New artic truck will run like a Deere

The first all-Deere articulated dump truck (ADT) will also be the largest Deere-branded “artic” ever. “Customers who now have 40-ton artics can use the 460E to get one more full excavator bucket into the truck,” says Mark Oliver, ADT product marketing manager for John Deere Construction and Forestry. Announced at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2011, the 46-ton-capacity truck will be the first ADT completely designed by John Deere, incorporating a Deere 13.5-liter engine, Deere wet-clutch axles and a ZF drive line. Prior John Deere articulated trucks have a Bell Equipment heritage, an alliance that will continue with some of Deere’s smaller models. The first of Deere’s E-Series models, the 460E will have automated traction controls, taking the guesswork out of when to use differential locks and allowing newer operators to get up to speed more quickly. In difficult ground conditions, the system will automatically control the axle differential locks and inter-axle differential lock. An on-board scale will let operators know when the truck is loaded to capacity, and the JDLink telematics system will allow monitoring of material moved each day. For more information, visit www.deere.com/wps/dcom/en_US/products/equipment/articulated_dump_trucks/articulated_dump_trucks.page

GOMACO

Barrier to the right, barrier to the left

As road contractors know all too well, equipment design hasn’t always been entirely conducive to placing material where it is precisely required. Well, GOMACO typically has yet another complete solution for crews working with concrete. Shown for the first time at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2011, the GOMACO 4400 ultimate barrier paver has a new frame design for right- and left-side slipforming. To accommodate operator control and visibility to the working areas, the new Glide control console slides from side to side. When not in operation, the operator’s console locks safely away in the center position. Also new, GOMACO’s Barrier Hook-and-Go system allows barrier molds up to 39.4 inches in height to be quickly mounted on either side of the machine. The barrier molds themselves are designed for proper vibration and consolidation of material, topped off by GOMACO’s exclusive trailing stainless steel for superior finishing, the company says. A side mount is available to accommodate larger barrier. The 4400 unit has symmetric steering and proprietary G+ controls operated in multiple languages. For more information, visit http://www.gomaco.com/Resources/4400barrierpaver.html

DOOSAN PORTABLE

An electrifying compressor

Talk about clean air! At CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2011, Doosan Portable Power rolled out a portable, highway-towable compressor that can deliver 750 cubic feet per minute of free-air . . . and no emissions. As compared to the diesel engine of the established HP750 model, a three-phase electric motor powers the new HP750e, controlled by a liquid-cooled, variable-frequency drive system. Features include an intuitive full-color digital display and easy-to-use interface that can be wirelessly monitored. An optional full gauge package is customizable and has an LED backlighting system for enhanced visibility. Other options include the IQ System aftercooler for drip-free moisture control, dual-pressure regulation and up to one 2-inch and three 1.25-inch air valve additions. For more information, visit http://www.doosanportable.com/americas/products/compressors/Pages/default.aspx

TEREX

Largest reclaimer yet is ready to roll

Faster, bigger, stronger: A new Olympics motto, perhaps? Terex Roadbuilding’s newest top-of-the-line reclaimer/stabilizer, indeed! Boasting 30-percent-plus more horsepower than the next most powerful competitor, the RS950B is capable of cutting deep asphalt at unparalleled speeds. Why a 950-horsepower reclaimer/stabilizer? “It’s strictly for production,” it was explained to visitors to the massive Terex outdoor booth at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2011. The four-wheel-drive, four-wheel-steer unit can, with its choice of high- and low-range working speeds, operate at up to 210 feet per minute. During a heavy reclamation application requiring six or even eight inches of asphalt to be cut, the RS950B is claimed to produce at twice the rate of the 600-horsepower RS600 size model, the previous largest in the active Terex reclaimer/stabilizer family. Powered by a Caterpillar C27 diesel engine, the RS950B offers a choice of four cutter speeds – 102, 131, 163 and 200 rpm – and bi-directional cutting thanks to the unique housing’s front and rear doors. Compared to hydrostatic systems, Terex’s V-belt power-band cutter drive provides up to 25-percent more efficient operation. The RS950B’s standard 8-foot-wide cutter has 218 tungsten carbide teeth capable of cutting 16 inches deep. Available rotors allow for the option of a 10-foot-wide cutter, or a 58-inch-diameter mandrel for 20-inch-deep cuts. For more information, visit http://www.terexrb.com/Content.aspx?pgID=437

