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equipmentworld.com | July 2017

®

S R E Z O D L L A T I O D

4 2 P.

R E W O P O T N O I S I C E R P S G N I R TECH B

REPOWERS: How to put a new engine in an old machine.

P.

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88326_Freightliner VOC / TEM Up-fit Print / Trim: 15.75” x 10.25” Bleed: 16” x 10.75” Live: 15.25” x 10” / 4C / Equipment World

Competitive financing available through Daimler Truck Financial. For the Freightliner Trucks dealer nearest you, call 1-800-FTL-HELP. FTL /MC-A-1368. Specifications are subject to change without notice. Copyright © 2017 Daimler Trucks North America LLC. All rights reserved. Freightliner Trucks is a division of Daimler Trucks North America LLC, a Daimler company.

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ment World

HELPING TEX-MIX KEEP THEIR PAYLOAD MOVING WHILE LOWERING THEIR REAL COST OF OWNERSHIP. Tex-Mix is only as profitable as their trucks are reliable. That’s why they choose Freightliner. We design trucks for easy upfit, productivity and low maintenance. Backed by a support team that’s there when you need us. And because Tex-Mix trucks are equipped with the powerful Detroit DD13 ® engine and Detroit Connect Virtual Technician remote diagnostic system, it’s not only a tough truck, but also a smart one. Built to increase profitability and lower their Real Cost of Ownership.

We’re proud to say that’s why Freightliner has become the industry leader in work trucks.

TM

TM

SM

To learn more about how Freightliner Trucks are working hard for Tex-Mix, visit RCO.FreightlinerTrucks.com/Tex-Mix.

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JohnDeere.com/Graders

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Start with eight motor grader models, including the new 620G/GP and 622G/GP that use 10% less fuel than our larger 670G/GP models. Then choose from our new dual-joystick, EH fingertip, or traditional mechanical controls – all with a steering wheel. The icing on the cake? Horsepowers that are tops in their respective model categories. Choose your model. Choose your controls. Then Run Your World.

6/2/17 2:55 6/19/17 1:57 PM

Vol. 29 Number 7 |

Cover Story

table of contents | July 2017

MACHINE MATTERS:

THE NIMBLE, POWERFUL DOZER CHANGES KEEP COMING TO MID-SIZE AND LARGER DOZERS, MAKING THEM MORE VERSATILE AND PRODUCTIVE.

P.

24

Equipment 19

Marketplace

JCB mini excavators, Case rollers, Engcon tiltrotator, McLaughlin utility locators, Rockland Clean-Up Grapple, Trelleborg pneumatic tires, Ditch Witch directional drill, John Deere LM90 bucket, Prinoth Panther T16 track carrier

35

Maintenance

The complicated business of putting a new engine in an old machine.

73 Machine Control Attachments Topcon ZPS System, DPL Telematics MultiTrack, Trimble’s Earthworks for Excavators, DSi equipment tracker

EquipmentWorld.com | July 2017

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table of contents | continued

Features 48 Road Technology

Finding the key to long-lasting concrete pavements.

54 Highway Contractor

Cities take strategic approach to pothole management.

61 Contractor of the Year Finalist

Leo Livengood, Livengood Excavators, Walnutport, Pennsylvania

®

equipmentworld.com facebook.com/EquipmentWorld twitter.com/Equipment_World Editorial Director: Marcia Gruver Doyle Executive Editor: Tom Jackson Senior Editor: Chris Hill Online Editor: Wayne Grayson Managing Editor: Don McLoud Contributing Writer: Richard Ries editorial@equipmentworld.com Media Sales Geoffrey Love: gdlove@randallreilly.com Pete Austin: paustin@randallreilly.com Drew Ingram: drewingram@randallreilly.com Patsy Adams: padams@randallreilly.com Jason Sandlin: jasonsandlin@randallreilly.com Jordan Arsenault: jordanarsenault@randallreilly.com Art Director: Tony Brock Advertising Production Manager: Linda Hapner production@equipmentworld.com

3200 Rice Mine Rd NE Tuscaloosa, AL 35406 800-633-5953 randallreilly.com

Departments 9 On Record The people business 13 Reporter Why Deere bought Wirtgen; Ritchie Bros. cleared to buy IronPlanet; Job growth for road workers

Data 41 Quick Trenchers

45 Technology

Drone partnership expands to Cat dealerships.

65 Heavy Trucks

Western Star’s XD-25 purpose-built for construction, off-road hauling

69 Safety Watch

An easy lift, a deadly fall

Pickup 77 Pro Your questions answered about the Workhorse W-15 electric pickup; Ford unveils 2018 F-650, F-750

82 Final Word

Global warming and you

For subscription information/inquiries, please email equipmentworld@halldata.com. Equipment World (ISSN 1057-7262) is published monthly by Randall-Reilly Publishing Company, LLC, 3200 Rice Mine Road N.E., Tuscaloosa, AL 35406. Periodicals Postage-Paid at Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and at additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: SEND ALL UAA TO CFS (SEE DMM 507.1.5.2). Non-postal and military facilities: send address corrections to Equipment World, P.O. Box 2187, Skokie, IL 60076-9921 or email at equipmentworld@halldata.com. Rates for non-qualified subscriptions (pre-paid US currency only): US & possessions, $48 1–year, $84 2–year; Canada/Mexico, $78 1–year, $147 2–year; Foreign, $86 1–year, $154 2–year. Single copies are available for $6 US, $9 Canada/Mexico and $12 foreign. The advertiser and/ or advertising agency will defend, indemnify and hold Randall-Reilly Publishing Company, LLC harmless from and against any loss, expenses or other liability resulting from any claims or suits for libel violations of right of privacy or publicity, plagiarisms, copyright or trademark infringement and any other claims or suits that July arise out of publication of such advertisement. Copyright ©2017 Randall-Reilly Publishing Company, LLC All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Equipment World is a trademark of Randall-Reilly Publishing Company, LLC Randall-Reilly Publishing Company, LLC neither endorses nor makes any representation or guarantee regarding the quality of goods and services advertised herein.

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Chairman: Mike Reilly President and CEO: Brent Reilly Chief Operations Officer: Shane Elmore Chief Financial Officer: Russell McEwen Senior Vice President, Sales: Scott Miller Senior Vice President, Editorial and Research: Linda Longton Senior Vice President, Audience Data: Prescott Shibles Vice President, Events: Stacy McCants Vice President, Digital Services: Nick Reid Vice President, Marketing: Julie Arsenault Vice President, Business Analyst: Joe Donald Director of Media Sales: Scott Maldonado Vice President, Strategic Accounts: Michael Newman For change of address and other subscription inquiries, please contact: equipmentworld@halldata.com Editorial Awards: Eddie award for B-to-B Series of Articles, 2016 Highways 2.0, Folio: magazine Editorial Excellence, Original Research, Silver Award, 2016 American Society of Business Publication Editors Jesse H. Neal Award, Better Roads, 2011 American Business Media Robert F. Boger Award for Special Reports, 2006, 2007, 2008 Construction Writers Association Jesse H. Neal Award, Best Subject-Related Series of Articles, 2006 American Business Media Editorial Excellence Special Section Gold Award, 2006 Midwest-South Region, American Society of Business Publication Editors Editorial Excellence News Analysis Gold Award, 2006 Midwest-South Region, American Society of Business Publication Editors Editorial Excellence News Section Silver Award, 2005 Midwest-South Region, American Society of Business Publication Editors

July 2017 | EquipmentWorld.com

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The KOHLER Diesel KDI engine is a Tier 4 final with commonrail fuel injection and no DPF. So you skip the DPF maintenance costs, get savings at the pump and laugh all the way to the bank. ÂŽ

KOHLERPOWER.COM.

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Experience the Progress.

Liebherr crawler tractors are distinguished by: Powerful engine and stepless hydrostatic transmission Fuel efficiency due to constant engine speed and Eco-Mode Perfect operator comfort for productive work

Liebherr USA Co. Construction Equipment Division 4100 Chestnut Avenue Newport News, VA 23607 Phone: +1 757 245 5251 E-mail: Construction.USA@liebherr.com www.facebook.com/LiebherrConstruction www.liebherr.us/dealers-emt www.liebherr.us

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on record | by Marcia Gruver Doyle MGruver@randallreilly.com

The people business

C

ertain themes repeat themselves when we talk to contractors: The 20-hour days to get a construction company started … and to keep it going. The great financial risks for miniscule margins. The inherent joy of building something.

But the most prevalent comment we hear from contractors concerns their people.

“We couldn’t do this without the people we have,” they tell us. “Our people make us.” And, “We have a dream team.”

We hear it so often, there can be a tendency on our part to discount it. Yeah, yeah, you’ve got great people. Next.

But construction – at least the kind of construction we talk about in this magazine – is not a sustainable one-person show.

While there are many one-man-one-machine starter tales, contractors learn quickly that doing this kind of work by themselves is exhausting, and more important, not as profitable as with a crew. And then there’s the necessary office assistance – many times a spouse. So, the reality is that it’s not just up to one person even at the start.

Growth requires adding people. While machine control systems give excavator operators the ability to easily make ongrade trench bottoms, for example, they don’t take away the need for experienced eyes and hands both inside and outside the cab to finish laying the pipe. “If we’re in a wet situation,” one contractor told us, “my guys know what to do to get the pipe in

the ground. Maybe the conditions are so bad we have to backfill the trench and start over. How’s a robot going to know that?”

Our technology stories offer examples of automated construction techniques, but right now these processes still require a human interface to assemble. Back when outsourcing of American jobs was a concern, I made the argument that construction jobs were safe from the then-growing phenomenon. That’s still true. Yes, outsourced labor can prefab modular building segments, but local labor is still needed to create the coherent whole on the jobsite.

The conundrum for many contractors is that sometimes they do wish they could do it themselves. People, being people, are also pains in the butt. The best may question your directions or chafe at your management. They show up, do a good job, but then bitch the whole time they’re doing it. And there’s the newbies who never quite get it right, not to mention the non-performers who show promise at first, but last only a few paychecks. It’s always something.

But underlying all that is a foundational respect among contractors for the people who stand ready at the other end of a Saturday night emergency call. While the word “equipment” is in our title, we know that contractors will always consider their machines a poor second in the asset column when compared with their people.

EquipmentWorld.com | July 2017 9

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A declaration OF ENDURANCE.

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can stand in the way of the HX Series and a job well done.

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Š 2017 , Inc. All rights reserved.

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6/19/17 1:26 PM

reporter

| staff report

Deere & Company’s purchase of Wirtgen Group part of long-range plan and entrance into paving business Wirtgen brand’s founding in 1961.

But it wasn’t until the late 1990s that the company took on its multibrand identity with the acquisition of Vögele and Hamm. Since then the Wirtgen umbrella has expanded to include five brands with the additions of Kleemann, Benninghoven and Ciber.

Deere, which Vögele Super 1700-3i, the Wirtgen Group’s brand highway does not curclass paver recently launched for North America. rently manufacture any road eere & Company’s planned building equipment such as pavers purchase of Wirtgen Group is and compaction equipment, calls the culmination of more than a the Wirtgen Group the “leading decade of relationship building, the manufacturer worldwide of road alignment of recent strong financial construction equipment” and notes performances by Deere and a decithat the acquisition will infuse into sion by brothers Stefan and Jürgen Deere five brands that cover a wide Wirtgen to exit the family business. range of road construction applicaThe two companies signed a defini- tions, including milling, processing, tive agreement on the all-cash deal mixing, paving, compaction and that will see Deere purchase the rehabilitation. road equipment maker for $4.87 The deal will make Deere the first billion. When Wirtgen’s debts and manufacturer to have crushing and other considerations are factored in, screening, as well as mobile equipthe total purchase price jumps to ment, under one company. $5.2 billion.

“As we looked to the future, we Deere says it plans to fund the specifically chose Deere as the buyer acquisition through a combination because of our long-held respect for of cash and debt. The purchase is the organization and our full consubject to regulatory approval, but fidence that Deere is dedicated to Deere expects the transaction to the ongoing success of the Wirtgen close before the end of 2017.

Group and our employees worldThe Wirtgen Group’s roots wide,” says Stefan Wirtgen, a managstretch back 56 years to the original ing director for the Wirtgen brand.

D

“We believe this transaction allows the company to be successful well into the future – independent of our family ownership,” added fellow Wirtgen brand managing director Jürgen Wirtgen.

Deere Chairman and CEO Sam Allen says the company identified Wirtgen as an attractive strategic fit for its construction business more than a decade ago.

“While head of the C&F (Construction & Forestry) division in the mid2000s, I met with the Wirtgen family to discuss the possibility of pursuing strategic opportunities such as this one, and we stayed in close touch ever since,” Allen explains.

Since that time, Deere watched the company develop “into a global leader outpacing competitors with its superior product technology and exceptional customer relationships.”

“Then, when Stefan and Jürgen Wirtgen decided to sell their business and move on to other opportunities, they reached out to Deere and we were honored they did,” he adds.

