Intermat 2009 - Cranes Stop Press

The third and final article in a series about what to see at Intermat, the largest exhibition for the industry in 2009. IC reports.

The last two issues of IC included comprehensive coverage of what to see at the Intermat exhibition in Paris, France, 20 to 25 April 2009. Cranes and specialized transport were covered in the last issue. In addition to last minute news of new cranes, in focus this month are new engines and electronic components on show for the first time.

This year's Intermat is being used by Sennebogen from Germany to launch a 90 tonne capacity lattice boom crawler crane. Target applications for the 690 HD include special civil engineering, mining, demolition and materials handling. In addition to lifting work, the 690 HD is designed for heavy duty applications, including hydraulic diaphragm wall grabs, vibrator, drag line and grab.

To help handle heavy duty tasks there are 291 or 447 kW engine options, 880 litre hydraulic tank and large oil cooler. The 1,000 litre fuel tank reduces idle time. It has a four-circuit hydraulic system with options to suit custom configurations and attachments.

Winch options are 16, 20, or 25 tonnes and there is mechanical synchronisation. Extra winches are available on the upper structure and in the lower boom section. The line speed of 115 m/min is the highest on the market, the manufacturer says.

Also on show is the 40 tonne capacity Sennebogen 643 wheeled crane with 30 m telescopic boom.

Italian knuckle boom crane manufacturer Effer is presenting four models. Star of the display is the new 1355 9S with more than 22 m outreach in the basic version and 35 m in the 6S version. The ninth extension has an internal slewing cylinder and independent hydraulic feed. The model 155 LSV on show has been improved with the addition of an electro-hydraulic compensated proportional valve bank for quick and accurate movements. Also on show are the model 35 and the 470, with DMU 3000 Plus control system for dynamic speed control with CAN-bus communication.

Power

European Stage IIIB engine emission laws come into force in 2011 so Intermat will be a big event for new diesel engine technology. It is less than two years before the legislation comes into force for new equipment so OEMs need to know what engines they will be working with as they design new models.

Cummins is launching its 8.9 litre Stage IIIB compliant QSL9 engine. It replaces the 8.3 litre QSC. The QSL9 has more peak power, at 298 kW, than the 280 kW in the existing Stage IIIA engine. Cummins claims a 5% reduction in fuel consumption, depending on rating, for the new models. The QSL9 has XPI extra-high pressure common rail injection, an integrated Cummins particulate filter and cooled exhaust gas recirculation (EGR).

Scania is also launching its Stage IIIB engines. Three blocks offer outputs from 202 kW to 515 kW. On show are the 9.3 litre, five cylinder DC9EMS, the 12.7 litre, six cylinder DC13EMS and the V8 16.4 litre, DC16EMS. All have the 2,400 bar XPI injection developed with Cummins and selective catalytic reduction (SCR).

Perkins is unveiling its 1200 series, Stage IIIB engines. Top of the range is the 7 litre, six cylinder, twin turbo (in series) engine producing 225 kW, a 21% power increase over the 5.5 litre Stage IIIA engine. Also on show is a short-stroke version, the 120E-66TA, producing 130 kW from 6.6 litres.

Electronics

Brigade Electronics is demonstrating its new BE-970 FM camera monitor system for vehicles and equipment with exposed operator positions. The 178 mm TFT LCD anti-glare monitor is rated to IP67 against the ingress of dust and moisture. It has a picture-in-picture screen option so the operator can see all blind spots on one monitor. Single, split and quad options can be selected for safe manoeuvring.

Also new from Brigade is the tamper-proof BE-870FM monitor. A lockable control panel means owners can disable monitor settings to prevent malfunction caused by operator interference.

Another new Brigade product on show is the heavy duty Xtreme Backsense radar detection system that senses moving and stationary objects in all terrain, temperatures and weathers.

New from remote viewing system specialist Motec is the MC5100 camera designed for crane operators. It has an 18x optical zoom and a further 12x digital magnification. Motec says the power of this lens is such that from 60 m up the camera can zoom in to pick out a coin at ground level.

Motec is also showing its new MD3000 Quad display, a 178 mm camera monitor that can show up to four camera views on screen at a time. A 320,000 pixel screen with a refresh rate of 50 frames a second means operators can manage live camera views more efficiently and switch from multiple views to a more detailed single view by pressing a button.

Also new from Motec is the MC7000 high luminosity camera. It has a new sensor designed to be less susceptible to issues with highlights.

IFM Electronic is presenting its 32-bit Classic Controller, which is designed to implement simultaneous machine functions. It has 16 multifunctional inputs and outputs, four CAN interfaces and is vibration and shock resistant.

Kosran launches its ECV (Europe) anti-theft device. It has a valve that shuts off the diesel fuel supply to the machine's engine. The company says that the system has never been bypassed as it requires too much expertise and equipment. The ECV Comms keypad system integrates electro-mechanical machine immobilisation with remote control asset management. The keypad also allows a machine owner to remotely shut-down a machine, remotely change PIN codes and to permanently track a machine or fleet.

Hirschmann Automation and Control is presenting a selection of its electronic crane safety products. Main focus will be on sensor systems, wireless sensor systems as well as retrofit. The Scalable Mobile Control System is the highlight of the presentation.

Loadwise, a designer and manufacturer of rated capacity, load moment indicators and ancillary equipment, is demonstrating its offer. It is part of the Hawkley Group, which manufactures load monitoring and weighing equipment.

Mondial Electronic and Telewalk are presenting a global telemetry system. As well as monitoring position and status, the system enables users to upload remote software updates, track critical data, ensure fleet management, implement theft management and acquire data.

New from position sensor company Penny & Giles is its most configurable rotary sensor, the SRH500P and a single axis friction-hold version of its multi-axis joystick JC6000.

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