February 2020 Vol. 75 No. 2
New Products
New Products
LiuGong North America
LiuGong North America introduced its first F-series excavator.
The reduced tail-swing, 1.8-metric-ton, mini-class 9018F represents the smallest of the powerfully efficient, sixth-generation LiuGong F-Series models. Its compact dimensions and retractable undercarriage alone give users several transportation and application benefits.
The unit is available with both a closed pressurized cab, featuring heater and window defroster, as well as a canopy design. The closed cab version stands just 7 feet 9 inches tall, all but eliminating headspace concerns while traveling through tunnels and beneath overpasses.
The 9018F’s short stature, combined with a retractable undercarriage, give access to the most restrictive workspaces. Its 51-inch outside-tread-to-outside-tread measurement retracts to just 39 inches, allowing it to easily pass between onsite obstructions and through almost any bay door.
Along with its compact size, versatility comes from being a powerful base unit for a variety of attachments and permitting installation of consumer-requested aftermarket add-ons.
Standard 9018F features include a low-speed, high-torque, Tier 4 Final, Yanmar engine rated at 18 gross horsepower (17 net hp). Easy operation allows travel speed to be changed by top-of-the-handle blade control.
Better fuel consumption is achieved through a more efficient hydraulic system, using 15- to 20- percent less engine power than its predecessor. An improved load-sensitive hydraulic system, with 14-gpm main pump displacement, utilizes a proportional control valve for better management of flow distribution for all attachments.
LiuGong NA offers one of the best warranties in the industry for its 9018F, with three-year/ 4,000-hour, end-to-end coverage.
LiuGong Construction Machinery, N.A., LLC, located in Katy, Texas, is a subsidiary of Guangxi LiuGong Machinery Co. LTD, headquartered in Liuzhou, China.
HX30G Vacuum Excavator: High-Profile Power in a Low-Profile Package
As the latest installment to the Ditch Witch HX vacuum excavator line, the HX30G features the same – but more economical – durable, versatile design.
“The HX30G delivers the same core benefits, in a low-profile package, at a lower price point, to meet the specific needs of municipalities and contractors that use the machine daily,” said Chapman Hancock, Ditch Witch product manager-vacuum excavators
A 31-horsepower Vanguard gas engine provides optimal suction power and water pressure for any small- to mid-sized excavation job or non-hazardous cleanup task. The new higher-powered machine is also equipped with a 542-cfm blower, 3000-psi water pressure and 4.2-gpm water flow to help increase productivity and efficiency on any job.
Offering optimal versatility, the HX30G comes with the choice of a 500- or 800-gallon tank and a variety of trailer configurations. These include the new Ditch Witch VT9 trailer, which when equipped with the 500-gallon tank, has a GVWR of less than 10,000 pounds and does not require a CDL to transport. Other options – a 12K, 14K and 20K trailer – are all NATM compliant.
While upgrading power, HX30G maintains comfort and efficiency. It comes standard with a storage system that allows the hose to be stored flat and straight inside the unit frame when it isn’t needed, and a restraint to keep the hose from jumping. It’s also available with an optional jib boom to provide the widest range of motion in the industry. •
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Ditch Witch, (580) 336-4402, ditchwitch.com
Caterpillar
The new Cat D5 offers superior performance, with power for dozing and finesse for grading. As an upgrade over the predecessor D6N, D5 has 170 horsepower and an operating weight range of 37,875 to 42,263 pounds.
Technology offerings on the D5 are led by updated, factory integrated Cat GRADE with 3D. Advanced Inertial Measuring Units (IMU) provide greater speed and accuracy, without position sensing cylinders. Smaller antennas are integrated into the cab roof for even better protection and inside-mounted GPS receivers can be secured by locking the cab doors.
A more intuitive GRADE operator interface works like a smart phone. An Android OS platform allows installation of custom apps for more versatility. AutoCarry automates blade lift to maintain desired load, improving load consistency and reducing track slip.
Simple, on-board technologies include the Blade Load Monitor, which gives real-time feedback on current, versus optimal, blade load. Traction Control detects track slip and temporarily reduces track power, and a second-generation Stable Blade works seamlessly with blade inputs for smoother surfaces when grading manually.
Steering and slope work are easier due to advanced controls that automatically manage the power train and brakes.
The completely redesigned cab raises the standard in comfort and productivity. Operators will find more space, multiple seat and control adjustments for optimal comfort and a new, easy-to-use 10-inch (254-mm) touchscreen operator interface. A standard, high-definition rearview camera shows prominently in the main display. Overall visibility is enhanced with about 15-percent more cab glass area, and a steeper hood angle that provides 30-percent better forward visibility to the blade and work site.
The D5 comes in Standard or Low Ground Pressure (LGP) configurations, with either a push arm or Variable Power Angle Tilt (VPAT) blade. A folding VPAT blade is available to help meet regional transport width requirements. Waste, Forestry/Land Clearing and Fire Dozer configurations offer specialized, factory-installed guarding and other features to help take on the toughest applications.
Cat LINK telematics helps take the complexity out of managing job sites by gathering data generated by equipment, materials and people, and serving it up in customizable formats.
Kinshofer
Kinshofer added new KFX-Series hydraulic breaker excavator attachments, in conjunction with the company’s acquisition of Hammer, an Italy-based manufacturer of demolition, excavation, recycling and material handling attachments. The new series offers features that increase operator comfort and safety, reduce wear, and improve productivity and longevity.
“Versatility, safety and efficiency aren’t just buzzwords at Kinshofer,” said Francois Martin, North America general manager. “We strive to provide our customers with high-quality equipment that fits their individual needs and improves job-site safety and overall efficiency.”
The smallest model in the series, KFX 14, designed for excavators weighing 8 to 15 tons, produces 1,475 foot-pounds (2,000 joules) and 600 to 900 blows per minute. At the upper end of the series, KFX 200 – for 100- to 200-ton machines – produces 25,815 foot-pounds
(35,000 joules) and 150 to 250 blows per minute.
KFX 20 to 200 models also feature two adjusting valves, allowing operators to change the number of blows per minute and select operating pressures from 160 to 200 bar. Choosing a longer piston stroke, results in slower operation and more energy per single blow, such as when the material is very hard, and capacity isn’t the main concern. A shorter piston stroke causes less single-blow energy, but faster operation, making it ideal for softer material and greater capacity per hour.
An autolube system allows direct greasing of the KFX models’ lower bushing and spacer, thereby improving the longevity of retainer pins and bushings, and reducing the need for manual greasing. This option also enables operators to control greasing from the cab or automatically through movement of the hammer.
Air supply can be added to a connection point on the breaker housing for tunneling and underwater projects. By filling the breaker with defined air pressure, air tubes prevent water or dust particles from getting inside. •
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