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Heavy Earthmoving Equipment
Wheel loader
Dressta introduces the
560E Extra wheel loader featuring a Tier 3 engine, joystick boom and
bucket controls, hydrostatic steering and a high visibility cab. It
boasts a payload capacity range of 7 cubic yards to 15 cubic yards and a
92,549-pound operating weight. The turbocharged in-line six-cylinder
Cummins engine increases power to 427 hp. The 560E features a Z-bar
linkage that transfers maximum breakout force to the bucket to pry out
hard-packed material. The design features a single bucket cylinder that
puts less weight on the front.
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Excavator
The PC138USLC-8 short-tail-swing excavator from Komatsu features a net of 92 hp
and an operating weight of 31,107 to 32,568 pounds. The improved engine
performance utilizes an electronic multi-staged fuel-injection system
and isochronous control that maintains engine speed during heavy loads.
Improvements to the hydraulic system also enhance the productivity and
efficiency of the excavator. The new single-pump double-flow system and
pump flow valve improves swing acceleration and steering performance.
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Wheel loader
Case Construction Equipment
introduces the 621E wheel loader, the newest member of the E Series
line. The machine features easy access to fluid-level sight gages,
centralized grease fittings and daily service check points visible from
ground level. A one-piece electric lift hood is designed to give
operators and technicians easy access to the entire engine area.
Floor-to-ceiling glass in the front, along with a sloping rear engine
compartment, provides the operator with a panoramic view with maximum
visibility both forward and to the rear. The new cab also features a
thermal box that keeps food and beverages hot or cold during long hours
of operation.
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Saws
Chain saw
The John Deere CS62
Pro-Series chain saw is designed for felling and limbing large trees,
and cutting firewood. It has a powerhead weight of 12.4 pounds and a
61.5-cc engine. An inertia chain brake, guide bar safety tip and low
kickback chain allow for safer operation. The CS62 is available with 16-
or 20-inch bar sizes.
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Table saw
The Rocket 3600 from Diteq Diamond
Tools & Equipment is designed to handle larger tiles and stone slabs
commonly used in commercial and upper scale residential jobs. The
Rocket's 24-inch square cutting cart has an extension that accommodates
slabs up to 24 inches by 36 inches. It permits rip cuts up to 38 inches
and rotates up to 90 degrees for precise angle cuts.
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Chain saw
Designed as the replacement for the MS 440, the MS 441 Stihl Magnum chain saw features a new
prefiltration system, anti-vibration system and advanced combustion
technology that delivers more power and higher torque over a wider RPM
range than the MS 440 -- all with a 30-percent increase in engine life
span. Plus, with 60-percent less vibration than the MS 440, the MS441
offers smoother cuts, reduced operator fatigue and added control for
cutting heavy timber.
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Compaction Equipment
One-way plate compactors
Multiquip's Mikasa one-way
plate compactors are designed to compact asphalt, sand, gravel and
granular soils and are available in 13 models ranging from the MVC-40G
to the MVC-90H. Centrifugal force reaches from 1,618 pounds on the
MVC-40G to 3,450 pounds on the MVC88. Plate size spans from 11.4 by 16.5
inches to 19.7 by 22 inches. These units are available with or without a
13.7-quart water tank that can be removed without tools. An additional
urethane plate attachment is available for use on paving stones and
brick pavers.
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Road-finishing equipment
The Roadmaster RP626 asphalt profiler from Champion Motor Graders is
a piece of road-finishing equipment that mounts a 6-inch grinder cutting
head under the front frame of a Champion C60 motor grader. The RP626
smoothes asphalt surfaces by grinding away bumps and irregularities
within tolerances of 1/8 inch or less. The complete three-step
Roadmaster system follows up the smoothing process with a sealer to fill
any remaining cracks in the surface and then applies a rejuvenator
designed to restore life and resiliency to old asphalt.
