE CONSTRUCTION HAD ITS GOMACO XTREME COMMANDER III CURB AND GUTTER MACHINE CONFIGURED TO SLIPFORM 4.5-METRE-WIDE DOLLY PADS.

versatility. Curbside Construction has had their GOMACO Xtreme Commander III curb and gutter machine for a few years now, and the Leica 3D control system was added in 2021. Curbside has already tried it out on the Purolator distribution centre project and used that set-up for three separate floors on the site. They started using the total station with a GOMACO GT-3600 curb and gutter slipform paver, found that it worked well, and then set up their Xtreme Commander III to run stringless as well so that they could avoid using stringline when slipforming dolly pads. Curbside had mostly been using GOMACO GT-3600 curb and gutter machines, which Di Pietro likes for their versatility, and they have been strong performers for Curbside on parking lot and road projects. Curbside isn’t doing as many barrier walls and as much highway work as they used to, but

It took about a day of work in the shop to set up Curbside Construction’s unique Xtreme Commander III, and they can undo the modifications easily to transform the machine back if needed.

CURBSIDE CONSTRUCTION IS FOCUSING ON INDUSTRIAL COMMERCIAL PROJECTS, SUCH AS DISTRIBUTION CENTRES, IN THE GTA.

JULY/AUGUST 2021 | heavyequipmentguide.ca

CONCRETE EQUIPMENT

A TRADITION OF INNOVATION AND A STRONG RELATIONSHIP WITH GOMACO LED TO CURBSIDE ai16261042847_VMAC_HeavyEquipGuide_July2021_halfpg_H40.pdf 1 7/12/2021 8:38:06 AM CONSTRUCTION’S UNIQUE PAVING SOLUTION.

they do slipform walls on parking lots. When Curbside Construction approached GOMACO looking for a way to set up an Xtreme Commander III curb and gutter machine to slipform 4.5 metres wide, a typical spec for dolly pads, GOMACO was able to work with them to modify the machine to make that happen. It took about a day of work in the shop to set it up, and they can undo the modifications easily to transform the machine back if needed. According to Di Pietro, this modification doubles Curbside Construction’s productivity, or cuts the time it takes them to pave dolly pads in half – a significant advantage for a company that not only does their own work, but subcontracts for large civil contractors in the GTA and Ontario.

Where typically a dolly pad would be formed and poured by hand, Curbside Construction is doing the job with a modified GOMACO Xtreme Commander III curb and gutter machine configured to slipform 4.5-metre-wide dolly pads. “Anything we can do to save time, never mind profitability, even from a scheduling standpoint, allows us to do more work,” he says, and adds that with the new Xtreme Commander III set-up, they now have extra working days that can be devoted to taking on more jobs – all while keeping on schedule and meeting their customers’ needs. For Di Pietro, it’s all about maintaining the company’s reputation. He adds that his crew loves the machine and has welcomed the stringless technology with open arms. As for the future of Curbside Construction, Di Pietro plans to continue adapting and moving with the times. He’s looking forward to working on another large distribution centre with the modified Xtreme Commander III later this year, and the machine is currently at work on the Canada Post distribution centre. HEG

heavyequipmentguide.ca | JULY/AUGUST 2021

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EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE

PARTS MANAGEMENT TAKES VIRTUAL STEP FORWARD WITH ONLINE SERVICES BY LEE TOOP, EDITOR

onsumers are more connected than ever today – something we can credit to spending more than a year in pandemic lockdown, along with growing knowledge and trust in online ordering from buyers. The construction sector has also begun to recognize the benefits of online services, and dealers are working to expand their offerings to provide customers with online options. In an industry where service is frequently built on personal relationships, keeping that connection between customers and dealers is key.