“We’re glad from a timing standpoint, but this is just something that we strategically have had in mind for quite some time, and in the absence of a financial crisis, we would have gone ahead and pulled this trigger, because of how attractive it is.”

Wirtgen Group reported sales of roughly $2.9 billion in in fiscal year 2016, which ended Dec. 31, 2016, and has forecast sales of roughly $3.4 billion for FY2017.

So beyond the financial contribution, which Deere expects to be positive within the first year, Wirtgen’s road construction equipment lineup also matches a growing sector in construction, according to Max Guinn, EquipmentWorld.com | July 2017 13

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reporter |

continued

Released during the sale announcement, this graphic shows how the Deere and Wirtgen brands will be integrated on the jobsite to provide a full line of construction and roadbuilding equipment. (Note: Wirtgen crushers and screeners are also part of quarry operations.) president of worldwide construction and forestry for Deere.

“There’s plenty of news out there today about interest in infrastructure investment, so we believe it’s an attractive space for Deere, and the timing is good,” he says. “The deal enhances Deere’s global presence, with a complementary product line and no product overlap. It makes C&F a global top three player. This deal also provides an opportunity to leverage the capabilities of our integrated enterprises. You should think about things like electronics, engines, John Deere Finance, etc.”

Guinn adds that the transportation sector has “growth tailwinds,” with an expected compound annual growth rate of 8 percent. “That is not a large increase over the performance of the overall transportation sector over the last decade,” he says. “So the trend is not new, but we believe it’s increasing. It’s also important to recognize that road construction consists of not just new roads, but also rehabilitation of existing roads.”

Synergies As with most purchases such as these, Deere will leverage capabilities of both companies, according to Raj Kalathur, senior vice president and CFO for Deere. This ranges from direct and indirect materials from supply base perspective, vertical integration including engines, cylinders, telematics and electronics, using John Deere Financial to enhance sales prospects, and using WorkSite Solutions to connect machines across the road construction process to enhance productivity.

“Over 80 percent of the benefit of these synergies come from cost reductions, largely from direct and indirect materials,” Kalathur says.

Proximity is playing a role in this synergy strategy as well. In Europe, 30 percent of the Wirgten supply base is common with Deere. Both companies have facilities in Pune, India, and have locations nearby in Brazil and China.

Deere isn’t expecting to align things on the engine side just yet, according to Guinn. Wirtgen doesn’t manufacture its own engines but buys them

from several manufacturers.

“Of course, since we manufacture engines, we do see that as an opportunity, but we do also recognize that’s a very engineering-based change,” he says.

Distribution network Guinn says it’s too early to reveal the strategy for cross-selling the brands internationally, as the company is still reviewing plans.

Currently, there are seven Deere dealers in the United States that carry Wirtgen Group equipment. Wirtgen’s sales are primarily through companyowned sites, with only 30 percent conducted through 150 independent dealers. Deere owns between 10 and 15 percent of its sales locations in North America, but owns many of its forestry sales sites in Europe.

“Their global distribution network is an opportunity for the C&F business, where we’ve been largely a North American business over history,” Guinn says. “The deal does provide scale and provides a global distributions network. It also enhances our ability to serve key customers, many of which we already know and some of which we’d like to know.”

– Wayne Grayson & Chris Hill

14 July 2017 | EquipmentWorld.com

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THE PRECISION TO CAREFULLY LIFT YOUR JAW UP OFF THE FLOOR.

Meet the new Kubota SSV75. Built with the precision engineering you’ve come to expect from Kubota, it features a smooth-running 74.3 HP Kubota diesel engine, vertical loader lift arms, a tilt-up cab and more. The SSV is pure Kubota, and delivers the kind of performance that raises eyebrows.

And drops jaws. Locate your dealer today at Kubota.com/Construction. © Kubota Tractor Corporation, 2015.

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reporter |

Briefs

continued

Ritchie Bros. cleared by DOJ to buy IronPlanet

R

itchie Bros.’ purchase of IronPlanet, announced last August, has been finalized after U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division approval. The estimated $758.5 million purchase sets the stage for potential combined annual online sales of $3 billion.

A new organization structure is expected to be announced soon. Ritchie Bros. CEO Ravi Saligram will lead the combined companies.

Saligram says the purchase is part of Ritchie Bros.’ effort over the last three years to diversify to remain “relevant and strong” in the fast-paced equipment auction space. “This is our journey from being a brick-and-mortar live

auctions company to really being a multi-channel technology company,” Saligram explains.

And while the move is clearly an acquisition, he says, it’s being treated as a merger.

“Not all the senior level positions will be at Ritchie Bros.,” he says. “There will be some senior positions occupied

by IronPlanet people, some

by Ritchie Bros. people, and it will be unique.”

The purchase also makes Ritchie Bros. Caterpillar’s preferred global partner for live onsite and online auctions of used equipment through a longterm strategic alliance with the manufacturer.

Road workers see boost in job opportunities

T

he number of workers employed by highway, street and bridge contractors grew 2.8 percent in April compared to the same month in 2016, representing a net increase of roughly 8,700 workers, according to the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA).

Total number of workers employed in this segment reached 342,100, the highest mark for April since 2007. ARTBA points out, however, that this figure

16 July 2017 | EquipmentWorld.com

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is down 1.8 percent compared to “2007 pre-recession levels.” In 2012, the April employment figure was just 279,900.

ARTBA also reports the average hourly wage of production workers in highway, street and bridge construction for April was $26.76, a slight increase from the $26.52 recorded last year. That’s about 1.9 percent more than the overall construction industry’s average hourly wage.

Kobelco Construction Machinery USA has named David Donneral as specialized machinery sales manager with responsibility over, among other things, dealer recruitment and dealer training on specialized machinery for demolition, scrap and forestry markets.

Dynapac North America has named Fabian Salinas vice president of sales for North America, and Jamie Roush vice president of aftermarket and product support for North America. Atlas Copco has announced its intent to divest the Dynapac group, an announcement followed shortly after by news that Fayat would purchase it.

General Motors is calling a diesel emissions lawsuit against the company “baseless” and says it will “vigorously defend” itself against accusations it rigged emissions control systems on Duramax diesel engines.

The suit alleges that Duramax diesel engines in the 2011-2016 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups were built in a way that cheats emissions standards.

Deere & Company’s net income grew 62 percent in the second quarter of its fiscal year 2017, which ended April 30. Net income rose to $820.4 million compared to the $495.4 million in the same period last year.

Wacker Neuson is reporting record first quarter revenues with strong sales growth in the company’s Europe and Americas markets, with gains in both the construction and agricultural sectors. First quarter revenues climbed to $378.5 million, up 7 percent from 2016. Profit, however, fell 18 percent.

Titan Machinery reported a 7.3 percent drop in revenue for the first quarter of its fiscal year ended April 30. The report comes amid a restructuring effort the company announced earlier this year that includes the closing and consolidation of multiple dealerships to cut expenses.

For more on each of these stories go to equipmentworld.com.

6/22/17 5:32 PM

~

• 16% INCREASE IN ECONOMY • 7% INCREASE IN WORK VOLUME • THREE EFFICIENCY MODES

MORE POWER. LESS FUEL. With KOBELCO excavators, you get best-in-class fuel economy every time you fire up the engine – no matter how tough the job. With our latest Generation 10 machines, weʼre taking that efficiency to a whole new level. These new machines now boast up to a 7% increase in work volume per hour while also providing up to a 10% increase in fuel efficiency in S-mode and an additional 6% in ECO- mode. Put one to work on your next job and add some serious power to your bottom line.

Amazing fuel efficiency, improved productivity Digging volume/hour (Compared to H-mode on previous models)

Approximately

7% increase

NOx reduction rate

The engine exhaust system has a SCR system that converts emissions into harmless nitrogen and water, combining this with a post-exhaust gas treatment system

(Compared to previous models)

NOx

88 %

Approximately

SCR catalyst

decrease

*88% cleaner than interim Tier IV

Newly developed attachments are reinforced for optimum durability 1

2 Enlarged reinforcement of the arm foot HD: Increased thickness of arm-foot base plate.

New

Current

2

Return

3 1 Redesigned boom foot for improved durability Current

MINI

SHORT RADIUS

New

Large-size

3 Modified foot boss shape

New design boon foot, evenly distributes digging forces for improved durability.

The new boss design further improved strength.

New

Current

Engine

CONVENTIONAL

Main filter

Pre-filter

Fuel tank

1 The boom weight puts force on the boom cylinder 2 Hydraulic fluid pushed from the boom cylinder goes to the arm cylinder 2

3 Arm cylinder retracts 4 Arm extends

10 %

Approximately

1

3

Boom weight

4

increase

KOBELCO-USA.COM

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ONE LUCKY CONTRACTOR WILL WIN IT ALL.

Enter for your chance to win Equipment World’s 2017 Contractor’s Dream Package and take home a new Ford truck plus other cool prizes!

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marketplace

| staff report

R’S O T EDI ICK P

ZERO-TAILSWING FIRST FOR JCB

JCB has taken the wraps off a new lineup of compact excavators that includes a zero-tailswing first for the company. Ranging from 1.76 to 2 U.S. tons, the new 16C-1, 18Z-1 and 19C-1 each feature all steel bodywork, improved protection for hydraulic rams and hoses, and a swing-out counterweight. JCB says the conventional tailswing 16C-1 is available with both fixed and retracting undercarriages, with the retractable track frame offering widths of 38.5 to 52 inches. The 18Z-1 is JCB’s first ever zero tailswing, 1.9-ton excavator. Rounding out the lineup is the

19C-1, which JCB calls its premium model. All three excavators run on a 16.3-horsepower Perkins engine mounted across the rear of the machines. JCB says each machine features improved stability and visibility and comes standard with a shared undercarriage designed to extend component life. The machines also feature a dozer blade with an improved design. The machines’ four-plate boom and dipper design have three dipper arm lengths available: 37 inches, 43 inches and 53 inches. The main boom measures 71 inches.

Rolling toward higher maneuverability Case Construction Equipment has introduced two combination vibratory finish rollers built on small frames and designed to provide high maneuverability and visibility.

The company says the machines are intended for work on walkways, residential driveways, bike paths, tennis courts, small parking lots and other smalland mid-size applications. The DV23CC and DV26CC rollers

feature a front drum and rear pneumatic tires. The inline drums have a tapered edge and high curb clearance to assist in confined spaces, as well as adjustable scrapers, automatic vibration control and a pressurized water system. Both machines feature a 31.5-horsepower Tier 4 Interim engine, standard dual frequencies of 3,480/3,960 vpm and an automatic vibration control system. The DV23CC has an operating weight of 4,740 pounds and drum width of 39.4 inches. The DV26CC has an operating weight of 4,916 pounds and drum width of 47.2 inches.

EquipmentWorld.com | July 2017 19

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marketplace

| continued

A drill with a data view Ditch Witch has introduced an all new JT40 horizontal directional drill boasting an operator’s station improved with machine data views. The new machine features two 7-inch LED displays, a real-time carriage position indicator and a multifunctional, radial operator control highlighted on the display. It is powered by a 160-gross-horsepower Cummins engine, and it features a two-speed, rotational drive system that delivers 5,500 pound-feet of torque. The JT40 holds up to 600 feet of drill pipe onboard.

A fully enclosed cab with heating and air conditioning is optional. The standard open air operator’s station features integrated vandal covers.

Both cabs include an ergonomic seat and extended legroom.

Tiltrotators for tough conditions The new EC233 tiltrotator from Engcon is built for excavators up to 36 tons to withstand tough conditions. Engcon says the attachment is its most powerful tiltrotator. It has a cast body and heavy-duty shaft journals. The second-generation tiltrotator also has a central lubrication system and a 45-degree tilt angle. It is equipped with Engcon’s positioning system and can synch with various excavator guidance systems. It also comes with tilt cylinders fitted with load-holding valves and a Q Safe quick hitch. Deliveries of pilot models are scheduled to begin in fall, with series rollout set for next year.

Adding traction to North America Trelleborg Wheel Systems has introduced its lineup of pneumatic tires to the North American market. The debut includes the Earthmover Radial Series (ERL) for loaders and graders, the Earthmover Diagonal System (EM) for heavy duty earthmoving jobs, the Skid Steer Diagonal Series (SK) for skid steer loaders and the Backhoe Diagonal Series (TI) for most construction vehicles. The earthmover radial tires feature steel radial construction; enhanced traction on sand, mud and gravel; reduced vibration on concrete and asphalt; and puncture resistance.

The skid steer series offers various tread patterns to add strength, productivity and efficiency, as well as enhanced traction on sand, mud and gravel, according to Trelleborg. The tires feature bias ply construction and puncture resistance. Trelleborg also brings its Brawler series of solid tires to the North American market, including the Brawler HPS Loader and Brawler HPS Skid Steer models. The company says the Brawlers are aimed at such applications as heavy duty recycling.

