Intermat 2009 preview

From 20 to 25 April this year, the world's construction equipment producers will descend on Paris to show their NEW innovations at Intermat 2009. Claire Symes reports on news of the latest launches for the aggregates sector

While the current economic climate means that the quarrying sector is not as buoyant as the industry would like, this year's Intermat exhibition is still expected to attract over 200,000 visitors. With more than 1300 exhibitors filling over 180,000m2 of exhibition space at Paris-Nord Villepinte in Paris between 20 and 25 April, there will be plenty to see.

Although current capital investment may be reduced, a visit to the show will give buyers a chance to see the latest innovations that could help give their businesses the edge when the market recovery happens. For the first time, Intermat will also have a 'village' dedicated to quarrying in Hall 3, along with a special programme and visits for quarry professionals attending the show.

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Caterpillar will give its 45tonne D-series model 345 excavator its European debut at this year's 432 Intermat. Cat has said that the 345D L hydraulic excavator is a direct replacement for the 345C L, building on its strengths while adding new design elements to improve its operation.

Engine power on the new model has been increased by 10% to 283kW with addition of a Cat C13 engine. The stability of the machine has also been improved with a heavier counterweight. The 345D L has three undercarriage options to match varying application and transportation requirements: fixed gauge, variable gauge and wide variable gauge.

394 Case is also upgrading two key mid-weight crawler excavator models. Improvements include better fuel consumption and increased productivity, as well as lower exhaust and noise emissions. The new CX370B and CX470B models replace the previous CX350 and CX460, with operating weights of 36.2tonnes and 48.3tonnes, respectively.

High digging performance is claimed for both models while the CX470B can also be specified with mass excavation equipment for higher breakout and bucket tearout forces.

According to 439 Liebherr, its new Generation 6 crawler excavators will set new standards in the 21 to 28tonne weight class when they are unveiled to the public at Intermat. Each of the machines will be available as a Classic or Advanced version, an option which Liebherr claims has been developed to meet differing market requirements and customer demand. The 'Classic' versions are intended for typical earthmoving tasks, while the 'Advanced' versions are equipped with a higher level of technologies to make them high-performance 'full option' products.

Hitachi will add two more wheeled loader models to its ZW range with the launch of the ZW140 and ZW150 at Intermat. The ZW140 has an operating weight of 11tonnes and can be fitted with a 1.5 to 2.4m3 capacity bucket and delivers 92kN of breakout force. The slightly larger ZW150 weighs in at just over 12tonnes and can be fitted with a 1.9 to 2.6m3 capacity bucket and has a breakout force of 98.8kN.

The machines also feature Hitachi's Hydro-Static Transmission (HST) that aims to offer greater mobility when fully loaded, smoother control on a gradient and under acceleration and deceleration. In addition, the HST system's speed selector provides a range of four maximum travel speeds to suit the particular requirements of each job.

411 Doosan has announced that it is to expand its wheeled loader range with the addition of the 3.5m3 capacity DL350. Doosan has said that the new loader has been designed for maximum stability and offers a static tipover load of 15.5tonnes and a bucket loading height of 4.16m with a reach of 1.3m. The company also claim that it has the highest excavation force in its category at almost 17tonnes, which is said to offer higher stripping force for harder materials.

According to Doosan, the machine has been designed to minimise maintenance and cost. In order to reduce diesel fuel consumption and external noise, variable fan speed is controlled by a thermostat. The fan is reversible and tilts in order to facilitate maintenance in dusty environments. There are also large doors for access from the ground.

Hauling

Bell Equipment will be using Intermat as the launch pad for several new ADTs - a narrow version of the B25, an all new 45tonne machine as well as its new Mark VI series trucks.

New features on the Mark VI models include a keyless start which can give greater control over which operatives can use the ADT. Advances to the electronics have also been applied to the stopping sequence and the range now has a standard turbo spin down feature to regulate the spin down time depending on how hard the engine has been working.

Bell's new narrow version of its B25 ADT has been developed to meet the demands from European customers. According to Bell's spokesman, the B25DN is designed to be narrow and low enough to be loaded by truck loading systems but also meets ROPS/FOPS requirements for use in the quarry. The new ADT has a redesigned body, shortened axles and lower cab to give it the same hauling capacity as the standard B25.

