Earthmoving & soil compaction

Shantui is moving steadily up the dozer size scale and its new SD52-5 bulldozer is the largest and most powerful the firm has ever made. This is also the biggest dozer made in China. Powered by a fuel-efficient diesel rated at 390kW, the SD5-5 is said to be both productive and economical to buy and run. The cab meets ROPS/FOPS requirements while also offering operator comfort and all-round visibility.

Sany is introducing several new machines with improved performance, including the SHG130 grader and SSR260 soil compactor. For earthmoving operations Sany has developed the SSR260 soil compactor and SHG190 grader. The 26.7tonne soil compactor is designed for low maintenance needs, with features including positive lubrication air-intake filtering and fuel filtering. Vibration damping makes the machine comfortable to operate for longer periods while an electronic diagnostics system ensures that the operator c

Improving aggregate production and quality levels is not just about investing in the latest equipment but making sure existing machines are optimised - Claire Symes reports. Although the cost of fuel has dropped since last summer's high, reducing the cost/tonne of production is still high on the agenda for most quarry operators, along with improving quality.

Indeco's innovative HP18000 hydraulic hammer is now being proven in a tough demolition application in the US. The Italian company hopes to sell more of its innovative HP18000 models now that its class-leading hydraulic system is proving its worth in the field. Tipping the scales at an impressive 11tonnes, the HP18000 is now the biggest breaker available on the market anywhere and is designed for use on carriers that weigh up to 140tonnes. Some 4.6m long and with a 250mm diameter tool, the HP18000 can delive

Portuguese contractor Mota-Engil Group has been awarded the construction of a 270km Douro Interior Highways project in the north-east of Portugal, one of the longest highway projects ever awarded in the country.

An order for six MT31 ADTs forms part of a new fleet of Doosan machines delivered to Hydrobudowa, a Polish contractor specialising in complex civil engineering, infrastructure and construction projects. The deal also comprises four Doosan excavators, two DX300LC models and two DX340LC units, all of which have been supplied by dealer, Grausch i Grausch maszyny Budowlane. Five of the new Doosan ADTs are currently working on the construction of the Bojanowo - Rawicz section of the new highspeed S5 Expresswa

The new Sandvik DE150 is Sandvik's most powerful exploration drill rig for underground exploration, and a surface version is under development and will be ready for market in the fourth quarter of 2009. The DE150 (part of the expanded DE100 range) has a hydraulic feed cylinder designed to a push and pull capacity of 15tonnes (147 kN).

Automated operation is said to boost productivity for Atlas Copco's new ROC F9C SmartRig. This innovative machine allows operators to lay out shot patterns on a computer and can help them follow through with GPS-guided, automated drilling for higher accuracy and speed. Documentation of performance is kept for better planning and accountability and the ROC F9C rock drill can adjust impact power and feed pressure to suit rock conditions, for smoother drilling and reduced stress on the drill string.

In the more down to earth market for crawler excavators, some novel developments are coming to market. Case is upgrading two key mid-weight crawler excavator models.