Bauma – the countdown continues

Caterpillar will bring a record 20 new machines to Bauma. The launches will make up almost one-third of the 60-plus items of equipment on show at the construction industry’s largest show, where Caterpillar is taking more than 9,000 sq m (96,000 sq ft) of space.

And along with its German dealer Zeppelin Baumaschinen Caterpillar is exhibiting under the theme of “rewrite the rules” as it aims to show what it calls the renewed efficiencies and profitability of its fleet.

Equipment on show will include the Cat Next Generation excavators, a range of five 1 to 2 t mini-hydraulic excavators and three minis in the 7 to 10 t range – as well as a series of wheeled loaders including the compact zero emission 906.

An expanded range of work tools will also be on the stand, including silenced hammers and multi-processors, while Bauma will also mark the introduction of the PL161 Product Link Locator.

This tracks the operating hours and location of work tools, and from the middle of this year it will be standard on most work tools on excavators from 11 t.

Visitors to this year’s Bauma will be given a glimpse into the technological future as Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) looks at Building Tomorrow, showcasing its latest machines and integrated services.

Volvo said that its indoor and outdoor stands will be a non-stop interactive performance featuring the complete product and service portfolio, for today, tomorrow and well into the future.

Bauma 2019 will be the first major industry event following the recent announcement that Volvo CE is to go electric on its Volvo-branded compact excavators and compact wheel loaders in 2020.

With this move, Volvo CE becomes the first construction equipment manufacturer to commit to an electric future for its compact machine range. The first two hydraulic-electric machines will be unveiled at bauma, followed by a staged market-by-market introduction and ramp up in 2020.

Hitachi will showcase the ConSite Pocket app and over 30 machines, including the ZX210LC-6 super long front, ZX135US-6 with telescopic/sliding arm and ZX210X-6 ICT hydraulic excavators, ZX85USB-6/ZX65USB-6 compact excavators, ZW75-6/ZW95-6 wheeled excavators, ZX17U-6, ZX19-6, ZX19U-6, ZX55U-6, ZX33U-6 and ZX26U-6 minis.

The app aims to enable customers to manage their machines remotely using their smartphones or mobile devices. Designed to complement Hitachi’s Global e-Service monitoring system, the app has been developed with owners in mind, with a user-friendly interface and easy navigation.

Customers can use the new app to download monthly ConSite reports for their Hitachi machines, including data on daily working hours and fuel consumption. The new app can pinpoint the exact location of every Hitachi excavator and wheeled loader in a customer’s fleet using Google Maps.

The ZW75-6 and ZW95-6 compact wheeled loaders are said to benefit from several enhancements to improve efficiency, comfort and performance for customers.

In addition to a new Stage V-compliant engine, the compact wheeled loaders are available with a DPF (diesel particulate filter) with passive regeneration as standard.

Hyundai Construction Equipment Europe (HCEE) intends to present 15 products at Bauma, of which six will be European premieres.

Both the new 1 t machine HX10 A and the 8.5 t HX85A CR are long awaited additions to the compact excavator range. The line-up also includes the release of the newest models of the Stage V compliant range excavators and wheeled loaders – the HX85A CR, HX220A L, HX300A L and HL960A. The new HX900 L, which is designed for the demands of the European construction industry, will replace the R800LC-9.

This 90 t machine has been developed using market-leading technology to deliver exceptional productivity. The HX900 L is the second largest Hyundai machine in the range behind the gargantuan 120 t R1200-9.

The most significant change Hyundai brings to Bauma is the focus on advanced technology, the new “Tiger Eye” design for the compact excavator range and the service enhancements. The company says there are numerous technological updates for specific machines.

Following increasing demand for mid-sized excavators in Europe, Kobelco Construction Machinery Europe (KCME) has launched the SK75SR-7and SK85MSR-7.

These next-generation midi machines offer superior performance, greater efficiency and productivity with increased power and speed over the previous models, as well as one of the most sophisticated operator cabins in class.

