Stop Press Bauma

For aficionados of construction equipment, it doesn⁅t get much better than Bauma. All the equipment you could hope for, (almost) all the manufacturers on one site, and hopefully some pleasant Bavarian Spring weather.

For rental companies visiting the show, there are some not to be missed stands. There are the world'sbig manufacturers, of course – the Caterpillars, Volvos and Komatsus of the world – but also the hundreds of much smaller companies offering innovate (or straightforward) rental products. Also some very specific tands, such as the European Rental Association (ERA), exhibiting at Bauma for the first time since its formation, as well as rental companies including Loxam, MVS Zeppelin and Streif Baulogistik.

Site equipment

Examples of small, rental-focused suppliers exhibiting at Bauma include Towerlight, the portable lighting specialist that had some success in entering mainland European rental markets, including orders with Netherlands rental companies Boels and Bo-Rent. On show will be the new, compact VT-2, a 7 m manually operated light designed “for rental firms planning to enter the lucrative metal halide [lighting] market, but who have been discouraged by having to provide additional storage space and specialist delivery vehicles.”The company has also entered the contractors pump market, and will show several of its Liquidator models.

There will be hundreds of generators and compressors at Bauma, with big suppliers like Atlas Copco, Sullair, SDMO and others offering rental companies the latest in rental-friendly equipment.

Kaeser, for one, will be showcasing the M 13 and M 17 compressors, successors to its M 12 model, and both of which, says the company, combine outstanding performance with exceptionally low sound levels. Also on show will be the M 122, which replaces the M 121 model and features the very latest motor technology. The new SIGMA CONTROL mobil controller will also be on show, and, says the company, represents its innovative control concept for future portable compressor models.

Portable traffic lights may not be the most glamorous product on show, but they are increasingly popular rental tools. Peter new MPB 1400 quartz controlled traffic signals can be configured in seven languages, and can be upgraded for T-junction or crossroads control as required. All settings are controlled via a coded infrared remote control, which prevents unauthorised usage. Quartz, manual, continuous red, continuous green, and flashing yellow modes are all possible. The system can also be equipped with LED technology, either in the factory or retrofitted.

Also worth a look is the Combisafe stand. This company specialises in edge protection and fall arrest systems, and sales to rental companies make up a big proportion of its sales. It will show a selection of its edge protection products, and perhaps also the recently introduced special suspended platform that is designed for work on bridges and other high-level structures.

New surface preparation equipment, meanwhile, will be shown by Schwamborn, including the DSM 430 and DSM 650 contra-rotating grinding machines, designed especially for removing old markings as well as for grinding and polishing of concrete, screed and stone surfaces. Also new is the OMF 250, the first automotive cold milling machine with oscillating chisel-system for concrete- and road restoration, according to the company. Powered by a 19,5 kW engine, the ride-on O MF 250 is suitable for the renovation of industrial floors, parking areas, bridges, road construction, frost damage, circular milling of drain manholes, and is capable of working close to the rim. Working width is 250 mm, working depth is 40 mm for asphalt, 30 mm on concrete, while it is capable of milling up to 30 m2/hour.

Weber patrol MSM, the latest development in its continuous compaction control system (CCD) for walk-behind soil compactors, alerts the operator to machine failures and required maintenance work. If the battery voltage, the engine oil pressure, the air filter restriction, the vibrator frequency or the engine speed are outside of the predetermined tolerance ranges, the corresponding diodes light up on the display to indicate a malfunction. Damages resulting from neglected maintenance or late failure detection can thus be avoided. In addition, a quick repair is possible because the system also indicates the failure location. Also on show will be the new SRV 620 vibratory tamper, further details of which will be available at the show.

Earthmoving

Earthmoving equipment will be to the fore in Munich, of course, and last-minute news on launches comes from several companies. Terex will be previewing the first of a new range of 2 t site dumpers. The TA2 range, which consists of eight machines, will eventually replace the existing PS2000 and PT2000. Powered by the same 24,5 kW Kubota water-cooled diesel engine used in the outgoing machines, the TA2 range is considerably narrower than the existing models, just 1,49 m, and will be available in a wide range of tipping configurations – elevated and swivel – and transmissions.

