AUGUST 2017 ❘ VOL. 4
KIT TALK in this issue EXCLUSIVE The Dawning of the Destroyer EXCLUSIVE Giant Crane Comes to London
Our Staff. Editor in Chief Mark Anthony Art Director Nicki Chambers Advertising Manager Ben Chambers
An Age of Beasts The latest units to join the pantheon of notable UK demolition excavators are – by any stretch of the imagination – monster machines. Brown and Mason’s EX1200 – which we have nicknamed The Destroyer for obvious reasons – weighs in at more than 135 tonnes; while the DSM machine spearheading the demolition of Tottenham Hotspur’s former home tips the scales at more than 235 tonnes when equipped with its 30 metre boom option. Admittedly, two machines do not a movement make. But while the recent trend has been ever upwards with high reach machines topping 50, 60 and 70 metres, it appears that some contractors are now eschewing the penis measuring contest of height in favour of sheer grunt. And this trend is not isolated to the UK. Check out the size of the Komatsu machine that McMahon Services (Page 10) has just pressed into action Down Under. Of course, Brown and Mason’s machine is headed for a four-year stint at Longannet Power Station where power will be vital. Given the speed with which DSM’s machine is eating its way through the White Hart Lane stadium, you have to think that the company has plans for it elsewhere; and maybe those plans will require the use of the machine’s 70 metre boom option that will take the unit to 250 tonnes. These machines do not come cheap. They represent a major investment that would be well beyond many demolition contractors. They are a statement of intent that demonstrates the determination and long-term confidence of both Brown and Mason and DSM. More importantly, for equipment enthusiasts like us, we now have a seemingly endless stream of “Digger Porn” to enjoy.
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Kit Talk.
A Chambers Media Publication
Inside
YOUR GUIDE TO ISSUE
NO.04
04
Dawning of the Destroyer
06
DSM Scores at Spurs
07
Hydrodemolition Comes Clean
08
Atlas Copco Loses Weight
09
17
10
18
11
20
12
22
14
24
16
26
FORS to be reckoned with
Genesis has Finger on Pulse
Giant Crane Comes to London
Breaking Industry Barriers
Hughes & Salvidge in the Zone
Biggest in the World
Sun’s Out, Guns Out
Everybody Needs Good Nabors
Heir to the Crown
Turning Dumpers on Their Head
Are Friends Electric?
TJC Breaks Out Kit Talk ❘ 03
Brown and Mason’s new monster machine gets ready for work
The Dawning of The Destroyer
The latest addition to the fleet of power station demolition specialist Brown and Mason is undergoing final preparations at the Messiah Corp. yard at Grays in Essex. And Kit Talk got to see it first.
04 ❘ Kit Talk
“With the help of Messiah,
Weighing in at 135 tonnes and equipped with a massive Genesis GXP1500R attachment, the Hitachi EX1200 machine is being readied for a three-month stint at Didcot A Power Station before heading for the Longannet Power Station in Kincardine, Scotland where Brown and Mason has a four-year demolition project.
we bought the machine from a company in Spain and had it shipped back to Grays,” Brown and Mason’s Nick Brown explains. “Messiah also helped us source the Genesis shear and they have helped us get the machine ready for work.”
you can see this massive machine in this exclusive new video: click to play video
The shear alone weighs more than 13 tonnes and has a jaw opening of 1.118 metres. When it goes to work, it will be one of the largest of its kind in the UK. We will be bringing you more details in the next episode of Demolition TV. But, until then, you can see this massive machine in the exclusive new video.
Kit Talk ❘ 05
DSM Scores at Spurs DSM has collaborated with Caterpillar dealer Finning UK & Ireland, Cat OEM Solutions and bespoke excavator specialist Kocurek, to create the highest and most versatile, high reach excavator in the UK.