Several years of research and development, including valuable feedback from the European market on the previous SK75SR-3 and SK85MSR-3, has led to significant improvements in the new SK75SR-7 and SK85MSR-7 models. For example, the distance between the upper structure and undercarriage has increased by 20 mm to reduce damage by rocks, and the machines’ blade geometry has been improved, making it easier for operation in mountainous areas.

With their short radius designs, the SK75SR-7 and SK85MSR-7 are also ideal for working on job sites where space is limited, such as in residential areas. The inclusion of Kobelco’s innovative iNDr (Integrated Noise and Dust Reduction Cooling System), a superior method of noise suppression that promotes low noise, exceptional engine cooling, enhanced reliability and minimal machine downtime, reinforces the machines’ urban working credentials.

Attachment specialist Lehnhoff will be at Bauma, presenting various new products including a symmetrical quick coupler for excavators from 22 to 32 t. Additionally, full-liner Lehnhoff also showcases already established solutions such as the Variolock quick coupler system.

The fully hydraulic Variolock quick coupler system allows operators to change attachments within seconds to ensure efficiency on any job site. On demand, the system is available with additional tilt function. Due to the fully hydraulic power circuit coupling system, the operator can change all tools and their hydraulic connection from the driver’s cab at the push of a button without additional interference. This saves time and ensures that the working process in not interrupted.

Also from Lehnhoff is the hydraulic HS Plus quick coupler system for mini excavators from 1 to 6 t. On the proven HS models, the extension of the locking bolt is signalled to the operator by a display pin on the quick coupler that is clearly visible from the cab. With the HS Plus quick coupler, a release button ensures that the bolt is in the end position. The button is mechanically actuated by the fully engaged attachment and only then releases the spring force hydraulically, which leads to the extension of the locking bolt at the mini-HS coupler. Consequently, says Lehnhoff, the user can be sure that the attachment and the quick coupler are safely and securely connected.

Rotar has announced a world premiere to be launched at Bauma. The Ramplifier will be introduced with the brand new RCC Concrete Crusher and Rotar said it will give double the power at 700 bar.

When the pressure reaches 250/270 bar the Ramplifier is activated. This slows the cutting process down, but at this stage, the RCC is already biting through the concrete being cut so it becomes much stronger. It hammers at a high frequency, which has a positive effect to break into the concrete. Ramplifier is installed inside the cylinder rod so it is fully integrated and can’t be tampered with.

According to Rotar, the RCC Concrete Crusher is ideal for primary demolition needs when the user needs to cut concrete. Built for heavy industrial demolition, it will be used by larger demolition companies for jobs involving thick concrete with reinforcements inside such as bridges and car parks. It is also described as ideal for when a client just wants to cut concrete down before it is moved onto other stages of demolition, for example, to be pulverised or taken away.

LaBounty’s mobile shears now feature 10% more cutting force, the world’s first double-sided, indexable piercing tip and a three-year warranty.

The new shear tip is said to increase productivity and uptime by maximising the utility of wear parts by making it indexable, and by increasing protection thanks to a fully enclosed, double-sided design.

This added protection will dramatically decrease routine maintenance, build-up and hard surfacing.

The next generation of shear will also feature Stanley Infrastructure’s advanced telematics, InSite. With the addition of InSite, operational efficiency and uptime of attachments can now be tracked and monitored at the attachment level. The new InSite Utilisation Tracker has been introduced to help LaBounty mobile shear customers better understand how their equipment is being used by tracking idling, cutting, sorting and moving times.

In addition to utilisation tracking, InSite delivers real-time shear data to mobile devices to help customers monitor attachment hours, cycles, location and health.

The new MSD platform now features a 10% increased cutting force at the jaw apex. In addition to the machine uptime savings, advanced monitoring, and increased cutting force, beginning, most LaBounty mobile shears will receive a three-year warranty and protection plan as standard.

• This is an edited version of the article that first appeared in the March 2019 issue of Demolition & Recycling International. To see the full article, or to register to receive the magazine on a regular basis, please visit www.khl.com/subscriptions