Heavy equipment machinery

AN Atlas Copco HB 3000 hydraulic breaker is used in the Mountain View Quarry at Port Wilson near Melbourne for oversize breaking purposes.

A job for which another breaker of the same size took two shifts is now done by the HB 3000 in one and a third shifts. This frees up significant resources needed for other work in the quarry.

Mountain View Quarry is a basalt quarry located just behind the Avalon Airport near Melbourne. Owned and operated by the Barro Group of Companies, the quarry is one of the nine Barro quarries in the Melbourne region.

The basalt from the Mountain View Quarry is used for aggregate and road base for the many construction works in and around Melbourne.

The HB 3000, attached to a CAT 350 excavator, has been in operation for 18 months. Like most quarries, Barro uses its HB 3000 to break through the metres of oversize left after a blast.

Apart from the time saving effect, the quarry is also saving on maintenance costs.

According to Paul Riemer, quarry manager at Port Wilson, after nearly 11 months of continuous use the quarry started to get concerned about the lack of maintenance.

"We got the breaker serviced but found that there was nothing wrong with it. We only replaced the bush to keep it going for another year," said Riemer. Mountain View Quarry’s HB 3000 is fitted with the automatic lubrication system ContiLube II, a feature which Riemer is particularly impressed with. Where in the past the company had to rely on the operator to grease the breaker by hand, a grease cartridge is now inserted and the breaker is automatically supplied with the proper amount of grease.

The breaker is also set on AutoStop so that it is automatically turned off to prevent any damaging idle blows. The dreadful blanking noise which comes from the piston of the hammer hitting nothing has stopped.

http://www.ferret.com.au/articles/8d/0c042f8d.asp

Conventional blasting is becoming more tightly regulated, more expensive and more challenging in many locales due to encroaching urbanization. So manufacturers of hydraulic rock breakers have stepped up the pace of product development in a race to reach the triple crown of breaker technology — superior impact energy, fewer moving parts, less recoil and vibration.

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The increased selection of models, coupled with higher performance and greater reliability, has enabled quarry operators to expand the role of rock breakers as a stationary, pedestal-mounted support implement to a flexible production tool. Rock breakers are available to match up with almost any size carrier. And many of the larger breakers can be used to replace or supplement blasting in situations such as breaking rock on the periphery of a property to avoid blast effects in nearby communities or handling smaller jobs that don’t warrant the expense and effort of blast preparation and monitoring.

Rock breaker versatility has been bolstered by the proliferation of suitable carriers — including beefier skid loaders and hydraulic excavators in a wide spectrum of weight classes. Rock breakers come in sizes that range from handheld versions up to massive 8-ton units; the latter typified by Atlas Copco Construction Tools’ HB 7000. Atlas Copco marketing manager Torsten Ahr explains some of the challenges involved in designing and selling such a large unit.

“Our sales expectations were quite modest at the time, because at the beginning of the ’90s there existed only a few suitable carrier units worldwide,” Ahr says. “Moreover, the use of hydraulic rock breakers as production units in quarries was little known at the time. No one had the experience, one could not bank on reliable data and there were only a few potential users willing and able to invest in heavy hydraulic rock breakers for direct mining.

“The HB 7000’s development engineers had … to harness and produce in a reliable manner a single-impact energy, which was never achieved before. In achieving this, they also had to ensure that the breaker would not destroy itself by the sheer power produced by the impact mechanism. The kinetic forces inside the breaker are enormous, more than 600 tons acting on the tool with every impact, which can be compared with the weight of a fully loaded Airbus A380. The chisel alone weighs 430 kilograms (950 pounds) and has a diameter of 210 millimeters (8.25 inches).”

Ahr says, “Work [on the HB 7000] really started as the first prototypes were delivered to the customers. The breaker reached its physical limits, partially exceeded them and new ways had to be found to turn the prototypes into a real product. No other product has ever yielded such a close cooperation between the product management, sales and marketing departments, dealers, service, logistics and end users.”

Because of the growing interest in rock breakers, Atlas Copco has stepped up its pace of development, introducing a handful of new breakers and opened a new hydraulic implement service center in Texas. Many of the other dozen or so top breaker suppliers also have unveiled new models to meet customer demands and fill gaps in their product lines.

At the upper end of the size range, Atlas Copco has added two models to its heavy-duty HB series — the year-old HB 4200 and the recently introduced HB 2500. The 4200, with a service weight of more than 4 tons, is designed for mounting on carriers in the 45- to 80-ton range. The unit delivers an impact rate of up to 530 blows per minute, with maximum hydraulic flow of 84 gallons per minute and at 2,610 pounds per square inch of pressure. It offers two major productivity features: Atlas Copco’s AutoControl that controls the impact rate on startup to prevent tool slippage and then matches the rate to the density of the material being worked on; and StartSelect that keeps the unit’s hydraulic oil circulating at all times but won’t allow the hammer to fire unless there is down pressure on the tool, thus preventing potentially damaging blank firing. This feature also allows an operator to warm the hydraulic system before starting work in cold weather.

The smaller HB 2500 weighs 2.25 tons, delivers an impact rate of up to 550 blows per minute and is suitable for carriers weighing 32 to 45 tons. It also comes standard with AutoControl and StartSelect, and features an additional system — PowerAdapt — which will automatically shut down the breaker if it senses excessively high oil pressure from the carrier. This provides protection against internal damage that can happen when a breaker is used on multiple carriers with different hydraulic systems.

Both the 2500 and 4200 are equipped with an energy-recovery system that is claimed to prevent damage from piston recoil on extremely hard materials. The system consists of a shuttle valve that detects piston rebound and a high-pressure accumulator that stores energy from piston recoil. The stored energy is used on the succeeding strokes to make them faster and harder.

Caterpillar says its new H160Ds hammer is suitable for mounting on carriers in the 77,000- to 98,000-pound class, such as Cat’s 330C and 345B II hydraulic excavators. The hammer measures 116.2 inches from top plate to tool tip and has an operating weight of almost 7,000 pounds. According to Cat, this model incorporates a number of new or improved features including automatic shut-off, which turns the hammer off when no material is present to avoid blank firing; an accumulator design that allows the user to check and recharge the accumulator without removing the hammer from the machine; a screw adjustment for the pressure-control valve without removing it from the hammer power cell; and full-length wear plates, with visual wear indicators, on all four sides of the inner housing. Cat also says that the new hammer has more power and higher blow frequency, offering improved productivity over the previous model.

Hydraulic hammer manufacturer Breaker Technology Inc. also has developed the MBS mounting systems for use with rock breakers on portable aggregate and recycle plants. The new MBS models can remain on the plant due to a low-profile design that allows the boom to be lowered flat onto the feeder, below the height of the flywheel for road transportation. These units are designed to be installed or retrofitted to new or existing wheeled- or track-mounted crushing plants. They can be mounted to the side of track-mounted crushing plants or between the drive and the jaw on portable plants. It also can be designed without a pedestal base to give it a smaller footprint in confined spaces.

The MBS series comes in two major configurations — the MBS and the MBS-H. The MBS is the lighter of the two styles and is designed for recycle and light quarry applications for hydraulic breakers up to 1,100 foot-pounds. The MBS-H is designed for hard-rock applications for breakers as large as 3,000 foot-pounds. The MBS13H has a vertical reach of 13 feet and 200-degree swing rotation.

Both Caterpillar and Bobcat have launched new models in the lower size ranges for mounting on skid-steer loaders or mini-excavators, The Bobcat HB1180 hydraulic breaker falls into the 750-foot-pound impact energy class and can be used on Bobcat skid-steer loaders (models S220 through S300), compact track loaders (models T250 through T300), the A300 all-wheel steer loader, and compact excavators (models 337, 341 and 435). A major improvement on the HB1180 is the auto-power feature, which is an automatic pressure regulator that ensures maximum performance of the hydraulic breaker, regardless of tool carrier hydraulic flow variations or changes in outdoor temperature. This feature also limits excessive pressure at the time of start-up. As a result, the energy chamber diaphragm is protected, allowing for longer service life. According to Bobcat, the energy chamber on the HB1180 allows nitrogen pressure to remain constant so periodic recharging is unnecessary, thus making the breaker virtually maintenance-free.