06 ❘ Kit Talk
Designed to allow for three very different machine configurations, the powerful demolition spec Cat 6015B boasts unrivalled tool carrying capability. In its 70 metre configuration, it weighs 225 tonnes, including an attachment weighing up to 2,500 kg. It can operate a 7,000 kg attachment at up to 38 metres, at the same weight. Its final 32 metre configuration allows the 230 tonne unit to wield a 12,000 kg attachment. This has all been made possible due to extensive design changes and bespoke engineered components. These included lengthened track frames, the addition of a hydraulically extending undercarriage and
the modification to four hoist cylinders. A tilting cab with complete FOPS guarding has been added, with full machine walkways for access and safety. The additional of a counterweight, including a bespoke removal mechanism to allow it to be stored onto the trailer, completes the main machine changes. But in order to carry out its operations, bespoke booms were designed to support the three different configurations. By having an interchangeable combination, including intermediate booms, dippers and triple articulating booms, each configuration could be setup onsite by the team from the trailer. For DSM Director Des Kelly, a major investment in time and resources was required to make the project happen: “This project is
what true industry collaboration is all about. What we really wanted was to create a step change for the industry. So our vision was to invest in a much more versatile machine that could cope with both high reach demolition and very heavy duty hammer or processor work, to speed up the clearance of a site for our customers,” Kelly says. “So in practical terms, what we now have is a machine that has safety and versatility built into its design. This allows us to sit one unit on a project that can take down a high structure, reconfigure itself once the high rise work is done to speed up the demolition process and reconfigure itself again to complete the below the ground works using heavy duty hammers. Commercially the whole project really stacked up for us. Because we co-ordinated and agree a project cost and timeline with Paul Edwards from Finning, we could engage with Cat OEM solutions and Kocurek to make the vision a reality. It was definitely not a simple task, as many hours were put into delivering the final product, but now we have tested the unit out demolishing the White Hart Lane stadium, we can see just what a difference it will make to the business and our customers. With the backup and service capabilities of both Finning and Kocurek supporting us, I am confident we will be able to safely speed up the demolition process for projects up and down the country. All with the end goal of getting our customers on site faster.”
Hydrodemolition Comes Clean Aquajet Systems AB, a global leader in hydrodemolition machine manufacturing, has introduced the EcoClear water filtration system. The innovative machine works with Aquajet’s full line of hydrodemolition robots to treat the wastewater generated by the process by neutralizing water pH and greatly reducing its turbidity so that it can be safely released back into the environment. Until now, methods to treat wastewater on site were inefficient, took up too much space, or were simply unavailable, leading to significantly increased costs and logistical challenges. The EcoClear system enables the hydrodemolition contractor to treat wastewater in real time and maintain an environmentally sound jobsite.
particles/litre. The entire process can be watched monitored and controlled online with the RECO control system. The machine works by pumping water expelled from an Aqua Cutter into an inlet chamber, where a flocculating agent is automatically added to help clump the particles in the water. The water then flows into a second chamber that introduces carbon dioxide to neutralize the pH. In the next chamber, the floc, or solid particles, settles into a storage hopper and is removed by the integrated pump. The water continues to another chamber for a second pH adjustment. A final monitoring tank confirms the water pH has returned to a neutral
7 before it’s pumped out. Optical turbidity sensors and pH probes continuously monitor and record the water quality to ensure only clean water is discharged. If the water does not meet set limits, the feed pump automatically shuts down to prevent dirty water from escaping. The water then starts to recirculate until it meets the preset values of pH and turbidity. Aquajet designed the EcoClear for easy maintenance. A folding roof and integrated walkway make it safe and convenient to inspect the machine. The one-of-a-kind design also doesn’t require filters, eliminating the accompanying downtime and cost of replacing them.
