One unmistakable take-away from this year’s bauma show was the buzz surrounding electrification. The idea of massive mobile machines running only on batteries may seem far-fetched, but for smaller equipment it has become a reality. At every turn, major manufacturers like Cat, Kobelco, Komatsu and Volvo to niche players like Ecovolve and Giant featured electrified […]
Hydraulics lets driverless trucks move 2 billion tons
Global heavy equipment manufacturer Komatsu America Corp., Rolling Meadows, Ill., announced that the FrontRunner Autonomous Haulage System (AHS) has achieved the unprecedented milestone of more than two billion tons of surface material moved in driveless operation. According to company officials, the FrontRunner system has now hauled more than all other commercial mining autonomous haulage systems […]
Three-pump hydraulic circuit powers forest harvester
The new 8-wheel-drive 931XC (Xtreme Conditions) forestry harvester from Komatsu America, Chattanooga, Tenn., is reportedly built to deliver high performance, particularly on steep, rough or soft terrain. One notable feature, according to the company, is the 3PS three-pump hydraulic system. It provides significantly higher hydraulic working flow at low engine speeds than comparable machines—which combines […]
12 new machines at Conexpo/IFPE
Powerful and exacting hydraulics were center-stage at this year’s Conexpo/IFPE, as exhibitors showcased hundreds of machines, big and small. Here’s a quick look at a dozen new ones worthy of attention. 1. Hydraulic demolition machine The Brokk 500 remote-controlled demolition robot offers 40% more power than previous models. The machine’s three-part arm reaches 24.3-ft vertically […]