Visitors to the show will be able to see the TA2SE, a high discharge, swivel-tip dumper, aimed specifically at the smaller plant user and rental market, which is perfectly matched to the bucket capacity of a mini excavator. All models will have a top speed of 16 km/hour.

At the other end of the site dumper scale, Ausa has new 10 t capacity D 1000AP and D 1000APG models, with a front-end or rotary unloading system. Powered by a Kubota 105CV turbo-powered diesel engine, they are just 2,48 m wide, while the /FOPS bars, is 395 mm higher than he 4x4 mach ergonomic controls are all within easy reach. A turning circle of 5,95 m, with a ground clearance of 490 m, mean the new dumpers are ideal for small, cramped sites, or rough terrain.

Hanix is launching a new zero tailswing model, the 5 t H55DR, which is also the first of a new generation D series. The company will exhibit the prototype in Munich, with availability in Europe from early Autumn this year.

Hydrema will be showing five new machines at Bauma, including its new D Series 912 dump truck and 906 and 926 loader/excavators, alongside its M1400 and M1700 C Series2 compact excavators. The 906 and 926 loader/excavators are also now D Series, and feature a new, more spacious cab, a Stage IIIA engine, which has a higher torque than the C-series.

The 10 t 912 10 features a new, more spacious, ergonomically-designed cab, Stage IIIA compliant engine with a larger output and significantly higher torque than in the C-series.

The M1400 and M1700 compact excavators are now C-series2, and feature improved operator comfort, including air conditioning, while the engine suspension is renewed to minimise noise and vibrations. The machines are also equipped with new Stage IIIA engines.

Italian manufacturer Paload will be show casing the first wheeled loader in its Skyline Series at Bauma. Details are still sketchy but the company has told IRN that the model on show will have an operating weight of 10 t and a bucket capacity of 2,0 m3.

The show is also an opportunity for the manufacturers to have a bit of fun and impress visitors at the same time. Volvo Construction Equipment'stand at Bauma, for example, will feature a “new technology”area where future design possibilities will be showcased. The star here will be the Gryphin, an extreme concept wheel loader, for the 2020s.

Following the success of the SfinX excavator design study in 2004, designers have imagined how wheel loaders will develop in the medium term future. The Gryphin undoubtedly looks futuristic, but is still recognisably a Volvo. Using an electric hybrid power source, Gryphin emits almost no emissions, and instead of heavy transmissions, drivelines and axles, it uses electric motors inside each wheel, allowing much higher underbody ground clearance and a super-quiet machine.

A solid, lightweight centre boom improves lifting performance and reduces torsional stresses, while the absence of traditional front boom linkages allows a much better view of the work area.

The frame can be lowered for high-speed haul cycles, reducing the centre of gravity and allowing higher speeds than currently possible with no lost of comfort or stability. It can also be raised; increasing ground clearance over rough ground and offering greater dump heights while maintaining stability.

Aerials and handlers

Back to reality, where the aerial platform and telehandler sector will – as we have previously reported - see dozens of important new launches. One key area here is the 1600 m2demonstration area being run by the International Powered Access Federation (IPAF). This is thought to be the third-largest exhibition area in the whole show, and will play host to around 25 machines of all shapes and sizes.

Although these machines will be there mainly for demonstration purposes, there will be models that will be of great interest in themselves. For example, Skyjack has just re-entered the telescopic boom market and will have one of its new 40/45 ft (12,2/13,7 m) models on the IPAF stand. Another North American manufacturer is Bil-Jax, and it will have the first European version of one of its Summit series of trailer mounted platforms on show. This model is the T-134/98, the metric equivalent of the 3632T model, which has a maximum working height of 13,4 m and outreach of 9,8 m.

Other just-announced highlights will include a massive new 70 m platform from The 70 m working height WT 700 is an updated version of a previous model, and now incorporates H-configuration outriggers. Maximum outreach has risen to 35 m. The company is also making headlines at the moment because it is developing a +100 m model, the so-called WT 10000. That machine won't be at Bauma, but you will be able to get technical details.

