Volvo CE will start deliveries of its EWR170E and the larger EW220E compact wheeled excavators - with optional joystick steering – starting in January. The short swing units are the Swedish manufacturer's answer to a growing demand for machinery to operate in increasingly tighter urban spaces and more restricted construction sites - and to do so in an environmentally friendly way.
Machine control technologies are revolutionising construction – Dan Gilkes writes Electronic control of engines, transmissions and hydraulic systems, primarily to reduce exhaust emissions and boost productivity, is also providing manufacturers with an opportunity to incorporate increasingly complex machine control into their equipment. This in turn has the potential to make the machinery more productive, further cutting fuel consumption as part of a virtuous operational circle.
Now producing 10,000 backhoe loaders and crawler and wheeled excavators a year and looking to expand its product range later this year, Hidromek has also been adding new features to its existing machines including the HMK140LC crawler excavator. Featuring a re-designed cabin and new ‘Opera’ control system, the 140LC comes with a four-cylinder Mitsubishi engine, a 4.6m boom and a 0.6m³ cubic bucket capacity. The machine has an operating weight of 14,300kg.
