Hauler operators are moving away from the one-size-fits-all approach of 25-tonne machines and are also requesting more specialised tyres. Liam McLoughlin reports - in our sister title Aggregates Business.
There has been a “decided move” away from 25-tonne machines to the 20- and 30-tonne articulated dump trucks (ADTs) among its customers, according to Bell Equipment UK.
The company says that this may be a demonstration of one size not necessarily fitting all and adds that it has also seen a rise in the number of requests for specialised tyres on its haulers.
“Seventy per cent of our B30Es are now being fitted with wide tyres, whilst 100% of our B20Es are fitted with high flotation tyres, both of which are providing customers with more utilisation over the winter months – keeping them moving for longer,” according to Nic Grout, Bell Equipment UK’s sales, marketing and dealer manager.
He adds that fuel is fast becoming the major consideration for the industry, with more and more customers using the ‘tonnes moved per litre of fuel used’ measurement to determine their effectiveness and profitability.
“Since inception, Bell machines have been designed with an excellent power-to-weight ratio, meaning they use far less fuel per tonne than other like-for-like ADTs,” Grout says. “The introduction of larger 50- and 60- tonne machines is also enabling customers to haul more material in less time, saving both time and money.”
He adds that there is also a noticeable trend towards the increased use of technology in fleet management. “The ability to monitor a fleet and access information, such as shift results, fuel usage, and tonnes moved, from one central location and at the push of a button, is very attractive to customers,” says Grout. Bell Equipment introduced its off-highway satellite-based management system, Fleetm@tic, in 2003 and the company says it continues to be a major draw for its clients.
The final major trend in hauling that Bell says it has experienced is an increased interest in its 4 x 4 range of ADTs, which is currently available in 30- and 60-tonne units. These are predominantly used for aggregates quarries where good haul roads are in place and they can provide a number of advantages over a rigid truck, including greater manoeuvrability and reduced tyre wear.
Volvo Construction Equipment (CE) has updated its G-Series articulated hauler range with new features including cruise control, downhill speed control and OptiShift.
The Swedish manufacturer says the G-Series already incorporates features to help operators get the most from the machine, such as hill assist, load and dump brake and dynamic Volvo Engine Brake.
These features are now joined by the latest updates including new cruise control and downhill speed control. Operators can set and adjust the cruise control to maintain a constant travel speed for smoother and more efficient hauling, and when operating downhill the new downhill speed control enables operators to maintain their control and speed. Volvo CE says both these innovations result in enhanced safety, comfort and productivity in all conditions.
The ergonomic cab and intuitive controls are designed to suit all operators. Automatic functions, such as the new OptiShift, are intended to further improve fuel efficiency and productivity via faster cycle times and increased operator comfort, offering greater ease of operation for an unrivalled operator experience.
British quarry operator E & JW Glendinning has taken delivery of a new Volvo R70D rigid hauler.
The vehicle is being used to haul blasted material to the primary crusher at the company’s Linhay Hill Quarry at Ashburton, Devon.
“We conducted a competitive evaluation of the rigid hauler market and since we have over twenty Volvo branded machines operating here at Linhay and our other facilities, considered the best choice of hauler would be the new Volvo R70D,” said Richard Webb, operations manager of quarry and concrete products for E&JW Glendinning.
“The new Volvo has a long-standing pedigree with its Terex heritage and it carries on the work of our existing eighteen-year-old TR70 which has worked tirelessly here at Linhay. The R70D is well matched to our resident prime loading machine which is a Volvo L350F, dispatching the truck in just four passes. It will be working one single shift, five days a week, delivering approximately 250,000 tonnes of material from the face to the processing plant per annum.”
The R70D is powered by an MTU Detroit Diesel V12 engine developing 695 net hp and achieves a maximum torque of 3323Nm at the relatively low engine speed of 1350 r/min.
Volvo CE British dealer SMT GB says that electronic integration between the engine and transmission allows the hauler to achieve smooth gearshift quality for consistent momentum and acceleration on all hauling applications. Performance and fuel efficiency are enhanced by the integrated shift pattern system, which includes two transmission shift schedules – power and economy – for tailored performance on all hauling conditions. The operator can pre-select the transmission operating mode to adapt to varying haul loads. Meanwhile, the hydraulic systems provide necessary flow for cooling and actuation systems that provide the required productive performance for quick cycle times and efficiencies.
Established in 1958, E & JW Glendinning produces quarry products, concrete products and asphalt from their facility at Linhay Hill Quarry with satellite outlets strategically located in Plymouth and Exeter. It also produces high polished stone value (PSV) gritstone chippings and asphalt from its Pigsdon Quarry operation located near Bude in North Cornwall. The company also operates a road maintenance division, contracting to private concerns and local authorities in Devon.
SMT GB markets Volvo CE products which include wheeled loaders, articulated haulers, hydraulic excavators, Volvo utility equipment and Volvo road equipment products in Great Britain. There are eight strategically placed customer support centres, a dedicated National Used Equipment Centre and a network of utility equipment dealers.
At the bauma construction expo in Munich (April 8-14), Italian company CASE will be displaying an Astra HD9 truck from sister brand IVECO in the quarrying section of the CASE stand. CASE says the Astra HD9 possesses the dexterity and power required to deal with the demands of quarrying applications.
Terex Trucks will be using bauma to communicate the message that it specialises in robust, reliable articulated haulers.
“The articulated hauler is the only product Terex Trucks manufactures – so therefore we’re able to focus all our attention on this machine,” says Terex Trucks MD Paul Douglas. “We will also be discussing the investments and improvements we’ve made in our product line and our growing dealer network.”
The updated Terex Trucks TA300 articulated hauler will make its first international tradeshow appearance at bauma in Munich. Since August 2018, the machine has incorporated a new transmission that is claimed to lead to a 5% improvement in fuel efficiency.
The largest Terex Trucks hauler, the TA 400, will also be on display. It is designed as a robust machine to excel in delivering cost-effective production at large-scale construction projects, quarries and mines.
Caterpillar articulated trucks will be represented at bauma Munich by the completely redesigned 730, which weighs 22% less than its predecessor the 730C, but retains 98% of the 730C’s capacity. The new truck features automatic control of traction, dumping, and retarding, as well as the Caterpillar Stability Assist system.
Also on display will be the 777G, a 90-tonne hauler with a Cat C32 engine rated at 945 net horsepower (704 kW) with US Tier 2 equivalent emissions. The new truck features a refined cab that positions the operator seat on the left side, along with a new console with an integrated hoist and shift lever.
The revamped 777G provides customers with a choice of bodies. The 60.1m3 dual-slope body is designed for maximum material retention on grades and has two side-board configurations available for light material, as well as a rubber liner. The X-body is designed with a flat floor to better meter material into a crusher and is available with either steel or rubber liners.
Doosan Construction Equipment will be launching the new 30-tonne DA30-5 and 40-tonne DA40-5 Stage V compliant articulated dump trucks, replacing the previous DA30-5 and DA40-5 Stage IV models.
Doosan says the designs and developments in the new Stage V ADTs have resulted from intensive market analysis, customer visits, interviews with operators and additional feedback gathered by the company’s ADT product and R&D teams at its ADT plant in Molde, Norway.