EVOLUTION OF ONLINE ORDERING

SMS Equipment has offered online parts ordering since the early 2010s. Chris Corbett, SMS Equipment director, Digital Transformation, explained that online sales has in the past been adopted by a specific group of customers, making parts buying simpler. Now, SMS Equipment is moving to expand the online customer footprint. “As an organization we built a multi-year e-commerce strategy plan for how we can focus on making sure that anything we do in the online space is simple, easy, fast and accurate for all of our customers. Really the big one that we are focusing on for online ordering is guaranteeing accuracy to our customers,” Corbett explained. The onset of COVID-19 lockdowns and sudden uptake in remote operation among most industries helped drive growth in online purchasing interest, Corbett noted. SMS Equipment set a goal seeking immediate growth in users for their online services, but the arrival of lockdowns and working from home expanded development even more rapidly. “We’ve focused on showing our customers the value through our ePortal online purchasing system – we’ve made sure we have adapted to their needs, and we’re using that knowledge and information to ensure we can showcase it to our other customers that may not be purchasing online today, or not sure what value that technology can bring them,” Corbett said. “We’re always focusing on the value and bringing it back to why it’s important to them, what’s in it for the customer, and then showing them why using an online system is going to streamline their existing workflows.”

heavyequipmentguide.ca | JULY/AUGUST 2021

CONNECTING ONLINE ORDERING TO CONSTRUCTION CUSTOMERS

Construction remains a difficult market to break into with online offerings, however, added SMS Equipment Regional Sales Manager, Parts & Service, Michel Anctil. While there has been growth, it hasn’t been as quick as in other industries, he suggested. “Unlike automotive, heavy equipment is a lot more of a relationship . . . the long-term commitment with a business partner is not as prevalent in other businesses as it is in heavy equipment,” Anctil noted. “Our customers are concerned that [online ordering] takes away from that personal feeling.”

With customers that are understanding of technology and are comfortable in that space, we are seeing a huge uptick and takeoff in our e-commerce adoption. Our user sign-ups, even this year, are far greater than they have been historically. Chris Corbett Equipment Director, Digital Transformation Reliable parts ordering and service is essential for heavy equipment buyers, and as they move to online ordering, they want to be certain that they do not lose any of the service they are used to. SMS Equipment aims to ensure customers feel confident knowing that online ordering allows them to enter the parts

The portal also gives customers the opportunity to look at their overall history with SMS Equipment, review invoices and use them to build out new orders if necessary. Links to parts books and service manuals are provided where possible – for example, as SMS Equipment is fully integrated with the My Komatsu online fleet management system, any customers with Komatsu machines can log into the SMS Equipment ePortal, land on the My Komatsu site, review parts books and manuals as needed, then return to the ePortal and buy the needed parts. “We’ve also introduced the concept of favourite lists – in the world of preventive maintenance, for example, say you’re doing a 500-hour maintenance on a PC490 excavator, we are working toward associating current favourite lists with the user. Quickly and easily, you can navigate the site, add it to your cart, and press ‘buy’ with confidence,” Corbett said.

STEADY GROWTH OF ONLINE SUPPORT

ONLINE ORDERING IS BECOMING MORE A PART OF MANY DEALERS’ OFFERINGS.

numbers or items they need on their own schedule, whenever they have the need, and then have certified parts technicians review those purchase requests before they are completed. The relationship is not lost but rerouted to provide flexibility and technologically friendly experiences for users. “We want to keep our parts people active and part of the process of adding value to the customer,” Anctil said. When customers make an order, those parts are held in SMS Equipment inventories, but the order is not completed until a trained Parts Technician has physically looked over the order and confirmed it. “We do that to make sure that the customer’s order as it is entered makes sense. We will call the customer and confirm that this is what they want,” Anctil said. Human interaction continues to be part of the overall process, to ensure that the customer’s needs are fully met and there aren’t any potential issues, but it occurs in the background and speeds up the overall time frame, Anctil noted. Reviews of orders by SMS Equipment staff also help reduce concerns about potential returns due to errors.

Use of online supports and technology has expanded greatly since the start of lockdowns in March 2020, and SMS Equipment has seen the benefits of that in its online purchasing development, Corbett said. “With customers that are understanding of technology and are comfortable in that space, we are seeing a huge uptick and takeoff in our e-commerce adoption. Our user sign-ups, even this year, are far greater than they have been historically,” he said. That effort is driving further development of the multi-year growth strategy for SMS Equipment’s e-commerce program, while ensuring that the human element – a key aspect of the service experience for many customers – remains in place. “Every order that comes through . . . we still have your local parts person involved, to make sure you get the local service that you would expect from SMS Equipment,” Corbett said. HEG