20 July 2017 | EquipmentWorld.com

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POWER AND PERFORMANCE

JCB developed the backhoe loader concept in 1953 and is today the world’s leading backhoe loader manufacturer. JCB’s nine backhoe models range from the new 74 hp 3CX Compact, designed for maximum performance around urban construction sites, to the 109 hp 4CX-17, offering an impressive 21’6” dig depth and 16,960 lbf breakout force.

To contact your local JCB dealer, visit www.jcb.com.

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4559

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marketplace

| continued

Seeking better Vision underground

The new Vision utility locator lineup from McLaughlin is designed for a variety of users, from utility contractors to power companies to professional locators. McLaughlin says it made the Vision LX more user-friendly for utility contractors, combining the peak-locating screen and nulllocating screen into one display. The Vision FLX2 is designed for power companies and secondary power contractors. It differs from the LX by adding secondary and sheaths fault-finding capabilities.

The GX2 is McLaughlin’s most powerful in the Vision lineup, designed for professional locators.

It has a 7-watt transmitter instead of the standard 5-watt transmitter on the other devices. It has a dual frequency mode that does not require Bluetooth and sends 9.5-kilohertz and 38-kilohertz signals at the same time into the line. All three Vision locators come with a semiautomatic gain function for operating in congested areas and a manual gain function in rural locales. The locators simultaneously take readings from three antennas and average the measurements for improved accuracy. And a waterproof inductive clamp can be used so the device can lay on or partially grip a utility.

Turning loaders into debris cleaners Rockland Manufacturing has introduced its Clean-Up Grapple that mounts in place of the standard bucket on wheel loaders for clearing debris. The grapple uses two independent hydraulic clamps that surround the debris and lift it. An optional 2-foot vertical extension prevents loss of material when moving large loads. Rockland says the grapple is wear- and abrasion-resistant and has heat-treated, reversible, bolt-on cutting edges. It also comes in extreme-duty versions and can be customized for severe applications and other specialized uses.

TURN ON THE TECHNOLOGY. TURN UP YOUR PRODUCTION. Now that Cat GRADE with Assist is available on more excavator models, including the 323F, 330F, 336F XE, 349F and 352F, it’s easier than ever to get more done—more comfortably and efficiently. Just turn it on and get to grade nearly twice as fast as traditional methods. Learning to use this 2D system is simple, and you can upgrade to 3D technology when it’s time. Ready to start turning up your production? We’re built to make it happen. ®

See how to make your work day easier at catallday.com/turniton

© 2017 Caterpillar. All Rights Reserved.

CAT, CATERPILLAR, BUILT FOR IT, their respective logos, “Caterpillar Yellow,” the “Power Edge” trade dress, as well as corporate and product identity used herein, are trademarks of Caterpillar and may not be used without permission.

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Handling heavier loads

John Deere has introduced a new bucket for skid steers and compact track loaders featuring a high-back, high-capacity design.

Deere says the new LM90 Light Material High-Capacity Bucket can handle materials such as snow and mulch in large quantities. As the model number suggests, the LM90 is a 90-inch bucket. It has a heaped capacity of 54 cubic feet. Integrated into the LM90’s high back is a step for easier entry and exit from the machine. Deere says the bucket attaches and detaches to machines in seconds with its Quik-Tatch system.

Gaining rubber tracks The Panther T16 track carrier now comes with metal-embedded solid rubber tracks. Prinoth also added a dump box to the T16 that is lined with Hardox steel and can handle up to 11.5 cubic yards of material. The T16 is still available with a traditional D-dent track system and flat bed. The T16 has a bulk load material payload of 33,500 pounds and a gross vehicle weight rating of 75,000 pounds. It has a top speed of 8 mph. The rubber track option’s undercarriage is composed of five wheels with tandem and tridem suspension and an automatic, hydraulic tension system. An auto-brake feature is standard. The T16 runs on a Caterpillar engine, which is elevated to 51 inches for traversing swamps and other rough or muddy terrain. Its cab is designed with rollover and falling-object protection. The machine is controlled by a steering wheel and pedal combination. The steering column is telescopic and tiltable.

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machine matters

| by Richard Ries

The

NIMBLE, POWERFUL

DOZER Changes keep coming to mid-size and larger dozers, making them more versatile and productive.

Because SmartGrade is integrated into the John Deere 750K and 850K dozers and controlled by IMUs (inertial measurement units), there are no masts, cables, blade-mounted sensors or other hardware associated with add-on systems. This reduces the risk of damage, theft and vandalism. SmartGrade is nearly 7 percent more accurate than conventional masted systems, Deere says.

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Case 1150M, 1650M and 2050M dozers feature a new electro-hydraulic joystick with improved feel and responsiveness. Fingertip blade shake allows for quick blade cleaning, and a grading mode reduces blade speed by 40 percent for increased accuracy.

Case 2050M

Case 165OM XLT

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machine matters

| continued

Cat added a gear between first and second on the new D6T. The new four-speed transmission and lock-up torque converter have been credited with reducing fuel consumption by 20 to 30 percent.

Cat Command can be operated from a portable console or remote operator’s station. With semi-autonomous operation, a single operator can use Command to manage up to four machines in push-to-an-edge applications.

C

onstruction equipment manufacturers typically answer customer demands by making equipment more versatile, durable and productive.

That’s fine for skid steers and toolcarriers, but

Do-it-all dozers One way is to make a single dozer do what two dozers, or a dozer and a motor grader, used to do. “We’re seeing a shift to the use of one dozer to do it all,” says Nathan Horstman, product marketing manager at John Deere. “In the past, customers used one of our big dozers, such as our 950K and 1050K, for rough cut followed by a smaller dozer or motor grader for finish grading.”

what about purpose-built machines? Dozers, for example. There’s no market for dozer-mounted augers. No one uses a dozer for snow removal. If a dozer’s primary applications are to push dirt and grade, how do you increase its value to users?

Deere’s SmartGrade and Auto SmartGrade are part of the reason one dozer can do it all. Available on the 700K, 750K and 850K dozers (130, 165 and 205 horsepower), Auto SmartGrade monitors track slip to achieve maximum production. SmartGrade, which is based on the Topcon 3D-MC2 system, provides final-grade precision. In addition, the 850K and 950K models offer six-way PAT blades, so

these large dozers can also provide finish grading.

In some cases, features have migrated from one size class of dozers to another to round out performance. Caterpillar’s AutoCarry feature monitors track slip and adjusts blade position to maximize load carrying capacity while minimizing track slip. This feature first appeared on the D10 and D11, but is now on machines all the way

26 July 2017 | EquipmentWorld.com

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machine matters

| continued

Deere says electronics allow performance characteristics to be set to match operator preferences, soil type and application. The company’s Total Machine Control monitor lets an operator select such features as forward and reverse ground speed ranges, steering modulation and decel pedal mode and response.

down to the D3K2. Automatic Traction Control flowed the other way, first as a standard feature on the D3K2, D4K2 and D5K2 models and quickly progressing up to the D6. A similar system is found on the D7E.

Undercarriage improvements Refinement continues in undercarriages. The goal is to improve performance and reduce costs by reducing wear and extending replacement intervals. Undercarriages have been around a long time, so improvements come not from fixing a basic design flaw in one area but rather making subtler changes in all areas, from physical dimensions to metallurgy to lubrication. The effect of many smaller changes can add up to significant savings.

Case Construction Equipment widened the track frames, track roll-

ers, carrier rollers and idlers on all their M Series dozers and made improvements to the guards and track guides. Modifications to carrier roller brackets and recoil spring housings provide more clearance around the rollers to reduce mud buildup. Some larger models have an upgraded sprocket design with relief to force mud out from the track chain and sprocket, reducing wear and track popping.

Standard on all Case M Series dozers are the Sealed and Lubricated Track (SALT) HD tracks, which are designed to increase track life by up to 20 percent. Track frames are tuned to reduce vibration during operation and to reduce noise for the operator by about 20 percent.

Additional modifications to the undercarriages of Case’s three largest models (the 127-horsepower

1150M, the 150-horsepower 1650M and the 214-horsepower 2050M) provide additional strength, reduce the number of parts and help reduce carrier roller deflections, says the company. New rock guards, a recoil system and a central grease point for the pivot shaft and equalizer beam have also been added.

“The undercarriage is second only to fuel in O&O costs,” says Max Winemiller, Case product manager, “so improvements here can have a big impact on the customer’s profitability.”

Liebherr offers free-turning bushings on their PR 716 Litronic dozer, which extends bushing service life on soft, abrasive ground, such as sand. Chain links and rollers have additional wear material, further supporting longer service life. In areas with impact loads, such as

28 July 2017 | EquipmentWorld.com

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machine matters

rock, Liebherr recommends their lubricated-for-life chains. XL and LGP undercarriage versions are available to match the PR 716 Litronic to customers’ needs. LGP undercarriages, preferred for soft ground conditions, are also favored for finish grading, as they produce less soil disruption.

Remote possibilities Cat Command remote control, once available only on the D10T and D11T, is now available on the D8T, bringing a feature from the mining industry to the construction and aggregates industries. The D8T is Command-ready with all hardware and software in place.

For short-duration remote control,

| continued

an over-the-shoulder console allows line-of-sight control up to a quarter of a mile from the dozer.

For extended remote operation, a station modeled on the cab of the dozer gives the operator access to familiar controls, alarms and features. The station can operate by line-of-sight or in teleremote mode with the addition of video and audio feeds from the dozer.

Komatsu America offers radio control on the D155AXi-8. Sebastian Witkowski, Komatsu Intelligent Machine Controls product marketing manager, emphasizes the role electronics and hydraulics play in making remote control possible. “Much of dozer efficiency and productivity has relied on

Komatsu CARE covers new machines, such as this D39PXi-24, whether rented, leased or purchased, for three years or 2,000 hours, whichever comes first. The program includes scheduled maintenance and a 50-point inspection at each service in that period plus two complimentary DPF exchanges and DEF tank flushes in the first five years. operator instincts,” he says. “Removing the operator means losing that sensitivity. Machine control has replaced the responses of an experienced operator by monitoring and adjusting for such things as track slip.”

Is remote control a prelude to

30 July 2017 | EquipmentWorld.com

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Untitled-16 1

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machine matters

| continued

The latest addition to the Liebherr generation 6 line of dozers, the PR 716 Litronic features a compact cab for improved visibility that retains many of the features of larger generation 6 machines, such as ergonomically shaped joysticks, an intuitive touchscreen monitor and a choice of halogen or highperformance LED headlights.

the intelligent site? It’s already happening. Komatsu announced its Smart Construction service in Japan in 2015, and its remote-capable dozers are part of that automated jobsite service.

Electronics Horstman says electronics allow performance characteristics to be set to match operator preferences, soil type and application. Deere’s Total Machine Control monitor lets an operator select forward and reverse ground speed ranges, steering modulation, decel pedal mode and response, hydraulic speed and aggressiveness of direction reversals.

He says the latter helps operators coming from torque converter machines, who are used to some rollout between directional changes, feel comfortable on Deere’s hydrostatic machines from the start.

Jonathan Tolomeo, Komatsu

dozer product marketing manager, says a third blade mode has been added to their Tier 4 Final machines. This “fast” mode coordinates blade action to travel speed, and both characteristics can be adjusted by the operator. Other electronically controlled features include auto idle shutdown; a diesel exhaust fluid monitor with visual and audible alerts for low levels; and up to 100 ID codes, which can be assigned to operators, jobs or any other aspect of machine use the customer wants to independently track.

Charles “Chuck” Murawski, also a dozer product marketing manager with Komatsu, says a faster computer processor provides smoother blade control at higher ground speeds. “This is important because operators want to finish grade in second and even third gear.”

Telematics are gaining acceptance, and manufacturers are

starting to tweak their telematics in response to increased customer demand. Deere, for example, now offers five years of JDLink as standard coverage with each new machine; coverage had been for three years.

Machine control is also expanding. This can be tricky, and manufacturers must be flexible in their offerings. Virtually all mid-size and larger dozers come with some sort of blade control. Many come pre-configured for 2D laser guidance. All manufacturers offer 3D machine control, although the type and technology vary. Case M Series dozers can come factory-installed with a Leica Geosystems 3D system, but its machines are also compatible with systems from Topcon and Trimble. To help customers sort this out, OEMs are making sure their dealers have experts on hand to answer questions and make recommendations.

32 July 2017 | EquipmentWorld.com

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ENGINE REPOWERS maintenance

| by Tom Jackson |

TJackson@randallreilly.com

Repowering older equipment with a higher tier engine can help you meet state or regional environmental goals.

The complicated business of putting a new engine in an old machine

I

t used to be easy to replace an engine in an older piece of dieselpowered equipment in the era before emissions controls.

In many cases today, that process doesn’t start with an engine hoist, but instead requires permission from air quality regulators before you touch a wrench. That’s because with each new iteration of diesel exhaust emission technology – from Tier 0 to Tier 4 Final – engines produce fewer emissions and the government doesn’t want any backsliders. You can’t put an older tier engine in a machine that came from the factory with a newer, cleaner engine. It’s the law.

