Schwing Stetter

SCHwInG StEttEr InDIA LAunCHES tHE nxtGEn SLM (SELF LOADInG MIxEr) FOr DOMEStIC AS wELL AS GLOBAL MArkEt

Schwing Stetter India, one of the largest manufacturers of concreting and construction equipment across the country, has today, unveiled their state of the art All New Self-loading Mixer – SLM 4600, a flagship model, in a Grand Gala ceremony. Adding to its existing Range of SLMs the All New SLM -4600 will cater to higher output requirement of Concrete batching, Mixing and Placing in the urban development Segment. The New SLM 4600 fitted with the latest CEV Stage 4 Engine will be the feather in the cap, providing excellent fuel savings, while adhering to the latest emission norms.

Schwing Stetter’s R&D, through its extensive market study and incorporating the latest in IOT and telematics has rolled out a world class Equipment not only for the domestic consumption but also for the global requirement. The SLM range of Equipment are being rolled out from its Global Manufacturing Hub, a sprawling manufacturing facility at Cheyyar, Tamil Nadu The SLM 4600 Mixer’s additional features includes - Precision Batch out put through its telematics, - lesser mixing time improving the overall output, - due to innovative Drum Design less wear and less maintenance, - Ergonomically designed Structure ensure at most safety to man and machine. Most of the infrastructure projects are across rough terrains, and the new SLM mixer is suited for these conditions and a boon for Contractors who have taken up smaller projects, where optimised equipment investment is important. SLM 4600 will suit perfectly for such kind of application while performing big. Speaking at the launch event, Mr. V.G. Sakthikumar, Managing Director of Schwing Stetter India said. “Schwing is the first Construction Equipment Manufacturing company in India to launch a product in this segment and has been designed for the global market. With Indian Government giving more push to Infrastructure projects and focussing in North – Eastern states, it is more appropriate to launch the SLM in Guwahati.”

As part of the CSR initiatives, Schwing Stetter has also launched an extensive operator development training program locally, which will help train the right candidates and thereby provide job opportunities in handling the Infrastructure Equipment in the Northeast Sector. CM

th N News of the mo

Major cement companies to invest up to Rs 1,700 crore in two fiscal years ending March 2022 to set up waste heat recovery system (WHRS) for saving power cost

Major cement companies will invest up to Rs 1,700 crore in two fiscal years ending March 2022 to set up 175 MW of waste heat recovery system (WHRS) capacities for saving power cost, an Icra report said. It takes an investment of up to Rs 8-10 crore to set up one MW WHRS, and the overall cost for the 175 MW for FY21 and FY22 will come at Rs 1,400-1,700 crore, it said. The agency said domestic cement companies in recent years have been investing in alternative/renewable energy sources, replacing known sources such as fuel in the form of coal as well as thermal power generation which has afforded the players multiple benefits apart from reducing carbon dioxide footprint. The usage of renewable sources of energy such as solar energy, wind energy and WHRS has been gaining momentum, in particular the latter has emerged as one of the cheapest sources of power generation given the negligible input costs, it said. Cement manufacturing is an energy intensive process and power and fuel accounts for 25-28 per cent of the overall costs for a cement company, it said. "By generating power using the hot gases produced during the manufacturing process, WHRS is more cost efficient and helps in augmenting the operating profitability," its sector head for corporate ratings Anupama Reddy said. The cost of power generation using WHRS technology is around Rs 1.3-1.5/kwh including depreciation and interest, as compared to Rs 4.5-5/kwh for captive thermal power, she said, adding that with 20-25 per cent WHRS replacement in total power capacity, the power cost savings for cement companies is estimated to be 14-18 per cent. This will lead to a widening of the operating margins by 1.10-1.40 per cent, it added. As of FY21 end, major players such as Shree Cement, UltraTech Cement, Nuvoco Vistas Corporation, Birla Corporation, JK Cement, JK Lakshmi, Dalmia Bharat, The Ramco Cements, ACC and Ambuja Cement together had installed WHRS capacities of 520 MW, the agency said, adding this contributes around 16 per cent of their total power requirement. In FY22, there will be a pressure on operating margins because of the significant increase in the fuel costs, such as coal and pet coke, in the recent quarters, Icra said, adding the cement companies with renewable and WHRS capacities are likely to better withstand the pressure on margins. CM

Construction of Noida Film City is likely to start in January 2022

The construction of Noida Film City, a pet project of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, is likely to start in January 2022, state government officials said. The film city, to be developed on a public-private partnership model at an estimated cost of Rs 6,000 crore, is proposed to come up in Sector 21 of the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) in Gautam Buddh Nagar district, the officials said. "The preparations for the construction of the film city at YEIDA city are in full swing with the approval of the detailed project report (DPR) that was submitted to the state government recently by consultant company CBRE South Asia Private Limited," YEIDA CEO Arun Vir Singh said. "The CBRE now has to get the bid document ready within three weeks, after which a global tender will be floated in which both domestic and foreign companies will be able to participate," Singh said. The officer said the selection of the company to build the film city in three phases will be finalised by December 31 and there will be a 40-year agreement with the firm, adding the construction work is likely to start in January next year. "However, it will not be a lease agreement and the company will be given a licence to build the Film City. Spread over an area of 1,000 acres, the sprawling Film City will be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 6,000 crore," Singh said. The film city will be built on PPP (public-private partnership) model in three phases and in the first phase, studios, open areas, amusement parks and villas will be built, according to officials. In December last year, Chief Minister Adityanath had announced his decision to build a "world-class film city" in the state. Subsequently, 1,000 acres of land was identified in Sector-21 of YEIDA for the purpose, the officials said. CM

The commercial vehicle industry has been fulfilling the need for cargo transportation. The spatial spread of the street arrangement (highways and other roads), its quality, and access have a significant role to play. Today, more than 65% of the nation's cargo is being shipped on trucks, and this emphatically affirms the modular move of load transportation from rail to the street. Indian Commercial Vehicles (CV) manufacturers are going towards the new innovations and making the required changes in their products. Many manufacturers are testing different technologies to make their products different from others. Indian customers have been gradually exposed to sophisticated technological products from

les C ial Vehi C Commer

foreign OEMs are creating excitement, further driving customer’s futuristic demands towards greater quality, safer and more reliable products of appropriate technologies at reasonable costs. Connectivity of trucks on the move is going to be a key game changer for the main fleets, challenge being the skill level of drivers, availability of Internet across the route or other alternative plans. With heightened sensitivity towards environmental issues, stringent directives regarding optimum fuel efficiency and emission reduction are on the horizon. Manufacturing of engines that are mindful of nitrogen oxide release and particulate matter discharge is already in progress. Further, the CV OEMs are looking into exploring alternate energy sources, natural gas and hybrid vehicles being the prime contenders. Indian roads are still not that much perfect, trucks have to face a lot of potholes and severely affected roads in monsoon. The condition of roads will not improve much as the cities are keep expanding along with the growth in population & industries. To tackle this condition of Indian roads, it’s important that the trucks should be well equipped with good or intelligent suspension technology in order to provide ride comfort for drivers and lesser pilferage of the cargo. All motor vehicles in India transitioned from BS4 to BS6 emission norms by March 31, 2020. Consequently, the sales from February 2020 were lower than the year prior in preparation of the transition. Despite a lower base, volumes still de-grew by (1%) in February 2021. This clearly indicates that the industry continues to be in the process of recovery. We anticipate significant growth in March 2021 since the sales in March 2020 was even lower than the sales in February 2020. With the advent of the BS6 era, customers are now left with a wider choice of engines and fuel for their trucks. Petrol and CNG are now competing with Diesel for customers, especially in last mile transportation. As the number of CNG pumps increases, CNG is now becoming an attractive choice as both a cleaner and environment friendly for companies as well as a significantly cheaper option for operators. Offering similar mileage, 1 kg of CNG is 40% cheaper than 1L of Diesel Industry Performance Almost all the Industries across the nation were the victims of the year 2020, and the Automobile industry hierarchically ranks first. The Bus segment recorded whooping de-growth of 96% in the 2nd quarter of 2020 and a record high de-growth of 30% was witnessed in the 3rd quarter of 2019. Whereas, the statistics recorded by the Truck segment are no different. As the, de-growth stood at 75% for the period between

les C ial Vehi C Commer

April-June (Q2) 2020, and de-growth for the year 2019 was resonating at 29% during the same time as in 2020. In FY20, the domestic commercial vehicle industry clocked sales of 7.17 lakh units. The contraction in LCV segment is expected to be limited as demand from rural and semi-urban markets is expected to recover faster on account of higher agriculture output on the back of good monsoons during the current year. Truck utilisation levels remained under pressure during Q1 FY21 (April to June) due to Covid-19 lockdown and various restrictions on movement across the country. Industry body associations say fleet utilisation among operators was 30 to 35 per cent during May and has gradually risen up to 50 to 60 per cent during June as more sectors opened up after relaxation of lockdown restrictions. Also, currently truck fleet operators are witnessing a shortage of drivers as most of them had returned to native places in view of the nationwide lockdown. Demand environment is expected to remain low in the coming months as well due to the slowing economy on account of COVID-19 impact. MF Estimates for India GDP at 12.5%: The IMF has projected a growth of 12.5% in GDP. While we de-grew last year, we believe that the Indian economy will come back stronger this year. A strong growth in GDP bodes well for a strong performance in the CV industry. CRISIL CV Growth Estimates at 35%: CRISIL has estimated that the CV industry will grow at a healthy rate of 34 – 36% for the year 2021-22. This was based on the continued focus on infrastructure and roads by the government and the improved demand from Q3 2020-21 which should provide a strong base for growth in 2021-22.