Cat’s H55Ds 500-foot-pound hydraulic hammer features a higher blow rate and 25% more power for production from a 436-pound work tool. Recommended carrier weight is 5,500 to 9,900 pounds. The new hammer is compatible with the Caterpillar pin grabber quick coupler system. Principal features include an enclosed housing that protects the power cell and reduces noise, recoil isolation, high- and low-pressure accumulator, a one-piece body that eliminates rods and nuts for better reliability, and integral mounting that doesn’t require brackets on the excavator.

Atlas Copco’s 1,210-pound PB 530 Penta Series hydraulic breaker is designed for use with skid steers, backhoes and mini-excavators in the 20,000- to 35,000-pound weight class. The breaker delivers an impact rate of up to 1,100 blows per minute and accepts a maximum hydraulic flow of 26.4 gallons per minute at 2,175 pounds per square inch of pressure. The PB 530 comes with the standard VibroSilenced damping system, which controls the breaker’s sound and vibration during operation. Elastic elements between the percussion mechanism and box enclosure provide acoustic insulation, reducing noise by up to 10 decibels compared with similar guide systems. The unit’s one-piece, field-replaceable slip-fit bushing is pinned in place by the working steel. This allows the operator to replace both the steel and bushing by removing the pin, as opposed to dismantling the entire breaker.

Sandvik Mining & Construction added the Rammer G88 heavyweight breaker to its line-up. This 3-ton unit is larger than the Rammer G80 and is designed for use on excavators in the 30- to 45-ton weight range. As with the other hammers in the Rammer line, the G88 is equipped with a seal system around the tool to keep dust and dirt out. The unit also features idle stroke protection, an integrated lubrication system and advanced side-bolt engineering. According to Sandvik, this results in a hammer that is more durable, reliable and, therefore, profitable than its predecessors.

The G88 has an impact cell with advances in seal technology as well as a reduced number of components. At the front end of the hammer, the G88 has a simple and reliable tool retaining system and a longer guidance arrangement for the tool while the lip bushing is removed. The Rammer G88 is offered with tools that have been designed with a larger diameter at the lower tool bushing for improved durability. Although Sandvik’s announcement of the G88 didn’t include operating specs, the G88 falls into the range of its G80 and G90 series of hammers which provide impact rates from 300 to 630 blows per minute, depending on the model, and operate on 42 to 82 gallons per minute of hydraulic flow.

Stanley Hydraulic Tools markets a line of mountable breakers that range in size from 1,250 to 8,800 pounds (with bit). The MB EXS Stealth series extends from the smallest model — the MB20EXS, with 1,500 foot-pounds of impact energy — to the 12,000-foot-pound MB100EXS, which is 128 inches long, has a tool diameter of 6.9 inches and is intended for mounting on carriers sized between 80,000 and 130,000 pounds. An optional auto-lube kit is available for all models in the series and is mounted directly on the breaker.

Indeco’s line of hydraulic breakers covers all applications from skid-steer loader-mountable units up to the HP-16000. It’s a 17,000-pound hammer that uses a 9-inch-diameter tool and is suitable for mounting on excavators with operating weights up to 130 tons. Impact rates provided by the 16,000-foot-pound HP-16000 ranges from 240 to 550 blows per minute.

In the medium-size class, Atlas Copco introduced two new models, the MB 1200 and MB 700. Weighing just over 1.5 tons, the 1200 can be mounted on carriers weighing 15 to 30 tons and delivers up to 680 blows per minute. The 1,650-pound, 800-blow-per-minute MB 700 has only two moving parts and doesn’t require a high-pressure accumulator, reducing the unit’s maintenance needs and increasing its reliability. In addition to AutoControl and StartSelect, these units feature a VibroSilenced damping system for reduced noise and vibration, and Atlas Copco’s ContiLube II, an automatic lubrication system mounted directly on the breaker.

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Considering all the tough jobs that mounted hydraulic breakers can take on, it’s no wonder why these powerful tools are so popular. Chores range from demolishing buildings, to removing cracked sidewalks; from trenching in rock, to breaking frozen ground for utility repairs; and from secondary reduction of blasted material in quarries, to selectively uncovering pockets of ore in large mines.

Unofficial estimates place North America’s current annual mounted-breaker market between 10,000 and 15,000 units — a market shared by a multitude of brand names. Many of the familiar names, however, are the result of private-labeling agreements in which, for example, an excavator or skid-steer-loader manufacturer places its own brand on products purchased from a breaker manufacturer.

Peter Bigwood, president of Atlas Copco Construction Tools, sees smaller breakers as becoming increasingly private-label commodities. And in North America, he says, smaller breakers also are beginning to supplant hand-held tools, but not yet to the extent that this trend has taken hold in Europe and Asia.

Other trends Bigwood observes include the expanded use of quieter breaker models, especially for reclaiming demolition debris on site; the use of larger models in quarries as the use of explosives becomes more regulated; and, overall, a move toward breaker designs aimed at protecting these tools from on-site hazards, including the inexperienced operator.
Basic design considerations

Mounted hydraulic breakers reflect two basic exterior designs — "side-plate" and "boxed" — the latter sometimes also identified as "enclosed" or "full-cradle." The side-plate design essentially uses two slabs of steel that typically are secured to the sides of the breaker with threaded fasteners, an arrangement that usually leaves the front and back of the breaker open.

According to Al Springer, national sales manager for Allied Construction Products, advantages for side-plate breakers include a simpler, often-less-expensive design, cooler operation and reduced operating weight. On the minus side, says Springer, these breakers are louder (than their boxed counterparts), side bolts can loosen or break, and the plates do not afford as much protection as do boxed designs.

Boxed breakers use an outer housing that completely surrounds the breaker mechanism, which normally is positioned in the housing with blocks of resilient material that buffer the breaker from the housing and create a shock-absorbing barrier at the top, where the breaker mounts to the carrier. Advantages for the boxed design, says Springer, include more protection from jobsite debris, quieter operation, reduction of shock and vibration transmitted to the carrier (thanks to the resilient upper mounting), and no problems with plate-mounting bolts.
Powering the piston

Mounted hydraulic breakers also can be classified by the principal means they use to "fire" (force down) the piston, which strikes the breaker’s working tool that actually engages the material to be broken. In today’s market, you’ll find three basic piston-firing systems: nitrogen-gas only, hydraulic-oil only, and a combination of nitrogen gas and hydraulic oil. All three designs, however, use hydraulic oil from the carrier to raise the piston to its firing position.

As the piston in a nitrogen-fired breaker is forced upward, it compresses the gas charge above it. When hydraulic pressure below the piston is released, the compressed nitrogen forces the piston down. A major advantage of the gas-only breaker, says Chuck Stevens, senior vice president of sales for NPK, is the capacity of the nitrogen charge "to keep up with the velocity of the piston." According to Stevens, the gas-only design is simple, easy to service, and requires little maintenance, other than periodically checking the nitrogen charge.

Oil-fired breakers, on the other hand, rely principally on pressurized hydraulic oil from the carrier to force down the piston. This design, however, typically also employs an enclosed nitrogen charge that serves as a shock absorber for the hydraulics, according to Tom Pinchuk, attachments marketing manager for Ingersoll Rand. This "energy chamber," as Ingersoll Rand calls the area containing the nitrogen charge, accepts oil displaced from the top of the piston as it moves upward to its firing position.

When the piston fires, pressurized oil from the carrier forces the piston down. Near the end of its stroke, however, the piston is moving so fast that flow from the carrier may not keep pace. To avoid cavitation, the energy chamber releases additional oil to supplement flow from the carrier. According to Pinchuk, since the "fully hydraulic" breaker does not principally nor directly rely on compressed nitrogen gas to generate blow energy, the breaker strikes with constant maximum force, regardless of nitrogen pressure.

The oil/gas-combination breaker uses both nitrogen and hydraulic oil as principal firing means. Nitrogen in a sealed chamber at the top of the piston is compressed as the piston is lifted. When the compressed nitrogen fires and forces the piston down, the nitrogen’s effort is assisted by the carrier’s pressurized hydraulic oil, which typically is forced into an annular space around the piston and adds energy to the descending piston. Some combination breakers can derive as much as 75 percent of their piston-firing power from the nitrogen charge.

