29
june 2014
international
construction
EXCAVATORS
Digging deep
A pilot lock handle installed on the handrail box prevents
unexpected movement as it interlocks the machine ignition
system. Liugong has also designed its operating handles to be
soft and flexible to avoid operator fatigue.
Fuel efficiency
For contractors looking to maximise on fuel efficiency, hybrid
machines couldbe the answerwith technology that captures and
reuses waste energy.
Hybrid excavators first entered the market back in 2008 and
today the technology has been refined to offer up to +30% fuel
savings compared to standardmachines.
Caterpillar’s new 336FH hybridwill soon be available with a
Tier 4 Final Cat C9.3 ACERT engine. The machine is one of
themost efficient on themarket as it offers an automatic engine
speed control, which lowers engine rpm during no-load/light-
load conditions. It also has an engine idle shutdown system and
an eco mode. The engine also runs on fuels containing up to
20% bio diesel (B20).
Increasing efficiency is the Cat Swing Energy Recovery (SER)
valve, which captures kinetic energy from the 336F H’s swing
deceleration, storing it for reuse in hydraulic accumulators.
Komatsu is an established hybrid manufacturer, having just
released its third generation hybrid model to the European
market. The new HB215LC-2 hybrid hydraulic excavator has
an operating weight of 22.6 tonnes and a bucket capacity of
1.68m³.
According to Komatsu, the new excavator boasts enhanced
Volvos dig Dubai Canal
Nine excavators areworking on installing irrigation lines
D
ubai-basedDetechContracting has been using nine Volvo excavators for
infrastructureworks on theDubai Creek Extension Project, whichwill create a canal
waterway linking theDubai Creek to the ArabianGulf.
Detech isworking on installing sewerage, drainage and irrigation lines for the project, and
will install a 15 km pipeline.
Excavating the area is complicated, as the ground has a highwater table and the soil
conditions are changeable from hard rock to soft clay.Weather conditions such as sand
storms and temperatures of up to 50°C also present challenges.
The company is using nine Volvo excavators in total, including two EC240BLCmodels,
two EC290BLC, an EC300BLC, EC210BLC, EC360BLC and EC380BLC. It also has two
Volvo L120G-Serieswheeled loaders and two VolvoBL61 backhoe loaders. The company
is using thewheeled loaders for backfillingwork, and backhoe loaders for cabling and duct
installationwork.
Themachines have clocked up about 10,000 hours each so far, working six days aweek
for 10 hours a day, but will sometimeswork two shiftswithin 20 hours. The project began in
2013 andwill take three years to complete.
“We chose Volvomachines because they use less fuel compared to other brands and the
company has good financing options,” saidAytac Akturk,managing partner and general
manager at Detech. “Themachines feature easy-to-use controls, the cabins are very
comfortable and the dealership responds quickly to our requirements.”
TheDubai Creek Extension
Project will create a new
water passage fromBusiness
Bay to JumeirahBeach,
cutting across Sheikh Zayed
Road to Jumeirah.When
completed, the canal will run
for 3 km. Its construction
involves several major
enablingworks, such as the
construction of twomulti-
span eight-lane highway
bridges.
G
erman contractor Schrode has unlocked savings of some
€
3,000 (US$4,100) per year
by switching the hydraulic oil used in its 24 tonne excavator.
The excavator experiences high utilisation rates, and company CEORainer Schrode
was keen to seewhether a high technology oil could help cut the fuel bill. He opted for OEM-
Approved Equivis HE hydraulic fluid from Total, which features the company’s ‘Dynavis’
technology and carried out an eight-week trial with startling results
After replacing all 230 litres of conventional hydraulic fluidwith aDynavis-formulated
refill, andworking at full tilt, the fuel consumption of theNewHolland-built excavator
dropped from 22.2 litres per hour to 16.7 litres – a 25% reduction in fuel cost.
When operated in heavy-dutymode, the fuel savings for theNewHolland excavator came
to about
€
300 (US$410) per week.With less rigorous duty, and an average 40weeks of
operation per year, fuel savingswere estimated to result in an annual savings of some
€
6,000
(US$8,200).
Oil change
Dynavis hydraulic fluid delivers significant fuel savings
Swiss contractor Koch AG put its newHitachi ZX350LC-5 o
work on a housing development.
Komatsu’s new
PC170LC-10
offers up to
15%more
lift.