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Ground Heaters
Ground heater
Ground Heaters' modified
E3000 model is built with a 385,000 gross Btu/hour hydronic heater and
produces more heat for ground thawing, concrete curing or space-heating
applications. An onboard, self-contained liquid-cooled generator option
is available. The gen-set provides the power the model needs when no
power is available on site and allows the E3000 to power peripheral
equipment, making the unit useful when it's not being used for thawing,
curing or heating. Four inches narrower in width and 6 inches shorter in
length, the redesigned E3000 is easier to load onto standard trucks. The
model thaws up to 4,500 square feet to a maximum of 1-foot deep per day
or heats up to 6,000 square feet of ground -- indoors or out -- to
prepare for concrete placement, prevent frost penetration or ensure
proper concrete curing.
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Heated curing and thawing
blanket
The Power Blanket
is a 120-volt electrically heated curing and thawing blanket that is
available in 11 different sizes. The 23-foot by 11-foot SuperDuty
Thawing blanket thaws the ground at a rate of 4 to 10 inches overnight
and is well suited for preparing a dub-grade prior to a concrete pour.
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Other Products
Portable generators
Magnum Products
introduces the MPG portable generator series. Available models include
the MPG 3800, MPG 5600/E/C and MPG 6600/E/C. The generators include a
patent-pending flared frame design, which is a shin-saving feature
offering a comfortable carry for the contractor. Other features include
a flip-down control panel for easy access and serviceability. All
outlets have GFI protection. The unit is constructed of a robust
1.25-inch tubular steel frame. The portable generators come equipped
with a heavy-duty lift eye and an easy lift transport that folds flat.
Auto-idle control and low-oil shutdown are also standard on the units.
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Self-shielded welding gun
The Dura-Flex self-shielded flux-cored gun from Bernard features a non-metallic
trigger that absorbs less heat than metal triggers. The trigger is also
made with a sealed microswitch, which keeps out dust and dirt, to
provide a long work life. The smaller trigger guard is designed to
improve maneuverability. The Dura-Flux is rated to 350 amps at
100-percent duty cycle and can handle higher current loads at reduced
duty cycles. It accepts flux-cored wire up to 3/32-inch and is equipped
with a heavy-duty monocoil power cable and Bernard's Centerfire contact
tips. The welding gun also features interchangeable power pins and
trigger leads for compatibility with both Miller Electric and Lincoln
Electric products, along with power pin liners that are designed to be
easily changed without tools to simplify maintenance.
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Product Spotlight
Contractor Saves 40 Percent on
Equipment Rental By Pairing Inverters with Welding Generators
By Neal Borchert, business development manager, Miller
Electric Mfg. Co.
Simplification is a key concept for Mike Lang, tool/warehouse
manager for AZCO INC. of Appleton, Wis. On any given day, 400 to 500
AZCO INC. employees are busy at construction sites around the country,
erecting power plants, foundries and a variety of other facilities. Lang
has the daunting task of making sure that pipe fitters, ironworkers and
boilermakers ¾ all of whom may have different arc preferences, rely
on different welding processes and use different types of
electrodes¾have the equipment they need to do their jobs
effectively. He also has to manage a fleet of more than 300 welding
power sources cost efficiently.
Fortunately, one key "tool" in Lang's warehouse are skids that pair an
XMT 304 inverter and PipePro 304 diesel welding generator from Miller Electric Mfg. Co. AZCO's
self-designed skids can pair these welders because of the PipePro 304's
unique capability: it produces 7,500 watts of generator power while
welding at 200 amps. This means it has enough generator power to run an
XMT 304 that is also welding at 200 amps or less, so two operators can
work simultaneously off of the same skid ¾ and without any
interference between the arcs.
On a jobsite that would normally require two individual engine drives to
meet welding needs, AZCO's skid reduces equipment costs by more than 40
percent, according to the company. Using nine inverter/welding generator
skids saved AZCO more than $46,000 on a recent project. In addition,
because the inverter-based XMT 304 and PipePro 304 set the standard for
multiprocess arc quality, Lang satisfied the needs of all the skilled
welding trades on the project.
Versatile Yet Simple
AZCO is an integrated construction company that prides itself on its
limited reliance on subcontractors. It operates its own pipe and metal
fabrication facilities, and it maintains the expert staff needed to see
projects through from design through completion. The diversity and
magnitude of its operations present many challenges, especially when it
comes to equipping its many welding operators working across the nation.