Allied’s Springer brings a sense of perspective to the various designs:

"Manufacturers frequently are asked what breaker design is best," says Springer. "We as manufacturers have our biases, of course, but all three designs have plus and minus points. All three are good, or they wouldn’t persist in the marketplace."
Technology enhancements

Among the most potentially damaging events in a breaker’s life is "blank firing," that is, when the piston slams down to the bottom of its stroke without contacting the tool, thus forcing the breaker to absorb tremendous energy. To lessen the effect of blank firing, some breaker designs incorporate a hydraulic cushion at the end of the piston’s stroke. Other designs prevent the breaker from firing if insufficient resistance (or preload) is sensed at the working surface.

Yet other designs, such as that reflected in the Allied Rammer m-Series and in certain larger Atlas Copco models, allow the breaker, in the hands of an experienced operator, to be adjusted to suit the application. The breaker can be made either to shut off automatically when preload diminishes to an undesirable degree or, conversely, to begin operating with no preload to facilitate working in difficult horizontal or overhead positions.

A number of today’s breakers also feature the capability to automatically adjust the ratio of impact energy to impact rate to suit the material being broken. Breakers typically are more efficient in hard materials, for example, when working at maximum blow energy, but at reduced blow frequency. In softer materials, reversing this ratio normally results in the greatest efficiency. The potential benefits of being able to adjust these parameters, says Ingersoll Rand’s Pinchuk, include improved production, reduced fuel consumption and less carrier wear.

To complement the piston’s percussive force when working in particularly tough material, some larger breakers can recover recoil energy by using it to force hydraulic oil into an accumulator, which then adds the force of this oil to the next blow. Some manufacturers claim energy boosts of up to 25 percent.

Jobsite conditions that can quickly shorten breaker life are insufficient lubrication of the working tool and abrasive dust that works its way into the lower portion of the breaker. Thus, more breaker models are being fitted with automatic lubrication systems. And for breakers at work in extremely dusty and abrasive applications, a sealing system (usually an option) often can be installed at the tool/housing interface to prevent intrusion of damaging debris.

Also high on the list of technical advances is easier maintenance and overhaul. Increasingly, more breakers are being designed to allow easier changes of the lower bushing and working-tool — sometimes even in the field and without removing the breaker from the carrier. And in a growing number of instances, easier routine maintenance is complemented by new designs that require far less time to overhaul, compared to predecessor models.

And in all of this, as Tom Pinchuk reminds us, advances in metallurgy also have greatly enhanced the overall performance and durability of the mounted hydraulic breaker.

Allied Construction Products

Broad Selection

Allied Construction Products has two breaker lines, Rammer and the AR-Series. The Rammer line includes five different breaker series, a total of 32 distinct models, sized to fit a broad range of carriers. The AR-Series, says Allied, meets the growing demands of the rental market and offers "an alternative hydraulic breaker" to contractors.

Number of models: 40

New models: in8, in11, in15, in22, m14, m18, G 88 and AR 70C

Product-line features: The Rammer m-Series breakers (the m-18 is pictured) are designed as three modules, which can be separately (and speedily, says Allied) repaired. According to the company, the m-Series features adjustable impact energy, constant blow energy, high power-to-weight ratios, heavy pistons for high impact energy, no tie rods or bolts and the RamData blow counter that signals (via colored lights) when specific maintenance is required.

Stanley

Protected Side-Plate Hardware

According to Stanley, the three smallest models in its Series-6 line (MB 156, MB 256 and MB 356) feature a stress and fatigue-resistant body design with fully protected side-plate hardware that "virtually eliminates bolt failures." The three largest models (MB 556, MB 656 and MB 956) use a fully enclosed housing that employs an "anti-vibration design with the power cell floated between upper and lower bumpers."

Number of models: 15

New models: MB 15EXS

Product-line features: The Stanley line of MB EXS Stealth-Series breakers are designed to fit hydraulic excavators weighing from 10,000 to 130,000 pounds, and the three smallest models (MB 15EXS, MB 20 EXS and MB 30 EXS) are suitable for use on backhoes weighing from 10,000 to 28,000 pounds. These breakers incorporate noise-suppression features and have an "armored" (heavy-duty) lower end for the enclosed housing.

Ingersoll Rand

Fully Hydraulic Operation

The Ingersoll Rand range of mounted hydraulic breakers (which includes three series: (Tramac Heavy; Tramac Medium; and the SC/CB models) features fully hydraulic operation. An integral design feature is an "energy cell," which supplements hydraulic flow from the carrier and, says the company, ensures maximum energy with every blow.

Number of models: 19

Product-line features: An automatic pressure regulator in Ingersoll Rand breaker models is designed to maintain proper operating pressure at any flow rate within a specified range. Heavy- and medium-class models also feature an energy-recovery valve that "recycles recoil energy and adds it to the next blow" and a trapezoidal piston designed to generate "a progressive, sustained shockwave that builds intensity throughout its duration."

Okada America

Long-Stroke/High-Velocity Piston

According to Okada America, the design of its breakers features pistons that have a long stroke and attain high velocity for maximum impact energy. These breakers employ a combination of high-pressure hydraulic oil from the carrier as well as a compressed-nitrogen-gas charge to fire the piston.

Number of models: 17

Product-line features: Okada America makes the point that its unique heat-treating process produces special-strength working steels that provide long-wear life in severe applications. Large upper and lower tool bushings are designed with special, wear-resistant alloys.

Huskie

Two Moving Parts

The piston and the main valve are the only moving parts on its breakers, says Huskie, and all of its models are serviceable in the field without special tools. According to Huskie, its breaker models feature a "gas-assist" cycle, using the hydraulic system to provide most of the firing power.

Number of models: 12

New models: HH150-2, HH300-2, HH500-2, HH750-2, HH1000-2

Product-line features: Newest in the Huskie line are the Series-2 models which, says the company, provide as much as 50 percent more power in the same package as predecessor models. The Series-2 features redesigned pistons, main valves and internal porting. Larger models in the Huskie line (HH2000-HH8000) provide two levels of blow energy and frequency.

Atlas Copco

Automatic Power Boost

The largest models in Atlas Copco’s four-series breaker line are in the HB (Heavy Breaker) range. Powered by a combination of hydraulic oil and nitrogen gas, these models receive as much as 75 percent of their piston-firing power from the nitrogen. In tough conditions, HB breakers can switch to an energy-recovery mode, boosting percussive output by as much as 25 percent.

Number of models: 29

New models: SB 100, SB 150, PB 530, MB 700, HB 2500

Product-line features: Atlas Copco’s SB (Solid Body)-Series includes 12 models that range in weight from around 75 to 950 pounds and feature a one-piece design that contains all integral components in an iron-alloy casting. Newest additions to the SB line are the SB100 and the SB150 (pictured), which use a replaceable floating bushing and incorporate a built-in relief valve to protect against excessive pressure from the carrier.

Kent

Dust-Intake Protection

The largest of Kent’s F-Series mounted hydraulic breakers (KF19Qt through the KF70Qt) feature a dust-intake-prevention system designed to minimize dust intrusion into the front head during the piston upstroke. According to Kent, this feature extends the life of the piston as well as the working steel and bushings.

Number of models: 14

Product-line features: Features of the model KF22Qt (pictured) include a built-in safety valve that actuates when the carrier exceeds the unit’s maximum pressure, a greasing system that lubricates the front head and front bushings, plus higher back-head pressure and larger piston diameterto increase impact energy by as much as20 percent compared with predecessor models.

Arrowhead

"Urban Silencing"

The Arrowhead range includes two breaker series, the S-Series and the Urban-Series. The latter features reduced-sound operation, mechanical/hydraulic recoil dampening and, says the company, a tolerance for a wide spread of pressure and flow.

Number of models: 8

Product-line features: The S-Series range includes five models that range in Impact Energy Class ratings from 250 to 1,250 foot pounds. The largest model, S100, is capable of blow frequencies from 550 to 1,100 and is designed for carriers weighing from 16,000 to 24,200 pounds.