The good news is that in most of the country you can still do a like-forlike swap, putting a Tier 3 engine in a machine that had a Tier 3 engine in it previously and on down and up the line. And in many cases, you can upgrade from a Tier 1 to a Tier 3 engine, or Tier 2 to Tier 3 and thereby reap the benefits of a better, more efficient engine.

CARB But in California and many large cities with air pollution problems, even a like-for-like swap may not satisfy the authorities.

The California Air Regulatory

Board doesn’t so much look at individual machines as it does a contractor’s total fleet emissions output. “The CARB rules have a lot of particulars you want to stay abreast of,” says Darin Schultz, sales manager at Perkins Pacific. “We tell customers to use a consultant to find out exactly what they can and can’t use.”

If a California contractor has a mostly new fleet of equipment powered by Tier 4 Interim or Tier 4 Final engines, CARB may decide this contractor can do the occasional like-for-like swap on a few of his machines powered by a lower EquipmentWorld.com | July 2017 35

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maintenance

| continued If you repower with engines in the same emissions tier, distributors often provide kits and engineering expertise to make this relatively simple.

tier engine. If a contractor has a lot of mostly older machines, however, CARB may decide the contractor needs to put in a higher tier engine in an older piece of equipment, or scrap the old equipment and buy a new machine to reduce his total emissions output.

“California has a plethora of regulations – from off-road, onroad, portable, stationary and ag – that drive the users to make hard decisions whether to replace or rebuild,” says Glen Chrusciel, pro-

gram manager, retrofit and repower at John Deere Power Systems. “Initially it was a lot of rebuilds, taking Tier 1 machines and upgrading them to Tier 3. That was easy. Now as we’re getting close to 2020, a lot of these milestones become difficult to meet. We’re finding replacement of the whole machine to be the best bang for the buck.”

The goal of CARB and the EPA, says Schultz, is to reduce the number of lower tier engines over time.

In fact, engine vendors are required

to destroy the older tier blocks they remove, by putting holes in them, taking a photo of the destroyed block and sending that and the serial number to the EPA. Keep in mind that it’s not just California that restricts what you can do with a repower. So check with your state or local air quality officials before making a decision, buying an older piece of equipment or starting on any course of action.

Technical challenges Putting a Tier 3 engine in older equipment designed for Tier 1 or Tier 2 engines isn’t difficult. The designs of those engines changed little from tier to tier. And doing so in California may earn your fleet some emissions credits. But it is difficult to put a Tier 4 Interim or Tier 4 Final engine in most machines powered by Tier 3 or earlier engines.

“When we first started, we had a lot of Tier 1 and Tier 2 engines out there,” says Terry Oftedal, program manager, engine application, construction and forestry division, John Deere Power Systems. “Depending on the vehicle platform, we could usually upgrade with minimum effort. But now that we’re into the Tier 4 Interim and Tier 4 Final, the aftertreatment really changes the architecture of the vehicle as well as the electronic integration.”

Tier 4 Interim engines make substantial use of diesel particulate filters or DPFs. These large canisters take the place of the muffler, and filter out particulate matter from the exhaust. DPFs are so large that equipment manufacturers generally had to redesign their machines to get the DPFs and related plumbing to fit under the sheet metal.

Most smaller Tier 4 Interim and Tier 4 Final engines (under 75 horsepower) have been able to avoid using a DPF, but they all contain a similar, if somewhat smaller, component, the diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC), which does much

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the same thing and likewise tends to enlarge the footprint of the engine.

Tier 4 Final engines added an additional layer of emissions technology, the selective catalytic reduction system, or SCR. In an SCR system, the exhaust stream is injected with a mist of diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) and water and then run through a catalyst. This transforms the nitrogen oxides (a harmful pollutant) in the exhaust into harmless water and nitrogen but requires storage tanks for the DEF, dosing hardware and related plumbing. “From a practical standpoint, the primary problem is simply hav-

High-cost, high-value machines with durable frames, like this wheeled tractor scraper, make good candidates for repower.

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maintenance

| continued

Engines used in stationary equipment are typically easier to repower with Tier 4 Interim and Tier 4 Final engines. ing enough space to accommodate the Tier 4 replacement engine,” says Mike Rochford, director of emissions regulations and conformance at Caterpillar. “When considering a repower to Tier 4 in an older machine, there must be room to fit the SCR aftertreatment, a DEF tank, controls and a cooling system that can be up to 30 percent larger than the previous engine. While some machines have the space to fit this Tier 4-related equipment, often the engine compartment does not have the extra room.”

Another complication with the new engines is the sophisticated electronic controls and sensors that help them and the machines they power be more efficient, says Oftedal. Higher tier machines all use an electronic control module (ECM) that acts as the machine’s brain. The ECM gets information from sensors in the transmission, details about engine speeds, temperatures and loads, data about the exhaust aftertreatment and how well it’s performing. Algorithms in the ECM then decide on power levels, injection timing, shift points and a wide range of performance options to maximize the machine’s

productivity and fuel efficiency.

To put one of these engines in an older tier machine may require an almost impossible amount of reengineering and additional upgraded componentry to communicate with the ECM. “It’s a whole new world of software integration that is not backwards compatible,” says Oftedal. In these cases, you’re going to be better off just buying a new machine.

You can sometimes successfully repower from a Tier 3 or earlier engine to a Tier 4 Interim or Tier 4 Final engine with applications in which the engine is static and not bolted into a mobile piece of equipment, says Carl Micu, manager of OEM engine sales Americas and drivetrain sales worldwide, John Deere Power Systems. Examples include large trash pumps, light towers and gen sets. In these applications, the engine is often mounted on a skid or platform, and you don’t have the space constraints that occur with mounting an engine in a piece of mobile equipment. And since the engines in these applications generally run at a steady rpm and don’t have to rev up or down in response to

loads, they don’t need sophisticated software running the ECM.

Getting it done Assuming you can meet all your emissions requirements, it’s best to consult the engine OEM and discuss the cost and feasibility before you decide to buy used equipment that needs a new engine or to repower something in your own fleet.

“Is it in suitable condition to justify the investment?” asks Rochford. “Items such as the machine frame condition, age and intended working conditions factor into the assessment. The condition of the hydraulics and drivetrain is the next biggest driver as to whether a machine would make a good candidate.” Owners must also analyze the cost relative to other options, including the price of a new machine, used machine or rental/lease options, Rochfort says.

And note that your engine provider will likely need to assess the machine you’re putting it in unless it’s a swap for an identical engine model. “You have to do an application and appraisal,” says Schultz.

“Make sure the cooling system will cool, the charge air system will

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operate properly. It’s an overall appraisal of the application to the engine. If the customer wants to use his own radiator package or other components then we have to sign off on those. A lot more testing may be involved.”

Engine distributors typically have kits available to hook up the most common engine repowers, and for these, the appraisals and engineering have already been done. But if the repower you’re considering is something they’ve not yet encountered, the extra engineering and testing required to ensure that it works may add to your cost.

Bigger is better As a general rule, bigger machines are better candidates for repowers than compact units, says Chrusciel.

“When you get to the point where you need to replace the engine on a compact machine, that machine is usually wrung out. We find many times it’s just better to go out and

get a new machine.”

“Scrapers have been popular for repowers, as they have large engine bays, generate large numbers of hours per year and are durable platforms,” says Rochford. “The same applies for motor graders, off-highway trucks, track-type tractors and wheel loaders.” On these big frame machines, the repower cost is normally less than 15 percent of the cost of a new replacement machine, he says.

The decision to repower or not should also take into consideration your fleet’s profile and needs. “Go back and do an inventory of your machines and look at the work you’re going to be doing over the next 10 years or so,” says Micu.

“Once you do that, you can get a pretty good idea of what machines are going to be around in that time and what you’re going to need to replace. And then you’re going to have to make some tough decisions based on that.”

Funding available If you want to put a Tier 3 engine in a lower tier piece of equipment or you want to retrofit equipment with more efficient exhaust aftertreatment devices, the government has money available to help you.

There are two main federal programs for diesel-powered construction equipment: •The Diesel Emission Reduction Act (DERA): www.epa.gov/cleandiesel.

•The Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) program, which helps states with air quality problems use a portion of their funds to retrofit off-road construction equipment: www.fhwa.dot. gov/environment/air_quality/ cmaq/.

There are also numerous state and municipal programs to help fund diesel repowers and retrofits.

For a full list, check out the Diesel Technology Forum at http://dieselforum.org/policy/why-retrofit.

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| by Marcia Gruver Doyle |

quick data

Trenchers

MGruver@randallreilly.com

A snapshot of new and used sales trends from Randall-Reilly’s Equipment Data Associates and TopBid auction price service.

Year-over-year change*

NEW: UP 15%

Auctions

USED: DOWN 13%

Trenchers, 2012-2017 YTD $30,000

High: $25,929

$29,000

Jan. 2012

$28,000

*Comparison of number of trenchers financed May 1, 2016 to Apr. 30, 2017, and May 1, 2015 to Apr. 30, 2016.

Source: EDA, edadata.com

Current average auction prices for the top 10 models of trenchers are now at $17,194, a decrease of 14 percent below the five-year average of $20,014.

$27,000 $26,000 $25,000 $24,000

Top three states for trencher buyers*

Current: $17,194

$23,000

May 2017

$22,000 $21,000 $20,000 $19,000 $18,000

5-year average: $

$17,000

20,014

$16,000 $15,000

Low: $14,651 Aug. 2016

$14,000

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

Trend prices for the top 10 models of trenchers and cable plows sold at auction, not seasonally adjusted. Source: topbid.com

290,000

$

OTHER TOP BID:

Texas: 158 buyers

2

Florida: 47 buyers

3

California: 44 buyers

Oct.

Jul.

May

Jan.

Oct.

Aug.

Apr.

Jan.

Oct.

Jul.

Apr.

Jan.

Oct.

Jul.

Apr.

Jan.

Oct.

Jul.

Apr.

Jan.

Oct.

Jul.

Apr.

PRICE

Jan.

$13,000

1

Top financed new trencher*

Top auction price, paid for 2014 Wolfe Man 8000 with 797 hours at a Ritchie Bros. sale on Sept. 28, 2016, in Columbus, Ohio.

140,000

$

2013 Vermeer Commander T655III, 3,557 hours, Ritchie Bros., Feb. 21, in Orlando, Florida.

5,

$

29

0 0,00

AVERAGE

$

000

HIGH

Jun. 1, 2016 – May 31, 2017; prices trenchers 5 years old and newer, U.S. sales only.

Only includes bids $5,000 and above. Source: TopBid, topbid.com

LOW

Final bids unit count: 72

1,400

Other top selling new machine: Used

Although the number of new trenchers financed has still not reached 2007 levels, in 2016 they were higher than used financed units. In this 10-year period, used financed units have averaged 34 percent above the number of new financed units.

Used high: 2007, 1,622 units

1,600

30

New

Trencher new, used sales trends, 2007-2016* 1,800

$

Ditch Witch C16X, 146 units

,570

1,200

New low: 2010, 301 units

600 400 200 0

UNITS

Used low: 2016, 888 units New high: 2007, 1,224 units 2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

*Financed equipment, 2007 - 2016, number of units sold by sale or lease. Source: EDA, edadata.com

EW0717_Quick Data.indd 41

Top financed used trencher:* Ditch Witch RT45, 37 units

1,000 800

Toro TRX-20, 38 units

2014

2015

2016

*In terms of number of financed units sold May 1, 2016 to Apr. 30, 2017. Source: EDA, edadata.com (Note: EDA reports are continually updated.)

EquipmentWorld.com | July 2017 41

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technology

| staff report

Fixed-wing eBee Plus surveying drone coming to Cat dealers through Airware/senseFly partnership

C

ommercial drone technology company Airware has entered a partnership with drone manufacturer senseFly to expand its aircraft offerings.

Airware, which sells drones and end-to-end mapping solutions to construction, mining, surveying and other business customers, currently offers only rotary drones, which are driven by multiple rotors. But through its agreement with senseFly, Airware will offer the fixed-wing eBee Plus drone.

The eBee Plus is a lightweight survey-grade drone that can map 540 acres in a single 59-minute flight. Many surveyors prefer fixedwing drones to rotary models due to their longer flight times and higher speeds. They can survey large areas much faster than the heavier, battery-hungry rotory drones.

As part of the deal, the eBee Plus will also be sold through Caterpillar dealers. In February, Cat announced an investment in Airware designed to accelerate the rollout of drone solutions at their dealerships and make the technology “a core part of their business.”

Dealers will offer services that combine senseFly’s automated data collection with Airware’s professional services, training and cloud-based analytics to “turn aerial data into business intelligence,” Airware says.

“Pairing the eBee Plus’ aerial

Airware’s partnership with senseFly means it will add the fixed-wing eBee Plus to its drone fleet.

efficiency and photogrammetric accuracy with our powerful enterprisegrade workflow enables companies to ensure compliance, enhance worker safety and capture more accurate, repeatable data to improve decision-making,” says Jonathan Downey, founder and CEO of Airware.