If Haulotte, JLG, Genie and Skyjack are the big-name manufacturers of self-propelled booms and scissors, there are also plenty of smaller, successful European players with their own particular strengths. The people, will be present at Bauma and shows two new platforms among the ten there. The novelties are the Height Rider 15 Narrow LPG, the first LPG fuel version of the HR15N, which will now be capable of working fume-free indoors. Also recently introduced is the 4x4 version of the Height Rider 18 (HR18), an articulated boom “aimed squarely at the construction industry and an ideal tool for steel erection or similar tasks.”

Italian scissor specialist Iteco, meanwhile, fleshes out its new range of scissors with the launch of the IT 12151, a 14 m working height model driveable at full height, and the 1000 kg capacity IT 15230, a 16,9 m working height diesel scissor. A “very new novelty”, however, is the IT 12180, a diesel or diesel-electric model with a working height of 14 m. Also new is the 6,5 m IT 4680 M, a scissor with a 0,36 m lateral deck extension.

Telehandlers will also be a much sought after item at Bauma. heralded entrance to the sector is one of the highlights here, although there will be plenty more to see on other stands, including Merlo, Genie, JLG, Caterpillar, Faresin, Kramer and Dieci. The latter, for example, will show the new Pegasus 60.16, powered by a Perkins 4-cylinder 106 kW diesel engine. Featuring 360°tinuous rotation and four, hydraulically activated stabilisers, it is both an aerial platform and a crane. Maximum reach is 15,9 m with extendable arm, while maximum capacity is 6 t.

Software

Bauma sees several rental software, fleet management and equipment tracking companies exhibit. InspHire will be co-exhibiting with its Netherlands company InspHire BV, and US rental management specialists SmartEquip and Qualcomm are also exhibiting. SmartEquip has been buoyed recently by the news that United Rentals is investing in its complete e-Procurement system, while Qualcomm is one of the foremost equipment tracking specialists.

Engines

Following the introduction of E IIIA engine emissions laws fo the 19 to 37 and 75 to 130 kW exhibitors can expect to see a new machines on show featu engines.

One of the largest stands is be he company sa along with the latest range o 3/Stage IIIA compliant engine be its A Series units, which it are the first production Tier 4 IIIB compliant engines to appe the market. Cummins says its 4 technology is built on the identical industrial engine range that was launched for Tier 2, in 2002.

In a slightly different vei showing a hybrid engine-powered construction Vehicle produced in conjuction with weyhausen. Specigfic information on the machines is not yet available however, it will definitely be worth a look in additional to this, Deutz will be showing its 2010 series of engies with outputs up to 75 kW. Compliant with Tier 3/Stage IIIA, the basic concept of these engines will be used to take Deutz into Tier 4/Stage IIIB and beyond.

Kubot's 07 Series will have centre stage on its stand. The 3 litre V3007-DI-T and 3,3 litre V3307-DI-T offer 50 to 55 kW of power and feature direct injection and turbo charging. According to Kubota, both engines are very compact with sizes comparable to a conventional 2,2 litre engine.

Perkins will celebrate its 75th anniversary at Bauma, and will have its latest ranges of engines on show, with particular emphasis being placed on the 10 model 400 Series range of compact units. The 402D-05 (10,2 kW) and the 404D-05 (38 kW) will be on the stand. Three new units have been added to the range in the shape of the 30 kW turbocharged 403D-15T, the naturally aspirated 403D-17, and the 49,2 kW 404D-22TA (turbocharged and aftercooled).

Yanmar will also be displaying the latest versions of its engines, which have been designed to meet the next phase of Tier 3/Stage IIIA that will come into force on 1 January 2008. The company has used electronic governing on its engines in the 37 to 63 kW powerband to meet these new emissions regulations, and according to the company, this has enabled it to keep the power output and external size of the engines the same.

Italy's Lombardini, finally, will also be launching the first three models in a new range of 15LD silenced 1-cylinder air cooled diesel engines. The new 225S, 350S and 440S will offer between 3 and 8,8 kW of power, but will generate up to 4 d(B)A less noise than a conventional engine of the same size.

The injection systems and internal cylinders on the silenced engines have been redesigned to achieve the lower noise levels without changing the external size of the 15LD engines. Although silencing is not mandatory for this size of engine, Lombardini believes that use of the engines will help OEMs to achieve overall noise reduction targets for completed machines. The full range is expected to be available in 2008.