NPK

Resilient Mounting Dampens Forces

According to NPK, all of its breakers are built with only two moving parts, are designed to eliminate bladder-type accumulators, use a quick-change tool sys-tem and feature separate ports to accommodate an Auto Lube system and an air line for underwater operation. The company’s medium and large models use a shock-absorbing mounting bracket with heavy-duty rubber pads to absorb shock, recoil and vibration forces.

Number of models: 14

New models: GH-30

Product-line features: The new GH-Series breakers, says NPK, are benefactors of a computer-modeling design that results in units of lighter weight, yet capable of high impact energy. GH-Series features designed to increase service life and to facilitate servicing include an internal drain system to promote longer seal life, new bottom tie-rod nuts and a new bottom enclosure that affords enhanced protection.

MKB

Wide Range of Capability

The MKB range of breakers is manufactured by the Konan Construction Group in Japan and distributed (through a network of 300 dealers) by Dominion Equipment Parts. The MKB line provides models ranging in impact-energy-class ratings from 150 to 18,000 foot pounds.

Number of models: 15

New models: 1400N, 1700V

Product-line features: The MKB range of breakers uses a combination of pressurized oil from the carrier and a nitrogen-gas charge to fire the piston. According to the manufacturer, the breakers are designed with noise- and vibration-absorption features.

Indeco

Automatic Power/Speed Adjustment

Indeco loosely classifies its 19-model HP-Series breaker range into three categories: skid-steer/mini-excavator; tractor-loader-backhoe; and hydraulic excavator. The as-sociated carrier weights for these classifications are, respectively, 0.5 to 6 tons; 4.5 to 12 tons and 7 to 90 tons.

Number of models: 19

New models: HP Series

Product-line features: According to Indeco, its new HP (High Performance) range of breakers features "automatic variance of speed and power," dual shock-absorber systems, two tool retainers, field-replaceable lower insert bushing and power greasing system.

BTI

Side-Plate and Box-Housing Models

The 35-model BTI hydraulic breaker line ranges in impact-energy-class ratings from 350 to 10,000 foot-pounds, and in operating weight from 240 to 10,195 pounds. The BTI product range includes a mix of side-plate models (TB-ME, TB-QA and TB-X) and boxed-housing models (TB-XC and BT-Series) that accommodate a wide spread of carriers, including pedestals.

Number of models: 35

Product-line features: The BTI BT-Series features 10 suspended-boxed-housing models that incorporate rock clawsand abrasion-resistant plating around the nose. A pressure-balancing system on smaller models eliminates the accumulator, but an accumulator used on models rated at 4,000 foot-pounds or more assists in piston acceleration. The eight largest models have remote air porting for underwateroperation.

Bobcat

Switch Between Loader and Excavator

Bobcat, a business of Ingersoll Rand, is the benefactor of its parent company’s hydraulic-breaker technology. We have chosen to include Bobcat among breaker manufacturers, however, because Bobcat engineers were instrumental in the development of the small breaker line, and because certain components of the breakers are manufactured in Bobcat facilities.

Number of models: 5

New models: HB1180

Product-line features: Bobcat makes the point that its breakers can be switched between a Bobcat skid-steer loader and a Bobcat hydraulic excavator by using the Loader X-Change frame and an Excavator X-Change mounting cap. The newest of the Bobcat breakers, the 750-foot-pound-rated HB1180, is designed to fit a range of Bobcat models.

Caterpillar

Enhanced Operating Cycle

Caterpillar’s new D-Series hydraulic-breaker range to date (more models are coming) covers a broad spectrum of breaker applications, from the model H35Ds to the H160Ds. According to Caterpillar’s Work Tool Group, the company designs it own breakers, and then manufactures them via a joint-venture agreement with a major breaker manufacturer.

Number of models: 6

New models: H35Ds, H45Ds, H55Ds, H65Ds, H140D and H160Ds

Product-line features: Larger models incorporate an automatic shut-off feature (blank-firing protection), provide screw adjustment of the pressure control valve (no need to remove the valve), and also feature an enhanced operating cycle that delivers increased power and higher blow frequency than predecessor models. Smaller-model features include an enclosed housing and one-piece body (no tie rods or nuts).

Taiwan – The model JM-2018 hydraulic jack from Jia Meei Industrial Co. Ltd can lift a weight of 2 metric tons to a height of 380mm.

The floor jack conforms to GS, CE and ANSI standards and has been tested to 150 percent of its rated capacity. It features a hydraulic bypass circuit that helps prevent damage from overloading. A sealed pump unit keeps air from getting trapped.

The product is made of heavy-gauge steel and has an enameled finish. It is fitted with two fixed wheels and two full-swivel rear casters. The model also has a 360-degree rotating saddle, swivel PVC carrying handle and detachable tubular handle with a PVC grip.

One set comes in a colored box or a blow-molded PE case.

Price is given on direct inquiry. The minimum order is $5,000 worth. Delivery is within 45 days after receipt of an L/C.

http://www.machinery.globalsources.com/gsol/I/Hydraulic-jack/a/9000000082206.htm

The July-August 1992 edition of Aggregates & Roadbuilding included an article on Robert E. Young Construction Ltd., a family owned business based in Peterborough, Ont. and one of the biggest custom crushing operators in the province. The article described a unique telescopic tower mounting for a hydraulic breaker on one of Young’s existing portable primary jaw crushers. The successful retro–fit of this tower and breaker combination facilitated raising and lowering of the breaker when changing from working to travelling mode. At the time, this design promised to play an important role in the company’s future, as it not only eliminated the safety hazard of crusher jams, but also offered fast set up and improved productivity, while meeting Ontario’s highway height restrictions. Aggregates & Roadbuilding visited Young again recently, to learn more about the long-term performance of this unique breaker system.

Owner and president Robert Young has no doubts that the custom-designed hydraulic breaker system used on his spread of portable crushing equipment has contributed to both the company’s excellent safety record and subsequent growth. So much, in fact, that all of the company’s primary crushers are now fitted with the height adjustable breaker.

View of the 2000 ft-lb class TB-725X hydraulic breaker and PB12 pedestal boom at work on a Cedarapids 30 x 42 portable primary jaw crusher.

"For us, the breaker has played an important role for several reasons. We have eliminated the safety hazards traditionally associated with freeing jammed or bridged material from a jaw. Also, our success in the custom crushing and hauling business depends on us being able to set up and take down equipment quickly and the breaker is capable of operating within 30 minutes of arrival at a new site. This, combined with the fact that all our mobile crushing equipment has hydraulic jacks, as well as hydraulic drives, means that we can be fully operational within two hours. Not only that, our average productivity has increased by at least 20 per cent."

Young Construction have utilised Breaker Technology, Ltd.’s, (formerly Teledyne) PB12 pedestal boom equipped with a 2000 ft-lb class TB-725X hydraulic breaker for all their jaws, mounted on a custom built tower. With its reach of 3.6 m the boom enables the operator to direct the hammer into all areas of the feeder and also directly down into the crusher to break up material jams.

The breaker system is credited with boosting production while greatly improving operator safety.

In 1992, Young Construction had a significant contract crushing business and were already established in the relatively new business of crushing reclaimed concrete and asphalt materials.

Over two hundred crushing contracts and seven and a half years later, the company now operates up to 500 km from their base in Ennismore. In 1999 Young Construction crushed a total of about 3 000 000 tonnes, divided equally between reclaimed materials and sand and gravel, on contracts ranging in size from 10 000 to 200 000 tonnes. At the same time, separate asphalt and construction businesses have been successfully established. A comparison of Young Construction’s equipment inventory makes interesting read   ing and underlines the growth of the business.

The hammer breaks slabby material in the feeder.

The company currently operates five diesel-powered Cedarapids primary jaw crushers, compared to two in 1992, including a 26 x 40 and three 30 x 42 machines, together with a new 30 x 54 unit on order from the Mississauga, Ont. branch of Strongco Equipment. All these units incorporate the telescopic tower and breaker system. The 1992 fleet of six Cedarapids 443 Commander secondary plants has increased to eleven units, including seven 443 Commander plants and four 855 Commander plants. In addition, the company employs nine diesel-powered stockpile conveyors ranging in length from 24.4 m to 30.5 m.