Infrastructure Investments Growing at 35%: The Indian government has planned to invest 35% more in infrastructure versus FY 2020-21 in

the budget announced in February. This bodes well for the CV industry, especially the medium and heavy commercial vehicle segment. The government is also pushing state government transport undertakings to move to the PPP model to efficiently operate buses across India. The scrapping policy may also have a minor positive impact on the prospects of the CV industry this year. As per the latest Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) data, the first quarter of 2021 saw 57% higher MHCV sales in India as compared to the previous quarter, but all is not as rosy as it seems. Recently, since mid-April 2021, India has seen a rapid resurgence in COVID-19 cases. The second wave of COVID-19 has already seen daily cases soar to over four times the peak of the first wave but is now starting to show signs of a slowdown as of 11th May 2021. The second wave has forced several state governments to announce lockdown measures for up to 4 weeks and this has also resulted in plant shutdowns at various OEMs. These lockdowns will bog down the economic growth in the immediate future and we estimate the economy to contract this quarter but overall a healthy year-over-year growth of 9.6% will help the economy regain its 2019 size. Industrial activity in the country fell more than 11% in 2020 but is estimated to regain its 2019 levels in 2021. The above-mentioned second wave is sure to delay the recovery of the sector and we estimate some pent-up demand to spill into 2022 as well.

While the overall industry fell 20%, the small commercial vehicle (SCV) segment performed best. It de-grew by 12% followed by the intermediate and light commercial vehicle segment at 17% and the medium and heavy commercial vehicle segment at 21%. The bus segment had the steepest fall of 78% as the pandemic impacted passenger transportation across India.

The SCV segment grew to be an even bigger portion of the overall CV business in 2020-21. The SCV segment made up 66% of the overall CV business versus 60% last year. The bus segment shrunk from 9% last year to only 2% this year. The medium and heavy commercial vehicle segment grew slightly while the intermediate and light commercial vehicle segment contribution remained unchanged. Factors which will help in the growth of CV Industry India's spending on infrastructure and construction has been the key driver for growth in the heavy-duty truck space and it dropped by almost 20% in 2020. Going forward we estimate India's construction spending to grow 8% in 2021 and another 6% in 2022 as the Government of India has already announced several large infrastructure projects to the tune of INR 2,00,000 crores (USD 27.4 billion). E-commerce Industry is another freight generating industry and has led the growth of medium-duty truck segment in India. India's e-commerce industry is expected to be one of

www.constructionmirror.com

les C ial Vehi C Commer

the fastest growing across the globe and the current government's push on initiatives such as "Digital India", "Make in India" and others will promote e-commerce activities in India. Another key development in the process has been the removal of the limit on FDI in the B2B e-commerce marketplace. We estimate India's e-Commerce industry to topple its US counterpart and become the world's second largest by 2034. Linked to the above-mentioned factors, India's land transport demand is estimated to grow more than 50% over the next 5 years. The government's push to develop better infrastructure is starting to bear fruit as India's highway network has grown at a CAGR of 21.4% between 2016 and 2019 and is estimated to grow at a similar rate until 2025.

By 2022, the average age of India's MHCV fleet will be 8.2 years and over one 6th of all vehicles plying on Indian roads will be over 14 years old. An ageing fleet not only is more polluting but also lacks essential safety features such as ABS and seat belts. We estimate that several regional directives banning the use of older highly polluting vehicles will help push the market for new MHCVs higher and push the replacement demand.

Government policies and regulations have been some of the most prominent factors in defining the Indian MHCV market's growth in recent years. GST rollout, axle-load norms revision, BSVI rollout are some of the recent key events in India's MHCV industry all of which had a huge impact on the market. In the coming years the government has readied two more such policies to help the market grow, the scrappage policy and production linked incentive (PLI) plan. The scrappage policy will be rolled out in a phased manner starting with the first targeting government owned commercial vehicles (incl. trucks and buses) coming out in April 2022 while the second phase targeted at privately owned HCVs to start from April 2023. The government has announced incentives for owners scrapping their old trucks that include OEM discounts, and taxes and registration fee waivers. The policy will help create new jobs and reduce costs for manufacturers by way of recycling metals and other materials.

The PLI program is aimed at promoting India as a manufacturing hub for global automotive manufacturers by incentivizing them for increasing production levels. The government has announced a package of over INR570 billion earmarked for the auto industry under the program. The program will help reduce India's

les C ial Vehi C Commer

import bill as well as increase exports out of the country while creating new jobs as well. Industry body associations say fleet utilisation among operators was 30 to 35 per cent during May and has gradually risen up to 50 to 60 per cent during June as more sectors opened up after relaxation of lockdown restrictions. Also, currently truck fleet operators are witnessing a shortage of drivers as most of them had returned to native places in view of the nationwide lockdown. Demand environment is expected to remain low in the coming months as well due to the slowing economy on account of COVID-19 impact. The prospects for both the Indian Economy and the CV industry are closely linked to the timely containment of Covid. Accelerated vaccination of the public, maintaining social distancing and wearing masks at all times will help us control the spread of the virus. In FY20, the domestic commercial vehicle industry clocked sales of 7.17 lakh units. The contraction in LCV segment is expected to be limited as demand from rural and semi-urban markets is expected to recover faster on account of higher agriculture output on the back of good monsoons during the current year. Truck utilisation levels remained under pressure during Q1 FY21 due to Covid-19 lockdown and various restrictions on movement across the country. Agility and Innovation: IT departments are integral parts when it comes to strategic processes of decision-making. Furthermore, the experts are vital in the production pipeline, product development, and commercial departments. The application of agile techniques drives all innovations in vehicle sectors. The plans are impactful in listening to understand the needs of consumers. With the pace set, the plan is being adopted by most automobile players, and it’s anticipated that agility will heavily influence the vehicle sector.

Connectivity and data: Connectivity will play a crucial role in the future of cars. For a safer driving experience, vehicles will be fitted with high-speed connections. Therefore, to display 3K to around 4K video, a high bandwidth connection is required. Several companies have embraced the

technology for diversity mobility and digitization of the leading drives in automobile sectors. Furthermore, the connectivity will also influence data gathered in public transport, traffic, parking as well as environmental problems. Connectivity will aid through the collection and processing of data.

Electric and autonomous vehicles: To get efficient autonomous and EV cars, it’s anticipated that it shall take a little bit longer. However, the industry is hyped about electric vehicles and autonomous vehicles. Battery tech is developing quickly and expanding to provide efficient EVs. However, so far, no car can compete with the performance of combustion engines. The trend is expected to change, where the electrified vehicle technology is being developed. Furthermore, pressure from WAC, where the automotive industry has to focus on the needs of customers of greener vehicles, which do not use fossil fuels, will play a massive part in this trend. The climate crisis is forcing the industry to find a new ecosystem to change the emission cases. Therefore, the project is expected to be accelerated through government legislation and pressure from consumers. Self-driving vehicles: The future of vehicles is built on self-driving, and the future is now. Localization tech such as GPS, Wi-Fi, 5G, and Bluetooth have made self-driving a reality. It’s anticipated that such vehicles will be spread all over the globe. Self-driving will be important by6 lowering the number of accidents as well as a fatality caused by errors of drivers. However, although automating driving may be a long path, it’s expected that within a few months, drivers will enjoy automation. Monitoring as well as tracking devices: Presently, vehicle tracking systems are a reality. Large numbers of sensors are incorporated in cars. Besides, the manufacturing industry is implementing software by requesting software developers to provide the best. With this, apps and tools are used by drivers to take good care of the cars. The systems are also equipped such that they can meet the emergencies of drivers. For instance, in events of car accidents, the tools help by calling for help and offering coordinates of locations. Therefore, the point is obvious, saving the drivers in an unprecedented manner. Better customer experience in vehicles: The voice control system and navigations have been a total mess. Nearly everyone has experienced the case where the system asks for customers to make a command which gets implemented after over five minutes. However, the situation is about to change, where companies are adopting better systems like the Apple Car Play that reflects what is in the phone and creates seamless transitions between the iPhones and cars.

Shorter model cycle: You should realize that digitalizing pressure is much more than including new digital features. The average lifecycle of vehicles also models the lifecycle of technology with drivers advancing with new tech that comes up. As such, it’s anticipated that in 2021 the vehicle industry will experience model cycles transition from the five years to eight moves to around one to two years. Short-term leasing will become the new norm replacing the long-term purchase. Manufacturer’s preparations for blending with the change are reflecting on the potential of transition in 2021. Predictive maintenance: In the past, drivers found it exciting when vehicles alerted them about due oil changes. The possibility of keeping track of mileages was a big deal back then. Nevertheless, cars pull a lot of data, which is sent to the cloud for processing. Besides, the data is used to alert drivers about potential matters like engine trouble or things that are about to happen. The predictive features are anticipated to pick up in 2021, where failures of cars can be predicted a month earlier.