The eBee Plus also features builtin real-time kinematic/post-processed kinematic (RTK/PPL) surveying functionality.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, “RTK procedures do not require post processing of the data to obtain a position solution. A radio at the reference receiver broadcasts the position of the reference position to the roving receivers. This allows for real-time surveying in the field and allows the surveyor to check the quality of the measurements without having to process the data...

PPK surveys are similar to RTK procedures, but the baselines are not

processed in real-time. PPK involves using one or more roving receivers and at least one reference receiver remaining stationary over a known control point. GPS data are simultaneously collected at the reference and rover receivers. The data are downloaded from the receiver, and the baselines processed using GPS software.”

Jean-Christophe Zufferey, senseFly CEO, says combining the eBee Plus platform with Airware’s cloud-based business intelligence will create a “solution that enables customers to safely collect, and act upon, the geospatial data they need.”

That includes calculating extraction volumes and monitoring a site’s progress.

A video of the eBee Plus drone in action can be viewed on our website at: http://bit.ly/ebeeplus – Wayne Grayson EquipmentWorld.com | July 2017 45

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technology |

continued

Army tests fleet of autonomous trucks

W

hile the focus in autonomous truck development is often on private companies, the United States Army has also remained diligent in pursuing selfdriving tech.

The U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) has been successful for the past year testing communications systems during truck platooning runs on Interstate 69 in St. Clair and Lapeer counties in Michigan.

Now TARDEC plans to run a convoy of trucks on a Michigan highway this month to test the trucks in fully autonomous mode.

To play it safe, a rider will be in each truck ready to take the wheel if necessary.

The trucks will be riding along I-69, sharing the road with the public. They’ll cross Blue Water Bridge, an important test.

“You’re crossing a steel girder bridge and you look for the different radar reflections, whether or not your system gets confused or not,” Dr. Paul Rogers, TARDEC director, told CBSDetroit.

The roughly 6,178-foot-long Blue Water Bridge spans the St. Clair River and connects Port Huron, Michigan, with Point Edward, Ontario, Canada.

Michigan’s Department of Transportation has been working closely with TARDEC to help advance autonomous driving technology in the state.

“We’re moving forward on how we can deploy this in a safe fashion on our public roadways and bring this technology to bear to make Michigan a true leader,” Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder said during a recent press conference where TARDEC’s upcoming Blue Water Bridge trip was announced.

The U.S. Army envisions using autonomous trucks and other vehicles in combat to keep more personnel out of harm’s way.

State transportation officials believe that once fully implemented, autonomous driving technology could reduce traffic deaths by 80 percent.

“At the end of the day, that’s what’s most important to the Department of Transportation. It’s the safety component,” Michigan State Transportation Director Kirk Suedle said during the press conference.

TARDEC envisions using autonomous trucks and other vehicles in combat to keep more personnel out of harm’s way.

Seudle said last year during an interview on TARDEC’s platooning tests that his state is leading the way in autonomous driving development. “We’re really out in the front...California’s close, but there’s nobody else that has the technology, the partners like we have here in Michigan,” Seudle said.

– Tom Quimby

46 July 2017 | EquipmentWorld.com

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road technology

| by Chris Hill |

ChrisHill@randallreilly.com

Sustainability measures are key to long-lasting concrete pavements L

ife-cycle analysis (LCA) is emerging as a leading method of determining the environmental impact at both a macro and micro level in transportation projects in context of sustainability. The concrete pavement industry in par-

ticular is pushing for the increased use of this approach.

LCAs, which are broadly used in Europe and are included in “green� construction regulations in some countries, look at factors from the material being used, including ag-

gregate, to the end of a pavement’s useful life. Everything in the process is considered, such as purchasing raw materials, material processing, manufacturing, construction and the use of a pavement.

The process is limited in use

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within paving, but interest is growing. The Life Cycle Analysis 2017 Symposium in April at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign focused on LCA for pavements, with the primary objective of reviewing industry use of the plans, pulling together a consensus of use and determining ways to implement LCAs. “This was a great opportunity to see how pavement LCA is gaining wider acceptance,” says American Concrete Pavement Association (ACPA) Technical Services Engineer Eric Ferrebee, who participated in the event. “The symposium also provided a view of the practical, meaningful ways industry, the public sector and academia are working 2016 ACPA Excellence in Concrete Pavement Awards Silver Award winner in the County Roads division – 7th Road (Veterans Parkway)/U.S. 31 Interchange in Indiana. Contractor: Primco, Ft. Wayne, Indiana

together to show the importance and value of LCA in highway, airport and roadway construction.”

ACPA Executive Vice President Leif Wathne also participated in a panel discussion, stressing that “meaningful advancement in sustainable practices and LCA will only be realized by fully marshaling and leveraging the expertise, knowhow and innovative spirit of both paving industries, primarily through competition.”

According to the Federal Highway Administration’s Pavement Life Cycle Assessment Framework, released last July, the most common uses of LCAs for pavements in North America include: • Selecting a material or pavement structural design.

• Evaluating the impacts of potential changes in a policy or specification.

• Developing LCA tools for screening or detailed LCA for the scoping or design of a project.

• Evaluating scenarios for networklevel decisions and strategies for

preservation, maintenance and rehabilitation.

• Developing material environment product declarations for pavement applications.

Quantifying sustainability FHWA says an LCA is one of four primary methods of measuring aspects of sustainability in order to set guidelines or benchmarks by which progress can be determined.

The other three are performance assessment, life-cycle cost analysis (LCCA) and sustainability rating systems.

Performance assessment covers how a pavement performs compared to its “intended” purpose in relation to current standard practices. This would look at materials used or method of construction and how they compare to other methods considered standard with respect to longevity of a pavement’s service life.

A life-cycle cost analysis looks at the costs of a project to determine the economic impact of sustainable

(source: ACPA)

Concrete pavements around the town square in Bellefontaine, Ohio, date back to 1891, with the oldest still in use in the United States placed in 1893.

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| continued

practices. LCCAs do not address environmental issues or “livable community conditions” of a project, which FHWA cautions could be difficult to determine or could “double count” what’s also measured in an LCA. The agency prefers LCCAs be used as a tool to support project decisions, and it recommends its RealCost program in processing LCCA data.

Sustainability rating systems list construction practices or features of a project that affect sustainability and measure the impact of these factors.

“In its simplest form, a rating system may count the implementation of every best practice equally (e.g., all worth one point), in which case the rating system amounts to a tally of the number of best practices used,” says the Pavement Life Cycle Assessment Framework. “In more complex forms, rating systems weight best practices (usually in relation to their impact on a selected definition of sustainability or a

(source: ACPA)

2016 ACPA Excellence in Concrete Pavement Awards Silver Award winner in the Divided Highways (Rural) – I-69 in Indiana. Contractor: E&B Paving, Anderson, Indiana. selected set of priorities), which can assist in choosing the most impactful best practices to use given a limited scope or budget. Many national and international pavement sustainability rating systems are currently available (e.g., INVEST, Greenroads, and Envision).”

Materials and sustainability Longevity is a sure test of a sustainable pavement, and this measure is driven by the materials used, both recycled and new.

Roughly 140 million tons of concrete is recycled each year in the United States, where more than 150,000 miles of highway are paved with concrete, according to the National Concrete Pavement Technology Center (CP Tech Center). Five percent of the 445 million cubic yards of ready mix concrete is returned to plants each year.

Forty-four states allow recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) to be used in various applications. The majority of RCA, 65.5 percent, is

used as aggregate in base, with 9.7 percent used in asphalt mixtures, 6.5 percent in concrete mixtures, 7.6 percent as fill and 3.2 percent as high-value rip rap.

The CP Tech Center recently surveyed concrete pavement companies about the use of RCA, offering a look at 26 contractor firms in 19 states. The firms represent about 18 percent of the national volume of concrete paving for 2014 through 1,063 projects.

Fourteen of the firms outsource their recycling, while six did their own, and five did a combination of both. A little more than half reported that at least 81 percent of their projects included removal of pavement, which would then be recycled. Granular subbase was the most often cited use of RCA, at 42 percent. Another 16 percent reported RCA was crushed product for other markets, 15 percent was used for granular shoulder and other crushed products related to pavement, 14 percent went toward

50 July 2017 | EquipmentWorld.com

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road technology

| continued

Bellefontaine concrete pavement design and construction

T

he concrete pavement placed in Bellefontaine, Ohio, in 1893 had a number of special design and construction characteristics that made it unique for its time, as well as able to withstand years of abuse. It is the oldest continuously used concrete pavement in the U.S., making it a model of sustainability.

These include: • Subgrade: The street was excavated to 6 inches deep and then carefully rolled and compacted.

• Cross section: The slab is 6 inches thick and was constructed as a two-lift pavement, featuring a 4-inch bottom lift followed by a 2-inch top lift.

• Joint/panel layout: The concrete was placed in 5-foot by 5-foot blocks, and tarpaper separated the panels.

• Mix design, bottom lift: The bottom lift used one part cement to five parts

clean, unwashed gravel (containing about one-third sand), with a 1-1⁄2inch maximum aggregate size.

• Mix design, top lift: The top lift used three parts cement to five parts sand, with a half-inch maximum aggregate size.

• Surface: V-shaped indentations were imparted in the pavement surface at 4-inch intervals to provide footing for horses.

• Curing: The pavement was cured for one week using a 2-inch layer of wet sand. (source: ACPA)

concrete aggregate use, and 12 percent was used on embankments or was wasted.

Historical concrete pavements It’s hard to argue the longevity

of concrete, as we marvel at the Roman structures scattered across Europe that have withstood millennia. And while we don’t have such a lengthy historical perspective in the United States, there are

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a number of concrete pavements that have withstood decades of use and abuse.

The ACPA is creating a storehouse of old concrete pavements, with their first step being the creation of the Historic Concrete Pavement Explorer website last year. The map-based, mobilefriendly site provides details on these pavements, with potential for photo galleries, technical details and historical context.

“The website represents ACPA’s commitment to the Task Force on Preservation of Artifacts from Historical Concrete Pavements,” says ACPA President and CEO Jerry Voigt. “The task force is working to document concrete pavements and collect photographs and other artifacts for concrete pavements that are 75 years or older and/or which represent ‘firsts’ and other significant milestones throughout history.”

The launch of the site roughly coincided with the 125th anniversary of the country’s first concrete pavement, placed in 1891 in Bellefontaine, Ohio, by George Bartholomew and WTG Snyder. That original pavement is no longer in use; however, pavement that was placed around the town square just two years later remains. It has undergone some rehabilitation, including full- and partial-depth concrete patching in 1962, the early 1990s and in 2007.

This pavement was considered an engineering marvel at the time.

So much so, that a section of the concrete was on display at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair and won first place for Engineering Technology Advancement in Paving Materials.

On July 12 this year, the ACPA, the City of Bellefontaine, the Ohio Chapter of the ACPA and the Task Force on Preservation of Artifacts from Historical Concrete Pavements held a celebration to com-

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1906 – Portland Street,

Calumet, Michigan 1907 – Van Buren, Arkansas 1907-1909 – County road in

Mahaska County, Iowa 1908 – Grand Forks, North Dakota 1909 – Cemetery Road,

Eddyville, Iowa 1909 – 6th Street,

Duluth, Minnesota 1910 – Multiple city streets,

Grand Forks, North Dakota 1912 – Central Avenue,

Urbana, Illinois 1913 – Dollarway Pavement,

White Hall, Arkansas 1914 – Belknap Place,

San Antonio, Texas 1914 – Third Street,

Delevan, Illinois 1914 – River Road, Moscow, Iowa 1915 – “Original seedling mile,” Grand Island, Nebraska 1916 – Westminster Street,

Salt Lake City, Utah 1916-1927 – Multiple city streets, Fort Collins, Colorado

1918 – County road in Woodbury County, Iowa 1919 – Sunset Highway, Spokane, Washington Belknap Place in the Monte Vista Historic District of San Antonio was honored with ACPA’s 2016 Lifetime Pavement Recognition award, commemorating it as the oldest concrete pavement

in Texas. It was created using a process called “Granitoid,” a twolift system that features coarse aggregate in the bottom lift and hard granite aggregate in the surface course. Cars, trucks and buses continue to travel across this pavement, and officials say there are few signs of faulting or deterioration.

POWER

memorate an 11-foot replica of the original 7-foot-wide test strip of the 1891 pavement.

“The test strip is part of a reconstruction project in downtown Bellefontaine, and it’s a big deal to our industry and to Bellefontaine,” says Bill Davenport, ACPA vice president of communications.

Shiraz Tayabji, with Advanced Concrete Pavement Consultancy and one of the project leaders, said the re-created test strip “will provide service for another 100-plus years, linking the past, present and future of the concrete pavement industry.”

But while Bellefontaine is definitively recognized as the site of the oldest concrete pavement in the country, no absolute ranking is available. Davenport recently polled ACPA chapters, and through their submissions, the following list gives a snapshot of some of these long-lasting pavements:

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highway contractor

| by Chris Hill |

ChrisHill@randallreilly.com

POTHOLE

MANAGEMENT: Success requires accurate reporting, tracking and the right construction method and equipment

A marked pothole ready for repair by Virginia DOT crews.