 

Young Construction crushes 1.5 million tonnes/y of recycled concrete. Crushed recycled concrete is stockpiled for use as Granular A materials.

In terms of mobile equipment, the loader fleet has expanded from seven machines to no less than nineteen, including four Michigan L190’s, 10 Caterpillar 980 models (six 980C’s, one 980F and three 980G’s), as well as five Michigan 125’s. The company’s fleet of Mack trucks has increased to nineteen from fifteen (four CL600’s and fifteen RD685’s), as well as fourteen Raglan belly dump tri-axle trailers and six tri-axle dump trailers.

The breaker used by Young Construction is mounted on a 1219 mm square telescopic tower that is raised and lowered 1219 mm. Two 50 mm diameter pins are used to secure the tower in the raised position. Vertical movement of the tower is provided by a hydraulic cylinder located in a protected position, while the power pack is located in a protective cavity directly below the plate supporting the pedestal boom. The Caterpillar D3406 engine driving the jaw has ample capacity to provide the necessary hydraulic power for the boom and breaker, although it has to be moved towards the front of the trailer to accommodate the tower, resulting in longer jaw drive belts and hydraulic hoses. The design of the tower and hammer mounting reflects the care and planning that went into the first 1992 model given the close tolerances in every direction. The current design is essentially unchanged, although the two most recent machines have two hydraulic cylinders compared to a single cylinder on the first three machines.

The current telescopic tower arrangement for the pedestal boom system utilizes two hydraulic cylinders mounted to a steel H-beam on the centre line of the tower frame.

When traveling between jobs, the tower is lowered 1219 mm and the hammer boom is set to a horizontal position across the top of the jaw and feeder. The resulting overall height is below the 4.27 m height limitation established by the Ontario Ministry of Transportation for highway travel in the province.

During Aggregates & Roadbuilding’s latest visit, one of Young Construction’s plants was set up in North York in the City of Toronto on a contract to crush about 50 000 tonnes of reclaimed concrete and as-phalt. The material included slabby material up to 102 mm x 204 mm, typically 203 mm thick, although some pieces were as thick as 458 mm. A Caterpillar 980G on load and carry fed the jaw’s feeder. Here the hammer worked steadily, breaking oversize material, clearing hang-ups and raking material into the jaw to maintain an even flow.

The 30 x 42 jaw is run at a tight setting, reducing material to 102 mm minus. The jaw products are conveyed to the secondary plant The breaker system is credited with boosting production while greatly improving operator safety. 

for further reduction and sizing into Granu-lar A (19 mm minus) roadbase materials. The plant’s average production rate is 225 tonnes/h, with a typical operating week consisting of 6 am to 6 pm shifts and a weekly target running total of 55 hours.

The increased versatility and productivity offered by the breaker system has enabled Robert E. Young Construction to bid on recycling contracts and oversize jobs that otherwise might have been seen as too risky or costly to undertake. Don Young cites several examples where jobs could not have been handled effectively without the breaker, due to oversize in the feed material. Here, undesirable alternatives included a separate backhoe-mounted breaker or leaving behind a pile of oversize material.

Cat 980G feeds portable plant. Last year, Young Construction crushed a total of 3 million tonnes.

So what does the future hold for Robert E. Young Construction Ltd.? Rising fuel costs are a concern, as they are for thousands of operators using diesel-powered equipment.

As Robert Young points out, the company’s pre-tax cost of diesel fuel has increased by 100 per cent over the last year, which translates into increased overall production costs of between 12 and 15 per cent.

Despite this, the future looks good, given the strength of the provincial economy and the level of construction activity, while the increased interest in the crushing of both on-site and stockpiled reclaimed material suggests numerous opportunities for an experienced operator such as Young Construction.

Robert Young has been in the custom crushing and hauling business for some 45 years. This business is a family affair, and included in the total of 45 employees is Robert’s wife Eleanor, sons Robert Jr., Carl, and Don, daughters Ilene, Lenore and Sarah as well as family nieces, nephews and grand-children.

Using a hydraulic hammer instead of explosives to free rock from the quarry face occasionally has been reported in some European operations but is virtually unheard of in North America. However, as hammers and carriers increase in size and durability, sound attenuation is improved, and residential and business developments encroach upon urban quarries, there may be a few applications where hammers work.
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According to Krupp Bautechnik, a German manufacturer of hammers, field results reveal five advantages to using a hammer for primary breaking.

1. Selective extraction Quarrying methods using explosives typically mix together varying mineral grades within a deposit. This can reduce quality or make the stone unsuitable for some applications. Hydraulic hammers allow selective quarrying of individual rock layers, possibly providing higher-priced products.

2. Higher quality standards Blasting can cause microcracks in quarried rock, Krupp said, which may decrease rock quality and selling price. Blasting also produces a certain volume of unsaleable fines. By reducing fines, the saleable production volume in the required grain sizes can be increased as much as 5%, according to the company.

3. Continuous production Before blasting, the danger zone near the quarry face must be cleared of people and machinery, often interrupting production. Primary and secondary breaking using hydraulic hammers allows continuous production and decreases movement of mobile crushers and conveyor systems. Processing and conveying equipment can consistently remain close to the working face.

4. Fewer, smaller crushers Hammer operators can determine the fragmentation of the rock before initial crushing. This can eliminate the need for a large primary crusher, Krupp said. Material can be fed directly to downstream crushers, saving on investment and maintenance costs.

5. Environmental aspects Quarries facing severe restrictions on noise and vibration from blasting may find hydraulic hammers an effective alternative. New sound-attenuated ("silenced") hammers can operate at noise levels as low as 85 dBa at a distance of 10 meters Krupp said. Another environmental advantage of hydraulic hammers is the resulting lower bench heights, which can reduce reclamation costs.

But is it cost effective? Although using a hydraulic hammer for primary breaking intuitively seems like a slow, costly proposition, under some conditions it may be worth consideration. If you are facing fierce public opposition to blasting, and rock- formation characteristics-such as bedding, compressive strength and fractures-are amenable to breaking with a hammer, it may be an attractive alternative to a prolonged public battle or to shut down of the operation.

Nevertheless, potential production rates, hammer and carrier capital and operating costs, and operator costs are limiting factors that could make the cost-per-ton too high in most North American quarries.

Facing underutilization of a new drilling rig at its Cooma Road Quarry in New South Wales, Australia, CSR established a system of internal contracting to spread the costs-and savings-among six quarries in the region. According to Tamrock News, CSR was able to dispose of the six old air track drills used at the quarries and replace them with one piece of equipment and one operator.

Cooma Road Quarry charges the other five operations $140 (Australian) per hour, including relocation, drill steel and bits, operating and maintenance costs and depreciation. That is about 71% of the price charged by local drilling contractors. CSR expects to decrease the hourly rate as efficiency increases. The rig averages 29 drilled meters per hour. Drill rig utilization is about 97%.

http://rockproducts.com/mag/rock_using_hydraulic_hammer/index.html

In our latest product round-up, we take a closer look at new products available for breaking oversize rock and concrete

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Rammer’s Z250 Zoom Boom breaker boom system can be used with stationary or wheel and track-mounted mobile recycling crushers. It is built around S22, S23 or S25 hydraulic hammers that deliver an impact energy of up to 565 ft-lb, equivalent to 481 ft-lb under the CIMA rating system. The 200- to 400-kg class hammers are mounted on a special low-profile boom that adds 220 mm to the height of the carrier machine.

The extendible boom offers a reach of 2.5 meters, allowing the boom system to reach both the crusher and feeder if necessary. The system is powered by Rammer HA 18.5 hydraulic power pack, delivering the required 65 l/min hydraulic oil flow to power both the hammer and the pedestal slew and swing functions. To eliminate the weight of an additional power pack, the system is often connected directly to the crusher’s hydraulic circuit. Its functions are controlled via a systems of valves. An electro-hydraulic remote control with a two-joystick hydraulic control linked to the machine via cables is also available. The third control option is a wireless 450 MHz remote control option with the ability to stop and start the power pack.