“We want our customers to focus on what they do best — precise hydrodemolition of concrete bridges and other structures — not how they will manage the water removal. That’s why we developed EcoClear,” says Roger Simonsson, Aquajet Systems managing director. “It collects, neutralises and removes solids without requiring the hassle of a separate water reservoir or filters. This enhances customers’ productivity while exceeding environmental regulations.” The EcoClear — which is powered by Siltbuster Ltd., a leading manufacturer in water treatment systems — moves as much as about 20 cubic metres per hour, through a series of treatment chambers that neutralizes alkaline water to a pH of 6 to 9 and reduces turbidity to just 20-25 mg
Kit Talk ❘ 07
Atlas Copco Loses Weight An ongoing aim for Atlas Copco is to help customers reduce their operating costs and the new MB 1650 hydraulic breaker is a typical example. Replacing the MB 1700, the MB 1650 is lighter and more compact yet gives the same high performance as its predecessor. The new design offers higher reliability, lower repair costs and easier accessibility for maintenance. Weighing in at 1,650 kg, the new MB 1650 hydraulic breaker is suitable for carriers in the weight class from 19 to 32 tonnes. A redesigned service window offers greater accessibility and thus makes the attachment more maintenance friendly. With no highpressure accumulator the MB 1650´s maintenance and repair costs are lower. ● Advanced control technology – Breaker performance is optimised by AutoControl, an automatic piston stroke length switching system, which adjusts the output balance between impact energy and rate during operation. ● EnergyRecovery – This Atlas Copco feature automatically utilises the piston recoil energy to increase the performance, without additional hydraulic input, and to lower vibrations. ● StartSelect – This valve enables the operator to adjust the hydraulic breaker start-up behaviour according to the operating condition in a few simple steps. ● Optimized lubrication – The MB 1650 is equipped with ContiLube™ II, a self-bleeding automatic lubrication device for optimized grease consumption and continuous lubrication. 08 ❘ Kit Talk
● Low noise and vibration levels – Noise and vibration levels on the MB 1650 are minimized by the VibroSilenced Plus system, utilizing non-metallic suspension arrangements to isolate the percussion mechanism from the breaker box and sealing all openings for lower noise and vibration levels. ● Effective dust protection – An optional, patented dust sealing system called DustProtector II will extend the service life of the components and reduce grease consumption. The built-in check valve reduces dust intake into the tool guiding area and the percussion chamber. The new MB 1650 hydraulic breaker is an efficient choice for a broad spectrum of applications in mining and quarrying, demolition and renovation, construction, and the metallurgical industry.
FORS to be reckoned with Brigade’s white sound reversing alarms (bbs-tek) reduce noise pollution and now can help operators to meet the new FORS requirements.
or late at night. Brigade has a solution that can reduce noise pollution without compromising safety and help operators to meet the new FORS requirement.
FORS silver standard already requires operators to fit a reversing alarm: ‘Fleet operators shall ensure that all vehicles over 3.5 tonnes gross vehicle weight are equipped with an audible means to warn other road users of a vehicles reversing movement’ but the new FORS standard goes one step further. Operators are now required to ‘reduce the noise produced by their vehicles, processes, equipment and ensure that there is regular evaluation of systems and devices that could help to reduce overall noise levels.’
Bbs-tek is a revolutionary reversing alarm that is quieter and yet safer than conventional alarms. The unique alarm is approved by the Noise Abatement Society and has the Quiet Mark accreditation. It can be used to reverse safely without causing a noise nuisance and can only be heard in the danger zone, unlike conventional alarms that can be heard up to thirty times the distance required. The alarm emits a “ssh-ssh” sound which is less irritating than the shrill beep-beep of other alarms.
Reversing alarms are one of the biggest reasons for noise complaints especially in residential streets and early in the morning
Brigade’s white sound reversing alarms are considered to be the safest on the market. In a similar way that a person reacts to a snapped twig, the broad band
sound frequency is directional and therefore locatable, unlike ‘beeping’ tonal alarms. This means that a person knows which direction they need to move in to be safe. It is ideal for the blind who can actually hear the direction a vehicle is moving in. The hearing impaired are also likely to be able to detect at least some of the wide range of sound frequencies emitted by the revolutionary alarms. Tony Lenihan, complaince manager at Dafcon Haulage Ltd agrees that bbs-tek is the best solution for those that cannot detect sound at certain frequencies. He explained that after twenty five years’ experience working with heavy-duty machinery, he has thirty percent loss of hearing. “I went to the doctors thinking it was a wax build-up in my ear,” Lenihan says. “I was turning the phone up to hear what people were saying and turning the radio up in the car but it turns out that my hearing was damaged.” Brigade conducted a test by blindfolding Tony and asking him to locate the direction of the sound for both the conventional beeping alarm and a bbs-tek alarm. He was positioned ten metres away at a forty five degree angle to the trucks rear offside. With the conventional alarm he was ninety degrees out but with bbs-tek he managed to pin point the direction immediately every time.
