There is no question that asphalt production is energy-intensive. It is therefore all the more important to use all the levers to reduce energy consumption. Companies such as Wadle construction company therefore have ecological aspects in mind, whether for their mixing plant, which has been in operation in Moosburg since 2007, or for their construction machinery used there and in road construction and civil engineering.
“A low fuel consumption is a decisive purchase argument for us, which pays off in the long run”,
remarks managing director Arno Staudinger. This was also the case when a new Cat 966M XE wheel loader was introduced. It has to handle reclaimed asphalt with its 4.6 cubic metre shovel, load aggregates into the bulk material boxes and feed them into the mixing plant for asphalt production. Constant processes must be ensured to maintain the quality standard for the “black gold“.
The stepless, power split variator transmission of the wheel loader combines hydrostat with torque converter transmission and thus combines the advantages of both systems in one drive, i.e. the easy and stepless controllability of the hydrostat with the high efficiency of a mechanical drive, which is unbeatable in load operation. The new transmission unit makes it possible for the engine to run almost always in the optimum speed range. As a result, XE technology ensures on average 25 percent higher fuel efficiency per tonne of material moved compared to machines with conventional torque converters. Gear and load changes are seamlessly integrated, providing a smooth and smooth transmission ratio between engine speed and machine speed. And that is the key point in asphalt mixing plants.
“We have short distances here and have to manoeuvre again and again, so the technology that is predestined for this application then pays off,” says the managing director.
Data such as fuel consumption is always evaluated and compared when making an investment. This also applies to the recently commissioned Cat M320F mobile excavator. But here, too, “less is more” counts – according to the causal chain: If less energy is consumed in the form of diesel, this results in lower CO2 emissions. The Cat Acert C7.1 engine in the Cat M320F based on stage IV contributes to this. An engine idle cut-out switches off the engine if it is idling for longer than a preset time. The automatic engine speed control also helps to save fuel. This is because it lowers the engine speed when the machine is not working.
And in eco mode, the engine speed is reduced for the same power output. The engine speed level in driving mode is automatically adjusted according to demand to further reduce fuel consumption.
Conversely, there is no saving when it comes to the driver.
“The seat is important. It must be ergonomic and relieve the spine. We always take our employees into consideration when equipping the seat,” says Staudinger.
They then thank their employer with full commitment.
Wadle construction company has around 400 employees – four at the Moosburg site. The two drivers who control the wheel loader for the mixing plant have access to a check weigher. This provides them with an important indication of the tonnages they need to feed the plant with aggregates and reclaimed asphalt from the region. Recipes need to be well dosed – the mixing ratio of the individual fractions of aggregates and bitumen is carried out according to strict and defined specifications. The exact bitumen content is just as important as the exact grading curve. Modern construction machinery technology is therefore an essential component of quality assurance. In-house monitoring with our own laboratory ensures the quality of the mix – this aspect is becoming increasingly important, especially in view of the ever-increasing demands in the construction of blacktop surfaces. The plant is operated with a maximum mixing capacity of 160 tons per hour in regular operation from 6 am to 5 pm.
Asphalt is supplied both to the Wadle construction company’s own columns and to external companies. The construction work in Hofmark-Aich-Straße in Landshut has just been completed and the roadway has been completely renovated by the road construction specialists of the construction company. Typical: The existing asphalt structure was not designed to cope with the current and future traffic load. In addition, the federal road was a patchwork quilt and had many network cracks. The asphalt came from Moosburg for this purpose as well – with the special feature that rubber granulate from recycled vehicle tyres was added to the bitumen to increase its durability.
The company’s own road and asphalt columns process – depending on the requirements – asphalt based on polymer bitumen, which is suitable for high loads, as well as acid-resistant up to open-pored asphalt, which is characterised by its noise reduction. Municipal roads and streets are built from the “black gold” from Moosburg, but the industrial sector in Landshut, Dingolfing and Munich with large storage areas or car parks is also the focus of application. In addition, in Moosburg, finishing asphalt of recycling class A can be processed and reused.
“In road construction, many more existing roads have long since been rehabilitated or renewed than completely new traffic routes are being built,” says Staudinger.
This also means that millions of tonnes of old asphalt are produced, which must be removed beforehand. This is also a task that the road and asphalt construction crews of the Wadle construction company have set themselves. More Cat construction machines will be used here in the future, which Christoph Gil, Zeppelin Sales Manager in the Group Customers division, and Alexander Mayer, Zeppelin Area Sales Manager at the Munich branch, intend to supply.
“In the future we want to expand our cooperation”, announces Staudinger.
Here the construction company, which has been part of the Swietelsky Group since 2004, offers a wide range of applications due to its broad positioning, whether it be sewer construction, civil engineering measures, road and infrastructure projects. The company carries out concrete and civil engineering projects with a wide variety of formwork constructions, including complex bridge inserts, for example for Deutsche Bahn. Even under such demanding conditions, the construction company promises the highest quality – just as it does for asphalt.
About Zeppelin Construction Machines GmbH
Zeppelin Baumaschinen GmbH is Europe’s leading sales and service organisation in the construction machinery sector and has been the exclusive sales and service partner of Caterpillar Inc. in Germany since 1954, the world’s largest manufacturer of construction machinery. With 1,747 employees and a turnover of 1.18 billion euros in 2019, Zeppelin Baumaschinen GmbH is the largest company in the Zeppelin Group. In addition to the sale of new and used Caterpillar construction machinery, the product portfolio includes service, which is provided nationwide in 35 branches, consulting and financing for the equipment. The headquarters and legal domicile of Zeppelin Baumaschinen GmbH are located in Garching near Munich.
Source: Zeppelin
Copyright 2017-2023 All rights reserved.