Tomorrow’s
Equipment…Today!
UC Opens the Vault to 2008’s Most Innovative Equipment
By Jason Morgan
While taking our newest excavator for a spin in the small town of Peninsula, nestled in the northeast Ohio Cuyahoga Valley National Park, the Utility Contractor staff unearthed a hidden, underground vault. As the giant, circular door rolled back and the stale air cleared, the UC editors realized what they had found — a treasure chest of future jobsite predictions from the 1950s and an equipment schematic to match.
Some of the innovations were worlds away from the equipment found on today’s jobsites, but the majority of designs were spot on. Surveying the archives, we found the equipment released in 2008 that mirrored their ‘50s-predicted counterparts — from massive manufacturers like Caterpillar and Komatsu to technology developers DPL American and TopCon. Although future technology seems distant and wonderful, the UC team quickly realized that the manufactured marvels of today are truly the advanced tools of tomorrow.
Jason Morgan is Associate Editor of Utility Contractor.
The Incredible Shrunken Loader!
Caterpillar Compact Wheel Loader
 Large loaders aren’t able to maneuver and perform on tight jobsites, but small loaders that have a productive punch can get the job done. The Caterpillar 904H compact wheel loader features a new engine, new axles, articulated steering, two-speed hydrostatic drive, powerful Z-bar loader linkage, universal coupler (compatible with skid steer loader work tools), new operator’s station and fresh styling — including a new hood, counterweight and non-metallic fenders. Designed for reduced exhaust emissions, the 904H uses a turbocharged MHI S4Q2 diesel engine, which meets Interim Tier 4 regulations. The new machine’s Z-bar loader linkage provides ample lift height and reach, while generating high bucket breakout forces (8,003 lbs), allowing the 904H to take on difficult loading and lifting chores in small environments.
The Mod Quad
Vermeer Quad-Track Utility Installation Tractor
 Gizmos of tomorrow are occasionally bizarre in appearance but extremely functional in application. The Vermeer XTS1250 is a machine that might cause a triple-take as it installs utilities with its quad-track design. The XTS1250 is equipped with four independent steel tracks. This aggressive steel quad-track system offers exceptional plowing performance in muddy, loose or hard pan soil conditions. In addition to its quad-track system, the unit features a 120-hp Cummins turbocharged and air-cooled engine that delivers a more aggressive torque curve.
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Vermeer Corp. celebrated its 60-year anniversary this year. The company has come a long way since Iowa farmer Gary Vermeer created a mechanical hoist. Today, it’s a leading manufacturer of agricultural, compact, environmental, trenching and trenchless equipment. |
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Digging Up Deere
John Deere Excavators
 Deep within its Illinois underground laboratory, John Deere Construction and Forestry Div. created two new hydraulic excavators — in 12- and 13.5-metric ton variations. The 120D is a dig-and-run unit built for jobs such as placing pipe and transports easily between jobs, and the 135D is a reduced-tail-swing machine capable of maximum production in confined areas and work within a single lane of traffic.
A short counterweight allows it to dig close to buildings and obstructions. Three modes can be selected to match the engine rpm to the operating conditions and application.
The new “E” mode for light-duty work reduces fuel consumption without sacrificing productivity. The high-power mode increases engine rpm to boost horsepower for working in tough spots.
Multi-Tasking Machine
Case M Series Backhoe Loaders
 As the homemakers of the ‘40s and ‘50s dreamed of multi-tasking machines to help out with household chores, contractors wished for dual-tool machines to increase jobsite efficiency and productivity. By the spring of 1957, contractors had their dreams fulfilled when Case Construction Equipment released the landmark Case Model 320. This year, Case Construction Equipment introduced five M Series 3 models, ranging in net horsepower from 79 to 109 with dig depths from 14 ft, 3 in. on the standard backhoe to 20 ft, 4 in. with the Extendahoe. Features like the Case-exclusive pro control system allow novice operators to become productive, faster and seasoned professionals.
At nearly the same time that Case was developing its dual-tasked loader backhoe, JCB, a manufacturer in London, England, was developing its own backhoe loader — a tractor fitted with a backhoe attachment. |
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Compact Crusaders
Gehl Compact Track Loaders
 When older generations looked upon social development, it evoked wide-eyed wonderment of where science and technology could take us, but machine manufacturers saw a crowded future on tight jobsites — both residential and commercial. Adapting to this forecasted trend, machines got smaller. On the cramped jobsite of today, loaders like the Gehl CTL55 are king. With a compact overall machine width of only 58 in., the machine makes no sacrifice on power with its 51-hp Yanmar Tier III EPA-certified turbo-diesel engine. Futuristic joystick controls make operating the loader as easy as racking up your score in Space Invaders, and the auxiliary hydraulic system powers hydraulic attachments to further enhance the uses of this machine on untold numbers of jobsites.
Tracking the World of Loaders
ASV Track Loader
 ASV has been light-years ahead of most manufacturers with its unique and innovative track systems for compact loaders and utility vehicles (UTVs), and that tradition continues with the ASV PT-60. The undercarriage on the PT-60 uses 24 wheels to spread the machine’s weight over the length and width of its rubber tracks. By using a maximum number of wheels, the weight supported per wheel is lower, track life is longer and traction is exceptional. As a result, the machine’s 6,350-lb operating weight is distributed down to only 3.6 lbs per sq-in. of ground pressure.