Kit Talk ❘ 09
Genesis has Finger on Pulse
10 ❘ Kit Talk
Genesis Attachments announces Pulse Technology, the first-ofits-kind, cloud-based attachment performance monitoring system.
the need to rely on traditional carrier-based hour measurements and improving maintenance scheduling.
Using integrated sensors throughout both hydraulic circuits, Pulse Technology™ delivers live diagnostic measurements for critical functions including jaw pressure, jaw circuit oil temperature, bi-directional rotation pressure, rotation circuit oil temperature, and rotational speed and flow.
The web and mobile app platform displays live and historical data. Performance threshold alerts, delivered via e-mail or text, can be set to prevent hydraulic failures. Data can also be exported for detailed performance charting and analysis.
“True” attachment life operations are also monitored, with data for hours, cycles, rotations and elapsed run time, eliminating
Multiple Genesis attachments can easily be monitored with Pulse Technology, as the software displays an icon for every attachment, and its exact location, when the attachment is in use.
UK demolition giant Keltbray has employed one of the largest cranes in the world – the AL.SK190 – to remove and replace the 110 to 1,650-tonne beams that supported the weight of the recently-demolished Earl’s Court exhibition centres above the London Underground lines. The machine has a 4,300 tonne capacity strand lift system and a 4,000 tonne capacity winch system. The unit, recently shipped from a previous application in Turkey, rotates around 4,000 tonnes of ballast, carrying out all lifts from a single, fixed position. Fully erected, the machine is 120 metres tall.
Giant Crane Comes to London You can see the crane in action in this exclusive video click to play video Kit Talk ❘ 11
Breaking Industry Barriers 12 â?˜ Kit Talk
The KINSHOFER Group, incorporating Auger Torque, released its most innovative new product ever in 2016 that not only sets it apart from competitors but realised a one-of-a-kind excavator attachment that has pushed the company to new markets and heights. The NOXTiltrotator Series 3 are a first set of industry leading patented products which is compact with a narrow width and reduced height, no protruding parts, ensuring ease of operation and maximum productivity. Delivered by Northern European experts and led by renowned engineering specialist Juha Strandberg, the product is the first ever in the market to be designed specifically for optimum use: the Kinshofer Nox is compact, both in width and height, and durable. The Nox fits easily to the machine dipper and allows ease of operation in many applications. The whole design is based
around efficiency and maximising productivity.
be used with the Kinshofer Nox. The Tiltrotators and Control Systems consists of a series of five flagship products, all ergonomically exchangeable for specific use through the NOXPROP control system, outperforming products in its class with greater torque and maximised angles.
The Tiltrotator is the result of years of research and development, bringing together the long-standing innovation behind KINSHOFER. Headquartered in Helsinki and trials experienced across Europe, the products have been specifically designed and tested in operation, ensuring optimised performance and durability for years to come. The cast body is produced from high strength special alloy ensuring durability in the toughest conditions. The tilting function is achieved by an elliptic rotary actuator ensuring an extremely compact design with constant tilting force. Coupled with the integrated worm drive, it provides 360deg continuous rotation with low operator maintenance.
● ● ● ● ●
The flexible tool is unmatched within its class, consisting of only two greasing points – ease of maintenance - and an integrated hydraulics system within the solid cast housing, therefore offering minimum wear and maintenance. A large variety of attachments that require a low or high oil flow can
The high-tech KINSHOFER NOX-Tiltrotator enhances safety and precision, making it one of the most advanced engineered tools for excavators. The latest version of the Tiltrotators cements the vision of KINSHOFER to lead innovation within the construction sector for the future.
The Kinshofer Nox is one of the most advanced tools for excavators. It is offered in six variants to suit machines with 3.0 up to 25 tonne operating weight. TR06NOX Tiltrotators & Control Systems TR10NOX Tiltrotators & Control Systems TR14NOX Tiltrotators & Control Systems TR19NOX Tiltrotators & Control Systems TR25NOX Tiltrotators & Control Systems
Kit Talk ❘ 13
Hughes & Salvidge in
Hughes & Salvidge has become the first UK demolition contractor to use SiteZone pr
14 ❘ Kit Talk
A UK demolition contractor has taken a proactive lead on anti-collision safety by specifying the use of OnGrade’s proximity warning system, SiteZone, in its health and safety enforcement on site. Until now, the use of SiteZone has been recommended by lead clients to all their subcontractors on a project. However, Hughes and Salvidge has taken the corporate decision to insist on using the SiteZone Proximity Warning System on all projects at its Heathrow Airport operations that involve plant and on-ground personnel.