EASE OF ACCESS AIDS IN ONLINE UPTAKE

A system that ensures customers get the service they need from professionals is one way in which SMS Equipment has approached expanded online services. Another key to increasing online purchasing is ease of use. Customers who want to move their purchasing online need a system that makes it easier for them to meet their needs, not something that slows them down. The SMS Equipment ePortal has been designed to make customers comfortable and put the parts and services they need in an easy to access form, Corbett described. All efforts have been put into making the buying process easier – and easy to navigate. “If you’ve bought a piece of equipment from SMS Equipment, or had it serviced by one of our shops in the past, we have a record of that equipment and it’s available for you with the configurations on that machine. You can easily navigate if you have warranty on that machine, the component build-out on that machine, the specs it was designed for and where it is actually located using the telematics associated with it,” Corbett said.

EQUIPMENT CUSTOMERS CAN MANAGE THEIR PARTS AND MAINTENANCE THROUGH ONLINE PORTALS.

JULY/AUGUST 2021 | heavyequipmentguide.ca

EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE

REMOTE MONITORING SMOOTHS OUT AUTO LUBE SYSTEM MANAGEMENT WIRELESS MONITORING WITH FLOLINK IMPROVES AUTO LUBE SYSTEM EFFICIENCY.

BY LEE TOOP, EDITOR

utomatic lubrication systems (ALS) have helped take a tedious daily task out of the routine for operators and mechanics working with heavy equipment. The ability to have an automated system provide grease to the necessary locations on machinery helps save time and keeps maintenance up to date more effectively. At the same time, the desire to collect more data about equipment maintenance and

FLO Components, a manufacturer of automated lubrication systems, has introduced FLOlink, an independent remote monitoring telematics program designed specifically to give customers a snapshot of their ALS across their fleet. FLO Vice-President Mike Deckert said that the company started developing telematics for its systems after seeing equipment manufacturers adding more and more new technology to their machines.

Talking with our customers, we heard ‘You know what? I just want to know what’s happening with my lube system.’ Mike Deckert Vice President, Flo Components operation has driven growth in telematics use. More demand for detail that can aid in planning preventive maintenance programs is driving the development of remote monitoring opportunities – including one tied to auto lube systems.

“We started including the lube system alerts for low level and lube failure in the machine telematics, but when you started looking at the reports that come up, there are pages and pages of information,” Deckert said. “Talking with our customers, we heard

heavyequipmentguide.ca | JULY/AUGUST 2021

‘You know what? I just want to know what’s happening with my lube system.’” That launched a drive to develop a product that would monitor the lubrication system for when it’s low on material, as well as any failures and several other conditions, he noted.

REGULAR SERVICE IMPORTANT FOR AUTO LUBE SYSTEMS

Auto lube systems feature a reservoir plumbed to a machine’s grease points, paired with a timer and controller, which distribute grease on a regular schedule. The system is a huge shift from days when a mechanic or machine operator might crawl over and under a piece of equipment with a grease gun, manually delivering grease to those key points. However, automated systems can’t work on their own – they still need to be serviced and refilled to ensure they are able to keep up with the needed lubrication work. That’s where FLOlink comes in. “There are two things that we’re looking for. One is the reservoir level – what we call low level – and the other is

lube failure: if the lube system is working or not,” Deckert described. “If it’s not working, if there’s a failure, a blocked line or something, then we want to know about it.” FLOlink works with any model of FLO’s automatic lubrication systems. A modem is connected to the system that connects to sensors and tracks the current status of the system. When certain situations – like a low level indication or need for service – are detected, the system can send alerts to key personnel via email. For example, if a system reports it is low on lubricant, an email is sent and a fleet manager can then send their service personnel to top up the reservoir immediately – before there’s a potential for damage to the machine. Fleet managers and owners also get an additional benefit: FLOlink allows easy visibility of lubrication system health across not just single machines, but across the fleet, Deckert noted. That way they can determine whether each particular incident requires a lube truck or a mechanic and allows them to better track their lubrication needs across the fleet.

