May 3, 2019

At bauma 2019, Mecalac launched its AS 600 Swing loader designed to pivot without being repositioned to reduce wasted time and increase visibility. The machine is capable of driving, maneuvering and pivoting simultaneously.

Development of the loader was initiated by the need to transition to EU Stage V emissions; the company decided to use this as an opportunity to develop a completely new machine. It chose the swing loader concept because it is more efficient and productive than traditional articulated loaders, says Benoit Feneon, Product Marketing Manager at Mecalac. This is because the AS 600 is able to reduce the number of maneuvers needed to complete a task, saving time and fuel.

Swing is mainly about space management, he says. As an example, if filling a trench along a roadway with an articulated loader, two lanes of traffic will need to be closed in order to provide enough space for the loader to move around to complete its task. The machine will have to make several forward and backward maneuvers when loading and unloading material.

However, when completing the same task with a swing loader, only a single lane of traffic needs to be closed. This is because material can be loaded at the front, and as the machine moves forward or backward, the boom can be swung to either side of the machine and move while the boom is at the machine’s side, eliminating the need for extra maneuvering.

By reducing the amount of maneuvers the machine has to make, the amount of time needed to complete a task can also be reduced as well as the amount of fuel consumed by the machine. In addition, ground compaction is minimized as the loader is not driving over the same area multiple times.

https://www.oemoffhighway.com/trends/equipment-launches/article/21064566/new-machine-design-provides-increased-productivity-and-safety