Plant and vehicles are fitted with SiteZone base stations, while site workers have RFID transponders fitted to their hard hat or sleeve. When a site worker breaches a predefined detection zone, both the worker and driver receive a ‘proximity warning’. The RFID tag vibrates, making the site worker aware of the vehicle, while the driver is alerted by sound and flashing lights in the cab of the vehicle. This two-way alarm feature is fundamental to site safety, since responsibility for avoiding accidents is shared by both parties.
All Hughes & Salvidge plant vehicles being used at Heathrow Airport have been fitted with SiteZone, which uses radio frequency identification (RFID) detection. This means that SiteZone can see around corners, through dust and smoke and in poor light conditions, giving targeted warning alarms to both drivers and workers on foot should they enter each other’s working area.
SiteZone also logs incident data which can be transmitted and viewed on the Cloud by using the telematics function. It collects essential data from SiteZone in the event of a zone breach to help managers monitor and improve site safety. Hughes & Salvidge site managers have full access to the system via a dedicated log-in, which enables them to view information such as the number of unauthorised
the Zone
roximity warning system as part of its health and safety remit. entries into a safety zone and a real-time display of length of time spent within them. By generating this information, performance reports can be created to highlight key ‘hot spots’ on site, within specified zones or specific personnel safety breaches. Hughes & Salvidge Group Safety, Health, Environmental and Quality (SHEQ) Manager, Tony Jack said, “At Hughes & Salvidge we work very hard on our approach, development and implementation of matters relating to Health and Safety. We are very proud of our Health and Safety record and we are delighted to enhance this further with the introduction of the SiteZone Proximity Warning System on all plant we are using at Heathrow Airport. “We didn’t want to use this safety system because we were asked to, we wanted to initiate the system as a key part of every project we do at the Airport -
where plant and on-ground personnel are working in close proximity. The feedback already from our plant operators, on-ground personnel and our clients has been excellent and as an employer it has given us great satisfaction that we have provided an extra element to our already stringent Health and Safety processes to help keep our staff safe.” A first for OnGrade, the application of SiteZone in the demolition industry is a milestone in its quest to improve site safety awareness. “SiteZone has already proved a success in the construction and waste sector. However, we know that the demolition business is high-risk because personnel on foot often work in close proximity to heavy plant on site,” concludes OnGrade director Gary Escott. “The team at Hughes & Salvidge have shown just how dedicated they are to their staff’s safety, and using SiteZone will help them to reinforce and improve safety performance.”
Kit Talk ❘ 15
Biggest in the World Australia’s McMahon Services has recently built what it claims to be the largest, heaviest and most powerful mobile demolition shear currently in operation worldwide.
16 ❘ Kit Talk
the machine to have it ready for its first demolition project in late April.
Combining a 400 tonne Komatsu Excavator with the world’s largest heavy duty cutting shear, the machine has a massive physical presence. The steel shear was custom fabricated in the United States, capable of piercing through 80 mm high grade steel with a cutting force pressure of 5500 PSI.
The machine will be disassembled into eight sections and moved via road transport to a major iron ore facility in Port Hedland in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. Once it completes its work there, the machine will then be transported back to South Australia where it will continue its work at the Port Augusta Power Station.
The $5 million heavy duty demolition machine has been assembled at McMahon Services’ Adelaide facility. A team of specialist mechanical engineers and hydraulic experts have spent over eight weeks commissioning
The machine will perform two key functions including a significant amount of mechanical demolition followed by scrap processing and recycling activities. The addition of this machine into the fleet of high performance demolition
excavators at McMahon Services, consolidates our position and reputation as one of Australia’s leading demolition companies.
