Skip to main content

Sheffield duty for a Miller PowerLatch

The Miller PowerLatch Tilt was recently the attachment of choice for Yorkshire-based engineering consultancy JN Bentley, part of global engineering consultancy Mott MacDonald.
June 3, 2019 Read time: 2 mins
Miller PowerLatch Tilting Quick Hitch: a 180° tilt

The Miller PowerLatch Tilt was recently the attachment of choice for Yorkshire-based engineering consultancy JN 6197 Bentley, part of global engineering consultancy 2579 Mott MacDonald.

As part of the work to relocate waste treatment works in Stocksbridge, near Sheffield, England, Bentley laid new pipes along Manchester Road.

But space was restricted and the team looked at a different way to break out the rock. Using a 13T 2300 Komatsu PC138 excavator initially fitted with a standard quick hitch, the team started shearing the walls by hand. Due to the single-lane closure, the Komatsu had to stay central to the dig and, therefore, the team encountered challenges with breaking through rock in a restricted working area.

The team trialled a number of traditional and alternative methods, such as using a lightweight, remote controlled excavator with a breaker.

Then the team trialed a Miller PowerLatch Tilting Quick Hitch. It operates the same as a traditional automatic quick hitch, easily connecting buckets but with the added capability of 180° tilt.

The team could then use a breaker to shear the sides. This meant eliminating HAVS - hand-arm vibration syndrome - associated with breaking out by hand while being far more cost -effective compared to other methods. The tilt motion was also beneficial using the bucket to scrape the clay side walls.

“The PowerLatch Tilt provided a simple and flexible solution, allowing the team to angle the breaker to shear the sidewalls of the trench without the need to constantly reposition the machine,” said Andy Ball, Bentley’s plant manager. “It saved the team time, money and avoided the need for colleagues to work in the trench, exposing them to vibration/HAVS associated with traditional methods.” 

“Miller have managed to deliver the lightest tilt frame in the marketplace with the lowest profile to offer optimised breakout force whilst increasing strength in traditionally highly stressed areas,” said Brendan Quill, 6739 Miller UK’s marketing director.

“The top bolted attachment method removes a notoriously troublesome welded connection seen in a number of other tilt couplers available on the market.”  

 

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Engcon's powerful new EC233 tiltrotator and Trimble guidance
    June 3, 2019
    Engcon has announced that the company’s new EC233 series tiltrotator is in full production. According to the Swedish manufacturer, the EC233, with a break torque of 340kNm, will be the market's most powerful tiltrotator for excavators between 24-33tonnes. The EC233 replaces Engcon’s EC30, which has been in production since the mid 1990's, notes Robert Hunt, managing director of Engcon UK. The product development cycle was focused on destructive tests where both mountings and connectors were exposed to
  • Mullum Mullum Valley untouched by progress
    July 20, 2012
    Preserving the unspoiled Mullum Mullum Valley was the major consideration when deciding to build a traffic tunnel The answer to one of the major issues facing construction of the A$2.5 billion EastLink route in Australia was simple: construct a tunnel. While it was expensive, those involved realised they had little option but to go underground to protect the environmentally sensitive Mullum Mullum Valley, an untouched area of wood and bushland in Melbourne. EastLink, the 39km toll road project on the easter
  • New earthmoving machines
    July 29, 2019
    An array of advanced earthmoving machines are coming to market, offering increased performance, lower fuel consumption and reduced emissions The global market for earthmoving machines has been particularly strong over the last year. Demand for new equipment has been at a high, with sales of crawler excavators proving especially robust. Manufacturers have responded by increasing output, while tempting customers with new models offering major performance gains. Dozers In the market for dozers, Caterp
  • Latest loader innovations
    January 21, 2025
    A range of loader innovations is coming to the wheeled loader segment – Mike Woof writes