InDuStrIAL LuBrICAnt typES AnD SELECtIOn

Lubricants

Lubricants play a vital role in industries. The heavy machinery needs to perform under severe conditions, extreme temperatures, to excessive wear and dirt and water contamination. Such challenges mean it is essential to provide optimal protection. Lubrication is critical, but it can be a complicated business. Every piece of equipment with moving parts needs to be lubricated, yet with so many factors to consider, it can quickly become overwhelming. How often should a machine be lubricated? What job does the equipment perform? Is the environment wet or dry, hot or cold, clean or dirty? How fast does the equipment move? Is it involved in food processing? All these questions and more must be answered before the correct lubricant can be selected. Lubrication can be defined as the application of oily or greasy substances, also called ‘lubricants’, in order to reduce friction and

Lubricants

allow moving machine parts to slide smoothly past each other. Lubricants form a film between the metal surfaces of machine parts to avoid metal-to-metal contact and to keep the machine running efficiently. Types of Industrial Lubricants and Grease Liquid Lubricants: Liquid lubricants are largely produced from petroleum and synthetic fluids. The abundance of petroleum makes its use in petroleum-based oils ubiquitous and economical. Synthetic oils are generally more costly but are used in applications where their improved performance characteristics make the cost tradeoffs worthwhile. Among the many characteristics of liquid lubricants, viscosity is a dominant factor. Viscosity is defined as dynamic, or absolute, viscosity, in units of lb-sec/ft2. It is described as the measure of the velocity gradient between stationary and moving parts of a fluid. Kinematic viscosity, v, is defined as dynamic viscosity, or µ, divided by density, ρ, with units of ft2/sec. Kinematic viscosity is also expressed as SSU (or SUS), for Saybolt Seconds Universal, which assigns a number to a lubricant after running it through a capillary-type viscometer under Newtonian flow conditions. A common unit of dynamic velocity in the cgs system is the centipoise. Viscosity can be affected by temperature, shear, and high pressure. The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) classifies oils by viscosity, with SAE 5W, 10W, and 20W measured at 0°F and SAE 20, 30, 40, and 50 measured at 212°F. Any multigrade oil, SAE 10W-40, for example, will meet the viscosity requirements at both temperatures. Industrial liquid lubricants are classified by ASTM D2422 and ISO 3448. ISO VG (for viscosity grade) 2 through 1500 (in eighteen steps) represents the kinematic viscosity of 2 and 1500 mm2/sec (or, centistoke) measured at 40°C. The viscosity index, or VI, assigns a number from 0 to 100 based on an oil’s change in viscosity with change in temperature. A higher number indicates less change in viscosity with change in temperature. The scale was based on comparisons of Pennsylvania and Gulf crudes as the defining limits, but advances in refining have since achieved VIs that exceed both scale endpoints. An oil’s pour point defines the temperature at which an oil will flow and is an important consideration for cold starting engines and for gravity lubricators. Pour-point depressants can lower the pour point. A related attribute is the cloud point—the temperature at which any wax in the formulation begins to visibly separate, usually just slightly above the solidification temperature. This is important because wax can clog filters. Other attributes of lubricating oils include their flash and fire points, their propensity to foam when used in high-speed rotating applications such as turbines and crankcases, and their ability to withstand high-pressure when used in hypoid gearing and other extreme-pressure situations. A special group of lubricants, dubbed EP lubricants, (for extended pressure), are specifically formulated to inhibit the wear that might result when highly-loaded gears make metal-to-metal contact. As noted above, high pressure has an effect on viscosity, tending to increase it as pressures reach higher regions. Designers of highly-loaded machines use this fact and are able to specify relatively low-viscosity fluids that might be unsuitable for use in lower-pressure applications. Synthetic oils are formulated generally to increase one characteristic—high VI or thermal stability, for instance—albeit often at the expense of another characteristic such as pour point. Synthetic oils tend to be costlier than mineral-based lubricants and hence are employed in industrial settings only when the performance gains warrant the added expense, as in instruments and heat-transfer systems such as industrial ovens. Synthetics are made from a variety of fluids such as polyglycol for brake fluid, phosphate esters for fire-resistant hydraulic fluid, silicones for use with rubber and plastic, etc. The oil used in engines performs many functions besides lubrication: corrosion prevention, cooling, sealing, etc. Engine oil manufactures compound these products with a host of additives, including detergents, VI improvers, EP enhancers, pour-point depressors, and so forth to meet the many functions that engine oils serve. Solid Lubricants: Solid lubricants, sometimes called dry-film lubricants, are chiefly forms of synthetic or natural graphite or molybdenum disulfide, applied loosely to sliding surfaces or mixed with binders. They are used mainly

16 17 18 DECEMBER

Media Planner

Lubricants

where temperature or pressure extremes or environmental conditions make liquid lubricants impractical. High-vacuum environments are one such setting, where molybdenum disulfide is preferred. Graphite needs the presence of water vapor to act as a lubricant, making it unsuitable for use under vacuum conditions. Both graphite and molybdenum disulfide achieve their low coefficients of friction due to the laminar, plate-like structure of their molecules and the relatively weak structure between plates. Some liken their effect as similar to trying to cross a room on which playing cards have been spread over the floor: the individual cards slide easily past each other, minimizing friction between foot and floor. Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), another anti-friction material, does not share the same layered structure of graphite and molybdenum disulfide. It is used as an additive in oils and grease and some lubricating sprays. It can be applied as an anti-friction coating or film to a variety of machine parts including compressor pistons, slides, O-rings, etc. It is sometimes combined with aluminum for hard-coat anodizing. Solid lubricants can be applied as unbonded powders or granules or mixed with organic or inorganic binders to create curable coatings on friction surfaces. Molybdenum disulfide is sometimes vapor deposited onto compression fittings where it serves as an anti-seize agent. Industrial Grease Grease is composed of liquid lubricant and a thickener, usually soap, in addition to additives which impart desirable properties to the formulation such as corrosion resistance and tackiness. Normally a semisolid, grease liquifies at a temperature referred to as the dropping point, which can range from 200 to 500°F and higher depending on the thickening agent. Greases thickened with calcium- or lime-soaps tend to have dropping points in the lower ranges while those thickened with clays liquify at temperatures quite a bit higher. Types of Industrial Grease used in Industrial Applications Aluminum complex grease is used where high temperatures are expected. With a dropping

point of 500°F and a maximum useable temperature of 250-325°F, this smooth grease is often used in food machinery. Modified Bentonite clay is used when exposure to very high temperatures is expected. This smooth grease, with a dropping point of 600°F, a maximum useable temperature of 250-325°F, and excellent water resistance, is popular for use in ovens as it has the ability to create its own seal, a plus where bearing seals are exposed to those high temperatures. Calcium12 hydroxy stearate is a smooth grease with very good water resistance, albeit lower maximum useable temperature than other greases (250°F) and a dropping point of 290°F. Lithium 12 hydroxy stearate is a popular grease for many bearing applications, with good water resistance, smooth texture, a dropping point of 380°F, a maximum useable temperature of 250-325°F, and a capability for long life. It is a very pumpable grease. Lithium complex is used in high temperature, high-speed bearings. With a smooth texture and decent water resistance, a dropping point of 550°F, and maximum useable temperature of 250-325°F, it is considered an improvement on Lithium 12, though this still makes up the majority of grease used for general purposes. Polyurea is good for long life applications. This smooth grease has excellent water resistance, a dropping point of 460°F, and a maximum useable temperature of 250-325°F. It is often used on food machinery. Sodium tallowate, once the primary grease for wheel bearings, is usually employed only in older, slower bearings and exhibits poor water resistance, a fibrous texture, a dropping point of 390°F, and a maximum useable temperature of 250°F. It is a low-cost grease with good rust preventative properties. Selection of a proper lubricant Industrial lubricants are available in a variety of forms, compositions, viscosities, and may be application specific. Product Form Industrial lubricants include low viscosity oils, high viscosity oils, greases, and solid lubricants. Low viscosity oils offer the least resistance to movement. The reduced shear stress minimizes friction. Load bearing capabilities and fluid film thickness are also reduced. Low viscosity oils may contain additives to prevent lubrication failure during periods of high load or at low speeds. High viscosity oils exhibit higher shear stresses and thicker fluid films. The thicker fluid film is able to support greater loads and function at lower speeds, although their resistance to flow increases the amount of friction between the mating surfaces. Greases are semi-solids formed by the dispersion of a thickening agent in a base fluid. The thickening agent serves as a matrix that holds the lubricant in place, while supplying some amount of ingress protection. The oil or base fluid is the active lubricating agent. Solid, or dry film lubricants, disperse a coating that excludes moisture and reduces friction. Solid lubricants may also contain corrosion inhibitors and are generally used in high temperature applications where liquid lubricants break down. Composition Lubricating oils often consist of natural oils, synthetic silicone oils, petroleum-based compounds, or combinations with wax or solid lubricant dispersions. Petroleum and mineral oil lubricants are functional fluids derived from petroleum, a naturally occurring hydrocarbon-based fluid with various molecular weights. Petroleumbased lubricants tend to be more viscous, temperature sensitive, and possess a lower break down temperature than synthetic or solid lubricants. Petroleum products are refined from a base stock that is either aromatic, napthenic or paraffinic in origin. Synthetic lubricants do not contain a petroleum or mineral oil base, but provide exceptional fire resistance and cooling performance. They are based on synthetic compounds such as silicone, polyglycol, esters, digesters, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and mixtures of synthetic fluids and water. The characteristics, cost, and heat transfer performance of semi-synthetic fluids fall between those of synthetic and soluble oil fluids. Solid lubricants are used to effectively

www.constructionmirror.com

lubricate surfaces in high temperature and high pressure environments. Graphite and molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) are the most common dry lubricants while boron nitride, polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE), talc, calcium fluoride, cerium fluoride, and tungsten disulfide are also used. Features Extreme pressure (EP) additives include chemically-active agents (sulfur, phosphorous, chlorinated compounds) that are reactive and form a film preventing seizure, sticking, or surface adhesion in high pressure applications. Micro-dispersions are oils or lubricating fluids that contain a dispersion of solid lubricant particles, such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), graphite, molybdenum disulfide, or boron nitride (BN) in a mineral, petroleum, or synthetic oil base. Low-foaming or non-foaming additives break out entrained air. Entrained air can cause pump damage due to cavitation. Foaming can also reduce the cooling ability and the bulk modulus (or stiffness) of the fluid. High water content fluids (HWCF) are natural oils, water-soluble fluids, soap complexes, or waxes that provide exceptional fire resistance. Dielectric greases and insulating fluids are insulating oils, greases, transformer oils, and fluids that have a high dielectric strength and are used in transformers, capacitors, EDM machining, and other electrical device applications.