A video showing the machine can be viewed here click to play video
Sun’s Out, Guns Out The days are getting longer and the sun is getting ever warmer. The time has come to drag your t-shirts from the back of your wardrobe.
t-shirt also features a hard hat-wearing man for added testosterone and is suitable for site or weekend wear.
Better still, what say you invest in a nice new highquality, premium t-shirt that depicts your love of the demolition industry.
And if the weather turns typically British, you can switch the t-shirt for a hoodie or a snapback cap. In addition, these are offered in men’s, women’s and even children’s sizes.
Demolition magazine has worked with a US designer (no, seriously) to develop a new t-shirt bearing the slogan: “For those about to wreck, we salute you”. (The AC/DC fans among you will get it). The retro-style
To order your t-shirt, simply visit www. demolitionnewsstore.com and scroll down to the bottom of the page.
Kit Talk ❘ 17
Everybody Needs Good Nabors It might seem to many mothers that all 10 year old boys try to wreck their houses, but for Texan Lloyd Nabors he really did – starting a lifelong love of demotion, assisted with his loyal gang of Volvo machines. It’s fair to say that Lloyd Nabors likes to tear things down. A lot. He was a young boy when he was first inspired to start his own demolition company. His father did demolition work and young Lloyd often helped out, starting around the age of eight. Helping dad was one thing, but what he really wanted was to work on his own.
18 ❘ Kit Talk
Nabors tells the story: “I said, ‘Dad, I want to run a piece of equipment by myself’. He said, ‘Well, when you’re 10 years old, I’ll let you wreck your first house.’ So he turned me loose. I was running a wheeled loader and I got to
wreck my first building when I was 10 years old. And I just loved it.” Many years later, Nabors is the president of Lloyd D. Nabors Demolition, headquartered in Hutchins, Texas, just south of Dallas. Projects have so far taken him across Texas and into neighboring states, including Louisiana, Arkansas and Oklahoma. Nabors is still very hands-on with his machines. Nabors says he was committed to the brand of machines he worked on as a boy. He first invested in Volvo construction equipment 12 years ago, after talking with a friend in the excavation business. “He said: ‘You need to try these Volvos, they’re good machines’. He said his savings on fuel were tremendous. So I said, ‘Well, we’ll give it a shot.’ So we bought one.” Now, he commands a fleet of close to 20 Volvo excavators, including a Volvo EC460 high-reach excavator. Dealer sales representative Jarred Walker of Romco equipment recommended the high-reach machine to meet Nabors’ wideranging job requirements. Walker says Nabors was a pioneer. “He was the first contractor in the state of Texas to buy the high reach,” Walker says. The machine’s flexibility was a strong selling point. With a modular joint system, the extendedreach arm can be exchanged for a digging boom as required. They’ve got it down to about a
45-minute process to do that, with one person,” he continues. “That’s a big deal because the old way would take two days to take the long arm off the machine. The versatility is amazing. The machine has paid for itself many times over. It allows them to go do jobs that they weren’t able to do before.” In addition to the high-reach excavator’s flexibility, Nabors says he appreciates its safety features. “Our long-reach excavator helps us when we have a structure that is six or seven stories tall. It keeps our operator a safe distance away,” Nabors says. “We’re able to reach up and demolish a building, and we can keep away from the structure when it’s falling,” The high-reach arm can take a shear or a hammer. This helps operators keep the job under control. “We reach up there and cut the columns. We’re able to pull them down and it’s very professional,” Nabors says. “We used to use a wrecking ball, and it wasn’t really controllable. You’d just knock a building down, and wherever it fell, it fell. We’re able to control our demo much better now.” VP Satterwhite agrees that safety and professionalism are core concerns. “Texas happens to be
a state where you don’t need a license to perform demolition. So you might get a few more cowboys who may have a pick-up truck and a sledge hammer and they’re gonna go tear down an apartment complex,” Satterwhite says. “Our job is to make buildings come down, and we want to make sure we’re doing it in a safe manner. We want everybody to leave the same way they came that morning.” Citing Volvo CE’s demolition package, which includes safety guards over the cab front, Satterwhite says: “It protects the equipment but, more importantly, it protects the person sitting inside the cab. If a piece of rebar comes flying out, you don’t know if it will go left or right or straight up. Those guards have been phenomenal for us.” The business of knocking down
buildings includes many challenges that outsiders may not consider. Nabors uses drone cameras to help analyse each job site. Satterwhite says, complications take many forms. “You don’t know how a building may react all the time, especially if it’s old or burnt or wind damaged from tornadoes. We operate with the understanding that anything can happen.” Satterwhite describes the open site where Nabors recently imploded an old football stadium. “I enjoy seeing a blank piece of ground when we’re all done and it’s clean and there’s grass growing on it. That’s something we take pride in. Now that’s set up for someone to do something great. We create a place where somebody can build something new,” he concludes.