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(Virginia DOT)

6/22/17 6:21 PM

P

otholes are the universal bane of motorists across the country. They’re also among the top complaints public works and transportation agencies receive from the public.

Their presence is so ubiquitous that officials are using a variety of methods to manage pothole reporting and tracking. They’re also extending their repair efforts beyond the old “two guys and bag of cold patch” approach.

tenance administrator for the Des Moines Department of Public Works.

Although the city does not have a specified budget for pothole repair, it does make fixing them one of its major priorities. “All potholes are patched within two business days after we receive notice,” Thies adds.

Knowing where potholes are located is a top challenge for states and municipalities, so agencies provide multiple ways for the public to report them.

Pothole blitz Des Moines will take notifications by phone, email, Many cities conduct what’s been collectively called website and smartphone app, Thies reports. MoDOT also a “pothole blitz,” which is usually held in the spring. provides this, as well as an integration into work orders.

These bursts of repair activity typically happen over “We utilize a customer service database where all rea short period, just a few days, with the emphasis on ported roadway problems are reported and then sent out patching as many potholes as to the local maintenance building,” possible.

Allmeroth explains. “Once repaired, Earlier this year, Indianapothe local crews will close out the lis patched 900 potholes over report.” four days, beating the goal A simple pothole patch is one public works officials had set thing, but more extensive road for 700 potholes. Buffalo, New damage calls for a more complex York, held two blitzes this year approach. to tackle its potholes.

“We utilize an ARAN (AutoThe Missouri Department of matic Road Analyzer) van to help Transportation (MoDOT) holds determine the condition of the its own version of a blitz, roadway,” Allmeroth says. “That called the Pothole Patrol. paired with an IRI (International “It is typically held during Roughness Index) and the number the month of March, but it is of customer calls help prioritize sometimes shifted depending the timing and type of treatment a on the type and severity of roadway will receive.” our winter,” says MoDOT State Thies says number and proximity Virginia DOT crew member repairing a pothole.

Maintenance Engineer Becky help determine the approach.

(Virginia DOT) Allmeroth. “We ask the public “If the potholes are close and freto help us identify pothole loquent, we will do a mill and inlay cations using a variety of tools and then we make every in the area,” she says. “We usually limit mill and inlays to effort to have the pothole repaired within 24 hours.”

300 feet in length. More than that and it should be comPotholes are one the agencies top priorities, she pletely resurfaced.” adds: “A pothole, if left unattended, can cause significant damage to vehicles, can cause additional damage Equipment use to the roadway and can create a serious safety concern Allmeroth says MoDOT uses multiple types of pothole if a vehicle is damaged or when drivers swerve to patching equipment across the state, with most being avoid the pothole.” trailer mounted.

“The most common machines we have are Falcon PotMoDOT’s yearly pothole budget is in the $15 million hole Patchers, Spaulding Pothole Patchers, and Weiler to $16 million range, and on any given day in March, TT250 Pull Tack Tanks,” she says. “If the repairs require Allmeroth says, it’s not unusual to have 300 pothole patching crews working on the state’s roads. Though the any larger equipment, then we typically contract out the repairs.” agency can provide these figures, it gave up on estimatThies says Des Moines uses Bergkamp patch heaters, ing the actual number of potholes repaired. “We quit tryand kettles with three-person operations. ing to count our number of potholes several years ago,” This equipment use has been pretty standard for both Allmeroth adds. agencies, and MoDOT in particular doesn’t have plans to The city of Des Moines, Iowa, repairs roughly 7,000 make changes. However, Allmeroth says the department potholes each year, according to Sara Thies, street mainEquipmentWorld.com | July 2017 55

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highway contractor

| continued

is reviewing the equipment to expand capabilities.

“We currently have a fleet and equipment team that is analyzing all of our fleet and equipment,” she says. “I expect to see recommendations come from that team for more multifunctional fleet and equipment.”

Since the type of equipment plays such a large role in pothole repair management, here’s a look at some of the products available on the market:

machine uses the Bergkamp InPave Mobile Technology Pothole Patching Management System to allow contractors and government agencies to monitor and manage performance of the repair. The system provides monitoring of production, performance and location of the machine and repair site. This data can then be automatically transmitted or downloaded.

Crafco

Bergkamp

Bergkamp reports its SP5 Spray Injection Pothole Patcher is designed for simple pothole repair using a spray injection patching process that cleans out and repairs potholes quickly, which reduces traffic disruption. The

Crafco says its trailer-based Magnum Spray Injection Patcher can repair a wide variety of pavement conditions including potholes, deteriorated shoulders, utility cuts, fissures and alligator cracked areas. The machine features an integrated operation that cleans the area to be repaired, applies a tack coat, coats the aggregate with

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New technologies asphalt emulsion and then applies the mixture in one continuous operation.

The coated aggregate is compacted during application using high velocity air with a screw auger, a process the company says leaves few voids in the final pavement repair. The machine has a 1,275-square-foot work area and can be operated with a two-person crew.

Falcon Asphalt Repair

Falcon offers an asphalt recycler and hot box that dumps asphalt with one-button operation. The company reports each

A

group in Texas called Thing for Things is creating a small plug-in device for vehicles that collects data on road conditions while traveling. It uses GPS coordinates to locate a pothole and determines its severity by the vehicle’s movement.

The idea is to cut down on the amount of time municipalities spend searching for potholes or tracking down a reported location if they do not have a web-based reporting system. Thing for Things states it is in discussions with the cities of Richardson and Arlington, Texas, for outfitting city vehicles with the device. This would allow city workers to track potholes as they travel their town on other business. Ultimately, Thing for Things CEO Ashok Sami says, the pothole data could be shared through an app for public display of road conditions.

On the repair side, former West Virginia Secretary of Transportation Sam Bonasso, along with partner Jim Matuga, has created the Mechanical Concrete Pothole Terminator.

This system places crushed stone inside an old tire that has had the sidewalls

removed and it is set into the pothole. It’s then covered with asphalt. The concept replicates the permeability similar to a French drain and prevents water from penetrating or damaging the base of the pavement.

Bonasso reports a 3-foot-by-3-foot pothole could be repaired for less than $100.

Mechanical Concrete Pothole Terminator used on Town Center Drive in Granville, West Virginia.

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| continued

dump box is built on a tandem axle trailer frame that cradles a lowered hopper using body guides to keep it centered, which provides stability. The dump box trailers are built with hydraulic cylinders that raise the hopper and prevent twisting from an uneven load. It’s available in capacities of 2, 3, 4 or 6 tons.

available in a heat transfer oil system, dry radiant heat system or all-electric system.

Ray-Tech

H.D. Industries

H.D. Industries Pro-Patch Pothole Patcher can work in various weather conditions and is designed to transport hot or cold asphalt pre-mix material and oils in controlled heated temperatures. The machines are available in 3-cubic-yard, 4.25-cubic-yard, 5-cubic-yard or 6-cubic-yard asphalt hoppers in truck chassis or trailer-mounted versions. The truck-mounted units are

Ray-Tech offers a Total Maintenance Vehicle to use in infrared asphalt restoration, providing an entire system on one truck chassis. Located behind the cab, the machine features an asphalt reclaimer for storing and heating new or used asphalt. At the back is an 8-footby-6-foot heater that features the company’s infrared heating converter system. It also has an open deck with gas storage in addition to a compactor/single drum roller compartment and a side dump waste bin that dumps to one side by way of an electric winch. This

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Birth of a pothole winch also unloads the compactor on the opposite side of the truck. The unit is available in 2-, 3-, 4- or 6-ton reclaimer configurations.

Superior Roads

I

n this graphic created by the Michigan Department of Transportation, you can see a visual representation of how a pothole forms. In colder climates, when a frozen road thaws from the surface down, the melting ice and snow saturate the ground and the water becomes trapped, thereby helping to soften the pavement. This worsens in mild winters with frequent freezes and thaws. In warmer climates, moisture from heavy rains still saturates the ground, potentially causing erosion underneath and softening the pavement.

Superior Roads Python 5000 Pothole Patcher is selfpropelled and uses standard asphalt mixes. The company reports it can make continuous repairs to long cracks and joints in the road and one person can complete a patching operation without leaving the operator’s cab. An average hole can be patched in two minutes, Superior Roads reports, and it can work in sub-zero temperatures or in rain. The machine also can travel at highway speeds between jobsites. The working arm extends to 4 feet from the cab, with a 6-foot side-to-side motion.

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CONGRATULATIONS

to the 2017 Contractor of the Year winner and finalists IN

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E

N

W

Roy Chipley

Raymond de Vre’

Carl Jones

Hiram DuRousseau, II

Chipley Company Florence, South Carolina

Blacktop Paving Homewood, California

Carl R Jones Excavating & Hauling Fredricktown, Missouri

HD Truck & Tractor Lake Charles, Louisiana

Jim Hutzel & Charity Bennett

Leo Livengood

Matthew Whaley

KAT Excavation & Construction Hutzel’s Concrete Construction Sour Lake, Texas Malvern, Arkansas

Livengood Excavators Walnutport, Pennsylvania

Whaley and Sons Kodak, Tennessee

Richard Preston & Claudia Preston McCord

Joseph Palmer

Tom Sawyer

Marshall Flowers

McKinnley Excavating Chattanooga, Tennessee

Sawyer Construction Fremont, Nebraska

Sun Construction Darlington, South Carolina

Preston Construction Johnson City, Tennessee

Kerry & Belinda Trest

Sponsored by:

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contractor of the year finalist

| by Marcia Gruver Doyle |

MGruver@randallreilly.com

Fourthgeneration firm carries on tradition of excellence Leo Livengood, Livengood Excavators City, State: Walnutport, Pennsylvania Year incorporated: 1970 Number of 80 employees: Annual revenue: $14-15 million Markets served: Site work, grading, asphalt paving, underground utilities, trucking, demolition and snow removal

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bout five years ago, Leo Livengood got a phone call from a former client. The call was from the second generation of a family he and his father had worked with, and they had a question: Would Livengood Excavators do the site work on a new drive-in theater the family was building, which was going to be located right next to the one that Livengood had previously built?

Recalls Leo: “I thought, gee, what an unusual opportunity to do the same job 60 years apart … so I got on a dozer and graded the ramps for the second drive-in myself.”

The Livengood construction heritage goes back to Leo’s grandfather,

Charles Livengood, who worked with horses to move material. Leo’s father, Harvey Livengood, eventually started digging house foundations. When Leo was around 12 years old, he got on his father’s D4, and he was hooked. Leo still has the 1952 invoice for that D4, priced at $8,727.20.

When a stroke disabled his father at 56 years old, Leo, then in his early 20s, knew that the continuation of the company was now on him. “There were contracts that had to be fulfilled, and my mom, who owned the business, made me a deal that I could continue to run it as long as it was successful,” Leo says. “Those were lean years. It was

rough for a while.”

It helped that there was no shortage of a work ethic within Leo. “I’ve spent many a night in the shop so that we were ready to go out the next day. It was up to me. I was the guy.”

Leo fulfilled his part of the bargain, with a ready assist from his wife, Betty Livengood, who handled the office for many years.

The company gained new strength when son Tim Livengood and daughter Tina Livengood joined its ranks. The 1980s were a period of expansion as the firm aggressively sought commercial accounts. “We saw a lot of growth in all sectors,” Tim says.

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contractor of the year finalist |

continued

Tim Livengood, Brian “Stretch” Dye, company supervisor, and Leo Livengood go over job details.

Livengood Excavators focuses on site work, grading, asphalt paving, underground utilities, trucking, demolition and snow removal.

The $14 million to $15 million company now has 80 employees and focuses on residential, commercial and industrial paving, utilities and site development work.

The dedicated late nights that Leo put in during those early years were an example of the extraordinary work ethic that’s been noticed – and appreciated – by Livengood Excavators’ clients. Eric Griesener, with the Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Traditions of America development firm, recalls one of the many times the company’s above-and-beyond mindset meant the difference to his firm. With a heavy snowfall on the ground, and a PennDOTrequired 3,000-foot bypass swale to put in, “they meticulously followed through so we could get started on our clubhouse in early spring,”

Griesener says. “They often work Saturdays, even when it’s not requested, to get ahead of the job.”

And, adds Griesener, “Their housekeeping is second to none.

The spoil piles are always rounded off, and nothing is left out on site.

It’s a clean operation, one that’s very proactive in meeting watershed requirements.”

Client Dan Kunkle, with the Wild Life Information Center, tells of another instance of Livengood Excavators’ client-centric approach: “Our project called for a concrete retaining wall, but Leo said we could build it out of boulders and then put soil and plants between the boulders, making it look much better. It became a living wall. That’s one example of how he works with you to come up with solutions.”

“We Push to Please” It doesn’t take long being around Leo to know that he’s passionate about the company’s machinery. “I attribute a lot of our reputation to the appearance of our equipment,” Leo says. For the past 15 years, Livengood Excavators has put custom murals on its heavy and mechanics trucks to showcase its expertise, with such slogans as “We Push to Please” and “Driveways to Highways, Best Quality Always.”