Lubricants

Latest Trends in Lubricant Market Zinc-Free Lubricants: Growing demand for zinc-free construction lubricants is emerging as a key trend in the industry, owing to their ability of preventing corrosion of construction machinery, and improving the equipment lifecycle. Additionally, zinc-free construction lubricants offer high performance even in high temperature, high pressure, and high moisture conditions, which in turn is fueling their demand as an ideal type of construction lubricant. The study opines that leading players in the construction lubricants market are focusing on offering high-performance products, which will help end-users to safeguard expensive machinery and reduce unwanted downtime. In order to serve a larger end-user base and effectively meet their specifications and requirements, players are making headway with value-added services and offerings. Manufacturers of construction lubricant are also focusing on diversifying their product portfolios via incorporation of bio-based variants, against the backdrop of rapid end-user inclination toward environmentfriendly products. According to the report, companies that hone their digital-marketing skills to engage end-users are likely to gain significant profitability in the long-run, upheld by the fact that most players in the construction lubricants market are already putting immense efforts to gain a competitive edge. Bio-based Lubricants: The term bio-based specifies the origin of a lubricant. This involves the annually renewable raw material utilized to construct the lubricant’s base stock. Some examples of these base stock materials would be soybean, rapeseed and sunflower products. These base stocks can offer good lubricity, flash point and viscosity index properties but often are inferior in regard to their oxidation stability. Although their usage is not widespread, they have their place in certain hydraulics, total-loss systems and environmentally sensitive areas. Biodegradable Lubricants: Just as what characterizes bio-based lubricants centers on the front end of the lubricant’s creation, what identifies biodegradable lubricants is more focused on the back end. It considers how the environment has a tendency to break down the lubricant, if exposed, as well as the function and timeframe for this breakdown to occur.

Door Autom A tion

DIFFErEnt typES OF AutOMAtIC InDuStrIAL DOOrS

Automatic doors are quite common in commercial facilities since they provide invaluable convenience to people working in and visiting the premises. However, selecting the right automatic door is crucial for reaping the benefits of these doors. The responsibility of getting the appropriate, functional and safe automatic door for any facility is shared by its owner, layout designer and the door supplier. Automatic entrance/exit door control is widely used in public places such as grocery stores, businesses, transportation stations, airports, and wholesale department stores to eliminate the need of manually opening and closing actions. Contemporary sensor-based automatic door control technologies include infrared, ultrasonic/ radio, or other wireless sensing methods. The first can be further divided into active and passive approaches. The active process emits infrared signals from the controller and captures the reflected signals to determine if there is any object close to the door. When it comes to selecting the design of the automatic doors, the decision should be based on the type of facility, its layout and the nature of traffic expected in the proposed install location. In most cases where the door is intended for two-way traffic, a sliding automatic door is considered to be an ideal choice since it requires less space to operate. In case of one-way traffic, automatic swinging doors are a suitable option. However, these

Door Autom A tion

doors require large clear spaces to be installed so that the swinging paths can move conveniently. In order to choose the right industrial door, you must first know whether it will be used indoor or at the exterior, then you will need to know the working environment it will be placed in and to characterize the degree of security required. This will help determine what material the door should be made of. Steel is the most common metal used to manufacture doors used in high crime areas. Vinyl and aluminum are other durable materials used in door manufacturing. Industrial doors come in many forms, shapes and sizes, and it can be a daunting task to choose the right one, taking all the technical aspects into account whilst ensuring that it is fit for purpose. Finding the best industrial door for your environment, however, is so essential for the smooth running of day-to-day operations and brings about a number of business benefits such as, a rapid-acting door system helps to streamline a safer traffic flow at busy openings. A quality, energy-efficient industrial door can minimise heat loss and save you a significant amount on your facility’s energy bills. Using the latest technologies, an industrial door system can enhance levels of security for any working environment. Different types of Industrial Doors

Sectional Industrial Door: These doors can be useful in a limited space as this type of door only uses the upper part of the room to operate. This type of door is large, made of insulated panels and installed outdoors. The panels are hinged and lift up to clear the circulation space. Depending on the space available above the door, the panels will be raised vertically, with a certain inclination or sliding along the ceiling. This type of door can be operated manually or by means of a motorized system. They are very energy efficient. Sectional doors are heavy duty and when they are thick (80 mm) they generally ensure that warehouses, buildings or even more sensitive areas in terms of insulation are closed. Industrial Roll-Up Doors: These are high-speed flexible doors. These flexible but rigid doors offer great lightness and a high opening speed. They are adapted for crossing areas isolated from each other (sound or thermal insulation) and requiring numerous opening / closing movements due to frequent passages. They create an effective separation between production areas and storage areas. However, soft doors do not protect against trespassing. The high opening and closing speed reduces heat loss, ensuring energy savings. These doors also reduce sound dispersion and protect against dust from nearby work areas.

Flexible Strip Door: If you need a relative separation between two areas with maximum visibility, you can opt for a flexible strip door, also called a strip curtain. The strip curtain is available in different versions according to your needs: you can adjust the type of strips for the type of coverage required. The strips create a seal by overlapping. The larger the overlap, the greater the curtain’s seal, but the more difficult it is to pass through. These doors are made of transparent strips that close an opening while letting light through. They are suitable for the food industry and clean rooms. Industrial Overhead Doors: These are made of galvanized steel. They are suitable for spacious rooms because they are generally large in size. They can be installed with springs or counterweights. The second solution is recommended because these doors are generally used extensively and counterweights, in addition to being a durable and reliable system, allow for a smooth and silent opening and closing. The counterweight is protected by a galvanized sheet metal box that adds to the door’s aesthetics. Industrial overhead doors can be used in combination with pedestrian doors. The advantage of overhead doors is that they require practically no maintenance, but they take up a lot of space due to their size. Working of an Automatic Door

Beginning with the most basic system… swinging doors (they either open inward or outward on fixed hinges) and bypass doors (the doors slide past each other, whether in a single or double pair) contain the most failure resistant safeguard, the electric eye beam. This sensor is used to ensure that any object in the pathway of the closeable section of the door is protected against the door closing. In other words, picture a flashlight beam shining unbroken across a room onto a reflecting mirror or bicycle reflector. The door motor control would be sent a signal that all is clear and then the door would be activated to close safely, without hitting anything. However, if the beam is suddenly interrupted, a signal is immediately sent to the device to halt its closing action. In addition, automatic door systems usually incorporate an infrared curtain sensor type of device. While optically undetectable, this type of sensor operates much like a shower head, spraying a fan of water. The sensor is usually positioned on both sides of a doorway. An infrared curtain beam rains down upon a position in front of the doorway to either trigger opening or initiate the closing operation when the area protected by it is found to be occupied or clear of obstructions, respectively. On older systems, you may also encounter a pressure sensitive rubber mat that contains sensors. When these mats are compressed, either by foot traffic or by a cart, such as in the case of a supermarket entrance, these devices send a signal to the motor controlling the door to initiate closing or opening. The sensors that are built into these door systems all function interactively when working properly. They communicate via a microprocessor in the motor control unit to activate various door commands. In addition, built into these control boards are time-delayed circuits that hold the doors in either an open or closed mode until the sensors are cleared or the doorway has been vacated. The harmonious interaction of these various sensing devices is critical, and if in proper working order may in fact disable a malfunctioning doorway, ensuring the protection of the passage of the pedestrian. When these

www.constructionmirror.com

tion Door Autom A

sensor devices are either deactivated, tampered with, or malfunctioning due to lack of appropriate regular maintenance, the doors they control can become potentially deadly. The motive systems (control motors and conveyance methods) of the door devices vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, some being more stable and reliable than others. Some products may employ plastic gears and parts that are less durable than others, sometimes made to be sacrificial in design to ensure the safe operation of the automatic door unit or to disable a malfunctioning door device. In the more expensive and durable products, the products are manufactured with chain driven or steel gear design and usually rely upon a more sophisticated electronic control board to manage the doorway. In addition to the sensor controls, many doorways also have a manual door operating switch. You may have seen these marked with a handicap symbol, or more simply “push.” These switches work in conjunction with the sensors to open the doorway, activating the motor control when the sensors verify that the area is clear. The most sophisticated and complex automatic door system is the revolving type. These types of doors are commonly found in airports, hotels and any area attempting a noise or thermal lock. The complexity and sophistication of these door systems require that there are an even greater number of safety sensors and motor controls. In addition to the types of devices mentioned previously, these revolving doors feature crush sensors located on door leading edges, or fixed panels, proximity beams to determine the speed of the rotation of the doorway, more beams to deactivate the door (if for some reason an object or person is attempting to enter the doorway at an inappropriate time), and an emergency stop device to halt the rotation of the doorway immediately without delay. There are usually manual door operating switches that can be used to slow the door rotation down, such as in the case of wheelchair use, and monitoring devices to show the condition of the door operation to the maintenance staff. These rotating doors frequently have memory devices that record function faults for future retrieval by service personnel. How Injuries Occur?

