Attachments that last
Published 3/10, 2022 at 10:52High performance and durability are the two pivotal characteristics of any excavator attachment. The ability to operate efficiently in the harshest environments without maintenance or repair results in low cost of ownership – a benefit that can never be overrated, especially in a wartime economy. PDi’s Andrei Bushmarin presents a roundup of the most recent innovations in the demolition attachment industry.
Epiroc’s VC 2000 drum cutter sets a new standard in trenching
Offering up to 40% saving in energy, the latest VC 2000 drum cutter from Epiroc sets a new standard in trenching and quarrying. “The efficiency issue connected with trenching was previously resolved with sophisticated but expensive solutions. We are pleased to present an alternative that will save time and money in virtually every aspect: from investment to energy to wear on the carrier. And it is all achieved by the angles of the drum,” says Gordon Hambach, Epiroc’s global business manager for Hydraulic Attachment Tools. Thanks to the V-shaped design enabling a cut with a flat base, no material is left untouched between the drums. Where a regular drum cutter must move from side to side to create an even trench – a method that causes extra wear on the carrier arm - the VC 2000 can reach the same result by just going straight. Basically, the cutter operates like a bucket, which makes it easier to use, friendlier for the carrier and a lot less energy and time consuming. The reduced downtime and maintenance makes the attachment an even more attractive proposition. The VC 2000 shares all the trademark features of the classic Epiroc drum cutters such as the robust spur gears, adaptable high torque gear motor and the ‘QuickSnap’ retaining system for fast and easy pick changing. It also comes with the ‘Pro bracket’ leading all hydraulic hoses through the centre of the extension arm out of harm’s way as standard. Mechanical and hydraulic rotatable brackets are also available for this model as well as a water spraying system. ‘Hatcon’, a monitoring system that keeps track of operating hours, location and service intervals is another add on that increases overall effectiveness.
Kemroc drum cutter excels on a pit shoring job
In the town of Leonberg, near Stuttgart, Germany, a prominent Swabian manufacturer of electrical appliances is replacing its out dated manufacturing facility with a modern building. Having demolished the aboveground structure, the contractor Berb from Bösingen, took on the task of removing the basement including the concrete foundations. That part resulted in creating a 6,000m² excavated pit with walls that needed to be reinforced. Thanks to a KRD 120 drum cutter with a KRM 60 rotation unit from the German manufacturer Kemroc mounted on a crawler excavator, the retaining walls consisting of girders with timber lagging were installed quickly and efficiently.
Berb - Bantle Entsorgung und Rückbau (Bantle Disposal and Demolition) was founded by graduate engineer Georg Bantle in 2017. With qualified personnel and its own machinery fleet, Berb had already completed a number of major demolition and earthwork projects across southwest Germany. Kemroc attachments have been part of its arsenal for some time now: for example, a patented chain cutter was used for gypsum mining at a deposit owned by the Bantle brothers. Berb also owns a 6t wheel cutter from the German manufacturer. Demolition of the structures in Leonberg was done in a traditional manner by using an excavator, a hydraulic hammer and a crusher. However, to shore and brace the excavation pit for subsequent construction works, a previously untested approach was taken. A 26t excavator equipped with a Kemroc KRD 120 drum cutter was used to install a girder and plank shoring system. Installation of this system (known locally as ‘Berlin shoring’) requires double T steel girders to be rammed into the ground at regular intervals, with wooden planks used to fill the space between the girders. To create space for the shoring, the soil is usually removed with a bucket. However, if the bucket removes a large boulder, voids left behind the shoring need to be backfilled. To avoid this operation, it was decided to try a rotary drum cutter.
The KRD rotary drum cutters are a relatively new addition to the Kemroc range. There are nine sizes available for 0.5t to 50t excavators. Featuring a twin head milling drum and direct drive, they boast a high power to weight ratio, which makes them ideal for demolition, concrete renovation and soil stabilisation tasks. At the Leonberg site, a KRD 120 cutter was used together with a KRM 60 rotation unit. Rotation units available for 2t to 70t excavators enable accurate positioning of the drum cutter at any angle to the material being milled. Working at Leonberg from February to May 2022, the drum cutter removed soil and rocks from the steel girders from the bottom to the top, producing straight vertical walls.
“Thanks to this solution, our operator managed to remove the correct amount of material quickly and accurately from different levels,” reported site manager Florian Eisele upon the project completion. “We also produced a very small amount of excavated material, keeping removal and landfill costs within tolerable limits. In any case, in this type of application, success is not determined by the production rate of the attachment, but rather by its accuracy.” According to Florian Eisele, using Kemroc attachments in combination with a fully hydraulic quick coupler and a standard bucket had additional benefits: “The operator could quickly and easily alternate between milling and loading of the excavated material, so the excavator was utilised in the best way possible. This saved us from having onsite an additional 8t excavator.”
Mantovanibenne spawns the third generation ‘Eagles’
20 specialists, 3,000h of research and development and over 10,000h of testing is what it took to produce the third generation of Mantovanibenne’s now legendary scrap shear. During the testing phase, the new shear was tried in every application, from primary breaking of massive steel structures to secondary demolition of heavy vehicles. The attachment is designed to maximise service time without excessive maintenance. The shear’s central pin, which is made up of robust components to increase durability, can be easily removed directly onsite. Other features include a shorter frame, greater stability and up to 9% larger jaw opening. The jaws are cut with high pressure water jets to avoid possible weakening due to high temperatures, with the upper jaw made from a single piece without any welding to ensure stability. A redesigned interchangeable piercing tip offers greater protection and reliability. The cylinder is inverted to protect the rod inside; the enlarged bore provides more power by accelerating the opening and closing cycle. Premium quality seals can last up to 3,000h. The heavily used parts are armoured with interchangeable Hardox 500 steel plates. Currently the Eagle 3 range counts five models, with another two slated for release shortly.