2983 Bell's new 45tonne B45D ADT has been designed from scratch and fills a gap in the market. Bell Equipment ADT product marketing manager Stephen Jones said that there is a market for an ADT with a payload larger than 40tonnes. "Other manufacturers have opted to meet this demand with modified 40tonne trucks," he explained. "But we have opted to introduce a completely new machine based on feedback from our customers."

The machine has a low centre of gravity to improve safety, plus features the same diff ratio and final drive as the B50D. The rod and barrel of the tip cylinders are also the same size as the larger truck. Wet disk braking and an active front suspension have also been added.

This year's Intermat will give visitors the first chance to see Moxy's articulated dump truck line under its new corporate Doosan colours. This will be the first viewing of the machines since Doosan acquired Moxy in August 2008 in a bid to become a full line provider. The Doosan Moxy range consists of four models - the MT26, MT31, MT36 and MT41 - and the machines retain their Moxy model names. The design and specification for the machines also remains unchanged at present but a spokeswoman for Doosan said that development of the MT51 is still underway.

Crushing and screening

Intermat will be the location not just for 445 McCloskey International's C50 jaw crusher and C44 cone crusher's public debuts but also the company's debut in the crushing field. The C50 is powered by a 261kW Cat C9 engine and is built around a 50" 1797 Telsmith jaw - the widest in its class, according to McCloskey. The 48tonne jaw crusher has a 10.2m3 hopper capacity with a transport length of 14.3m.

Like the C50, the C44 crusher is also build around a Telsmith crusher and McCloskey has said that it is designed to offer a high throughput and large stockpiling capacity. The 45tonne machine has a 5m3 hopper capacity is powered by a 320kW Cat C13 engine and has a transport length of 16.33m.

McCloskey also has a new offering in its traditional field of screening with the addition of the R105 High Energy Screener to its product line up. McCloskey said that the unit has been designed for operators that do not require the full capacity of larger screen models.

France-based 3090 Magotteaux has also developed its first mobile crushing machine - the MAGmove is an electrically driven unit designed for secondary or tertiary crushing. The new unit has a capacity of 250-300 tonnes/hour with a maximum feed size of 100mm and the manufacturer said that the machine is ideal for sand production.

The MAGmove comes as standard with the firm's MAGImpact 2400VSI crusher, which is driven by a 250kW motor. However customers can specify any of the company's VSI crusher chambers, from the MAGImpact 2100 to the 2700, to suit their individual site requirements.

Italy-based Meccanica Breganzese will launch the first of a new generation of its bucket crushers. According to the company, the BF90S2 offers better performance and also has a lighter design. The BF90S2 offers 25% more capacity than the model it replaces and also reduces vibration transferred to the excavator, which makes it more comfortable for the user.

Tyres and components

Tyre protection chain producer 1946 RUD Erlau has developed a new tyre protection system for articulated dump trucks to prevent sidewall damage in extreme applications. According to research and development specialist Mathis Weerts, the conventional tyre chains used on wheeled loaders in quarries are too heavy for ADT without severe impact on fuel efficiency.

Rud's Sideflex is effectively a shield that protects the tyre from side impacts during loading and puncturing while driving over rough terrain by deflecting debris away from the tyre. The flexible design allows the chains to mirror the movement of the tyre over the ground and almost brushes the ground to give full protection.

Michelin has also improved its offer to the quarrying sector with a new range of XHA2 tyres and new sizes for ADT and RDTs.

The completely redesigned XHA2 for the quarrying and construction machines replaces the long established XHA range. According to 449 Michelin, the XHA2 tyre offers a better wear life with a new tread pattern which is 9% deeper than on the previous generation of tyres. Michelin claims that its new tyre offers a 5% improvement in wear life which is thanks partly to the new strengthened sidewall design that features a protective rib and anti-scrape shields.

Michelin has widened its offer to the truck market with the launch of a new 29.5 R 25-size in its X-Super Terrain AD range for ADTs and the new 24.00 R 35-size X-Traction tyre for RDT.