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Field-tested and proven for over 30 years, the Heavy Live Bottom’s innovative over-the-fifth-wheel body distributes weight over the entire length of the tractor and trailer, including the steer axle, for maximum payloads within legal limits. The new aerodynamic design allows for easier cleaning and seals the cavity from moisture, preventing corrosion. This heavy duty trailer delivers lean and efficient horizontal discharge of any load in one revolution or less while also offering better access points for easier maintenance. A frictionless drive system allows the pitch roller chain to be pulled straight and even with no twists while maintaining that load hauling strength that Trail King is known for.

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EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE “Efficiency is one aspect of it. The other aspect is that if you know beforehand that reservoirs are getting low and can keep them filled, it doesn’t run out – if it did, you’re looking at a whole troubleshooting process of servicing, priming and flushing lines,” Deckert said. “There’s a cost there, and not to mention that if nobody had picked up on that, what kind of damage is being done to the machine and bearings? It’s the same if the lube system stops working – let’s say there’s a blocked line and the valves stop moving. How long is that machine going to run without lubricant before somebody sees it? With FLOlink you get an instantaneous alarm.” FLOLINK IS A MODEM THAT ATTACHES TO AN EXISTING AUTOMATED LUBRICATION SYSTEM TO MONITOR SEVERAL OPERATING CONDITIONS.

There is also GPS connectivity that allows for tracking of individual machine locations, he noted. In addition, fleet managers can access FLOlink through their web browser and the cloud to generate reports to review notifications, allowing them to add that data source into their maintenance records. “They can start tracking their machines, as far as the lube system goes – how many repairs are they doing, and why, for example. It’s all information that you gain due to FLOlink, and you can do it remotely,” Deckert noted.

TRACKING PROVIDES USEFUL MAINTENANCE SCHEDULING TOOL

Lubrication and maintenance is an important part of equipment maintenance, but it can sometimes slip through the cracks – FLOlink provides a beneficial tool that helps to improve the maintenance schedule and processes for fleets of all sizes, no matter what their maintenance program might be. That’s a key message Deckert says FLO is always offering to equipment owners. “Some of our fleets have an amazing maintenance program, and typically those are the ones that are always looking to upgrade or to collect this data,” he noted. “It’s the other ones where they say ‘Well, when my machine starts to squeak, that’s when I know I have a problem’ – those ones, it’s constant training to let them know they’re spending a lot of money when they don’t really need to.” FLOlink aids in maintenance training and planning by providing contractors with a tool that puts lubrication of equipment at top of mind for both managers and operators, Deckert said. HEG

heavyequipmentguide.ca | JULY/AUGUST 2021

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SAFETY

Wearable tech transforms risk management LEICA GEOSYSTEMS TAGS ALERT WORKERS TO JOB SITE HAZARDS AND TRACK NEAR MISSES BY LEE TOOP, EDITOR

SAFETY

MULTIPLE ANCHORS CAN BE PLACED ON A MACHINE TO GIVE THE DIRECTION OF ALERTS GREATER PRECISION.

afety on job sites must be at the top of mind during any kind of project. Safety managers are steadily being given more tools to help them protect employees across their organizations. To develop a strong safety plan, managers need to identify where their workforce faces hazards while on the job. That data can be difficult to obtain, however, especially when it comes to near misses – these close calls can provide key insights to safety planners, but they are rarely reported by workers on the ground. This is where technology can come into play as an addition to existing safety plans. Systems that are able to both alert workers to potential danger and collect data for later analysis and incorporation into the planning process can be invaluable in preventing fatalities, serious injuries and near misses on the job.

BLIND SPOTS AROUND HEAVY EQUIPMENT ADD DANGER TO JOB SITE

Despite the best efforts of manufacturers, heavy equipment will always have some kind of blind spot where workers may wind up unnoticed. Accidents involving equipment and workers on the ground can have devastating results, and the best way to avoid them is to prevent people from entering those blind spots entirely. Collisions between heavy equipment and workers have generated numerous fatalities and injuries, and preventing those accidents and near-miss incidents has become a focus for technology companies like Hexagon, related Brad Mullis. Mullis, who joined Hexagon’s Leica Geosystems brand as

heavyequipmentguide.ca | JULY/AUGUST 2021

A worker carries a tag that identifies them and their movements. An anchor is located on the heavy machinery that locates tags that are in the vicinity of the vehicle. If a worker moves within the user-defined range of the heavy machinery, the driver is notified through a series of visual and audio alerts. Brad Mullis Product Manager for Personal Alert Systems

product manager for personal alert systems after a career in civil engineering where he was responsible for occupational health and safety on job sites, said there are many challenges and consequences that can occur when heavy equipment and