Simex crusher bucket matches the performance of a mobile rotor crusher
A team from Italy based manufacturer Simex paid a visit to a waste recycling centre near Bologna operated by Trascavi Srl. to observe its CBE 40 crusher bucket processing one of the most challenging materials - reinforced concrete. In this particular case, it was actually a mixture of various concrete structures - industrial floors, piles and pylons - with a large amount of rebar. Reinforced concrete tends to slow down processing times and often causes damage to crushing plants, leading to long downtimes as Trascavi’s owner Sergio Martini pointed out: “Precisely because of the rebar, our crushing plant is out of order, waiting to be repaired. The rotor system of the CBE crusher bucket, on the other hand, reduces the risk of blocking by any type of demolished material, including reinforced concrete.” Thanks to the innovative rotor system, the CBE models are equally capable of processing iron, soil (even damp or wet), wood and deformable materials. Designed for 24t to 40t excavators, the CBE 40 boasts a cutting force of 152kN generated by high displacement direct drive radial piston motors. With a capacity of 1m3, the bucket stands out for its robust construction and the reliability of all parts subject to wear.
At Trascavi, the CBE 40, mounted on a New Holland E245B excavator, processed predominantly reinforced concrete with a large concentration of iron rods in it. Rebar tends to cause jamming but, thanks to an automatic drum inversion system, the CBE 40 did not have any difficulties in volumetric reduction of the aggregates. The output size of the crushed material was 0-70mm matching the grain size of the material produced by the operator’s crushing plant. During the second phase, the crushed concrete was separated from the iron using special hydraulic magnets, then screened to remove plastics and debris that did not match the regulatory parameters. This equals the CBE crushing bucket to a mobile rotor crusher, being capable of recovering waste directly onsite without any additional costs for transporting and disposal of the materials.
Arden Equipment partners up with Kobelco on 8t crusher
At bauma, France based Arden Equipment will showcase its new CD080 crusher designed and manufactured to fit specifically the Kobelco SK1300DLC demolition excavator - the latest model in the Japanese manufacturer’s high reach portfolio. The brand new AES090 hydraulic quick hitch suitable for 50t to 85t machines will be another highlight of Arden’s booth. Both innovations are tailored to match the capabilities of the 9.6t SK1300DLC in its 24m high reach configuration. Weighing in at 8t, the CD080 crusher is currently the biggest model in Arden Equipment’s range, fitting 80t to 100 t carriers. With an opening of 1.8m, the crusher can cut through metal and reinforced concrete quickly and efficiently and boasts one of the best depth to opening ratios in its class.
Here comes the ‘Guzzilla’!
Taguchi Industrial, an excavator attachment specialist based in Japan, has added a new steel cutter to its tried and tested Guzzilla range of demolition tools. Featuring the unique patented design with a pinching beak, the freshly developed DXGG-202 follows in the footsteps of the industry recognised DX cutters. This model offers a new option of picking the steel while cutting. The DXGG-202, which fits 20t to 22t excavators, boasts an impressive cutting force of 1,000kN at the tip and 1,470kN at the centre of the blade, has a maximum opening of 1,240mm, a body weight of just 2.5t thanks to thorough machining process from tailor made steel, and in house developed large diameter cylinders.
CMB goes to bauma with all guns blazing
Italy based attachment specialist CMB will debut an array of new products at bauma. The compact CRE shear now features more powerful cylinders for faster work cycles. The new FK rotating pulveriser comes with a multi kit, which includes crusher, combi tool and shear, all interchangeable by the operator within two minutes thanks to an innovative quick coupling system. The proven CRR20 rail cutter boasts high performance and endurance in rail processing applications. Rotating pulverisers of the MD (with multi kit) and FH series along with the SM sorting grapple complete the range of demolition attachments that the Italian manufacturer is going to showcase in Munich.
Promove chooses to think small but smart
Responding to the trend for compact equipment, Italy based Promove has designed two new crushers for mini excavators. The CP210 is a compact durable attachment with the versatility of Promove’s established CP series of multiprocessors. Weighing in at just 200kg, the CP210 comes equipped with a cylinder capable of releasing up to 40t of force at an operating pressure of 200bar, which makes it suitable for the primary demolition of reinforced concrete and steel structures. Another new model, the CF45, fitting under 10t excavators, is designed for secondary breaking of the already demolished structures to facilitate loading and transportation. With an operating weight of 400kg, the CF45 features interchangeable teeth and plate for easy and fast maintenance onsite. Also new from the Italian manufacturer is the SG series of sorting grapples for carriers of up to 20t. It currently includes eight models from the smallest SG1.2 to the biggest SG16.20. The attachments feature a locking valve for maximum operational safety, compact dimensions, large openings, and reversible and interchangeable blades. From the SG10.16 model on, the grapples offer continuous 360° rotation ensured by the two motors, and from the SG16.20 model, the attachments come equipped with a double cylinder for increased power.
Rock.Zone to launch three new products at bauma
The Germany based manufacturer will use bauma to present three brand new products. The ‘Rockscreener 800 Light’ does not require a frame therefore this model is one of the lightest on the market. The new Rockwheel ‘C2 Light’ comes with drums for tilling tines or brushes. The Rockwheel G125 fitting up to 125t excavators, boasts a rugged construction, a twin motor power system and optimum weight distribution.