DOW

A Fast response to traffic paint shortage

When a paint supply crisis hit across the nation for Departments of Transportation and highway contractors alike, Dow Coating Material’s research and development team stepped up. “As we learned again last year, shortages of traffic paint can have a direct effect on public safety, and that’s not acceptable,” explains Stan Cook, Dow traffic paint marker manager. “When the supply crisis struck, we accelerated our high-efficiency development schedule in order to help customers and DOTs meet a challenge that had become a crisis.” The result, displayed at the American Traffic Safety Services Association convention and expo in February, is the new FASTRACK HE-2706 resin with higher pigment binding efficiency, higher pigment loadings and a reduction of titanium dioxide. The product does not sacrifice drying time or properties such as “sprayability,” visibility, durability or stability. It provides a reduction of up to 30 percent in the amount of latex necessary in waterborne traffic marking paint. For more information, visit www.dow.com/products/product_detail.page?display-mode=tds&product=1120397

MAXWELL PRODUCTS

Melt away patch pack

So, you’ve got a small patch job or a depression around a drain or curb, where hot mix is impractical and crack seal is ineffective. What can you do about it, right? Well, Nuvo Gap from asphalt and concrete sealant manufacturer Maxwell Products offers a permanent, rubberized, hot-pour solution that, best of all, is packaged in a meltable container designed to absorb completely into the product upon application. With Poly-Skin, there’s no need for opening or even cutting the product packaging on site. Nuvo Gap’s combination of high-performance sealant and engineered aggregates forms a self-leveling, load-bearing, weather-resistant bond, ideal for wide cracks and other large gaps in pavement. For more information, visit http://www.nuvosealants.com/product_gap.php

VOLVO

New motor graders built to bear down

It’s difficult to argue when Volvo Construction Equipment says “what really matters” for grader productivity is blade down pressure and blade pull force. Well, with an emphasis on overall machine balance and distribution of the main grader components, the company’s new G900B-Series motor graders have the highest blade down pressure in each weight class. Using larger-displacement engines with cooled exhaust gas recirculation technology to meet Tier 4 Interim emissions requirements, each of the G930B, G940B, G960B and all-wheel-drive G946B motor grader models can be driven by either the standard HTE840 transmission with eight forward and four reverse gears or the optional HTE1160 transmission with 11 forward and six reverse gears. These Volvo transmissions boast three and eight power curves respectively, matching power output to the traction available. Each also uses the “shuttle shift” system to move between forward and reverse without the operator needing to stop the machine or use the inching pedal. The four models in the new Volvo motor grader series range 34,520 to 38,709 pounds in operating weight. For more information, visit http://www.volvoce.com/constructionequipment/na/en-us/products/motorgraders/Pages/introduction.aspx

GRADALL

Park the lowboy for this excavator

An excavator capable of reaching speeds even greater than those permitted on many local roads: If that isn’t the best definition of a highway excavator, then what is? The Gradall XL 4100 IV comes equipped with the new AutoDrive system, featuring a six-speed automatic Allison transmission. Powered by a 245-horsepower Mercedes Tier 4 Interim engine, the new XL 4100 IV telescoping excavator reaches speeds of 60 miles per hour on the highway. Once arrived at the jobsite, the AutoDrive’s new transfer case allows the wheeled excavator to be repositioned – at a maximum 5 miles per hour – from the excavation operator’s seat located in the upperstructure cab. Along with the new XL 4100 IV, available with either a 6×4 or 6×6 drivetrain, Gradall is introducing a yellow paint scheme designed to increase machine visibility. Maximum boom reach at grade is 30 feet 3 inches, maximum dig depth is 20 feet 3 inches and maximum loading height is 17 feet 2 inches. The boom crowd force is rated at 21,940 pounds and, opposite to conventional excavators, it remains constant throughout the dig cycle. For more information, visit www.gradall.com/excavator-models/en/highway_wheeled.html

POWER PAVERS