WEARABLE TAGS ARE LIGHT AND EASY TO USE, WITH AUDIBLE AND VISUAL ALERTS.

workers on the ground must coexist. “What we aim to achieve is to increase the awareness on construction sites, with the goal of reducing incidents on the site,” he described. “We think of the medical costs and waves incurred for injured workers, but there are also a lot of indirect costs that can accumulate for organizations – things like increased paperwork, investigation costs, training and retraining people. Quite a big one is your risk – the risk to your current contract, the reputational damage, legal fees, and more and more countries taking safety on site a lot more seriously.” Leica Geosystems has brought technology to bear on blind spots, developing a system that helps identify the location of labourers around heavy equipment and alerting both them and operators to potential harm.

ALERTS INDICATE DISTANCE AND DIRECTION OF POTENTIAL DANGERS

The PA10 personal alert system combines a tag worn by workers on the ground and receivers installed inside machines. The goal, Mullis said, is to increase the awareness for both operators and ground personnel, improving safety on both sides. “With the Leica PA10, machine operators are aware of the position and distance of workers . . . being detected within 40 metres,” said Mullis. “A worker carries a tag that identifies them and their movements. An anchor is located on the heavy machinery that locates tags that are in the vicinity of the vehicle. If a worker moves within the user-defined range of the heavy machinery, the driver is notified through a series of visual and

LIGHTS ALERT OPERATORS OF THE DISTANCE AND DIRECTION TO GROUND PERSONNEL WITHIN THE SYSTEM’S USER-SET BOUNDARIES.

audio alerts.” The tag worn by ground personnel is battery powered, offering up to 14 hours of operation per charge. Anchors on each vehicle are used to communicate with the tags around them, as well as anchors on other machines. When combined, the system provides direct alerts to operators when there are potential conflicts around them. In the cab, a display provides sound and visual alerts to let operators know if anyone wearing a tag has entered the space around their machine. Coloured lights flash on the display to indicate that presence, and if the machine has been fitted with multiple anchors the direction is also indicated. A green light indicates that a tag has entered the machine’s space, yellow indicates a higher level of caution and red alerts to immediate danger. “We can go up to six or seven anchors per machine . . . on a small pickup or van, you could just mount one anchor and have a defined radius around the small vehicle. As the vehicles get bigger, you could add additional anchors and define zones around the machine,” Mullis said. In addition to the in-cab alerts the PA10 system has several other safety features that can be programmed if desired. The wearable tags have a panic button that can be pushed if the wearer is in distress, alerting all machines in range that something is wrong. The system can also be configured to indicate no-go zones on the job site to alert operators that their machine is nearing an area to be avoided. Obstacles can be programmed into the system to alert operators of their presence and potential conflict, and collision avoidance options are also available. JULY/AUGUST 2021 | heavyequipmentguide.ca

SAFETY DATA ON NEAR MISSES AIDS IN SAFETY CULTURE DEVELOPMENT

Along with direct alerts, the PA10 system can also help managers improve safety as a whole through the collection of data generated by the wearable tags and machine-mounted equipment. This can provide insight on underreported incidents, such as near misses, and give planners greater opportunities to improve their site’s safety culture. Each tag has a unique indicator, and the system features a logging system that can record up to 70 hours of vehicle movement. It captures position, speed, headings and alarms that have been triggered. “If you export certain data in the log file you can see where alarms would have been triggered and track where the vehicle has been,” Mullis noted. Analysis of that data can provide a snapshot of work behaviours that may help companies evaluate and improve their safety procedures. A review of the log files can indicate where the greatest concentration of alarms is occurring on a job site, for example, and suggest procedural changes to reduce those close calls. Or, there may be a number of near misses in one area caused by a blind corner or other obstacle that can be alleviated on site. The knowledge that information is being gathered from the tags can change staff behaviour for the better in a number of ways, notably in how near-miss incidents are handled. A great many near misses on job sites go unreported, but the knowledge that the PA10 system is collecting data on those incidents can encourage workers to report more frequently.