With all of these safety devices in place on these doors, why do injuries occur? Poor design? Poor supervision? Lack of maintenance? Cost? Many of these factors play a part in causing injury. Poor design is usually not the primary reason for the injury. Having been called upon to examine thousands of doors during the past 25 years, and performing both installation and maintenance on all sorts of door products, I have to say that the vast majority of the time it is the owner of the property not following the recommended maintenance guidelines of the manufacturer that has caused the incident. When an installation of an automatic door is completed, there should be a formal field demonstration of the product by the installer or manufacturer. Management should ensure that training of their staff is adequate to understand the responsibilities of properly maintaining these door products. Manuals with detailed instructions that identify the responsibilities of the owner/ user to guarantee the safe operation of the automatic door system are normally provided by the installation team. These manuals indicate the expected intervals of recommended service to the door system, normal operation and special features. Most manufacturers strongly recommend keeping a service contract with the installer to do normal periodic maintenance and adjustments. On some doors, something as simple as wiping and cleaning the electronic eye lenses is required for safe operation. This may need to be performed on a daily basis, depending on the dirt and debris in the area and weather conditions. Other more

tion Door Autom A

complex diagnostics are not possible by the end users, and require regular attention from a service professional. In most cases, the basic maintenance of these door systems is something that should be addressed on a daily basis. I have been told by several manufacturers of revolving doors that their products should be checked, tested and evaluated on a daily basis. These pieces of machinery are complicated and should be treated with the same level of care as a theme park roller coaster ride. They simply must be looked at every day by trained personnel. As an attorney, the trail of responsibility of an injury is yours to explore. In pursuing the responsible parties, use the path from current owner to original equipment manufacturer. Many times, it has been the fault of the maintenance staff (directly linked to the owner of the property). Normal course and inclusion of a product manufacturer is where many attorneys choose to place the blame. However, I have found in many cases that the actual blame is on the part of the owner of the property who uses improperly trained maintenance staff or uneducated personnel. They have chosen to ignore the requirements of the manufacturer as far as service and maintenance, and have opted to keep their costs down by not employing factory-trained service technicians. This has occurred even in government-owned facilities such as airports and court buildings as well as privately-owned supermarkets and restaurants. The decision to ignore the service requirements of the door manufacturer is usually purely economic. Conclusion

The sales of automated industrial doors is largely influenced by numerous economic and environmental factors. The sales pattern for automated industrial doors have faced similar ups and downs as the global economy. Therefore, the global economy plays a key role in the development of automated industrial doors market. Amongst the environmental factors, weather anomalies affect the business of the industry. The major driving factor for the automated industrial door market in factory and manufacturing units is the improved operational efficiency and enhanced security of the automated doors. The doors of factories and manufacturing units are operated heavily for the vehicles or machineries to ply in and out, for which the traditional factories and manufacturing unit doors are slow in operation. Moreover, they require more maintenance than the automated doors. Global automated industrial door market has been segmented based on design type, industry vertical, and region. The rapid roll doors are fast action doors that are best suited for entrances with higher frequency traffic such as those at warehouses, logistics loading bays, and dealerships. These rapid roll fast acting doors are designed to handle frequent opening and closure of the entrance, which could turn over to 200000 times a year. These rapid rolling fast acting doors are highly energy efficient and secure as well as they require minimum maintenance. The rapid roll fast acting doors enhance the efficiency of the operation and reduce the energy costs, which are major factors boosting the market for rapid roll fast acting doors. Factories and manufacturing units held the largest market share in 2016 owing to significant rise in industrialization, which led to the emergence of various factories and manufacturing units across the globe. Factories and manufacturing units are the major applicable industry verticals generating revenues in the automated industrial doors across the globe. The rapid rise in industrialization led to increase in various factories and manufacturing units, and with the adoption rate of automation, among the manufacturing units in the developed countries.

pA vers Asph A lt

ASpHALt pAVErS: LAyInG tHE rOADS tHAt wE DrIVE On

Asphalt pavers provide an indispensable service to our lifestyle. They make laying the roads that we drive on every day possible. Asphalt pavers not only speed up the process of paving, but they also make the roads a pleasure to drive on, being level and smooth, which also protects the structural integrity of the cars and trucks we drive. Before asphalt pavers, the process was actually pretty rudimentary. Picture the plopping down of an aggregate material, rakes smoothing it out, and then a wooden screen being run over the top of the material. However, due to the inefficiency of the process, bumps often occurred in the roadways, flattening tires and being all-around not the best to drive on. Different types of Asphalt Pavers

Pavers for mastic asphalt finishes: These pavers are used for spreading the mastic asphalt layer by a heated leveling blade. This machine spread the mastic asphalt poured by the mastic asphalt boiler on the surface using a gas-heated spreading blade. Optional augers evenly spread the asphalt before the blade, eliminating the need for manual work. The augers are hydraulically driven with smooth speed control and height adjustment. The asphalt spreading height is hydraulically adjustable. The total height adjustment range is from -300 mm to + 200 mm from the level

A lt pA vers Asph

at which the working wheels go. The individual spreading blade units have additional height adjustment that is used to determine the laying profile. All working wheels are hydraulically driven. The spreading blade is evenly heated by the burners. The burners are located on the entire width of the blade. The machine’s application includes bridges, alleys, surfaces between tram and railways rails and roads. Asphalt paver with automatic full-time track tensioning system: The newer models come with the hydraulic system matched to deliver consistent levels and a smooth mat finish. All heavy-duty components are designed to complement each other while performing in the toughest conditions. Featuring a maximum paving width of 7 m using extensions, this proven variable width design employs on-the-go operation. The powerful tamping bar and vibration system deliver high pre-compaction density. The electronically ignited gas heating system, designed with flame failure protection, quickly and efficiently heats the screed plate, while the LPG blower burner system provides uniform heat for a smooth mat finish, with quality pre compaction. The automatic full-time track tensioning system maintains correct track tension for smooth operation while reducing track wear and minimizing downtime. The operator’s cab provides excellent visibility to the hopper, material delivery truck, auger area, material flow, screed and final mat(final finish). The newer model comes with a paver material handling system designed to incorporate hard and extra thick, wear-resistant components, all delivering a long life while resisting wear from abrasive lay-down material. The application of these machines includes largescale road construction. Asphalt paver with material feeding system: There is tracked paver available in the Indian market ideal for curves and tighter spaces. The tracks provide grip, which is particularly helpful on steep grades. The material feeding system in the machines provides quality and material consistency The paver is small enough that it can be transported by truck. A quality conveyor system enables consistent material flow from the hopper to auger and screed, ensuring high productivity and that quality targets can be achieved. In the latest models, independent conveyor belts with a bigger width are also enabled with the individual front tensioning system. There is a consistent distribution of material across the full screen with proportional speed control. The slim auger box and the large auger size reduce possible segregation to

a minimum and enable the machines to place a quality mat. The hoppers of these aver ideally suit the machine size, giving it large capacities while maintaining flexibility and compact dimensions needed for its application in curves and tighter spaces. The operator platform optimizes visibility and ensures all key controls are easily accessible. These types of machine’s application area include National roads, Municipal roads, Building lots, Squares and courtyards and Sporting courts. Asphalt pavers for demanding terrain: Addressing tough terrain is a pivotal concern for road equipment manufacturers. For better handling difficult terrain there are models available. These models come with powerful crawler tracks and accurate steering. The road pavers have been designed for tough road construction operations. All components responsible for moving the material are built from high-quality wear-resistant steel and have been manufactured with precision. The machine’s chassis and material handling systems provide total robustness. The paver also comes with a high-performance hydraulic system. The hydraulics provide an accurate drive for the material handling systems, thus ensuring an optimal head of mix in front of the screed at all times. Combined with the cutting-edge Extending Screed, the machine is capable of building high-quality pavements in varying widths between 2.55 and 4.8 m, and even achieves a maximum page width of 7.3 m through the addition of bolt-on extensions. The paver comes with a high-performance hydraulic system. The hydraulics provide an accurate drive for the material handling systems, thus ensuring an optimal head of mix in front of the screed at all times. A continuous flow of mix is key to ensuring uninterrupted and high-quality paving. Some Parts of a Paver Machine

The Screed: The screed is the part of the asphalt paver that is pulled along behind the paver and smooths out the asphalt as it is being laid. A screed must be well maintained in order to achieve the optimal outcome in uniformity and quality. If a screed is not well maintained, the asphalt can crack prematurely, which will necessitate a repair. There are many components that go into your screed, which include the controls, end or screed plates, leveling arms, burners, vibrators, and a moldboard. The Levelling Arms: On modern asphalt pavers, there is an automatic leveling system that helps to ensure that the same amount of asphalt is laid so the road is level. The leveling arms help in this process help to ensure the road will indeed be level. The Vibrators: The job of the vibrators of the screed is to help remove air pockets within the asphalt itself so that you can have a stronger, denser material. This also helps keep out the elements, such as rain, which can cause asphalt to crack prematurely. The Burners: The job of the burners on a screed is to ensure the asphalt stays hot so that it won't stick to the screed when being poured and to prevent mat tearing. This can not only lead to inconsistencies in the pour, but it can have you re-doing your previous work if there are holes from the asphalt sticking. The Moldboard: The moldboard's job is to control the flow of the asphalt. If the asphalt cools prematurely, it may not be as pliable when it is laid and will be harder to shape and level. The Screed Plate: This is the long, flat part of an asphalt paver that flattens and then compresses the asphalt. There are many different types of screed plates available on the market today, each of which has different features for your use. Some are longer and shorter; others mount on the front or the back of the tractor of the asphalt paver.

www.constructionmirror.com

pA vers Asph A lt

The Controls: The operator of the asphalt paver is in control of the entire asphalt paving process. In sum, they are responsible for how the paving project turns out. They have to ensure consistency in the screed and material, the speed of the operation, and the amount of material laid. They have to make sure the hopper is staying full so that you don't run out of material while laying asphalt. In the end, they have to ensure the surface is consistent and smooth. Operation of a Paver

