New Gear Harvesting New Gear
Volvo releases new 22-ton excavator

The excavator is built with a fully optimized hydraulics system and ECO mode, and has an auto engine shutdown feature, designed to reduce fuel consumption and emissions by switching off after the excavator has been inactive for a pre-set amount of time.

The increased pump input power on the Volvo EC220E enables highly responsive operation for greater productivity and cycle times — and with the boom float function, the pump power normally used for boom lowering can be saved or used for other functions, also reducing cycle times. The new valve controls the boom operation proportionally according to the arm operation while grading. This system also improves lifting controllability while travelling simultaneously. When grading, the operator is now capable of maintaining the bucket teeth parallel to the ground even in H mode during the entire cycle. Fuel efficiency has been improved from the previous model by five per cent.

The HMI (human machine interface) — including the joysticks, keypad and eight-inch LCD monitor — are ergonomically designed and can be fine-tuned according to operator preference. The number of switches has also been reduced and the climate control has been integrated into the keypad. For added convenience, functions such as the windshield wipers, cameras and auto-mute can all be assigned a short-cut button on the joystick.

For the safety of both the operator and site staff, the 22-ton model from Volvo now also includes an optional side-view camera in addition to the rearview camera to cover the visual blind spots. Both views are displayed on the colour monitor. The cab is ROPS and ISO Standard-compliant.

During the product design and manufacturing processes, silicone caulking is used to prevent rust, while waterproof harnesses and connections come as standard. The design also incorporates heavy-duty door hinges and bolt-on protection for the framework lights.

The X-shape lower frame enables even weight distribution for increased stability and durability and helps prevent damage from rocks and debris. The heavy-duty undercarriage is designed to offer tractive force in demanding terrain. The design of the boom and arm includes internal plates positioned to support pressure points during a wide range of applications. These plates are designed to help disperse pressure to ensure maximum productivity and uptime from the excavator.

In order to guarantee a long service life — and maximum uptime — regular service inspections are required to spot any potential problems before they occur. The Volvo EC220E excavator has grouped filters accessible from the ground level, to make daily service checks quick and easy to carry out thanks to grouped filters that are easily accessible from ground level. Operators can easily access the single-layer cooling system from ground level by simply opening the side door. The radiator charged air cooler and hydraulic oil cooler are situated side-by-side to maximize efficiency, reduce blockages and aid cleaning. Should a technician or operator need to access the superstructure for inspection or maintenance, full size guard rails help maintain three-point contact at all times, while well-positioned, punched and removable anti-slip plates offer good grip.

With Volvo CareTrack, operators can reduce fuel costs, optimize machine performance and proactively manage service and maintenance to maximize uptime. Operators can also stay connected via remote monitoring and experience new levels of control and efficiency. Volvo’s real-time service alerts via CareTrack also help promote a good service and maintenance routine. Diagnostic check alerts are displayed on the color monitor for the engine oil filter, the fuel-water separator, the hydraulic oil and the hydraulic oil filter.

The excavator can be adjusted to take a wide variety of hydraulic lines, which are factory fitted with breaker and shear piping (X1), as well as rotator piping (X3). These auxiliary lines provide the correct flow and pressure for special attachments such as mowers and grinders, shears, crushers and tilt rotators. Additionally, a complete line of Volvo attachments is available, including buckets and hydraulic hammers, which are designed to meet a full range of applications.

A password-protected attachment management system has pre-sets and permits hydraulic flow and pressure to be adjusted (set or memorized) for up to 20 different attachments. The response sensitivity can be adjusted using the keypad, allowing the operator to tailor machine response for maximum impact in different environments.

For more information on the Volvo EC220E, click here.