Scooptram gets more versatile with the side-dump bucket

Atlas Copco?s range of Scooptram loaders has just become even more versatile and productive with the addition of a side-dump bucket.

The new side-dump bucket for the Scooptram ST7, ST1030 and ST14 is a smart option for miners and tunnelers as it enables these vehicles to be used in an almost unlimited range of applications.

From rapid tunnel development in mining to tunnels for hydropower, rail and road projects, the side-dump bucket can make a big difference.

Firstly, depending on the application, the bucket can save a lot time. Loaders equipped with a conventional bucket normally travel between 100 m and 300 m from loading point to dumping point. With a side-dump bucket, this time can be substantially reduced, shortening the cycle time between rounds.

Ben Thompson, Product Manager at Atlas Copco, explains: ?Filling the bucket in the muck pile, reversing and positioning parallel to a truck, lifting the boom to prepare, and then dumping the material in the truck can all be done in one motion. Not only that, lowering the bucket and boom and going forward to fill the next bucket can also be done in one go.?

The side-dump option also means that fewer loaders are able to serve multiple trucks and there is no longer any need for loading bays or cutouts. An added bonus is that tire wear and fuel consumption, which are the main running cost items, are also reduced.