Asphalt paver is a machine used to distribute, shape, and partially compact a layer of asphalt on the surface of a roadway, parking lot, or other area. It is sometimes called an asphaltpaving machine. Some pavers are towed by the dump truck delivering the asphalt, but most are self-propelled. Self-propelled pavers consist of two major components: the tractor and the screed. The tractor provides the forward motion and distributes the asphalt. The tractor includes the engine, hydraulic drives and controls, drive wheels or tracks, receiving hopper, feeder conveyors, and distribution augers. The screed levels and shapes the layer of asphalt. The screed is towed by the tractor and includes the leveling arms, moldboard, end plates, burners, vibrators, and slope sensors and controls. In operation, a dump truck filled with asphalt backs up to the front of the paver and slowly discharges its load into the paver's hopper. As the paver moves forward, the feeder conveyors move the asphalt to the rear of the paver, and the distribution augers push the asphalt outward to the desired width. The screed then levels the layer of asphalt and partially compacts it to the desired shape. A heavy, steel-wheeled roller follows the paver to further compact the asphalt to the desired thickness. Rubber-tired pavers have two large inflatable rear drive tires and four or more smaller solid rubber steering tires. Rubbertracked pavers have a molded synthetic rubber track with several internal layers of flexible steel cable for reinforcement. The track is driven by a friction drive wheel on the rear, and the load is distributed among several intermediate rubbercoated steel bogie wheels. A hydraulic cylinder presses against the forward wheel to maintain tension in the track. The asphalt is added from a dump truck or a material transfer unit into the paver's hopper. The conveyor then carries the asphalt from the hopper to the auger. The auger places a stockpile of material in front of the screed. The screed takes the stockpile of material and spreads it over the width of the road and provides initial compaction. The paver should provide a smooth uniform surface behind the screed. In order to provide a smooth surface a free floating screed is used. It is towed at the end of a long arm which reduces the base topology effect on the final surface. The height of the screed is controlled by a number of factors including the attack angle of the screed, weight and vibration of the screed, the material head and the towing force. To conform to the elevation changes for the final grade of the road modern pavers use automatic screed controls, which generally control the screed's angle of attack from information gathered from a grade sensor. Additional controls are used to correct the slope, crown or superelevation of the finished pavement. In order to provide a smooth surface the paver should proceed at a constant speed and have a consistent stockpile of material in front of the screed. Increase in material stockpile or paver speed will cause the screed to rise resulting in more asphalt being placed therefore a thicker mat of asphalt and an uneven final surface. Alternatively a decrease in material or a drop in speed will cause the screed to fall and the mat to be thinner. The need for constant speed and material supply is one of the reasons for using a material transfer unit in combination with a paver. A material transfer unit allows for constant material feed to the paver without contact, providing a better end surface. When a dump truck is used to fill the hopper of the paver, it can make contact with the paver or cause it to change speed and affect the screed height. Purchased components on a paver include the engine, radiator, hydraulic components, batteries, electrical wiring, instruments, steering wheel, and operator's seat. Purchased fluids include hydraulic fluid, diesel fuel, engine oil, and antifreeze.

material handling

ALL yOu nEED tO knOw ABOut MAtErIAL HAnDLInG

Manual material handling ranges from movement of raw material, work in progress, finished goods, rejected, scraps, packing material, etc. These materials are of different shape and sizes as well as weight. Material handling is a systematic and scientific method of moving, packing and storing of material in appropriate and suitable location. In early systems of handling materials, goods were handled as single units in a discontinuous manner. These early methods treated the three basic stages of handling— materials collection, manufacturing, and product distribution—as discrete steps, and materials were moved in individual rather than bulk units. Modern materials-handling systems, by contrast, emphasize the integrated flow of goods from the source of raw materials to final user. This can be achieved by transporting goods in large quantities and in standardized units; by handling procedures using cranes, conveyor belts, and other machines; and by the careful coordination of the movement of goods with production, processing, and distribution schedules. Recent developments in bulk transport have been directed toward keeping materials in units as long as possible, minimizing unit costs, and reducing the amount of handling necessary at all stages. Materials handling equipment ranges

material handling

from the simplest carts and wheelbarrows to a specialized variety of highly sophisticated cranes. Power trucks and forklifts are used for lifting bulky or heavy loads, often in connection with trailers that transport the materials along a particular route for distribution. Conveyors and monorails, powered artificially or by gravity, are also widely used in the short-distance transfer of materials within a plant and for sorting and assembly line production. Containers that range from boxes and bins to truck-size proportions help to reduce the amount of handling needed for materials and parts and to maximize efficiency through transportation in large units. Frames are also used, with or without pallets, as a way of optimizing the use of vertical storage space. Classification of Material Handling Equipment’s Transportation Equipment or Devices: These devices are useful only for horizontal movement or motion. These devices include trucks and other similar vehicles. These vehicle are powered by hand, gasoline or electric power, and have the capability of transporting material and manpower in a horizontal direction. These also include variable path equipment’s and can be utilized so long as travelling surfaces are available and the route is obstruction free. Thus these vehicles occupy the space intermittently and as soon as the work is over the space is free for some other operation. The simplest among these are wheel barrows and trucks. But these devices need large amount of manpower for relatively small load. These involve easy portability, greater flexibility and low cost. When movement from one work station to other is required. Tractors and trailers are the other popular modes of horizontal transportation. Lifting and Lowering Equipment or Devices: These are meant for vertical transportation of material. Block and Tackle arrangement of lifting loads through vertical distance is one of the oldest and simplest devices. It is still used today by moving men in hoisting machinery into position. Which is another device used to lift loads vertically by winding rope or cable on a drum. Cranes and Hoist are the common means of vertical movement. The equipment is able to move material vertically and laterally in a

space of limited length width as well as height. If mounted on carriers like trucks and tractors etc. they can also move from one location to the other. Hoists are power driven devices, often operated between fixed guiderails. Two types of cranes i.e. pillar and overhead cranes are generally used for light duty jobs and in various workshops (such as boundaries and power houses and chemical plants etc.) respectively. Hydraulic and electric operated elevators also fall under this category of material handling devices. Combination of Transportation and Lifting plus Lowering: Simplest amount these devices are conveyors which move materials or people in either vertical or horizontal direction between two fixed points. In conveyors, the transportation is affected by friction between materials being transported by the belt. These conveyors have the advantage that they largely save labour cost but have disadvantage that take up considerable space and are relatively fixed and in majority of cases the investment is high. Other devices under this category of combination devices are Chute, Lift Truck, Crane Truck, Auto Truck etc. Objectives of Material Handling The industrial material handling process, like any other industrial process, requires a set of clear-cut objectives or goals. It allows you to use the system with the highest possible efficiency while keeping overheads down. Here are a few common objectives that you need to know about. Cost Reduction: The primary objective of any material handling system is to reduce the cost of moving the load. The direct or indirect cost reduction often comes in the form of –• Decreasing material handling labor. • Optimizing the material handling labor depending on their level of skill. • Reducing indirect labor for activities such as shipping, wrapping, traffic controlling, and inspection. • Decreasing waste such as packaging materials and other protective devices such as racks and containers through optimization. • Lowering the chances of potential damages to the load. • Optimizing control requirements. • Ensuring quicker through-put and limited in-process storage to streamline the manufacturing process. However, being an auxiliary system in any manufacturing process, optimized material handling can also bring the overall production cost down by improving the flow of raw material. Enhanced Capacity: A well-planned industrial lifting system also increases your capacity

material handling

through better space utilization and improved warehousing and storage layout. For example, you can use high-altitude cranes along with specially designed racks or containers to make use of unused spaces such as the area high above production lines. Alternatively, you can also improve the layout of the production line to reduce travel and excessive use of space. Optimizing the flow paths and the timing of material movement will allow you to increase your overall capacity further. It will also lead to better utilization of your labor. Improved Productivity & Efficiency: The third objective of a material handling system is to improve overall productivity and efficiency. Using automated industrial lifting and rigging equipment reduces the loading, unloading, and transportation time for raw materials and finished goods. Because the raw material sits on the docks or in storage for less time, there is no need for extra storage. Further, the improved rate of raw material supply allows you to operate your equipment and labor at their fullest capacity. You can also optimize the number of loading and supervision crew. Thus, your overall productivity and efficiency can go up while keeping the labor costs down. Improved Working Conditions: Handling heavy loads manually can be time-consuming, risky, and frustrating. Plus, you need to rely on a young and healthy workforce to move heavy loads, resulting in higher employee turnover and excessive need for training. All these factors also affect employee morale as the overall working conditions may seem too harsh. However, you can use automated systems for lifting and handling material of any size, shape, and volume relatively comfortably. This, in turn, improves employee morale and the rate of output, resulting in higher productivity. Thus, material handling systems can improve working conditions significantly. Reduced Waste: Material handling systems can reduce waste by improving the layout of your production plant. After a thorough analysis of the material volumes, flow paths between operations, and timing, you can make sure to reduce waste of time, space, nd labor. Usually, you will need to rearrange rigging equipment and develop the right handling systems to make this happen. It will also allow you to decrease the waste of packaging material such as plastic wraps and cardboard boxes as well as storage material such as racks and specially designed containers. Reduced waste not only saves your money but also helps reduce environmental pollution. Increased Safety: Manually lifting and handling material comes with a higher safety risk. According to the International Labor Organization (ILO), nearly 2.78 million workers die from occupational accidents and work-related diseases, and an additional 374 million workers suffer from non-fatal injuries every year.