The 14,550-lb G 130 Rammer hydraulic hammer is designed for carriers in the 60- to 100-ton class. The unit develops an impact energy of 7,116 ft-lb using the CIMA rating system. This represents a 4% improvement over the G 120, the company said. It also is equipped with the company’s sound suppression system, reducing noise emissions to 85 dBa.

It is also piped for the company’s dust suppression package. The use of a dust-proof housing, dust-proof tool retaining pin locking system and the optional Ramlube automatic lubrication system all reduce wear, the company said. The unit delivers 300 to 400 bpm.

The company’s G 110 hammer is designed for use on carriers in the 88,000 to 154,000 lb weight range. The 8,400-lb hammer can provide 280 to 650 bpm.

Rammer offers 20 pedestal boom breaking systems designed for use on mobile and stationary crushers up through large grizzly and gyratory crushing systems. The C Series, typically used on mobile units, provides a horizontal reach to 20.3 ft and a vertical reach to 18.4 ft. The S and M Series, typically used in crushing plants and grizzly applications, support large hammers and provide a horizontal reach to 21.7 ft and a vertical reach to 19.4 ft. The L and XL Series booms have a maximum 40-ft-horizontal reach and 34.8-ft vertical reach. They are suitable for use in large grizzly and gyratory crushing applications, with the XL Series being able to carry a 3-ton hammer, the company said.

The new XM Series features six standard and three heavy duty configurations. Operating weights are from 14,200 to 17,200 lb. Depending on the model, horizontal reach ranges from 18.4 to 32.2 ft and vertical reach from 15.7 to 27.9 ft. Recommended hammers are the E series as well as the G80.

Indeco introduced a series of stationary boom systems featuring three sizes that accept breakers in the 500- to 5,500-ft-lb energy class. The series features base plates from 40 ¥ 40 in. to 60 ¥ 60 in., motors up to 75 hp, a 360° swing rotation, horizontal reach up to 25 ft, an oversized Rotec bearing with gear drive and replaceable nylon bushings at all pivot points. The company’s breakers have an auto-variable speed system that senses density of the material to be broken and adjusts the speed and power. The unit has a power greasing system on the MES1750 and above, and a dual shock absorption system to eliminate recoil, the company said.

Indeco launched its website: www.indeco-breakers.com. The site will serve as a sales and marketing tool for company dealers as well as a service for contractors interested in purchasing or renting Indeco equipment.

Tramac’s V1600 hydraulic breaker is a variable impact hammer that can be mounted on excavators weighing between 22 and 45 tons. It features the company’s V-technology and the TPS tool protection system. TPS prolongs tool life with a re-engineered front guide, bushings, tool and retainer pins which allow only the strongest points of the tool to take the stresses, according to the company.

The company added the 300 hydraulic breaker to its medium range of hammers, including the 600, 700 and 900. It is designed specifically for mid-size loader backhoes and small excavators.

Tramac added the V65 hydraulic breaker to its line of variable speed breakers. Built for carriers from 100,000 to 160,000 lb, the breaker has a striking rate of 380 to 950 bpm. It works with flows of 100 to 111 gpm at 2,400 psi of pressure. The V65 is 138 in. in height with a tool diameter of 7.95 in.

Tramac CDB Series Stationary Booms come in standard lengths of 13, 16 and 20 ft. Options include hydro-electric controls and hydraulic power units.

AT Attachment-Technologie, a new company in the Technologies segment of the ThyssenKrupp Group, offers hammers to 882 lb for attachment to carriers up to 13 mt. The hammers are equipped with a vibration-damping and silencing system. A wear-protection system prevents damage to the percussion mechanism during use.

Krupp Berco Bautechnik’s HM 2600 hydraulic hammer is designed for mounting on carriers in the 45- to 75-mt class and weighs 4.1 tons. It replaces the HM 2500 model and features the StartSelect system, which offers two settings “easy start-up” and “automatic shut-off.” Operating at a pressure of 160 to 180 bar and an oil flow rate of 250 to 320 l/min, it has the same hydraulic input data as the HM 2500.

Breaker Technology offers the RC Series portable breaker system for the recycle and light aggregate markets. The system consists of a breaker boom assembly, hydraulic breaker, electric hydraulic remote control and immersion heater, as well as customer selected options. Available in four model sizes, the series features a compact base with oversize bolts and Power Pack with variable displacement pump with pressure and return line filters.

The TB1280X hydraulic breaker from BTI is rated at 5,500 ft-lb and replaces the TB1430X. Features are two moving parts, a nitrogen-filled cushion chamber, long piston design and two replaceable tools bushings.

Allied Construction Products introduced the AS Series hammer line. Model AS 380 has a energy rating of 522 ft-lb. It can be mounted on a 12,000- to 25,000-lb rubber-tired backhoe/loader or a 15,000- or 30,000-lb excavator.

Universal Impact Technologies’ line of Terminator Rock Breakers include the highest impact energy of any breaker on the market and top out at 75,000 ft-lb of energy per blow, according to the manufacturer. They mount easily to either an excavator or rubber tired loader. The breakers do not use accumulators or require re-sealing. The company claims the breakers typically need only 3% to 5% of the blows to break a rock compared to hydraulic hammers.

The Caterpillar large hydraulic hammer line encompasses eight hammer models that are suited for mounting on excavators ranging in weight from 26,400 to 88,000 lb. The hammers range in weight from 2,200 to 8,360 lb. The heavy-duty box-section housing design dissipates prying loads to protect tie rods, hammer body and front end for longer life.

The vibration dampening design reduces stress transmission to the stick and boom. An integrally mounted accumulator dampens hydraulic pressure peaks to protect the carrier, and it assists the power stroke of the hammer. A variety of Caterpillar hammer tools are available to match each hammer.

Surestrike International offers the model 1100, 2100, 4000, and 6000 Surestrike impact hammers. All hammers can be used with standard pin on couplers or quick attach systems for rapid change over. The largest of the Surestrike hammers hits with 75,000 ft-lb of single blow impact energy. The 1100 model has an operating weight of 6,300 lb and maximum operating pressure of 3,000 psi. The 2100 weighs 10,925 lb and single blow impact energy of 28,600 ft-lb. The 4000 and 6000 hammers weigh 15,850 lb and 23,450 lb, respectively.

Komatsu America International and Tramac recently announced an OEM agreement, whereby Komatsu America will market Tramac hydraulic breakers and compactors under the Komatsu brand name.

After extensive research and testing, Tramac’s breaker and compactor lines were chosen by Komatsu to be installed on Komatsu mini-excavators, loader backhoes and large excavators. The products will be offered through Komatsu’s existing 250 distributor locations.

The product line includes a full range of breakers:

• Range I — Light Breakers for loader backhoes and small excavators from 9,000 to 30,000 lb.

• Range II — Medium Breakers for large loader backhoes and mid-size excavators from 14,000 to 60,000 lb.

• Range III — Komatsu’s Heavy Breakers, for 40,000- to 150,000-lb excavators, feature Tramac’s Tool Guard Technology.

Komatsu will also market Tramac’s complete line of high production Vibratory Plate Compactors.

http://rockproducts.com/mag/rock_hydraulic_hammers_breakers/index.html

 Recyclers of scrap metal have long used lifting magnets and grapples to unload and load scrap, as well as to move it within the yard and feed it to larger processing equipment.

Magnets and grapples remain on the job in those capacities at scrap yards, but they have been joined by growing numbers of hydraulic shears (and on demolition sites, shear hybrids) that also process and prepare scrap to increase its value.

The shear market has been hot for the last several years, as demolition scrap and other forms of obsolete scrap flow into scrap facilities where yard managers are eager to quickly turn this stream into marketable secondary commodities.

ON ORDER. Equipment dealers who cater to the scrap market say the increasing interest in shear attachments has been clear to see in the past several years.

"Scrap shears, both rotating and non-rotating, are very popular," says Lee Gibson, president of Gibson Machinery LLC, Cleveland.

By concentrating his dealership on the scrap and demolition industries, Gibson says he has become a leading dealer for Genesis Attachments, earning a No. 1 ranking from the shear maker in 2004 and No. 2 last year.

