international
construction
september 2013
WHEELED LOADERS
36
Common goals
Arguably more significant though
is the issue of fuel quality. In order
to run correctly, the current crop of Tier
4 Interim or equivalent wheeled loaders
need ultra low sulphur diesel (ULSD),
meaning around 15 parts per million
(ppm) of sulphur.
Higher levels of sulphur would lead to greater amounts of
particulate matter (PM) being produced, which would block
systems such as diesel particulate filers (DPFs) and selective
catalytic reduction (SCR) in machines’ exhausts. This in turn
would make engines overheat, break down and suffer permanent
damage.
Such fuels tend not to be available to the off-highway sector
outside Europe, Japan and North America, so it would be
catastrophic for machine owners if loaders requiring ULSD were
sold in these regions.
Regional differences
These global variances in engine regulations have forced
manufacturers to develop and produce at least two different
ranges of wheeled loaders. Although this is not what they would
want in an ideal world, it is good news for machine buyers who
are seeing loaders coming onto the market that are better suited
to their requirements, rather than a ‘one size fits all’ approach.
Some of these differences were outlined by Marc Glesius,
>
Doosan’s product manager for wheeled loaders in Europe.
“In the EU and US, Doosan is now offering new Tier 4
Interim or Stage IIIB machines from the new generation Dash
3 (DL-3) range running from the new DL200-3 model to the
largest, the new DL550-3 wheel loader. For emerging markets,
we offer two parallel lines of products – the new, mainly Tier 2
DLA range and the Chinese WLO DISD range based mainly
on Tier 1 engines.
“Apart from Stage IIIB and Tier 4 Interim engine technology,
the DL-3 machines are equipped with 5-gear transmissions
and lock-up torque converter, load sensing hydraulics, supreme
radiator technology and have many special standard features
included, which are just options for other suppliers such
as auto lube, cyclone separator, two-way suspended
seat, heated mirrors, reversible fan, load
isolation and many more. The DLA
range is powered by Doosan Tier 1
and Tier 2 engines, which are not
electronically controlled, to meet
simplified servicing requirements
in emerging markets,” he said.
“These are strong machines with
outstanding torque at low revs and
high class components (ZF, Parker, Kayaba, etc.). Furthermore
these machines are designed to run in both tropical and high
ambient temperature applications with optional axle cooling,
special air breathers or radiator geometry.
“To meet market demand for very economical machines in
emerging markets, Doosan is offering (as the competition does)
low cost alternative wheel loaders made in China, the DISD
range. The two models, designed for the Chinese market are
also available as export versions with a ZF transmission, a Tier
1 Doosan engine and modifications for applications in tropical
climates,” he said.
This is the same broad approach that many manufacturers are
taking. Wheeled loaders for emerging markets may not have
the same levels of technology on-board as those for Europe,
Japan or the US, but they still have to be durable machines
– perhaps more so than their developed market counterparts –
and they often need to cope with much more extreme ambient
temperatures and harsher work environments.
Caterpillar’s new machines for lesser regulated countries are the
SDLG’s new LG953N weighs in at 16.6 tonnes and offers
better fuel efficiency and durability than its predecessor.
At 4 m
3
bucket capacity, the 467 is the largest wheeled loader
JCB has ever built. It is initially being launched in lesser
regulated markets, where the company sees the greatest
growth potential for this class of machine.
Liebherr used Bauma to exhibit a prototype
X-Power version of its 32 tonne L 586
wheeled loader, incorporating both a
mechanical and hydrostatic drive, for
better efficiency and performance
throughout the full cycle.
Hitachi has delivered its first ZW220-5 wheel loader in Europe to Norwegian
company Farbu & Gausen’s limestone quarry in the Trondheimsfjord on the Inderøy
peninsula. The company said it chose the machine for its loading capacity, stability,
operator comfort and low running costs.