Kit Talk ❘ 19
Heir to the Crown My first SED - in fact my first plant exhibition - was at Whipsnade in 1987. I didn’t realise it at the time, but that was the beginning of what would become a career and a life-long passion for plant. I followed SED when it moved. And I shed a silent tear when it finally - and prematurely - folded. But, in truth, MY SED died the day it left the wallabies of Whipsnade. I was sceptical about the idea of PlantworX in precisely the same way that I was sceptical about Daniel Craig’s ability to replace Sean Connery as the true James Bond. I was wrong. In fact, Like Daniel Craig’s Bond, PlantworX was not a replacement or a substitute. It was something new; something different.
20 ❘ Kit Talk
The first Plantworx had novelty on its side. The second Plantworx rode the post-recessionary
goodwill of that inaugural show. But Plantworx 2017 was the acid test as the gods of the weather conspired to send torrential rain to Bruntingthorpe and turned the site into something resembling the battlefields of The Somme. But the people came. They smiled through horizontal rain. They tramped through muddy aisles and onto muddy stands. And they did business. Many of those attending Plantworx 2017 will now see Bruntingthorpe as their Whipsnade. They will see PlantworX as their SED. But, even though it has replicated much of that Whipsnade spirit, Plantworx is not SED. It is something different. Something modern. Something of it’s time. In many ways, it is something better. The current generation finally has a construction and demolition equipment exhibition to call their own.
Kit Talk â?˜ 21
Turning Dumpers on Their Head
22 ❘ Kit Talk
JCB, a relative newcomer to the site dumper market, is promising to turn the sector on its head with the unveiling of a new seven tonne prototype model that seemingly solves the safety issues that have dogged these site workhorses since they were invented.
The UK construction industry and its suppliers have come together recently to look at ways in which the use of site dumpers can be made safer on site. According to JCB, the key to site dumper safety, particularly at the heavier end of the dumper range, is visibility.
The new Hi-Viz concept machine addresses growing industry concerns over accidents and serious injuries involving site dumpers on construction sites. JCB’s new 7-tonne concept machine is designed and engineered specifically to tackle those concerns by enhancing visibility, operator protection, stability, comfort and serviceability.
Current regulations call for the operator to be able to see a 1.5 metre tall person or object, standing one metre from the machine when un-laden. With JCB’s new Hi-Viz concept dumper, the operator can easily see a 1.2 metre high person or object all around the machine, even when fully laden.
There is also a need to improve the level of safety currently offered by a simple ROPS bar behind the operator’s seat. While the operator should use the lap belt supplied at all times, many choose not to use it in order to attempt to jump clear in the event of a machine rollover. To combat this, JCB has designed a ROPS/FOPS Level II glazed cab that can be used on machines above 4.5-tonnes operating weight. As well as providing additional protection from a rollover or a falling object, the JCB cab also has an integral secondary impact protection system (SIPS) built into the cab’s structure. This
supplementary safety measure, in combination with guards on the rear edge of the skip and a front screen guard or hammer glass, could potentially allow the dumper driver to remain in the cab while the dumper is being loaded. This would completely remove the need for the operator to continually climb on to and off the dumper, improving efficiency and keeping the operator in a safe working environment. The big difference with the Hi-Viz
width falling within 2.5 metres. The combination of a longer wheelbase and lower skip greatly improve the laden dumpers centre of gravity, boosting stability on rough ground. The forward edge of the dumper’s skip has been extended beyond the load carrying area. This provides improved dump clearance for the front wheels. JCB will build both forward tip and swivel-tip versions of the Hi-Viz site dumper when it goes into production.