What we aim to achieve is to increase the awareness on construction sites, with the goal of reducing incidents on the site. Brad Mullis Product Manager for Personal Alert Systems “I think to a degree you feel obliged, in the sense that you know the system is logging these encounters,” Mullis said. “It creates a responsibility from the user side.” Leica is working to incorporate the PA10 into its machine control systems, and the next step for users will be the introduction of a web-based user interface that allows interaction with data generated on the machines. That will provide an even easier way to review collected data, heat maps of incident reports and other information, Mullis noted. Safety of employees on any job site is paramount, and understanding the cause of hazards that could harm those employees is important in reducing risk. The use of technology to both protect those workers immediately and capture valuable data to help in risk management planning is key for any organization to consider. HEG

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EQUIPMENT ROUNDUP: TIRES

THE LIFE CYCLE OF TIRES FROM MEETING THE CUSTOMER WHERE THEY’RE AT, TO RESPONSIBLE RECYCLING AT END OF LIFE BY KAITLYN TILL, EDITOR IN CHIEF

ig tires for mining and quarry applications are a huge investment for operations. Dave Allan, vice president, Canada, with Kal Tire’s Mining Group walks us through the life cycle of tires for mining and quarry applications – from how a customer is assessed for their tire needs, to the tools they can use to maximize their tires’ uptime, and the several ways in which tires can be kept out of landfills at their end of life. For Kal Tire, its TOMS tire management system is the central information hub that guides decisions in the tire life cycle. Data from TOMS enables Kal Tire to look after planning tire changes, rotations, inventory and inspections.

CUSTOMER NEEDS

Every customer is different and Kal Tire starts with an assessment of the customer’s needs. This begins with learning about the customer – where they are, what they do and challenges in their operation – and then moves on to what they’re looking for from their tires. From there, factors to consider include location, temperatures the tires will be working in and ground conditions at the site. Everyone is looking to lower their costs, some customers will be looking to reduce their downtime and others may need to haul longer distances. Kal Tire asks if they are okay with changing tires more frequently, which will involve bringing the truck into the shop, and how long they need to run without going into the shop. How often they’re at the mill or crusher may also factor in – customers who are at the mill or crusher a lot may be able to afford to bring their trucks into the shop more often. Another factor to consider is how often they can provide trucks for preventive maintenance to avoid unexpected downtime. Once all of these pieces are in place, a tire program can be designed for the customer.

TIRE SELECTION

When Kal Tire starts selecting a tire with a customer, the information gathered in the getting-to-know-you phase will inform the decision: what tire would suit the application best and, within that, how much the customer wants to spend and how performance versus price equates to customer satisfaction. From there, tire experts can discuss heat-resistant versus cut-resistant options and other needs unique to the application, including whether the customer needs extra sidewall protection. You can never say that one tire always fits one operation – it’s a

heavyequipmentguide.ca | JULY/AUGUST 2021

REPAIRING A TIRE CAN POTENTIALLY GIVE IT THOUSANDS MORE HOURS OF LIFE.

JULY/AUGUST 2021 | heavyequipmentguide.ca

EQUIPMENT ROUNDUP: TIRES

It’s key for operations to identify when the life of a tire can be extended with a repair to keep it on the truck. A KAL TIRE RECYCLING PLANT.

case of looking at the information and factoring in the customer’s job site conditions and needs. Once they have a sense of the roads, the selection tends to become evident. For example, if a cut resistant tire is needed because the customer knows that the roads will have many rocks, that’s easy to select for. And if the trucks are going to be travelling longer distances on smoother roads and in a warm climate, such as southern B.C., heat resistance is the most important factor.

HAUL ROAD MAINTENANCE

Tires need to be regularly inspected for cuts and an operation should regularly conduct road surveys to check for tire hazards. Wear patterns on the tires from cornering can also be monitored through GPS and accelerometer measured road surveys. Maintaining haul roads comes back to good planning – when an operation utilizes data, such as through Kal Tire’s TOMS system, managers can assess where tires are wearing out quicker than they should and that may be an indication that road surveys need to be increased or that there’s another issue. A speed study may be needed to assess cornering or large injuries may be happening to the tire because of bad conditions in the dump areas – there may be areas where there are a lot of rocks on the ground when the vehicle is backing up for loading. TOMS can help with identifying these issues when the condition of the tires doesn’t match the plan that the operation expects.