material handling

Accidents can lead to fatal injuries, irrecoverable damages to the load, and costly downtime. However, an optimized material handling system can reduce the risk of accidents considerably, providing your employees with a safer workplace. Improved Customer Service: Proper and improved materials handling systems often lead to higher efficiency, better speed, reduced production costs, and reliable and timely supply. All these factors, in turn, help improve your customer service significantly, especially in the B2B sector. Industries where Material Handling is Used Automobile Industry: Material handling equipment is primarily used on assembly lines in the automobile industry. It includes specialized heavy-duty conveyors and overhead cranes with travel cables for handling car hoods, seats, gear-boxes, engines, and other accessories. Steel Industry: The steel industry uses material handling equipment on the production line for moving, cutting, rolling, and packing steel sheets or other steel products. They use equipment like wagon tipplers with associated equipment, heavy-duty conveyors, shuttle feeders, overhead bridge cranes, moveable feeders, twin-boom stackers or reclaimers, travel cables, and car pushers or wagon pusher cars. Marine & Shipping Industry: The common applications include free moving and overhead bridge cranes, specialized high-speed and heavy-duty conveyors, stackers, reclaimers, and powered barge and ship loaders for moving, loading, and unloading freight containers. Mining Industry: The mining industry uses different types of industrial lifting devices for moving, loading, and unloading mined products. These include light and heavy crane gantry systems, jibs and monorails, rigging slings, explosion and dust-proof lifting equipment, specialized conveyor belts, and electric and pneumatic chain hoists. Cement Industry: Material handling equipment used in cement plants includes chain and belt bucket elevators, a wide range of conveyors including screw and belt type conveyors, rotary feeders, paddle mixers, screen and screen shakers, spiral chutes, bag filters, silos, as well as overhead bridge and rail crane systems. Things to Consider When Choosing Material Handling & Lifting Equipment You can get the most out of your lifting and handling material equipment, provided you choose the right one. Adaptability and Flexibility: Considering the sizable cost of lifting devices and hardware, it needs to be as adaptable and flexible as possible. You should be able to use it on more than one type of terrain and handle more than one type of material. Load Capacity: It should have enough load capacity to handle the desired load. If the machine exceeds the required load capacity, you will end up paying exorbitant fuel and labor costs. Under Capacity, on the other hand, will cause damage or even fatal accidents. Type of Material to be Moved: The size, shape, weight, fragility, and type (solid, liquid, gas) of the load will also affect the choice of your equipment. For example, you can’t use wire rope slings for moving massive airplane parts – you will need chain slings. Speed and Power: The equipment also needs to have sufficient power and speed to move the desired load without causing any damage or accidents. Site Layout: Space availability is also a critical factor in selecting material handling equipment. For example, low ceiling heights may prevent you from using overhead cranes, while pillar and columns might restrict the movement of large trucks or forklifts. Take a closer look at your work site before investing in a piece of equipment. Cost: The final consideration is the cost. You need to consider everything, from the upfront buying cost to operating and maintenance expenses along with the skilled labor cost. Make sure to calculate and compare all these costs before taking the final call.

ways Roads & Hig H

rOAD DEVELOpMEnt In InDIA rECEIVED An IMpEtuS

Road development in India received an impetus with the launch of the National Highways Development Project (NHDP), under the aegis of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) in 1999. Further, the introduction of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) in the late 2000 started the process of connecting rural hinterland with variousimportant financial centres and cities of the country. The present government is working on implementing several road development projects such as the Bharatmala, Setu Bharatam and Char Dham Highway project. Furthermore, technological advancements and some ingenious inventions are enabling execution of the most complex road projects in a timely and eco-friendly manner, with lower project lifecycle cost. Thera are a number of new and emerging technologies that can help a project achieve the above three parameters. For instance, use of plastic waste in bituminous pavement has numerous advantages such as higher

ways Roads & Hig H

resistance to deformation, increased durability and improved fatigue life and better stability and strength. Self-healing concrete and intelligent compaction are other emerging technologies in the area of road construction materials and machines. Smart highways, intelligent transport management solutions, advanced traffic management systems, project monitoring information system, etc. are some of the notable technological developments that can improve the operations and management. Despite the pandemic-induced lockdown and restrictions on mobility in large parts of the country, highway construction grew by 74% on year in April-May of the current financial year to 1,470 km or 24.1 km/day. Of course, the sharp year-on-year growth is on a low base (14.1 km/ day in April-May 2021), but even in comparison to April-May 2020 (28.2 km/day), the performances of state-sector highway builders. Of the total construction in the first two months of the current fiscal, the ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH) built 790 km followed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) (465 km) and National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation (215 km). The NHAI set an ambitious 4,600-km highway construction target for 2021-22. Last fiscal, NHAI constructed a record 4,192 km, up from 3,979 km developed in 2019-20 and 3,380 km in 2018-19. NHAI was confident on achieving the target even as there had been some impact on highway construction lately owing to labour shortage in some sites due to the second Covid wave.

In the future of smart transport is about intelligent signs and roads. In fact, we are entering the era where the information superhighway (connectivity, Internet and data grid) meets the transportation highway. Roads are no longer viewed as merely a physical entity or solid ground. They will be ‘empowered’ with info-communications, intelligence and sensing capability that were never possible decades ago. Smart roads use Internet of Things (IoT) devices to make driving safer, more efficient, and in line with government objectives, greener.

Smart roads combine physical infrastructures such as sensors and solar panels with software infrastructure like AI and big data. Smart road technologies are embedded in roads and can improve visibility, generate energy, communicate with autonomous and connected vehicles, monitor road conditions, and more. Cities can connect roads to IoT devices, and gather traffic and weather data. This type of connectivity can improve safety, traffic management, and energy efficiency. For improving safety and reducing congestion. The network uses speed cameras to provide warning signs for hazardous conditions, and sends automated traffic diversion signals that control traffic. Advanced traffic management system (ATMS) is a comprehensive platform of traffic management that covers monitoring, control and safety on highways. It employs a top-down management perspective that integrates equipment such as cameras and speed sensors, installed at various points along the road, with databases primarily to improve, ease, and organise the flow of traffic. The system gathers real-time data from those sensors and cameras, and relays it to a command centre for processing and analysis. The processed data helps provide many digital or physical services, including incident management, traffic routing, traffic-jam notifications, DMS messaging, etc. Intelligent transport management system (ITMS) with the concept of smart city aimed at transforming cities into digital societies, ITMS becomes an indispensable component. Intelligent transport systems (ITS) aim to achieve efficiency by minimising traffic problems. It enriches users with prior information about traffic, local convenience, real-time running information, seat availability etc. which reduces travel time of commuters and enhances their safety and comfort. Intelligent compaction (IC) is an equipmentbased technology to improve quality control of compaction. IC vibratory rollers are equipped with a high precision global positioning system (GPS), infrared temperature sensors, an accelerometer-based measurement system, and an onboard color-coded display. ICMV is a generic term for a calculated value based on accelerometer measurements on vibratory roller drums. These values are in different forms of metrics with various levels of correlation to compacted material’s mechanical and physical properties. At present in India, there are 1,489 tunnels covering 4,144 km in various stages – under implementation, awarded, under bidding, announced, approved, planned/proposed and stalled. As per the data collected and analysed by India Infrastructure Publishing, a company providing information on the infrastructure sectors in India, for completed, ongoing and awarded projects, the drill and blast method (DBM) is the most common tunnelling method. It

www.constructionmirror.com

Roads & Hig H ways

is used in over 38% of tunnel works. Deployment of advanced/mechanised technologies, such as tunnel boring machines (TBMs), is slowly increasing. At present, it has a share of 24%. This is closely followed by the new Austrian tunnelling method (NATM), which is increasingly being used across sectors. Developments in the road & highways industry Roads are the dominant national assets for transport and constitute a pedal for national economy to fuel economic growth and reap social benefits. The roads and road transport are constantly evolving in response to large social, economic, and environmental shifts. Economic progress and fast-paced urbanization trend further motivate the establishment of integrated and cost-effective transport systems for the mobility of persons and goods. With growing road network of the country and with ambitious road development programme, the role of R&D inputs become most valuable, considering the large impact that even a minor technological change can bring in such scenario. The basic aim of research should be to develop durable infrastructure, to improve in-service performance, reduce maintenance needs and costs, reduce life-cycle costs and significantly use new technologies and marginal materials. Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari said road infrastructure is being developed faster, safer and more sustainable than ever before. The minister said with an investment of Rs 11,000 crore, the 313 km long highway will transform the road infrastructure of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan. The 313-km long Ambala-Kotputli highway is scheduled to open to the public by March 2022 as 80 per cent of the corridor is complete, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Monday. In a meeting with officials of the ministry, NHAI, NHIDCL and PWDs Gadkari mentioned that it is their collective mission to give the country, road infrastructure of global standard. The Rs 100 lakh crore-Gatishakti scheme will provide a framework for the National Infrastructure Pipeline programme and make Indian products more competitive by cutting down logistic costs and improving supply chains. The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has apparently botched up the land acquisition -- and payment of compensation -- for the widening of NH 66 in Kasaragod, and residents are having a panic attack. After around 10 years of notifying and renotifying of land required for the highway and paying compensation, the NHAI has presented the actual alignment of the highway, which is different from the land acquired by the authority in Thekkil and Chengala villages. Road development in India received an impetus with the launch of the National Highways Development Project (NHDP), under the aegis of the National Highways Authority of India

