TECHNOLOGY
Bell Equipment
Downhill speed control on the B40E prevents the truck from going faster than the speed at which the operator takes their foot off the throttle or brake .
As part of the development programme , Bell Equipment ran a prototype B40E ADT against a B40D . According to Du Pisanie , the results showed that over a full cycle , the cycle time was faster on the E-series than on the D-series and the fuel consumption was actually the same . In other words , the E-series is faster but used the same amount of fuel . The big difference though is that the bin on the E-series carries two tons more in payload . “ When we combine these factors we are looking at a reduction in cost per tonne of between 7 % and 10 %. This will filter down to our customers ’ bottom line and the benefits will be substantial .”
Changes in the cab
In addition to all the above-mentioned improvements , Bell has also made a number of changes on the cab of the E-series . The old cab shell consisted mostly of fibreglass , whereas the new cab is all steel . The visible fibreglass on the cab is just cladding that encloses the steel structure , which makes the cab sturdy and solid and , in addition , isolates the cab from the noise of the engine , transmission and hydraulics .
Du Pisanie says that production of the B40 E-series trucks started at the beginning of September and the first units were delivered to customers in November 2016 . The test fleet has been in operation for more than a year and they have many units running around the world : with 12 in the coalfields east of Johannesburg , in the Northern Cape and the Western Cape . The first orders for the new dump trucks were taken from customers close to Middelburg in the Mpumalanga province . When Quarry Southern Africa interviewed Du Pisanie in November , Bell had delivered the first
two units and the company was preparing to ship out more orders received earlier . The truck boasts a tier 3 engine and the bonnet is fully electronic . However , if there is a failure the bonnet can be lifted manually . The cab tilts sideways and the operator or mechanic can get underneath the cab to work on the transmission drive or the hydraulic system with ease , which is , according to Du Pisanie , a unique feature and a good selling point .
Other 40 tonners in the market include the Volvo ADT at a payload of 39 000kg , while Komatso is selling a dump truck with a 40 000kg payload . Although , Du Pisanie adds that the bin capacity is in reality the same in the Bell , Volvo and Komatso offerings . “ When filled , the payloads of all three trucks are actually very similar because all these trucks have a 24m 3 bin capacity . Bell also has a 45- ton ADT on the market . Caterpillar has a similar product , while Volvo has recently unleashed trucks in the same range . Bell is in a class of its own with the 50-ton dump — there are no direct competitors . Bell recently unleashed its monster B60E that , at 55 metric tons , is the largest in the range of ADT trucks in the Bell stable . However , Volvo has followed suit and at Bauma Germany in April last year launched their 60 tonner ( a 55 metric ton truck ).
Du Pisanie reiterates the safety features of the B40E and concludes , “ Remember , our goal is to make the truck as easy to operate as possible and make it easy to train operators effectively in a high turnover environment . The truck will automatically prevent unsafe actions in unsafe conditions , and that is another facet of what makes the B40E so special .” n
30 _ QUARRY SA | JANUARY 2017