A power plant provides a good example.
A power plant may start with a bare field where pipe fitters come in to
weld the underground cooling water piping, which will typically be of
mild steel. For this process, they'll likely use Stick welding, or a
combination of Stick and flux cored welding. Next the ironworkers will
come in and use a combination of Stick and flux cored welding to erect
the structural steel ¾ but they may want different arc
characteristics. Once the steel structure is in place, the boilermakers
will weld the stainless steel boiler tubing using a combination of DC
TIG and Stick welding. Finally, the pipe fitters will come back in and
use a combination of DC TIG, Stick welding and flux cored welding (and
different electrodes, such as cored stainless steel wire) to weld the
high-pressure steam lines and other pipe associated with a steam
turbine, which is often made from 9Cr-1Mo-V (P91) or 2-1/4Cr-1Mo (P22)
steel.
"The pipe fitters are particularly demanding when it comes to Stick arc
quality," says Lang. "There are some models of welders that they simply
don't like to use. Conversely, the boilermakers need a good TIG arc,
while the ironworkers want a welder with enough power to run .045-in.
flux cored wire at high output. Fortunately, the multiprocess CC/CV
output of the XMT 304 and PipePro 304 meet everyone's needs."
Miller Electric's XMT 304 CC/CV is an inverter-based multiprocess welder
with a 5- to 400-amp output¾and so is the PipePro 304. In fact, the
PipePro 304 is essentially an XMT 304 powered by a 3-cylinder, 26 HP
Kubota diesel engine. The process selector switch, Dig/inductance and
volt/amp controls are even the same.
"All the skilled trades have to take a weld test to qualify for welding
on every job site," explains Lang. "Some people might not pass the test,
but it won't be because of the equipment. Many of the union training
centers train on the XMT 304 and the PipePro 304 because they provide
excellent arc quality, and because they're really easy to set up."
As another plus, if an operator is familiar with setting up an XMT 304,
they can set up a PipePro 304 without a problem, and vice versa, because
of the common controls.
Dennis Marten, an AZCO piping site-superintendent working on a power
plant in Mankato, Minn., confirms Lang's assessment.
"All of our operators test on the XMT 304," said Marten. "Most people
prefer the XMT 304 because of its ease-of-use. Its LCD shows all the
welding parameters, and there's just one process control. It's a pretty
easy machine to use and for a welder to produce a quality weld. They
just flip the power switch, turn a knob and they're ready to start
welding."
Marten notes that easy-to-use welding machines also make it easier to
find qualified welders.
"A job like the Mankato project can easily use up all of the qualified
welders in an area, so people from across the country come in for this
job," he says. "Familiarity with equipment is important, because if
welders can set up quickly and pass the test easily, they can go to work
more quickly."
Generator Power to Spare
The PipePro 304 produces12,000 watts, 1- or 3-phase generator power, and
Fig. 1 summarizes generator power available while welding.
"When we first saw the PipePro 304 and realized how much generator power
it had, Jim Hennessy, a former AZCO technical supervisor, and I decided
to conduct an experiment," says Lang." We plugged an XMT 304 into the
PipePro 304's 230V receptacle, got two guys Stick welding while we
manned the controls and said, 'let's see how far we can crank them up.'
Eventually, we found that we could weld up to 200 amps before either the
inverter or the engine drive's arc would become erratic. Jim said 'we're
well past the welding parameters for our Stick and TIG welding
procedures,' so we knew the PipePro 304/XMT 304 combination would work."
Skid Savvy
After about a year of experience with using trailer-mounted PipePro
304s, Lang decided to try something different.
At first, Lang planned to build a skid from angle iron and mount the
PipePro 304 on the skid. The skid would have fork pockets for moving it
around the job site with a small rough terrain forklift. Soon, the skid
design evolved to contain a mount that held the XMT 304, which was also
chained and padlocked for security. Lang then added a multi-hole picking
eye on the top of the skid for moving with a small (15-ton) all-terrain
crane, and made the skid easier to level.