18 19 September 2021 2021

Roads & Hig H ways

(NHAI) in 1999. Further, the introduction of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) in the late 2000 started the process of connecting rural hinterland with variousimportant financial centres and cities of the country. The present government is working on implementing several road development projects such as the Bharatmala, Setu Bharatam and Char Dham Highway project. Furthermore, technological advancements and some ingenious inventions are enabling execution of the most complex road projects in a timely and eco-friendly manner, with lower project lifecycle cost. Thera are a number of new and emerging technologies that can help a project achieve the above three parameters. For instance, use of plastic waste in bituminous pavement has numerous advantages such as higher resistance to deformation, increased durability and improved fatigue life and better stability and strength. Self-healing concrete and intelligent compaction are other emerging technologies in the area of road construction materials and machines. Smart highways, intelligent transport management solutions, advanced traffic management systems, project monitoring information system, etc. are some of the notable technological developments that can improve the operations and management. Despite the pandemic-induced lockdown and restrictions on mobility in large parts of the country, highway construction grew by 74% on year in April-May of the current financial year to 1,470 km or 24.1 km/day. Of course, the sharp year-on-year growth is on a low base (14.1 km/ day in April-May 2021), but even in comparison to April-May 2020 (28.2 km/day), the performances of state-sector highway builders. Of the total construction in the first two months of the current fiscal, the ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH) built 790 km followed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) (465 km) and National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation (215 km). The NHAI set an ambitious 4,600-km highway construction target for 2021-22. Last fiscal, NHAI constructed a record 4,192 km, up from 3,979 km developed in 2019-20 and 3,380 km in 2018-19. NHAI was confident on achieving the target even as there had been some impact on highway construction lately owing to labour shortage in some sites due to the second Covid wave. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has made usage of drone mandatory for recording development, construction, operation and maintenance of all national highways. To enhance transparency, uniformity and leverage latest technology, NHAI has made mandatory use of drones for monthly video recording of National Highway projects during all stages of Development, Construction, Operation and Maintenance. This comes in the backdrop of India's plan to construct 40 kilometres of highways every day in the current financial year, beating its previous daily record of 37 km that was constructed during 2019-20. India has a 137,635 km of national highway network. NHAI has been adopting new technologies to expedite road construction. In an effort to increase the pace of construction of roads, technologies such as radar, and remote sensing for mapping underground infrastructure such as telephone lines to prevent time and cost overruns caused due to manual mapping errors are being used. This led to the usage of radars that sense utility lines beneath the ground and Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology, which uses a pulsed laser to measure distance, helping with right of way studies.

21−23 APRIL, 2022

nt E ctric c onstruction Equipm E El

FuturE OF COnStruCtIOn InDuStry wItH ELECtrIC EquIpMEnt

Electric construction equipment isn’t a new concept. Hybrid electric machines have been available for years, and all-electric models of excavators, loaders, forklifts and other heavy machinery are currently available to rent or buy all over the world. Read on to learn more about the benefits of electric construction equipment and the types of machines making waves in the industry. Electrification can offer many benefits beyond reducing emissions. Minimizing or completely eliminating the use of an engine in electrified equipment enables a reduction in noise levels, leading to improved comfort and safety for operators and others on the job site. This also allows the equipment to be used inside buildings, inner-city work sites, and other noisesensitive areas. If you’ve ever passed an active construction site, most of the heavy machinery you saw was likely powered by diesel fuel. While diesel-powered construction equipment is still overwhelmingly dominant, all-electric models are becoming more

nt E ctric c onstruction Equipm E El

prominent than you might think — and they tend to blend right in. When it comes to overall performance capabilities, all-electric equipment is almost identical to its diesel counterpart. Volvo CE, for example, reported that its electric excavator and wheel loader specifications are the same as their diesel versions. The only differences include a marginally higher operating weight and a small increase in continuous motor power for their electric equipment. The biggest differences between electric and diesel equipment can be found under the hood. Instead of containing a diesel engine and cooling fan, electric equipment contains rechargeable lithium-ion battery packs. Some electric equipment also lacks the traditional hydraulics systems found in their diesel counterparts. Volvo CE’s ECR25 Electric excavator, for example, uses electromechanical linear actuators to power the boom rather than hydraulics. Hybrid Electric Equipment: How Does It Work? Hybrid electric equipment combines the power density of a diesel engine with the emissionscutting capabilities of a battery. It contains a smaller diesel engine alongside a rechargeable battery and electric motor, making it ideal for both high-intensity jobs and locations that require low emissions. Hybrid drives still burn diesel fuel, but they can recover and reuse energy that would otherwise be wasted as heat. This allows for a smaller cooling system and creates a more efficient machine. In fact, Volvo CE’s LX1 hybrid 20-ton loader is 50% more efficient than a 25-ton conventional diesel loader. Top Benefits of Going Electric Transitioning to all-electric equipment benefits construction companies and the environment in more ways than one. The top three advantages of electric heavy machinery include: Lower Carbon Emissions Because electric construction equipment doesn’t rely on gasoline or diesel fuel, it delivers net-zero carbon emissions and promotes sustainable construction practices. This is a much-needed benefit — the construction industry currently accounts for about 39% of the world’s CO2 emissions related to energy, and it is notoriously slow to adopt greener technologies. All-electric machinery relies on lithium-ion batteries, effectively eliminating the need for fossil fuels. These battery-powered machines are a must for companies working in emissionrestricted areas that prohibit the use of dieselpowered machines. Less Noise Pollution Noise pollution is a widespread issue in the construction industry. Loud machinery not only creates unwanted noise for those living and working near construction sites, but also jeopardizes the health of construction workers who are regularly exposed to it. Exposure to constant noise over 85 dB for more than eight hours can be hazardous, and construction workers are most at risk. Fortunately, electric construction equipment is much quieter than traditional diesel-fueled machines. Because electric equipment lacks a diesel engine and cooling fan, it comes with less noise and fewer vibrations. This makes machines safer to operate and leaves construction workers feeling less fatigued at the end of the day. Lower Project Costs Electric construction equipment comes with the added benefit of reducing long-term costs for construction companies. All-electric equipment not only eliminates fuel costs but also reduces overall operating costs thanks to its lower engine run time. With diesel-powered equipment, a lot of engine run time accumulates while the machine is idle. Electric equipment, on the other hand, turns off as soon as the operator stops the machine, and no additional operating time accumulates. Electric construction equipment also comes with lower maintenance costs. Lithium-ion batteries and electric motors are virtually maintenance-free, and electric machines typically have far fewer parts than diesel models. This reduces both the overall time spent on maintenance and the cost of replacing individual parts.

3

nt Equipm E

Customize Settings With An Improved Human Machine Interface With an improved Human Machine Interface (HMI) and software in electric machines, there are more opportunities to adjust settings and customize the behavior of the machine to an operator’s personal preferences. Adjustments can be made to customize how the machine performs — it can be more aggressive to more normal to a very sensitive, smooth ramp up of the hydraulics. HMI improvements are another reason operators love the performance and feel of electric machines. Electric Construction Equipment Delivers Instant Torque Probably one of the most popular aspects of an electric machine is that as soon as the operator starts running it, the electric motors provide instant torque. On the ECR25 electric excavator, for example, when the operator pushes a button on the joystick, the response is instant. There’s no feeling of a slight delay, as can happen with some diesel machines. Electric Construction Equipment The construction industry is often slow to adopt new technology, so not all machines currently have an electric model on the market. However, equipment manufacturers are gradually rolling out new models as the technology advances. Excavators: Electric excavators were one of the first all-electric machines to make a public debut. In 2017, Volvo CE revealed its EX02 compact electric excavator prototype at the Volvo Group Innovation Summit. The EX02 produced zero emissions and contained two lithium-ion batteries in place of a traditional combustion engine. The batteries totaled 38 kWh, providing the machine with enough energy to dig for eight hours between charges. While the EX02 model was just a prototype that never became available for commercial use, Volvo CE has since revealed the ECR25 Electric excavator. This model is currently available for pre-booking in the U.S. and Canada, and the company plans to roll out the first deliveries in June 2022. Companies like Caterpillar, Bobcat, Doosan, Hyundai CE and JCB have also introduced electric excavators in recent years, and the trend is likely to continue as demand for all-electric heavy

machinery increases. Wheel Loaders: Because wheel loaders come in multiple sizes and styles and are found on most construction sites, equipment manufacturers were quick to develop all-electric models. Volvo CE added the L25 Electric compact wheel loader to its all-electric lineup, and companies like Wacker Neuson and Schäffer unveiled their own models within the last five years. The Schäffer 24E, advertised as the world’s first electric wheel loader using lithium-ion technology, is powered by two lithium-ion batteries and contains two hydraulic motors. The machine is small and quiet, making it perfect for maintenance jobs in noise-sensitive residential areas. Its lightweight design allows it to be easily loaded onto a car trailer, and it can be easily transported between construction sites. Dump Trucks and Mining Trucks: The world’s largest electric vehicle is a 45-ton mining truck designed by the German manufacturer Kuhn Schweiz. This all-electric truck, officially named the Elektro Dumper, is used to transport marlstone, and it never needs to be recharged thanks to its regenerative braking system. When the truck descends a hill, the braking system recaptures energy created by the downhill movement and stores it in the truck’s 600 kW per hour battery pack. While the Elektro Dumper is currently a one-ofa-kind machine, other equipment manufacturers have released their own versions of the electric mining truck. Epiroc, for example, offers a batterypowered mine truck designed for underground applications. Forklifts: Because forklifts are smaller than other types of heavy machinery, manufacturers faced fewer obstacles when creating all-electric models. Toyota currently offers five electric models, and Cat recently added four electric forklift trucks to its product line. The market is slowly becoming more competitive for electric forklift manufacturers as more products enter the market. In an attempt to stay ahead of the competition, Cat equipped its line of electric lift trucks with built-in service reminders, on-the-go system monitoring and self-diagnostics technology. Greenland Technologies also recently launched a new line of electric lithium forklifts, and deliveries will start in September 2021 for North American buyers. The Future Is All-Electric Electric construction equipment is still in its infancy but that is likely to change over the next few decades. An all-electric future for the construction industry may seem unrealistic, but it isn’t completely out of reach. The auto industry, for example, is already pushing for the transition to electric vehicles. Norway, Denmark, Iceland and other countries in the EU have announced plans to ban the sale of gas- and diesel-powered cars by as early as 2025, and more countries are quickly following suit. All-electric construction equipment has already proven that it can keep up with diesel-powered machines while reducing costs and emissions. Next time you need to rent out a forklift, wheel loader or other type of construction equipment, consider opting for a hybrid or electric model. It will reduce your project costs and help lead the construction industry to a quieter, greener future.