During that time, Gibson says rotating shears have gained favor. "Most of our customers buy rotating shears," he remarks. "I think it’s kind of a necessity for the demolition contractors, and it has become preferred by the scrap contractors. We probably sell about 80 percent rotating shears, because they can be very efficient by saving the operator the need to move the scrap handler or excavator as much."

Brad Hutchinson, co-owner of Stanley LaBounty dealer Company Wrench, Carroll, Ohio, sees a similar pattern with his customers. "Most of the demolition contractors are looking for rotating shears, and using nonrotating models only if they are doing some straight scrap processing on the job site."

Allied-Gator Inc., a Youngstown-Ohio based maker of shears and processing attachments, also offers its attachments with 360-degree rotation to appeal to its demolition contractor and scrap recycling customer base.

Hutchinson says the past two years have been critical in the growth of hydraulic attachments sales because smaller contractors and processors are starting to use the tools.

"Although the large contractors have been using them for years, believe it or not a lot of smaller demo contractors are just now starting to use these types of tools," he remarks. "Some of them had been using a wrecking ball up until the past 24 months or so."

The growth in popularity of shears and shear hybrids (variously known as multi-processors, multi-tools, concrete pulverizers or by other terms, depending on the brand) combined with an overheated scrap market has helped spur sales and, in some cases, created back order situations for the devices.

As one of Stanley LaBounty’s largest dealers, Company Wrench is carrying more than a dozen models in inventory and has others on order. But from what Hutchinson hears, when he goes to replace those he can expect to wait four months or so to take delivery on future shears and pulverizers.

HARD WORK. A loyal Gibson Machinery customer this decade has been Cleveland Scrap. The company was started by the Youngman family, owners of nonferrous processor Lakeside Metals, also in Cleveland.

The new Cleveland Scrap location has been set up to process ferrous scrap at a different site that would not displace any of Lakeside’s

traditional nonferrous activities.

According to Cleveland Scrap President Jake Youngman, the company has enjoyed healthy flows of incoming ferrous metal since starting the business, but has retained the processing methods it set up initially.

"We’ve been running mobile shears on hydraulic scrap handlers for about two-and-a-half years," says Youngman. However, the number of scrap handlers and the number of shears the company operates has grown steadily.

As it is now set up, Cleveland Scrap has an impressive fleet of hydraulic handlers deployed throughout its eight acres of land. "The loads come in from, say, a demolition site and are taken to one of eight cutting stations, where we have scrap handling machines outfitted with one of several types of shears," says Youngman. Included in the shear collection are Genesis and LaBounty shears and two rebar shears, also made by Genesis.

For now, Cleveland Scrap conducts all of its processing without any pieces of large shearing or baling equipment. It is possible that the company may choose to make such an investment in the future, Youngman concedes, but he also says, "We’re pretty happy with our arrangement right now."

Allied-Gator Inc. learned how one of its new devices performed at a recent Allied Erecting & Dismantling Co. Inc. demolition job at former steel mills in northwest Indiana, where obsolete equipment made of cast iron had to be downsized and prepared for shipment to a consumer.

The contracting firm used an Allied-Gator MTR70 mounted on a Caterpillar machine to help recover and prepare some 63 tons of cast iron, including 25 tons that had once been an generator used to power a steam system. Allied Erecting & Dismantling machine operator Keith Finch says he was able to break apart the generator and separate the cast iron from the copper in just one half-hour using the automated equipment.

MORE TO DO. With scrap markets remaining healthy and demolition contractors convinced that shears and shear-like devices are worth the investment, the boom in hydraulic attachments may still be underway.

In mid-March, Hutchinson helped deliver a universal processor to a demolition contractor in Hawaii who is taking down buildings to make way for the future Trump Tower Waikiki.

While a quick trip to Hawaii may not be the worst inconvenience a person can suffer, it shows to what lengths (and distances) attachment companies and their dealers will go to serve their growing customer base.

RELATED ARTICLE: Magnetism.

Youngstown, Ohio-based Allied-Gator Inc. has introduced the MT Series Mag Extension, which enables an excavator to perform the same functions of a dedicated material handler equipped with a magnet, according to the company.

In a press release. Allied-Gator says, "This product allows the magnet to achieve a unique range of motion that is not found in any other machine arrangement capable of accepting a magnet."

The MT Series Mag Extension uses patent-pending UCS technology that is also found in the MT Series Multi-Too line and other Allied-Gator products: When used with the MT Series Multi-Tool, Allied-Gator says the MT Series Mag Extension enables a single excavator to perform demolition, processing, material handling and site cleanup, reducing the need for several machines performing single functions.

RELATED ARTICLE: Break it down.

Before material is pulverized or sheared at a demolition site, it may have a hammer put to it.

Companies like Atlas Copco Construction Tools, West Springfield, Mass,, are among those offering demolition hammers that break slabs of reinforced concrete down into sizes where other processing tools and equipment can handle them.

Such hammers can be attached to excavators or they can De operated by manual laborers using hand-held machines.

The heaviest of the company’s four standard handheld breakers in its newest line is the 71-pound LH 39, which the company say "can provide a cost-efficient alternative to rig-mounted breakers for heavy-duty applications in reinforced concrete heavy asphalt and foundations."

Atlas-Copco also offers excavator-mounted hammers, as do companies such as Breaker Technology Inc. (BTI) and Allied Construction Products LLC.

BTI severe-duty breakers appeal to demolition contractors, according to the company, while Allied Construction Products distributes Rammer brand models such as the in-Series, designed to operate in narrow work areas.

http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Cutting+up:+scrap+processors+now+use+hydraulic+attachments+for…-a0145268762

The Atlas Copco line is separated into three categories: the Penta Breaker (PB) Series, offering service weights from 200 to 795 pounds; the MB Series, with service weights ranging from 1,210 to 3,750 pounds; and the HB Series, with service weights ranging from 4,850 to 15,400 pounds.

Atlas Copco has also introduced a new excavator-mounted hydraulic cutter, the CC 1501 Combi Cutter. Built for excavators in the 16- to 28-ton weight classes, the CC 1501 features two exchangeable jaw designs and can be used on many different materials. Atlas Copco recommends the unit for demolition, reduction, and recycling applications.

Curb machine gets power boost

Power Curbers  has given its 5700-B slipform paver a 50% power boost by switching to a new 133-horsepower engine as one of a menu of enhancements for the popular curb-and-gutter machine. Other enhancements include a higher operator’s platform for improved visibility of the auger and chute man, repositioned radiators for cooler work, a new hydrostatic direct-drive conveyor with higher torque and lower maintenance costs, and rotary controls that allow fractional changes in ground or conveyor speeds for a smooth, consistent curb.

The company made a number of other changes to improve reliability and reduce maintenance requirements, including heavier frames and increased torque for crawlers, eye-level positions for filters and the high-pressure servo, and the use of an externally mounted radiator for easier access.

New backhoe loader debuts

Volvo Construction Equipment has introduced the second model in its new backhoe-loader line, the 83-horsepower BL60. The turbocharged machine has a 14-foot, 9-inch digging depth and 11,864 pounds-foot of backhoe bucket digging force. It has a 1.3-cubic-yard loader bucket and develops 8,936 pounds-foot of bucket breakout force. Designed for governmental agencies and construction contractors, as well as the rental industry, the BL60 can be ordered in two- or four-wheel drive, with an enclosed cab or open canopy, and with a standard or extendible dipper.

Like the BL70, which launched the Volvo backhoe loader line in 2003, the new model features a fixed-displacement, flow-sharing hydraulic system designed for reliability, power, and control. It has extended service intervals, an S-style boom, and a cast iron pivot and base for the boom to enhance durability.

Breaker companies combine lines

Allied Construction Products and Sandvik Tamrock have combined their demolition attachments businesses in the NAFTA market place. Allied achieved market leadership in North America marketing hammers designed by Germany-based Krupp, which was acquired by Atlas Copco in 2002. As of January 1, 2004, Atlas Copco became the exclusive marketer of Krupp attachments in North America, and Allied markets breakers and other attachments under the Rammer and Allied brand names in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

Rammer by Allied is the new brand name for 24 models of hydraulic breakers, ranging in impact energy class ratings from 150 to 16,000 foot pounds. The line is broken into three classes: the S-Series covers hammers weighing from 180 to 1,830 pounds; the E-Series covers models from 2,300 to 3,800 pounds; and G-Series models weigh 5,250 to 15,500 pounds.

