In April 2012, John Deere introduced three new excavators, the 160G LC, the 180G LC, and the 210G LC models that build on the G-Series class. In 2011, Deere introduced six larger models of G-Series excavators, and all eight models meet Interim Tier 4 emissions standards.
“The G-Series models provide impressive arm force, bucket force and lift capacity for applications such as stockpiling overburden, excavating basements, loading trucks, or placing pipe,” says Mark Wall, product manager for excavators, John Deere Construction and Forestry. The horsepower ratings of the three new models are 121 horsepower for the 160G LC/180G LC and 159 horsepower for the 210G LC. Deere builds a range of hydraulic excavators with horsepower ratings up to 532 horsepower in the 87-metric-ton 870G LC.
Wall says that Deere sought input from many customers in North America before designing the G-Series. “Customers appreciated the refinements and improvements in the D-Series,” Wall says. “But one of our pushes on the G-Series was to give customers more productivity. They want to dig more dirt in a day, or in an hour. If they get done early, they might beat the weather, or earn bonuses, or turn in rental equipment sooner, or move on to the next job and get more done in a year.”
So for the G-Series, Deere enhanced the electronic controls and the hydraulic controls to get more productivity. “We are able to dig more dirt in a day,” Wall says. “I think the G-Series delivers very well on that count. And at the same time, we do it efficiently. We did not penalize ourselves on fuel.”
The G-Series still uses pilot hydraulic controls, but those pilot controls interface with electronics that control such things as how long the hydraulic pumps stay in stroke or which valves are open during a given movement. “Internal to the excavator are electronic components that control the pump,” Wall says. “And those electronic controls have all been optimized for productivity and fuel efficiency in the G-Series.”
“Most of our power boost pressures have been raised about 5%,” Wall said. “So when you push that power boost button, pilot boost pressures have been raised about 5%. That gives you 5% more arm force, bucket force, and lifting capacity.”
All Deere excavators, ranging from the 130-size to the 870G, come with the company’s JDLink telematics system with three years of service as standard equipment. “Customers can remotely get into machines and track expenses at an offsite office,” says Wall. “The machines will contact the office daily and tell them how much fuel they used, how many hours they put on that machine, what time they started in the morning, what time they quit, and much more. And we can make software updates through the JDLink. If we make an improvement in the software that controls the engine, we can remotely download that to the excavator or to other Deere equipment without having to make a service call to the machine.”
Three productivity modes on the G-Series (high productivity, power, economy) allow an operator to choose the operating style that suits the application. High productivity delivers more power and faster hydraulic response to move material. Power delivers a balance of power, speed, and fuel economy for normal application. Economy reduces top speed and helps save fuel.
New From Case
Case Construction Equipment recently added the CX470C excavator to its C Series lineup. The machine is rated at 362 net horsepower and is available in long undercarriage (LC), retractable undercarriage (RTC), and mass excavator (MEX) models. To achieve Interim Tier 4 certification, Case C Series models feature cooled exhaust gas recirculation technology.
The CX470C models are roughly 1,100 pounds heavier than the previous model for improved capacity. The CX470C MEX is designed for heavier loads and larger buckets to achieve higher productivity in large excavation jobs and high-volume truck loading. The retractable undercarriage version provides undercarriage width adaptability for transport between job sites.
Like other excavators in the Case C Series, the new CX470C features Case Intelligent Hydraulic System technology that reduces total fuel consumption and improves performance. Case offers a range of attachments for C Series excavators.
The CX210C excavator from Case Construction Equipment achieves 160 net horsepower using cooled exhaust gas recirculation technology. Case says the CX210C provides 7% more lift capacity and boasts a 440-pound increase in operating weight to tackle bigger jobs. Compared to its predecessor model, the CX210C delivers 10% fuel economy gains and 3% cycle time reductions.
Highway Speed With Gradall
Gradall Industries says its new XL 5100 IV is a more versatile and productive highway-speed excavator than any other in its weight class. The machine weighs 57,670 pounds and features an Allison automatic six-speed transmission that permits highway speeds of up to 60 mph. Models are available with either a 6X4 or 6X6 drive train. Attachments include excavating buckets, trenching buckets, ditching buckets, dredging buckets, pavement removal buckets, a fixed-thumb grapple, a tree limb shear, boom extensions, and grading blade.
