Bauma 2013: Springtime in Munich

With more than half a million square meters of exhibition space, the Bauma trade shows in Munich are the largest in the world.

The upcoming construction show will see more than 3?000 companies competing for attention ? but Mining & Construction?s tip is to look for Booth 1108 in the outdoor area.
Here, Atlas Copco will be displaying its range of drill rigs and much more designed to make construction easier and faster, but above all more cost efficient.

FlexiROC T45 slashes fuel bills
Star of the Atlas Copco show will be the FlexiROC T45, a new tophammer surface drill rig equipped with the latest rock drill, COP 3060. Like its predecessor, the ROC F9, the FlexiROC T45 is a great production workhorse but now offers higher production capacity as well as outstanding fuel efficiency.

Field studies show that, depending on the rock conditions, the rig consumes only half as much fuel as the ROC F9 using the same rock drill. And the COP 3060 rock drill, using the T60 drill string, drills large diameter holes with top performance and reliability.

Mario Santillan, Product Manager at Atlas Copco Surface Drilling Equipment, says: ?It is a great accomplishment to increase productivity and drilling capacity while reducing fuel consumption so dramatically.?

The key to this achievement lies in a number of innovative solutions which effectively reduce unnecessary energy losses and increase productivity. For example, the airflow and the dust collector fan speed can all be adjusted by the operator during drilling, according to actual working demands. The speed of the engine and compressor are then adjusted automatically.

In addition, the number of hoses and couplings have been drastically reduced, the smaller hydraulic tank makes it possible to use biodegradable hydraulic oil and the rig is also easier to service and maintain. Added to this, the Tier 4 engine (Tier 3 optional) reduces particle emissions by 90 percent.

Where the smart money goes
Next in the spotlight is the SmartROC T40, a drill rig which made its debut at the Intermat show in Paris in 2012 and like the FlexiROC T45 has also been highly praised for its low fuel consumption.

During tests in five European countries this rig also proved that it is capable of reducing fuel costs by up to 50 percent compared to previous models and under normal drilling conditions.

This is thanks to a completely new design platform which automatically regulates the amount of energy required for any given function, optimizing the power supply to vital components and decreasing the risk of waste through hydraulic leakage.

As a result, the engine always runs at optimum efficiency which not only reduces fuel consumption but also reduces the number of times the rig has to stop work in order to be refuelled. The rig can also be equipped with a silence kit and radio remote control.

Tough crusher makes an impact
As Atlas Copco is now a major supplier of stone crushing equipment, this aspect of the construction business will also be well represente­d in the display with the Atlas Copco Powercrusher PC5 impact crusher.

The PC5 is an extremely robust crushing machine designed to withstand the toughest of conditions while maintaining a high output capacity. It is ideal for processing soft to medium-hard natural stone for road building and construction and demolition materials. In certain applications it can be used as a primary unit, eliminating up to two crushing stages.

Cutting edge way to remove rock
Another area in which Atlas Copco has recentl­y taken a strong position is the dimensio­n stone industry with the SpeedCut range of diamond wire saw rock cutters.

Originally designed exclusively for dimension stone quarrying, the versatile SpeedCut has proven to be equally at home on urban construction sites. As infrastructure projects increase in inner city areas which are sensitive to noise and vibration, the ability to carefully cut and remove large slabs of rock by cutting is one alternative to drilling and blasting.

A case in point is the City Line project in Stockholm, Sweden, where SpeedCut has been used in a major upgrade of the city?s commuter transport system. SpeedCut can cut both vertically and horizontally and with a cutting speed of 45 m2/h is claimed to be the fastest diamond wire saw on the market. It is also exceptionally quiet which makes it a valuable resource for contractors as it means that rock cutting work can be carried out during the night.

Top class tunneler stays in front
When it comes to tunneling there are few face drilling rigs to compete with the
Boomer XE3 C. This three-boom, computerized rig is well known around the world and will be on show at Bauma equipped for the first time with Atlas Copco?s new, super-fast rock drill COP 4038.

The Bauma show represents the global launch for this high frequency, 40 kW rock drill which is designed to drill 43?64 mm holes, 20??30 percent faster than its predecessor in hard rock conditions.

In addition, the rig?s heavy duty, hydraulically controlled BUT 45 booms, high-reach console and advanced Rig Control System (RCS), reaffirms the Boomer E-series? reputation for superior productivity.

New technique for fresh air
Proper ventilation in tunnels and mines is essential ? but is also an expensive item in terms of energy consumption. At the Bauma show, visitors will be introduced to Atla­s Copco?s SwedVent system. This solution offer­s a new design and management philosoph­y which enables the selective distribution of fresh air resulting in significantly lower ventilation costs for contractors.

But these innovations are not the only reasons while visitors to Munich should head for Booth 1108. The Atlas Copco area will be packed full of other equipment and tools for every conceivable task in construction, demolition and mining.