"With trailer-mounted units, welders kept complaining that the engine
drive wouldn't run," says Lang. "The problem was that they didn't level
the trailer correctly, so the low pressure oil sensor shut down the
engine. Our skid design keeps the PipePro 304 fairly level, and makes it
much easier to level when necessary, which largely eliminates this
issue. The skid also protects the welders better. We can put
three-abreast on semi-trailer and ship them to the job site without
having to worry about damage."
Lang initially wondered if these inverter-based units would withstand
the rigors of transportation (e.g., road vibration) and construction job
site conditions (e.g., dust, mud and rain), and he has been pleasantly
surprised.
"I thought eventually we'd wear down the electronics and start blowing
out boards. That really hasn't happened¾and many of our PipePro
304s have more than 5,000 hours on them," states Lang.
Job Site Simplicity
Since 2003, Lang has dispatched the inverter/welding generator skids to
AZCO's jobs sites, which typically require a large number of arcs. One
example is the power plant AZCO is helping to build for Calpine
Corporation, in Mankato, Minn.
Calpine's Mankato power plant is a natural-gas fired, combined cycle
facility: a combustion turbine turns a generator; the exhaust gas then
heats up water in a heat recovery unit, turning it into steam which then
powers a second generator. Using a Seimens Westinghouse combustion
turbine and Toshiba steam turbine, the new facility will provide 375
megawatts of power.
Calpine selected AZCO to install the piping, including rack piping from
the steamer to the combustion unit, steam piping, condensate piping, and
all other air and water piping. For this project, which took
approximately nine months to complete during 2005 to 2006, Lang
dispatched nine XMT 304/PipePro 304 skids for location flexibility
throughout the site. He also dispatched eight four-arc XMT 304 "racks"
(see photo) and two stand-alone XMT 304s.
Lang says that sending skids, as well as inverter racks, greatly
simplifies equipment management.
"I like the skids because we can send one package that has two welders,"
he says, "not, 'Mr. Welder, here's your PipePro 304 and your XMT 304 and
you plug it in and move them around.' We try to minimize equipment
handling in the field, because a welder's time could be better spent. We
now give the welders two arcs, or four arcs in the case of a rack, that
are ready to go no matter which skilled welding trade needs to weld with
them."
Skids and racks also eliminate job site clutter, as they reduce the
amount of cabling used on a job. This lowers costs associated with
purchasing and moving cable, and it reduces the likelihood that a truck
or piece of equipment will run over a cable and damage it.
Lang also likes that the PipePro 304 uses diesel, because, "There's
usually a crane or other diesel equipment on site, so I try to use as
much diesel equipment as possible," he says. "We don't want to have to
store two types of fuel (diesel and gas) on site. Each fuel requires its
own reservoir and containment tank in case the reservoir gets ruptured.
By using only one fuel, the problem gets cut in half."
Skids also cut diesel engine drive maintenance in half. "With skid, we
have two arcs, but only one engine drive. On the Mankato project, that's
nine fewer engines to fuel and to check oil on," says Lang.
On a typical job site, an oiler (a person who maintains the equipment)
comes in half an hour before everyone else to check the oil and fuel on
all of the machines. Depending on the job, one oiler may be required for
every six engines. With nine skids, (18 PipePro 304s), Lang potentially
reduced the need for one or two oilers.
However, AZCO's biggest savings came from eliminating the need for nine
additional engine drives. In fact, each skid saves the company $597 per
month. Over the course of the nine-month Mankato project, nine skids
saved AZCO a total of $46,889 (see Fig. 3 for details). The rental costs
noted are AZCO's inter-company rental costs, which are slightly lower
than renting equipment on the open market (Lang's tool/warehouse
operation functions like a separate division, which enables AZCO to
optimize asset management).
Purchase cost, rental cost, maintenance, fuel, transportation¾all
the savings add up quickly. But just as important is that the XMT 304,
alone, in four-packs or in a pairing with a PipePro 304, allows Lang the
versatility to quickly respond to changing job site requirements around
the country, to keep his fleet and construction crews at work, and to
meet the needs of the most demanding highly skilled operators in the
industry.
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