PRESSURE MONITORING

Different tire manufacturers have proprietary tire monitoring systems that can help an operation determine when there’s the possibility of a problem before it becomes a problem. Utilizing these systems can pre-emptively prevent a failure before it happens and extend the life of the tire.

RETREADING

Tires that are well-maintained are more likely to wear evenly – which makes the casings good candidates for retreading. It’s key for operations to identify when the life of a tire can be extended with a repair to keep it on the truck. Kal Tire offers repair and Ultra Repair programs that can potentially give a tire thousands more hours of life. Utilization of retreading and repair takes planning, however, and Kal Tire works with

heavyequipmentguide.ca | JULY/AUGUST 2021

customers to proactively identify when it’s a good opportunity to retread.

RECYCLING TIRES AT END OF LIFE

When there’s not enough tread depth left or there’s a major injury that even an Ultra Repair belt can’t fix, it’s time to retire the tire. Kal Tire offers several solutions for recycling tires at the end of their life. The first option is to shred the tire down to crumb to be repurposed for things such as playground surfaces or rubber mats or garden mulch – there are many opportunities to reuse that material. However, the end result, eventually, is that this tire material will likely end up in landfill, which is why Kal Tire offers two other solutions: thermal conversion and devulcanization. The thermal conversion process uses heat and friction to induce a reaction that converts tires into their base elements: steel, carbon black and oil. From there, oil can be reused or refined into another product, the carbon black can be used in plastics manufacturing and the steel is recyclable. Kal Tire is currently operating a thermal conversion plant in Chile. If a tire goes through devulcanization instead, the usable rubber is shaved from the tire, crumbed in a high-pressure line, and is then turned into devulcanized rubber. That product can then be used in Kal Tire’s retread plants to make new, smaller loader tires. Kal Tire has successfully worked with a customer on this type of procedure already, taking a customer’s end-oflife mining tires, turning the usable tread into devulcanized rubber and using it on retread loader tires that were put back into service on the same site. Kal Tire is making it easier for mining and quarry operations to quantify the environmental savings of solutions that extend tire life with its Maple Program. The program’s calculator looks at the carbon footprint of retreading, repairing or recycling a tire and the carbon and oil emissions reduced by taking those actions. From selection to retirement, tires for mining and quarry operations are a significant investment and careful management through using the right tools and planning at each stage of the tire’s life will maximize its use until it’s no longer viable. From there, operations have several options to make sure that the tire is disposed of in the cleanest way possible – whether to make other products, or new tires, for a whole new tire life cycle. HEG

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EQUIPMENT ROUNDUP: TIRES

BIG TIRES FOR HAUL TRUCKS

BUILT TO ENDURE IN TOUGH MINING AND QUARRY APPLICATIONS

MICHELIN 59/80R63 MICHELIN XDR4 EXTRA LOAD TIRE

TITAN INTERNATIONAL 007 MFT MINING TIRE

heavyequipmentguide.ca | JULY/AUGUST 2021

GOODYEAR RH-4A+ TIRE LINE

Michelin produces some of the largest mining tires in the world. The 59/80R63 Michelin XDR4 Extra Load is the manufacturer’s largest tire measuring approximately 13 feet tall and five feet wide, delivering high productivity rated at 2,576 tonne-kilometres per hour. The 60/80R57 X Mine D2 is Michelin’s heaviest tire weighing over 13,000 pounds with a load-carrying capacity greater than 100 tons. These tires are used on off-highway haul trucks, rigid dump trucks and loaders, specifically for high-production mining and heavy-duty construction applications worldwide. All Michelin haul truck tires greater than 49 inches are equipped with the Michelin Earthmover Management System (MEMS), capable of capturing and transmitting temperature and pressure information in real time.