You can view an exclusive video of the new machine here click to play video
site dumper concept is in the front chassis. The front axle has been moved forwards to make room for the skip to sit behind the axle line. Increased steering lock allows the longer wheelbase machine to maintain the same turning circle as a six tonne dumper. The front chassis is lowered considerably behind the front axle, to allow the skip to sit much lower in the frame. Despite this, ground clearance has been maintained, as the chassis sits at the same height as the four-wheel drive system’s transfer box and driveshafts. The totally new skip offers a 3.4 m3 heaped capacity on this 7-tonne machine, with overall
Kit Talk â?˜ 23
Are Friends Electric?
24 ❘ Kit Talk
Volvo Construction Equipment has unveiled its latest concept machine. Known as the EX2, the 100 percent electric compact excavator prototype delivers zero emissions and – according to the manufacturer - 10 times higher efficiency, 10 times lower noise levels and reduced total cost of ownership compared to its conventional counterparts. Volvo claims it is the world’s first fully electric compact excavator prototype. The Volvo Group defines electromobility as ‘commercial vehicles and machines that can utilise an electrical motor to propel or to perform the main purpose of the machine’. To make the EX2 prototype fully electric, the combustion engine has been replaced with two lithium ion batteries, totalling 38 KWh, which store enough electric energy to operate the machine for eight hours in an intense application, such as digging compact ground. The hydraulic architecture has also been replaced with electric architecture which incorporates electromechanical linear actuators that help to optimize the transmission chain. Removing the hydraulic system and the combustion engine, as well as reducing the cooling needs, has led to significantly lower noise levels. At this stage, the EX2 is purely a research project and there are currently no plans for industrialisation.
The EX2 stemmed from the company’s earlier ELEXC research project, which was partly financed by the French government as well as various funding bodies in France. Volvo CE worked with a team of six partner companies which all contributed towards the €7m project. The ELEXC work started in 2012 and concluded in 2015, Volvo CE has since been working on other research projects connected to the EX2, such as durability tests. “The electrification of construction equipment will produce cleaner, quieter and more efficient machines – this represents the future of our industry,” concludes Ahcène Nedjimi, electrics and electronics systems lead engineer and EX2 project leader. “The EX2 is a revolutionary machine. With its zero emissions and ten times lower noise levels, it could easily be used in densely populated areas without disturbing people – even at night. Ten times higher machine efficiency and maintenance-free systems mean that operating costs and total cost of ownership would be significantly reduced. The prototype machine delivers the same power and force as its conventional counterpart, as well as faster speeds in combined movements. And all of this has been achieved without compromising on machine performance, ensuring customer needs would be fulfilled.”
Kit Talk ❘ 25
TJC Breaks Out 26 ❘ Kit Talk
TJC Sales Ltd has been appointed regional dealer for Italian attachment manufacturer Indeco. Indeco offers an extensive range of hydraulic hammers together with pulverisers, multiprocessor, boom systems, compactors, shears, and multi-grabs. The Indeco brand is now one of three world class plant equipment manufacturers to team up with Bedfordshire based TJC Sales Ltd which is also a dealer for Wacker Neuson and HIDROMEK. TJC Sales Ltd will cover Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire areas as part of the dealership agreement with Indeco. “We are really excited as the Indeco range of attachments is not only superior in terms of performance and durability but they can be applied across a multitude of sectors,” says Richard White, Director of TJC Sales Ltd.
“From demolition, renovation and infrastructure to mining and even recycling, these attachments are versatile and have been designed to combat even the most complex tasks quickly and efficiently.” TJC Sales Ltd will be showing the Indeco range at Plantworx 6-8 th June 2017 (stand number: G19 & G25) where they will be promoting HIDROMEK’s award-winning plant machinery including the HMK 102B SUPRA, HMK 140LC and HMK 220LC GEN Series. “TJC Sales Ltd is well established and respected with many years of experience in the industry. They are very proactive in their approach across many of the sectors we operate in; we are delighted to have them on board with us,” concludes Mike Salmon, National Sales Manager, Indeco (UK) Limited. “We welcome TJC Sales Ltd into the Indeco family.”
Kit Talk
A Chambers Media Publication