The benefits of this approach go beyond enhancing the company’s reputation. “The cleanliness and neat appearance of our trucks help us attract employees,” Leo says, noting that the company has had three generations of one family come to work for the firm.

Livengood Excavators also in-

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The company is known for its custom murals that showcase its expertise on its heavy and mechanics trucks. Leo Livengood also considers it a powerful employee-recruitment tool.

vests heavily in in-house equipment maintenance. It has a 7,000-squarefoot truck maintenance shop and a 3,000-square-foot construction equipment repair shop equipped with two 7.5-ton overhead cranes. There’s also a 3,000-square-foot welding and fabrication shop and a 2,000-square-foot prep and paint shop. Four mechanics trucks go from job to job to ensure equipment uptime. And the company’s truck shop foreman, Tim Yezik, has been with the firm for 42 years.

All of this helps keep the company’s extensive fleet, which includes 22 excavators and 10 dozers, in running order.

“It’s more practical to own our equipment, especially since we usually specify several options,” Leo says. Because of the company’s heavy production demands, about 90 percent of its equipment is purchased new. “We rarely rent,” says Tim, “and when we do, we use rental purchase options.”

One newer addition to the Livengood Excavators fleet is a milling machine, added when the company found its milling subcontractor couldn’t take on all the work the company was throwing their way.

“Our talented operators were able to quickly pick up things and start operating the new machine productively,” Leo says.

Keeping up with technology is also

Tim and Leo Livengood oversee the company’s jobsites, primarily centered around the Bethlehem, Pennsylvania area. a must; the firm has installed GPS and grade control systems on several dozers and excavators. “Our goal is to increase production and completely eliminate stakes,” Leo says.

Leo admits that seeking new equipment solutions is an ongoing quest: “There’s always a machine on my wish list.”

Happy clients, happy life When you ask Livengood’s clients about what it’s like to work with the company, be prepared to settle in for an enthusiastic conversation.

Says Traditions of America’s Griesener: “It’s always a pleasure to work with their crews. They’re on time, and when they make a commitment, they follow through. We had 20 inspections in 24 months, and they passed all of them with flying colors.”

Adds Dan Kunkle with the Wild Life Information Center: “He’s got the best crews and best equipment around. He’s the guy everybody calls when someone else messes it up. When you go to work for Leo, you don’t go back to work for anyone else.”

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heavy trucks

| by Jason Cannon |

JasonCannon@randallreilly.com

Western Star’s XD-25 purpose-built for construction, off-road hauling A Chalmers suspension, offering additional articulation, has become a standard across Western Star’s XD lineup.

A

year after announcing plans to add an Extreme Duty (XD) off-road package to its lineup, Western Star has unveiled the second member of the XD family.

Initially offered on the company’s flagship 6900 as the XD-40, the XD-25 – a hulked-up 4900 with 25 tons of capability – debuted during Western Star’s recent 50th anniversary celebration. Western Star is targeting smaller, off-road construction, mining and quarry site hauling operations with the new configuration.

Western Star’s XD off-road sus-

pensions offer maximum ground clearance, the company says. Using a double-slippered spring suspension, springs are controlled with heavy-duty track rods that eliminate the need for spring pins. That allows the spring packs to slide on wear pads without shock loading.

Its double-channel 120 KSI steel frame gives the truck a rigid backbone and great stability, but it is Western Star’s planetary gear sets that give the truck the capability to haul massive loads while still keeping the chassis accessible for maintenance.

At the launch event, Western Star president Kelley Platt said the units are specifically designed to handle off-road jobs without compromising fuel economy and cycle time efficiency. “With a vocational truck, we have to be able to build exactly what the customer wants,” Platt said.

“It opens up another option for the rigid-mount, the traditional yellow iron, customer,” added Peter Arrigoni, vice president of Western Star, “and it’s probably the only market that we are the cheapest.”

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heavy trucks

| continued

a Detroit DD13 next model year, but XD-25s built this year can be equipped with either a DD13 or a Tier 3 Series 60.

The XD-25 is a torque monster, but is equipped with a high-speed planetary that gives it a top speed of about 65 mph, making it highway capable. The Series 60 engine puts out about 505 horsepower and 1,550 pound-feet of torque – about 300 pound-feet less than you’ll be able to squeeze from a DD13 at a lower rpm.

All that torque is traveling through an Allison 4500 RDS Automatic.

There was ample power The XD-25 is equipped with to blast up some fairly steep a high-speed planetary grades on my test drive, and that gives it a top speed of while this truck isn’t going to about 65 mph, making it break any land-speed records, highway capable. you’d be challenged to find a scenario where it can’t deliver the torque needed to get the piece for larger engine work. But job done. while the process of engineering The XD-25 features a the truck may have been truck-like, 22,000-pound front axle and a the XD-25 is certainly a worksite 70,000-pound tandem axle in the warrior. rear with an 85,000-pound Chalmers suspension. John Tomlinson, Rest of lineup gets new options Western Star also announced sevXD and vocational sales manager for Western Star, says the Chalmers eral new options available to other trucks in its lineup: suspension has become a standard across the XD lineup because • RollTek seats, which feature sideimpact airbags, are now available of the articulation it provides. for Western Star 4700, 4800 and A 23,000-pound front axle will be available in September when 4900 truck models. The RollTek the DD13 becomes the standard seat system also tightens seat engine. belts and compresses air suspension seats to the lowest position For a truck of its size, the XD-25 to prevent serious injuries to the has a shockingly tight turning radriver in the event of a rollover. dius – a feature that will be carried • New sealed frame rail for Western over to newer model XD-40s.

Star 4700, 4800 and 4900 truck Arrigoni says the XD lineup was models reduces corrosion on designed to be more truck-like double channel and partial liner for ease of maintenance. Butterfly configurations. Sealed along the hoods provide easier engine access, edges, the flexible water-tight seal and point-to-point wiring with an prevents the intrusion of liquids in-cab fuse panel simplifies diagand minimizes rust that might ocnostics. A quick-disconnect system cur due to environmental factors allows the entire fender and air and road de-icing products. cleaner to be easily removed in one

• Abrasion tape for exterior harnesses for Western Star 4700 and 5700 truck models helps improve durability. Each harness is wrapped in an abrasion-resistant seal and fastened securely to the frame rails to prevent damage to the wires from debris, water and chafing.

• An aluminum diamond plate battery box that features cab access and increased ground clearance is available for the Western Star 4700.

• The Western Star 4800 and 4900 have an optional Detroit 23,000-pound front steer axle that is up to 40 pounds lighter than other brands.

• An aftermarket-installed five-man crew cab for Western Star 4700, 4800, 4900 and 6900 truck models can now be spec’d with either two or four doors. A 12-dash inch backpack is also available for additional storage.

• The Western Star 5700 is now available in a truck configuration for expeditor and RV applications in a day cab or sleeper.

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Looking for safety resources? ..............................................

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Equipment World’s Safety Watch articles are now available for download on our website. Designed for use in training and in toolbox talks, the articles cover a range of important safety topics such as falls, trenching, welding, back-over accidents and more.

..............................................

Each Safety Watch features an actual construction accident, and outlines ways to prevent similar accidents from occurring on your jobsite.

AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH and SPANISH

Visit equipmentworld.com/safetywatch

safety watch

| by Tom Jackson |

TJackson@randallreilly.com

An easy lift, a deadly fall

Illustration by Don Lomax

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verything seemed to be in order.

The victim was one of the company’s most experienced and skilled crane operators, with 20 years of service at the company and additional experience in heavy equipment and trucking. He was wearing a hard hat and boots with non-slip soles. He wasn’t carrying anything in his hands.

The 120-ton mobile crane was properly set up on a flat and level parking lot, with cribbing and outriggers for stability. The deck surface was free of oil, water and debris. Walking surfaces were coated with anti-slip materials. The crane was current on its inspections. The company had a dedicated safety officer who was also a crane operator. Safety meetings at this company were held monthly or whenever issues came up.

In preparation for lifting an HVAC unit to the top of a school building, the victim and an assistant attempted to put the telescoping boom into the hoisting mode.

When the boom failed to move, the victim called the office for advice and was told to check the electrical panel. He and the helper checked the crane’s control switch and determined the problem was indeed electrical. The company notified an electrician and told the victim and helper to wait.

The helper dismounted and was walking away from the crane when he heard the victim shout.

While attempting to climb down from the deck of the crane, the victim apparently stumbled and fell 5 feet, head first, to the pavement.

The victim was unconscious when help arrived and died days later in

the hospital.

Since the machine was up to code, and weather or circumstances were not a factor, it is likely the victim just lost his balance and/or stumbled as he attempted to climb off the machine. Given that the victim was 61 years old, this is the most likely scenario.

How this accident could have been prevented • Evaluate the age and physical agility of your workers. Older workers may not have the balance, reflexes or eyesight of younger crew members. Take this into account when designing safety programs or access points to machines and make sure older workers are aware of their limitations.

• Train employees to use three points of contact at all times and to always face the machine when getting on or off equipment.

• Install handrails or grab points

whenever possible.

• Make sure steps or rungs are positioned for natural foot placement and wide enough for both feet.

• Keep steps uniform in size, shape and spacing. Something as small as a ¼-inch difference in the height of a step can cause somebody to stumble.

• Don’t allow workers to jump off equipment. If workers are jumping, there is probably something wrong with the access design.

• Take the time to inspect the access points on all your equipment and solicit operators’ and crew members’ feedback. Identify tripping hazards and other deficiencies and work with the maintenance crews to engineer remedies.

For more information see: http:// www.lni.wa.gov/Safety/Research/ FACE/Files/CraneOperatorDeckFall.pdf

Date of safety talk: Leader: _____________________ Attending: EquipmentWorld.com | July 2017 69

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alerta de seguridad

| por Tom Jackson |

TJackson@randallreilly.com

Una carga fácil de elevar, una caída mortal Illustration por Don Lomax

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odo parecía marchar bien.

La víctima era uno de los operadores de grúas más hábiles y con más experiencia de la compañía, con sus 20 años de servicio en ella y experiencia adicional en maquinaria pesada y el transporte en camiones.

Estaba usando casco, botas y suelas antideslizantes. No llevaba nada en las manos.

La grúa móvil de 120 toneladas estaba colocada apropiadamente en un estacionamiento plano y parejo, con armazones exteriores para darle estabilidad. La superficie de la plataforma estaba libre de aceite, agua y desechos. Las superficies peatonales estaban cubiertas de materiales antideslizantes. La grúa tenía sus inspecciones al día. La compañía tenía un funcionario designado a la seguridad que era también operador de grúas. Las reuniones de seguridad en esta compañía se realizaban mensualmente o cada vez que surgían problemas.

Preparándose para elevar una unidad de aire acondicionado hasta la parte alta del edificio de una escuela, la víctima y un ayudante trataron de configurar el brazo de extensión telescópico en modo de elevación. Al ver que el brazo no se movía, la víctima llamó a la oficina pidiendo consejo y le dijeron que revisara el panel eléctrico. Junto a su ayudante revisó el interruptor de control de la grúa y determinó que el problema era de verdad eléctrico. La compañía notificó a un electricista y les dijo a la víctima y a su ayudante que esperasen.

El ayudante desmontó y estaba alejándose de la grúa cuando escuchó el grito de la víctima. Mientras intentaba descender de la plataforma de la grúa, la víctima aparentemente tropezó y cayó de cabeza de una altura de cinco pies hacia el pavimento. La víctima estaba inconsciente cuando llegó la ayuda y murió días después en el hospital.

Ya que la máquina estaba en buenas condiciones regulatorias y que ni el clima ni las circunstancias afectaron lo sucedido, es probable que la víctima simplemente perdió el equilibrio y/o se tropezó mientras trataba de descender de la máquina. Dado que la víctima tenía 61 años de edad, ese es el escenario más probable.

Cómo pudo haberse prevenido este accidente • Haga una evaluación de la edad y la agilidad física de sus trabajadores. Los trabajadores mayores quizá no tengan el equilibrio, los reflejos ni la agudeza visual de los miembros más jóvenes de la cuadrilla. Tome esto en consideración cuando diseñe programas de seguridad o puntos de acceso a las máquinas y asegúrese de que los trabajadores mayores están conscientes de sus limitaciones.

• Entrene a los empleados a usar tres puntos de contacto en todo momento y a que siempre deben tener la máquina enfrente suyo al subir o descender de la maquinaria.

• Instale barandas o puntos para agarrarse donde sea posible.

• Asegúrese de que los escalones o peldaños están posicionados para una ubicación natural del pie y que son lo suficientemente anchos para ambos pies.

• Haga que los escalones tengan uniformidad de tamaño, forma y espacio. Una diferencia tan pequeña como de ¼ de pulgada en la altura de un escalón puede hacer que alguien se tropiece.

• No permita que los trabajadores salten fuera de las maquinarias. Si los trabajadores están recurriendo a saltar, probablemente haya algo malo en el diseño de acceso.