Gradall says the XL 5100 IV has a maximum reach of 33 feet, 9 inches at grade. Maximum dig depth is 24 feet, 5 inches. Loading height maximum is 18 feet.
The Gradall XL3100 IV hydraulic excavator is now updated with a wheeled undercarriage that can be driven at highway speeds and is equipped with an Allison automatic transmission. The AutoDrive system allows the operator to drive at speeds of up to 60 mph, which eliminates the need for a lowboy trailer. Moreover, Gradall’s hydraulic system has an adjustable joystick system in which operators can opt to use Gradall, Deere, or SAE control patterns via an in-cab switch.
For exceptional power, Gradall’s XL 3100 IV excavators have 235-horsepower Interim Tier 4 Mercedes engines. The single engine is designed to efficiently and cost-effectively power the excavator on the highway-or while repositioning around job sites from the upper cab.
Komatsu’s Latest
In May 2012, Komatsu introduced the PC210LC-10 hydraulic excavator, which delivers 158 net hp from a Komatsu engine that is Interim Tier 4-certified. With an operating weight of just over 52,000 pounds, the PC210LC-10 features improved hydraulic efficiency, improved operator comfort, simplified maintenance to extend component life and two counterweight options that maintain the lift capacity and stability of the previous model while providing transportation flexibility.
Komatsu’s PC210LC-10 is equipped with the latest Komtrax technology, which sends machine operating information to a secure website utilizing wireless technology. Data such as operating hours, machine location, maintenance notifications, machine utilization, and residual fuel levels are relayed to the Web application for analysis.
All major coponents on the PC210LC-10 are designed and manufactured by Komatsu.
All major components on the PC210LC-10-the engine, hydraulic pumps, motors and valves-are exclusively designed and manufactured by Komatsu. The integrated design uses a closed center load-sensing hydraulic system that takes hydraulic efficiency to the next level, according to Komatsu.
An operator can select from five working modes to match machine performance to the application. The modes include Power Mode, Economy Mode, Heavy Lift Mode, Breaker Mode, and Attachment Mode. A new high-resolution monitor provides operational guidance, operational records, fuel consumption history, and utilization information.
Komatsu also recently introduced the PC490LC-10 excavator, with 359 horsepower, as well as the PC360LC-10, with 257 horsepower, and the PC290LC-10, with 196 horsepower. All of the Komatsu models mentioned here meet Interim Tier 4 emissions standards, and all come standard with Komtrax telematics systems. In addition, every Komatsu Interim Tier 4 construction machine comes standard with Komatsu’s CARE factory scheduled maintenance, included in the cost of the machine, for 2,000 hours or the first three years, whichever comes first.
Three Heavies From Volvo
Volvo Construction Equipment recently introduced three heavyweight excavators that range from 75,000 to 111,800 pounds. The models, called the EC340D, the EC380D, and the EC480E, all have Interim Tier 4-certified Volvo engines that range in power from 279 horsepower to 343 horsepower. All three machines feature an automatic idling system that reduces engine speed when the levers and pedals are not activated, to help with fuel efficiency and lower external noise.
When only a single function is being used on the Volvo excavators, the two-pump hydraulics system combines the flow of both pumps for quick cycle times and improved productivity. The system can also prioritize flow according to the work being done. For example, more power flows to the boom for faster raising when loading or in deep excavations, or to the arm during leveling activities.
The operator can select the work mode, settings, and attachment requirements all from inside the Volvo’s cab. Four working modes-Idle, Fine, General, and Heavy-allow operators to quickly select the best mode for the job at hand. That automatically tailors the performance of the machine and ensures the best fuel efficiency. Up to 18 different attachments can be managed, tailoring hydraulic flow and (as an option) pressure according to the requirements of the tool being used.
Volvo excavators come standard with CareTrack, which is the company’s telematic system. When it is accessed remotely, CareTrack provides such machine information as fuel consumption and service reminders that allow improved planning and operation. A comprehensive range of service plans are available from Volvo’s dedicated dealer network.
New From Doosan
Doosan recently introduced its DX300LC excavator, which features a 213-horsepower Doosan water-cooled diesel engine that has been optimized for use with a cooled exhaust gas recirculation system, diesel oxidation catalyst, and diesel particulate filter. The 466-cubic-inch engine has a variable geometry turbocharger to provide optimized boost and a high-pressure common rail design with direct fuel injection, electronic control, and four valves per cylinder to improve fuel efficiency.