Titan International’s 007 MFT tire – in the 53/80R63 size – is a radial mining tire designed for rigid haul trucks that run in difficult environments where casing penetration and sidewall cuts are a major issue. Titan incorporated sipes into the tire lugs, which provides additional traction and significantly improves the heat dissipation. A non-solid centre tread design also helps reduce internal heat generation and allows the heat to more easily dissipate, reducing tire running temperature. This reduction in running temperature allows the end user to run haul trucks longer distances and at a higher speed, while still maintaining an operating temperature that is within the tire’s tolerances. The lighter construction of the 007 MFT helps reduce overall heat generation as well. The durability of this tire and its compounds helps reduce overall heat generation and improves the cut resistance, chip and wear characteristics.

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company says its latest off-highway large haulage product line, the RH-4A+, is engineered to deliver a lower operating cost per hour and higher productivity in hard rock underfoot conditions. This tire line features an extra-deep E-4+ tread depth with a high net-to-gross tread pattern and optimized footprint pressure to deliver a long life of the product. According to Goodyear, this tire line offers enhanced sidewall durability and lateral stability with the company’s Durawall Technology, wider bead design and wider molded rim width. Cool operating temperatures are achieved with the tread’s centreline blading, shoulder lug pockets and shoulder lug side notches. The RH-4A+ is currently available in sizes 59/80R63, 46/90R57, 40.00R57 and 27.00R49; it is available with customized casing constructions.

JULY/AUGUST 2021 | heavyequipmentguide.ca

LAST WORD

LAST WORD DEVELOPING TACTICS TO MAINTAIN AND EXPAND THE CONSTRUCTION LABOUR FORCE

he heavy construction industry has, for many years, experienced significant labour shortages particularly in the areas of field personnel, engineers and civil engineering technicians, and project managers. Furthermore, over the next decade, it is estimated that Canada will see more than one fifth of its construction labour force retire. The exit of 2 in 10 construction workers to retirement represents a significant loss of skills and experience. Most recently, the COVID-19 pandemic has further impacted the heavy construction industry from a labour perspective. Reduced productivity due to absenteeism, crew exposure and subsequent isolation has exacerbated the problem as our industry was already operating in a labour deficit scenario. In 2020, the National Capital Heavy Construction Association initiated a multi-year Recruitment and Retention Project with funding from the Ontario Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development to develop strategies and solutions to address the current and anticipated labour shortage. The outcome sought is to improve the perception of the heavy construction industry to make it an attractive, long-term career choice. We are nearing completion of the first phase of the Project, which calls for extensive research and improved labour market data collection specific to the heavy construction industry so that stakeholders have a true picture of heavy construction labour market needs and opportunities. This information will be useful to industry decision-makers, the education system, governments, and individuals to maximize and most effectively contribute to the sustainability of the industry. Ultimately, the information will form the basis of a strategy to advocate for changes to, for example, immigration policies and school curricula. At this time, the input of industry’s key stakeholders, including a large collection of heavy construction contractors, private sector owners, suppliers to the heavy construction industry, education institutions, municipalities and other heavy construction industry associations is being used to develop recruitment and retention strategies, which will include measures to promote a positive perception of the construction industry, identifying barriers to recruitment and retention, a focused communications strategy and job opportunity resources available to the public. The expected results of the Project are: • Identification of barriers to recruitment and retention of workers in the heavy construction industry. • Development of recruitment and retention strategies and solutions resulting in reduced labour market shortages.

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Over the next decade, it is estimated that Canada will see more than one fifth of its construction labour force retire. The exit of 2 in 10 construction workers to retirement represents a significant loss of skills and experience. • Improved public perception of the heavy construction industry leading to it being considered as an attractive, sustainable career choice. • Development of key relationships and partnerships between and among stakeholders in the heavy construction industry. • A comprehensive final report with recommendations on next steps, strategies and solutions. We look forward to sharing the results of our Project with others in the industry. If you have undertaken a similar project, we would like very much to hear from you.

KATHRYN SUTHERLAND, P.Eng., LLB, FEC is executive director of the National Capital Heavy Construction Association. The National Capital Heavy Construction Association is a non-profit industry association representing the heavy construction industry (sewer and watermain contractors, roadbuilders and material producers) in the National Capital Region. Our industry is a significant economic driver in Ottawa, with over 9,000 employees performing well over $1 billion in infrastructure work annually. Our members play a vital role in the construction and maintenance of sustainable infrastructure.

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