The Rammer by Allied line also includes machine-mounted cutters, crushers, and pulverizers.

Quick-change brushes

The new quick-change broom attachment from  Sweepster and  FFC Attachments makes brush changes a snap. The QC Angle Broom is designed so that the brush drive slips easily out of the core without removing hydraulic lines for the wheel motor. The brush core is reversible from end to end for even brush wear. A new faceted hood is designed to provide maximum strength at the ends of the hood where most stress and damage occur.

The new broom is available in 5-, 6-, 7-, and 8-foot widths, and in a variety of hydraulic motor sizes in single and dual motor configurations to provide a match to a wide spectrum of host-machine hydraulic systems.

Hybrid electric commercial truck

Mack Trucks has received a $1.2-million contract through Southwest Research Institute to develop diesel hybrid electric technology for use in military and commercial vehicles. The immediate goal is a hybrid vehicle to be used for refueling operations at U.S. Air Force bases. The long-term goal is to develop heavy-duty trucks that operate on a combination of electricity and diesel fuel. Along with better fuel economy, the hybrid is expected to deliver longer engine and brake service intervals, and reduced emissions.

Landscape rake for mini-loaders

McLaughlin says its new Landscape Rake attaches to all standard mini skid-steer loaders and is available for the Bobcat MT50. It is designed to mill, fill, mix, grade, clean, pulverize, and spread materials. Standard soil prep tines provide surface preparation to a depth of 1.5 inches; deeper preparation to 5 inches is available with replaceable tilling tines. A removable catch basket collects rocks, twigs, and other debris; with the basket removed the rake can be used for dethatching grassy areas or fluffing mulch beds.

Improves concrete reclamation

Liebherr Concrete Technology has introduced the LDP Concrete Reclaimer Buffer, which provides up to 12 cubic yards of buffering capacity for discharging returned concrete into an existing concrete reclaiming system. The buffer increases overall efficiency by improving mixer truck utilization. Liebherr says up to six mixer trucks can discharge their loads simultaneously and at full discharge speed into the buffer, which agitates the material and adds additional water to maintain desired slump. The buffer also provides a uniform flow of material into the reclaimer.

Liebherr says the LDP Concrete Reclaimer Buffer can be adapted to work with most brands of concrete reclaiming systems.

New bracket improves concrete paving

Wyco Tool has developed a new single-isolator mounting bracket that attaches its hydraulic vibrators to any paving machine to reduce concrete buildup and improve consolidation. The company says the single-isolator design reduces maintenance by eliminating the problem of concrete buildup that occurs in mounts with two to four rubber isolators.

Wyco claims the single-isolator mounting can affect paving performance. If concrete hardens in the isolator mount, says Wyco, it is extremely difficult to remove and substantially reduces the benefit of the isolator. Clean mountings also ensure more of the vibration force is concentrated in the concrete for a better final product and less vibration transmitted to the paving machine.

The new mounting brackets require just two bolts to secure the vibrator heads, and are featured on Wyco’s new 2500# impact rotor.

Converts to walk behind in minutes

Bobcat’s new MT52 mini track loader has the industry’s only ride-on platform that can be removed in minutes for fitting into tight areas. Designed for the landscape industry, the MT52 measures just 6-feet long and 3-feet wide, yet has a rated operating capacity of 520 pounds. More than 18 Bobcat attachments have been approved for the new loader.

Aluminum radiators for off-highway machines

Modine Manufacturing, a major supplier of radiators to the automotive, trucking, and off-road markets, has announced it is offering a full line of new aluminum radiators for the off-road market.

“We’re migrating to aluminum radiators because they bring the same or superior level of performance and durability as current products, while providing more cost-effective solutions for our customers, said John Hankey, general manager of Modine’s Heavy Duty and Industrial Division. He added that aluminum radiators are more environmentally friendly to manufacture, since they don’t contain lead like the copper brass units traditionally used in the heavy-duty market. The company says it is filling orders for the new units from major heavy-duty customers serving the construction, agriculture, and material handling markets.

Compact track loader digs hard

Bobcat’s new T250 compact track loader has a 2,500-pound-rated operating capacity (35% of tipping load) and a radius path lift arm design. The company says the T250 delivers superior digging and grading ability in construction and municipal applications, among others. The machine has an 81-horsepower diesel engine, and a longer frame and footprint than its predecessor, resulting in 7% more push force and a low 4.1-psi ground pressure with 18-inch tracks. Auxiliary hydraulic flow is 21.2 gallons per minute; the high-flow option is 31.7 gallons per minute and 3,300 psi. Attachments include the Brushcat rotary cutter, dozer blade, stump grinder, and tree spade.

National used equipment program

Volvo Generation 2 is Volvo’s new used-equipment remarketing program for its dealers and customers. The program gives buyers access to Volvo-certified used machines that meet factory standards and remarketing specifications. Volvo says these machines are covered by unique warranty plans and a variety of flexible financing arrangements

Stronger wheel loaders

Kubota says its new R20 Super Series wheel loaders offer more strength, comfort, and operator benefits. The units include factory-installed cabs, 60-amp alternator, and a rounded silhouette. The R420S is powered by a 43-horsepower, three-cylinder diesel, while the R520S has a 49-horsepower, four-cylinder diesel. Breakout forces are 6,550 pounds and 7,424 pounds, respectively. Both models have Kubota’s Load Sensing Transmission which changes between high speed/low torque and low speed/high torque as load conditions vary.

Two new excavator models

Komatsu has introduced two new excavator models, the compact PC40MR-2 and the production-size PC400LC-7.

The 10,560-pound, 39-horsepoer PC40MR-2 is said to be structurally stronger, more comfortable, and capable of wider working ranges than its preceding model. The 103,000-pound, 330-horsepower PC400LC-7 received improvements in power, productivity, fuel consumption, lateral stability, and lifting capacity compared to its predecessor.

Paver line changes owners

Bomag Americas, formerly known as Compaction America, has purchased  Gilcrest’s ProPaver equipment division, which includes five self-propelled tracked asphalt pavers and four towable wheeled pavers with application widths from 4 to 15 feet. The line also includes an asphalt distributor for heating and spraying emulsified asphalt. All products are now being marketed under the “ProPaver by BOMAG” brand name.

Simpkins expects to offer the paving line through the same dealers handling Bomag’s compaction equipment.

Portable compressor

Kaeser Compressors’ new addition to the Mobilair line, the M38 portable compressor, delivers up to 135 cfm at 100 psig. The tough, dependable compressor can run a 90-pound breaker, making it perfect for road and highway maintenance and construction. Standard features include the power-saving Sigma Profile airend; heavy-duty, 44-horsepower diesel engine; and an instrument and lighting package. A high-capacity, cold-start battery ensures reliable operation in severe working conditions. The galvanized-steel canopy allows quick access to all components for easy servicing and reduces noise levels. The torsion bar suspension, oversized tires, and compact design provide superior road handling.

Tool carriers upgraded

Caterpillar has improved its wheel-loader-based IT38G and IT62G Series II integrated tool carriers with a Tier II compliant, electronically controlled engine that is said to boost fuel efficiency and reduce emissions. They also have a new cooling system with on-demand fan that reduces noise and radiator plugging, and contributes to better fuel efficiency. A new variable shift control allows the operator to select shift modes based on application and preferences, reducing fuel consumption. Other drive-train improvements are designed to reduce operating costs.

Cuts roadbeds in rock

Trencor’s three-model line of RoadMiner machines are designed to excavate large surface areas predominantly underlaid with rock to final grade. Designed for high-production applications, the machines can cut up to 15.5-feet wide and 5-feet deep in a single pass, leaving a clean even cut. In most applications, the company says, the RoadMiner eliminates the need to blast, leaves excellent-size aggregate, and eliminates boulders and voids.

New distributors named

LBX Company has announced two new distributors of Link-Belt earthmoving equipment in New York. George and Swede Sales and Service, based in Pavilion, serves northwestern New York, while New Millennium Rentals in New Windsor serves the southern portion of the state.

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