Doosan’’s DX300LC is designed for road building, site development, oil-and-gas pipeline construction, and more.
With an operating weight of 66,782 pounds, a maximum dig depth of 24 feet, dump height of 23 feet, 10 inches and a maximum digging reach of 35 feet 2 inches, the DX300LC is designed for road building, site development, oil-and-gas pipeline construction, and more. Improvements in engine horsepower and torque, coupled with the 6% increase in hydraulic pressure from the pump, translate into improved performance in various workgroup functions. Swing torque was increased by about 7%, which allows the excavator to swing uphill more easily and improves backfilling capability. That means less time per foot of trench. Digging force has increased approximately 5%, which allows for more power in harsh digging conditions, leading to improved cycle times and enhanced production in trenching applications.
Doosan’s new intelligent boom float option allows the excavator boom to “float” up or down, which allows the operator to focus more on the task while decreasing the machine workload and increasing efficiency. The float mode allows the boom to move freely up and down without pump flow, which improves operator efficiency when finishing site cleanup. The breaker mode allows the boom to move freely down without pump flow, allowing the work group to follow the path of the breaker through the material. A temporary reset button allows the operator to momentarily disengage the boom float function, which allows pump flow to activate the boom in both directions. The operator can choose when to activate intelligent boom float function with a switch on the control panel.
Hyundai’s Midsize Machine
Hyundai recently introduced the newest machine in its line of Robex 210 crawler excavators: the R210LC-9. The machine is a midsize crawler excavator, powered by a 143-horsepower Cummins engine. At 50,520 pounds, the excavator has a digging depth of 22 feet, 1 inch. Its bucket digging force is 29,320 pound-feet.
The SK 485 is one of Kobelco’s new line of Interim Tier 4 models.
New steel tube construction on the cab has increased its safety, protection, and durability. Once inside the cab, the operator will notice more space, better visibility, reduced sound, improved storage, and better climate control. For operator convenience, controls for volume, channel, song-seek, or mute, as well as buttons for answering phone calls, a USB port, and jacks for headphones are all located together on the right side of the console.
Kobelco’s Mark 9 Excavators
In May 2012, Kobelco Construction Machinery America introduced the 115-net-horsepower SK 170 excavator to the company’s Mark 9 excavator series. New Interim Tier 4 models include the SK 210, the SK 260, the SK 295, the SK 350, and SK 485 Mark 9 excavators. The company says the versatile SK 170 delivers up to a 10% improvement in both fuel efficiency and productivity, providing more power and faster engine response. The machine also features an upgrade to Kobelco’s intelligent hydraulics.
For improved system efficiency, the Kobelco SK170 Mark 9 also features a full automatic engine and hydraulic warm-up system that heats the hydraulic circuit to an optimum 126°F. This makes the operator more productive more quickly.
The 336E H is the first in a new line of hybrid excavators from Caterpillar.
“This machine offers the precise control and feel that expert operators prefer,” says Reece Norwood, Kobelco platform manager. “The SK 170 Mark 9 can dig the trench, crane the pipe and finish with even better precision.”
The company’s upgraded Intelligent Total Control System (ITCS) incorporates the results of three generations of continual improvement in hydraulic controls, based on extensive customer input and product testing. “ITCS recognizes the operator’s moves and assists by providing power where and when it is needed,” says Norwood. “It also provides hydraulic sensitivity for fine grading and leveling.”
Integrated swing priority, a Kobelco first, provides seamless and smooth transition of additional pump power to the swing function. Automatic hydraulic regeneration feeds the cylinder demanding oil first, with oil that is being pushed out of another cylinder. That requires far less energy than having to repump the oil again and also allows the next action to occur with faster response. The independent travel feature, activated with a switch, dedicates a pump to travel motors for better movement while performing such other functions as handling pipe while moving to the trench.
“When it comes to controllability in multifunction applications, the Kobelco Mark 9 excavators set the industry standard,” says Norwood. “Operators will appreciate the impressive control and smoothness of the SK 170 Mark 9.”
Last October, Caterpillar revealed its first in a new line of hybrid excavators, the 336E H. The machine uses a new hydraulic hybrid technology developed by Caterpillar, which has filed more than 300 patents for the 336E H. “No other commercially available technology has higher power density than hydraulics, and that’s why we selected a hydraulic solution to help our customers achieve substantial fuel savings,” says Ken Gray, an upper level executive in Cat’s Excavation Division.