• Tómese el tiempo de inspeccionar los puntos de acceso en todas sus maquinarias y pida las opiniones de operadores y miembros de la cuadrilla. Identifique riesgos de tropezones y otras deficiencias y trabaje con las cuadrillas de mantenimiento para diseñar soluciones.

Para más información visite: http://www.lni.wa.gov/Safety/Research/FACE/Files/ CraneOperatorDeckFall.pdf

Fecha de la charla de seguridad: Líder: Asistentes: 70 July 2017 | EquipmentWorld.com

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Equip0614PG055.pdf

1

5/27/14

3:19 PM

Looking for safety resources? ..............................................

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

Equipment World’s Safety Watch articles are now available for download on our website. Designed for use in training and in toolbox talks, the articles cover a range of important safety topics such as falls, trenching, welding, back-over accidents and more.

..............................................

Each Safety Watch features an actual construction accident, and outlines ways to prevent similar accidents from occurring on your jobsite.

AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH and SPANISH

Visit equipmentworld.com/safetywatch

Get the the most current information with the 2017 Aggregates Industry Atlas and the Atlas on CD. While the printed version of the Aggregates Manager 2017 Aggregates Industry Atlas will become an integral part of doing your job, don’t forget to order your copy of the Atlas on CD to see additional information about companies’ mine locations, types of rock mined, GPS coordinates, pertinent facts about companies listed in the atlas, and more.

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machine control attachments | by Marcia Gruver Doyle

|

MGruver@randallreilly.com

MACHINE CONTROL ATTACHMENTS

Produce accurate concrete pavements with less hardware Topcon Positioning Group’s ZPS system uses a ZRobot and Z-Stack sensor to produce accurate concrete pavements with a fraction of the hardware required for local positioning systems, says the company. The Z-Robot, an advanced robotic total station with integrated Z-beam laser technology, is designed to provide a hybrid function of vertical accuracy control and laser positioning to maintain accuracy across a concrete paver. The ZPS system uses only one Z-Robot to control the paver, in comparison to tradi-

tional systems, which require multiple robotic total stations to control the paver in addition to another set of instruments for downrange transition. As part of the ZPS system, the Z-Stack modular-designed sensor system integrates GPS, optical targeting and Z-beam reception into one unit that requires no separate base station and only one power cable. Topcon says the system also offers a working area of up to 150 feet wider than traditional methods, which helps minimize instrument transitions.

Portable tracking device moves from asset to asset DPL Telematics’ MultiTrack offers a portable solution for equipment owners to track their equipment. The GPS tracking system can attach to any asset and then be redeployed on another machine, eliminating the need for a dedicated system on every asset.

Completely enclosed, the self-contained tracking system has no wires or antenna. With an internal battery offering up to four months of life on a single charge, the unit can be recharged in three hours using a wall plug. DPL says the system requires little to no sky view for tracking, thus allowing users to install it either under or inside machines. The MultiTrack notifies the user whenever the asset begins to move. Customer defined curfews can be set up to alert users to unauthorized activity. For use on a trailer, the device can be wired to the tail light circuitry to automatically charge when the trailer is hitched.

The device can be hardwired to collect runtime hours, location and battery voltage, as well as offer remote starter-disable capabilities.

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machine control attachments

| continued

Create smooth, flat or sloped surfaces with ease Trimble’s Earthworks for Excavators allows contractors to take advantage of integrated 3D aftermarket grade control automatics. Using the system, excavator operators can create smooth, flat or sloped surfaces with ease.

With the excavator placed in Auto mode, the operator controls the stick, and the Earthworks system controls the boom and bucket to stay on grade, helping reduce overcut and increase production. By automating excavator operation, Trimble says, the system allows operators to achieve accurate grade consistently and in less time. The Earthworks grade control application is built on the Android operating system and runs on a 10-inch touch-screen display. Each operator can personalize the interface to match workflow, and a variety of views makes it easier to see the right perspective for each job. Data files can be wirelessly transferred to or from the office so the operator always uses the latest design.

Track your equipment, use up to five different geofences The ASI device from DSi gives you the ability to track most types of equipment, providing protection against temperature, dust and water spray. With a primary battery life of up to three years, the unit has flexible data communication network options. No external wires or antennas are needed, and the device has an optional GPS+GLONASS motor. A built-in three-axis G-sensor detects motion on the device, which offers up to five userdefined geofences.

74 July 2017 | EquipmentWorld.com

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pro pickup

| staff report

Workhorse W-15 electric pickup: Your questions answered

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orkhorse recently unveiled the W-15, a plug-in electric range-extended pickup aimed at fleets. The 460-horsepower truck features a carbon fiber body, gets about 80 miles on average through battery power, and another 300 miles after switching to its three-cylinder BMW I3 gas engine.

The truck has a $52,500 price tag and Workhorse says the truck will cut the total cost of ownership in half over traditional fleet pickups.

Here’s our Q&A with the company that delves into further details:

What are the available body colors for the truck?

Workhorse: The W-15 concept vehicle features a silver-metallic body color that accentuates all the body lines on the vehicle. Other body-color options are yet to be determined.

Is there a warranty on the batteries?

Workhorse: We use lithium-ion batteries by Panasonic, which are

the same batteries used in Tesla vehicles. These batteries have a lifespan that’s measured in charge cycles, but capping the batteries’ drain amount at 90 percent, as we do in the W-15, extends the battery’s lifespan significantly. A recent report in Green Car Reports says the average Tesla Model S, for example, retains around 92 percent of its battery life at 100,000 miles.

Our warranty offerings and battery replacement policy are yet to be determined. We expect to have these answers closer to the W-15 production date in the fourth quarter of 2018. In general, electric vehicle OEMs don’t offer lifetime warranties on batteries but instead offer trade-in credits, as Nissan does with the Leaf.

What is the curb weight?

Workhorse: GVW (gross vehicle weight) of 7,200 pounds. The truck also qualifies for the $7,500 tax credit.

Can the W-15 be purchased as a

cab-chassis option? If not now, perhaps in the future?

Workhorse: The W-15 prototype features a double cab and short bed. As of now, we expect to take this body style to production first, but we’re open to further alterations to the body style, including making a cab-only model, based on customer demand and feasibility from a pricing perspective.

One of the advantages of the W-15 design is that its current trim level was designed to incorporate the performance and essential utility and safety features of higher-end trim levels but at the price point of an entry-level trim. We found that fleet managers wanted the safety and performance of high-level trims, but couldn’t get it because the other luxury features made the price point too high.

How has the truck performed during hauling and towing tests?

Workhorse: The W-15 has a 2,200-pound payload capacity and 5,000-pound towing capacity. The vehicle’s two electric motors can produce more torque than some diesel V8 engines, and it has an all-wheel drivetrain (AWD), all of which contribute to its excellent towing and payload capabilities. The truck’s towing capacity is comparable to what a truck with a V6 engine will provide, while the 460 horsepower of the W-15 gives it responsive acceleration, including a 0-60 mph time of 5.6 seconds. The overall performance capabilities on the W-15 make it a one-of-a-kind electric vehicle for the commercial or consumer market.

– Tom Quimby EquipmentWorld.com | July 2017 77

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pro pickup

| continued

Ford unveils 2018 F-650, F-750 with improved handling, braking

F

ord is updating its largest trucks for improved performance and serviceability for the 2018 model year, including adding electronic stability control and traction control brakes as standard on all 2018 F-650 and F-750 tractor models.

The system will initially be optional on certain F-750 diesel air-braked straight trucks with highcenter-of-gravity-body upfits.

For truck applications with high electrical demands, a high-output, 240-amp alternator is now available with the 6.8-liter V10 gasoline powertrain. Ordering the higher output alternator to power auxiliary lights and equipment can eliminate the need to specify a second alternator or generator.

An available bumper extension, which was designed to limit potential hood wear and front-end collision damage, moves the full-width front bumper from flush with the grille to 3 inches in front of it. It also provides additional protection to

the grille and components behind it in case of a collision, potentially reducing repair expenses.

Relocated oil and transmission fluid dipsticks can be accessed from ground level on 2018 F-650 and F-750 diesel trucks. The transmission fluid dipstick has also been moved to provide ground-level access on gasoline models. The gasoline engine’s oil dipstick was already accessible from the ground.

For 2018, Ford will offer an optional automatic regeneration inhibitor on its diesel trucks to give the operator more control over when the engine goes into regeneration to clean the diesel particulate filter.

Ordering for 2018 Ford mediumduty F-650 and F-750 trucks begins this summer, with deliveries expected in the fall. Holdovers from 2017, both engines – a 6.7-liter Power Stroke V8 turbo diesel engine and 6.8-liter V10 gasoline engine – will continue to be equipped with the Ford-built TorqShift heavy-duty six-

speed automatic transmission.

An available live-drive power takeoff provision features an output gear linked directly to the diesel engine crankshaft for 300 poundfeet of stationary torque and 200 pound-feet of mobile torque.

For the gasoline powertrain, the optional power takeoff’s stationary and mobile mode deliver 250 pound-feet and 125 pound-feet of torque, respectively.

The transmission’s SelectShift feature has two driver-initiated modes – progressive range select, which limits the range of gears to lock out overdrive for consistent speed over hills, and full manual mode, which provides control up and down the gearbox. Selectable tow/haul mode compensates for grade and load to reduce gear hunting and improve power delivery. Engine braking and selective gearing improve control on downhill grades and help minimize brake wear.

– Jason Cannon

78 July 2017 | EquipmentWorld.com

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equipmentworld.com | July 2017

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AD INDEX Equipment World July, 2017 Advertiser

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AEMP Membership

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BEKA Lubrication

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BKT USA, Inc.

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39

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Crafco, Inc.

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Dominion Equipment Parts, LLC

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Force America, Inc.

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Freightliner Trucks

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Hyundai Construction Equip. Americas, Inc.

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ICUEE Expo

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International Trucks

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JCB

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John Deere

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Kobelco America, Inc.

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17

Kohler Engines

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Komatsu America

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29

Kubota Tractor Corp.

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15

Liebherr Construction Equipment Co.

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Link-Belt Excavators

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27

Mack Trucks, Inc.

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Mobile Barriers, LLC

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Pengo

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Pioneer Bridges

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Progressive Commercial Insurance

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Rubbertrax, Inc.

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Topcon Positioning Co.

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Toy Trucker & Contractor Magazine

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VMAC

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Wirtgen America, Inc.

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42-43

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final word | by Tom Jackson

TJackson@randallreilly.com

Global warming and you

S

ince construction equipment sends about 22 pounds of carbon dioxide into the air per gallon of diesel consumed, the topic of global warming, aka climate change, is not irrelevant to our industry.

Unfortunately, you cannot have an objective conversation about this, thanks to the vast numbers of people who form opinions without ever investigating the science themselves. Politicians (equally as ignorant) use the global warming theme to play on popular fears, increase taxes, reward their cronies and grab more power. And the media have been taking this “Chicken Little” story to the bank for two decades.

We keep hearing “the science is settled.” But science is never settled – just look at the case for putting fluoride in public drinking water, sold as a great way to prevent cavities 60 years ago. Opponents of the fluoride initiative were laughed at, labeled as paranoid nut jobs. Now, new research shows that fluoride has no effect on cavity formation and may in fact be a neurotoxin similar to lead. Then there is thalidomide, DDT, electroshock therapy…the list of scientific failures foisted on a gullible public by aggressive government “experts” is long and heartbreaking for many.

This is not to say manmade global warming is not happening. But the truth is we don’t really know because the skeptics, the people who would move the science forward, have been kicked out of the conversation. Alternative viewpoints have been banished from the media, the universities and most science journals. If you are curious enough to look at both sides of the debate on global warm-

ing/climate change, check out Anthony Watts’ blog: “Watts Up With That,” and Dr. Roy Spencer, a climatologist at the University of Alabama Huntsville (http://www.drroyspencer.com).

If global warming can be proved to be a crisis, three things should happen. One: we’ll need objective, honest science free from political interference. Two: we’ll need our government to respond in bipartisan fashion with competence and fairness. Good luck with either of these two.

The third solution is to unleash America’s untapped engineering expertise. The United States already gets more GDP out of a barrel of oil than any other country. Thanks to fracking, we’ve lowered our CO2 output below what was called for in the Kyoto agreements. The government didn’t make this happen. Good old boys in Texas made this happen. And there are many more energy-efficient technologies on the horizon: solar cells, low-carbon diesel, hydrogen fuels, battery technology and thorium reactors.

What we need are more engineers to dive into this stuff and a government that doesn’t interfere, play favorites or try to pick winners.

The rest of the world whines and waits for their governments to solve their problems.

Americans get out the wrenches and fire up the welders. The guys who grew up tinkering with cars, motorcycles and machines – farm kids, hotrodders, construction contractors, engineers, roughnecks and electricians – are going to be the ones who create the solutions. Not the media, not the government, not the scientifically ignorant or mechanically challenged.

We need more Tom Edison, less Al Gore.

82 July 2017 | EquipmentWorld.com

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