39
july-august 2013
international
construction
QUARRYING
The big payback
Quarry workhorse
New loader for lesser regulated markets
>
T
he new Cat 986H wheeled loader has been designed for quarry applications, and it
is a model made purely for lesser regulated markets, outside of Europe, Japan and
the US. With bucket capacities ranging from 5.3 to 6.1 m
3
, the 305 kW machine
features a power train with proven Cat
components, a load-sensing hydraulic
system, heavy duty frames and loader
linkage, and a safe, comfortable operator
station.
Using solid steel lift arms designed to
absorb loading stress, the 986H Z-bar-
type loader linkage generates powerful
digging and lifting forces and provides
excellent visibility to the bucket cutting
edge and surrounding work area. Lift
arms are available in both standard-
lift and high-lift configurations to
accommodate a range of haul trucks.
Equipped with standard linkage, the
986H can load 38.6 tonne capacity Cat
770G trucks in four passes. With high-lift
linkage, it can five-pass load the 47.7
tonne 772G and six-pass load the 56
tonne 773G.
“We do have our own maintenance staff to keep the machines
running, but Riverlea has always been there to look after us
when we need them,” she added
Supplied in standard specification, the equipment is already
delivering a boost in productivity for the company. With
a continued growth in demand for aggregate throughout
the region, Ms Phillips says the company will be looking for
additional machinery before long.
It is often the case that new machines come with new features
that can help productivity and safety. Doosan for example has
launched several new features on its DA30 and DA40 ADTs
aimed at doing just this.
A levelling meter uses rotation sensors installed on the front
and body of the truck to tell the driver via clear graphical
readouts whether or not it is safe to drive forward and to stop if
there is a danger of turning the machine over.
On the productivity side, a new payload and cycle count meter
uses load sensors to provide an immediate readout on the cab’s
control monitor of the payload with an accuracy of +/- 5%.
The load is registered and counted in the vehicle control unit.
Double counting is avoided because the system will not log
another load until the truck has travelled more than 50 m or
after a timeout of 3 minutes.
The data can be downloaded to a USB memory stick or sent
as an attachment. It is in Wordpad format and can be identified
and tracked by assigning it with a serial number.
Meanwhile the new Economy mode on the trucks is designed
to cut fuel costs by controlling engine speed. Doosan says the
system comes into its own on long haul roads where a new
New BBC 34 DSI rock drills from Atlas Copco
are delivering a 5 db(A) reduction in noise
for quarries in Portugal’s Parque Natural das
Serras de Aire e Candeeiros national park.
powertrain and electronic control allows the engine to run at
the best point in terms of power and torque.
Quiet drilling
And there can be improvements in other important areas such
as noise and environmental performance. For example, Atlas
Copco has supplied limestone quarries in the Parque Natural
das Serras de Aire e Candeeiros national park in Portugal with