The ground pressure of the ASV PT-60 is less than that of a person on foot! With such low ground pressure, the PT-60 can work productively in soft or wet ground conditions where skid steer loaders and other track loaders have trouble maneuvering.
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Loads of New Ideas
Wacker Neuson Dumpers
 Not all great machine engineering minds think alike. The skid steer and dump truck, for example, tackle tasks that European compact wheel loaders and dumpers handle on the other side of the world. But those innovations are beginning to trickle over to the U.S. Wacker Neuson is among the first to bring dumpers into the North American markets in full force. These dumpers allow a wide range of contractors to lift, shift and place bulk materials around a jobsite with ease. Both the 3001 and 6001 even offer an added benefit of front dump with a swivel feature that enables operators to dump material on either side of the machine. Payloads range from 2,200 to 13,200 lbs, diesel engines extend between 24 to 86.6 hp and lift heights span 5 to 11.9 ft.
The merger between Wacker Construction Equipment and Neuson Kramer Baumaschinen allowed the newly-formed Wacker Neuson to bring an entire line of compact equipment — from wheel loaders and excavators to skid steers and dumpers — to North America this year. |
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Ground Breaking
Atlas Copco Hydraulic Breaker
 Not all advances in equipment can be called earth-shattering, but Atlas Copco’s HB10000 hydraulic breaker attachment is just that. Delivering 50 percent more impact energy than Atlas Copco’s HB 7000, based on AEM impact energy ratings, the new breaker is ideal for the toughest heavy excavation and trenching projects. The breaker comes with ProCom, a GPS system that monitors the location and operating hours of the breaker and its carrier. For built-in protection, the HB 10000 features PowerAdapt, a system that automatically shuts down the breaker in the event that it receives excessive oil pressure from the carrier. ContiLube II is an automatic lubrication system mounted directly on the breaker that eliminates the need to manually grease the breaker before and during each use.
Fear of the Dark
Allmand Bros. SHO-HD Lighting System
 Weary of a dark, lonesome jobsite future, where crews are unable to work due to prolonged darkness, Allmand Bros. developed the SHO-HD lighting system to provide futuristic high-definition light. Featuring 1,250-watt lamps and ballasts, the SHO-HD produces 150,000 lumens per lamp, a whopping 36-percent increase over the 110,000-lumen output of standard 1,000-watt lamps. In addition to higher light output and ground coverage, the SHO-HD system also offers superior light quality. With an enhanced color rendering index of 70 CRI and higher Kelvin color temperature of 3,954 K, meaning that the SHO-HD emits a whiter light and provides greatly improved color recognition for workers on the jobsite.
Les and Walt Allmand began Allmand Bros. Inc. in 1938. Now nearly 70 years after Allmand Bros. Inc. began, the third generation of family leaders is entering management with Matt and Brad Allmand at the helm. |
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Mind of the Machine
 Topcon Grading Control System
Machine automation was the stuff of science fiction in the ‘50s, but grade control systems like Topcon Positioning Systems’ X42 allow technology to see the jobsite and alert the operator to where to excavate. X42 is a two-dimensional (2-D) system that consists of four tilt sensors, the GX-40 graphical display and a detachable light bar for grade indication. Whether the boom, stick and bucket are fully extended or in close to the cab, the distance of the bucket teeth from final grade is clearly displayed, allowing total control in every job situation.
Topcon often hosts Road Shows and Field Days to give contractors a chance to learn about the new grading technology and have the opportunity to take it for a spin. The best way to learn about new technology is to use it. |
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Getting Hosed
Parker/Parflex Insulated Hydraulic Tool Hoses
 Inside each mechanical marvel is a web of hoses — veins that carry the machine’s life blood of oils. Parker/Parflex’s insulated hoses for Aerial Devices conducting work near high-voltage power lines offers lines for hydraulic tools in the aerial bucket, utilizing a conjoined pair of non-conductive hydraulic hoses in a retractable coil assembly. The hoses are also extremely flexible, even in cold temperatures, due to their unique coiled design. The unique coil design is also self-retracting, meaning this tool hose is less likely to become entangled in your boots and tools.
Big Brother Protection
DPL America’s TITAN Equipment Monitoring System
 More than 50 years ago, a futuristic all-seeing, all-knowing entity was a terror. With time, technology and wisdom, contractors found that tracking the whereabouts and actions of their equipment is not a philosophical quandary — it’s a daily necessity. Upping productivity and decreasing the cost and risk of equipment theft is what the TITAN equipment monitoring system from DPL America is all about.
The TITAN empowers the equipment owner to remotely shut down their machines, wirelessly locate them any time via GPS, collect hour meter readings and track hour-based service intervals. The system uses a custom made antenna for in-cab placement, thus delivering a completely covert installation with no exposed wiring or antenna. As an enhanced anti-tamper measure, the unit will disable the machine from running if the system is compromised by a potential thief. For faster recovery, the TITAN includes a panic mode feature, which leaves a mapped trail for police to follow to the stolen asset.
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