NEW MOVAX PILING ATTACHMENTS COMING TO AUSTRALIA
Premier Rock Machinery (PRM) is excited about the new Movax Excavator Mounted Leader Mast and drop hammers that innovative piling attachment manufacturer Movax unveiled at Bauma 2016.
PRM distributes Movax on East Coast of Australasia and New Zealand, and sees the new attachments as broadening the scope for contractors to use existing excavators to perform a range of piling works rather than purchase a dedicated machine or engage a subcontractor.
Movax is well known for its side grip modular vibrating pile drivers and piling drills, and the Movax leader and drop hammers now cover the driven pile market. They form part of the ever-expanding Movax way of piling, which combines common sophisticated control and logging systems with a range of tools that cover a broad range of piling applications that can turn an excavator into a dedicated, productive piling machine.
The new products are:
- Excavator Mounted Leader Mast EML-12 (over 12 metres of effective leader length, fully integrated service winch, bi-directional rope system, MCS Mast™ control system, 6.8 tonnes weight)
- DH-20 hydraulic drop hammer (excavator mounting with 1.3-metre leader, tilt only [+/-15°] or tilt + rotation [+/- 60°], range of drive caps for different pile sections, Movax Control System, (MCS Lite or MCS Pro) drop height up to 1200mm, 0-100 blows/minute, up to 22kNm impact energy, 4390kg weight excluding adaptor) and
- DH-30 hydraulic drop hammer (features per DH-20, except up to 32kNm impact energy, 5550kg weight excluding adaptor).
PRM has stock of this new equipment on its way to Australia, and MD Mike Davis says, “Based on the level of interest shown at bauma, we expect Australian contractors to quickly appreciate the benefits of the new Movax equipment.
“The drop hammers can be used on their own or to complement the side grip pile drivers by completing a pile installation after reaching refusal, or when load testing is required.”
Movax side grip piling equipment is notable for its sophisticated control systems, and this is also the case with the drop hammer range. The Movax Control System (MCS) allows the operator to control all piling operations as well as the auxiliary hydraulics of the excavator. Piling information such as energy imparted is displayed on the control panel.
Two levels of control are available: MCS Lite and MCS Pro. In addition, M-logbook™ provides reporting and documentation of piling for “as built” records. This requires the MCS Pro control system to be installed. The Leader Mast is equipped with the dedicated MCS Mast Control System.
The standard mount for the piling hammers is a pin adaptor, which provides a degree of tilt control. However, a bolt-on plate-mounted rotation device can be fitted to provide rotation control in addition to tilt control.
While the hammers are supplied with a 1.3-metre leader for mounting on an excavator, they can also be used with the Leader Mast EML-12.
Movax Oy MD Lasse Mannola stated that the EML-12 was close to the tallest leader that could be mounted on a standard excavator, but Movax is now looking at shorter leaders to complement the EML-12 and provide even easier operation and a higher degree of flexibility.
Ease of operation and flexibility- in addition to safety – are features of all the new equipment, with Lasse saying that all Movax development work is based on customer feedback, with Movax’ task being to turn these requests into practical solutions.
All of the new attachments are designed to be handled by the host excavator without assistance from any other equipment, and to fit on the same transport as the excavator itself. All connections to the leader mast can be made at ground level.
The choice of two control systems for the hammers means that the MCS Lite system can be used for excavators with short-term or occasional piling use while the MCS Pro system can be used on excavators that are largely dedicated to piling work. Single joystick control is offered on each, with rollers and switches on the joystick controlling a range of functions.
The Pro system has an auto control feature that allows the piling hammers travel in a straight line by taking over a demanding part of the boom control; and also has a number of upgrade options including cameras and pressure sensors.
Excavators fitted with the MCS Pro system can be fitted with the M-Logbook system for recording piling information, and Lasse expects increasing demand for this feature from its customers.
The success of Movax’ product development processes can be gauged by the most recent bauma being the company’s most successful yet, with 15 units sold at the show itself (including sales to Australia ).
PRM expects this success to be mirrored in Australia and NZ.
