Bell Equipment at Intermat 2018 with a cost-saving 4×4 concept
By MEq
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ADT specialist, Bell Equipment is growing the four-wheel drive concept with the Bell B30E 4×4, which will be displayed at Intermat 2018. Suited to small to medium-sized quarries with integrated aggregate production facilities, this truck offers customers distinct advantages over more traditional haulage solutions. The Bell stand will also feature the Bell B40E earthmover, a popular model in the company’s extensive 6×6 range.
According to Bell Equipment Product Marketing Manager, Tristan du Pisanie, the Bell B30E 4×4 is a supplement to the company’s traditional 6×6 ADT range by providing a practical alternative to those customers who have had to choose between tipper trucks, rigid dump trucks, and 6×6 ADTs. In addition to smaller quarry operations, the truck will also target specific markets, such as tunneling.
While not possessing the extreme off-road capabilities of a 6×6, the B30E 4×4 still offers sound all-weather characteristics on undulating haulage roads and light terrain, and provides better maneuverability in confined material handling areas or stockyards. Having one less axle means no tyre scuffing which results in significantly reduced tire wear compared to 6×6 applications on hard ground. The front tires are typical 23.5R25 tyres whereas the heavier loaded rear axle uses 29.5R25 tyres, commonly found on 40t ADTs.
With its oscillation joint providing permanent contact of all wheels, and a well-balanced load distribution (empty: 50/50, laden: 33/66), the 21,5-tonne Bell B30E 4×4 proves itself far superior to rigid tippers or tractor-trailers at load and dump areas, or in wet conditions.
The new two-axle truck is based on the 6×6 model Bell B30E and shares the front chassis and oscillation/articulation joint. This means that Bell customers benefit from the 246 kW Mercedes-Benz engine, six-gear Allison automatic transmission with integrated automatic retarder and a comprehensive package of productivity, safety, and ease of operation features. These features are based on real-time data collection by the truck’s sensors (onboard weighing, pitch/roll sensor, etc.) and are controlled by embedded software in the truck controller. The wet brake system is the same as the B30E on the front axle while the rear axle has a larger set of brakes from Bell’s 6×6 B40E.
With an identical payload to the B30E 6×6 of 28 000 kg, the major differences are the shorter rear chassis with a solidly mounted Bell 36-t axle and the newly designed 18,6 m³ bin. Compared to the three-axle ADT, the B30E 4×4’s outer turning circle diameter is 1,3 metres smaller (14,6 m), which makes maneuvring in narrow loading or tipping spaces easier and faster. The short bin allows optimal loading times for silo discharge or with wheel loaders, and is also compatible with the more typical excavator loading method.
The Bell B30E 4×4 combines the long-standing experience the company has with creating solutions for specific customer requirements with the knowledge that Bell engineers gained through the development of the company’s sixty-ton flagship B60E. Managing Director of Bell France, Céline Guttierrez, comments: “Bell has been offering the 30t 4×4 concept to certain niche applications for a number of years as there have been customers who have recognized the distinct benefits that this configuration has to offer. The market acceptance of the B60E 4×4 has exceeded our expectations and the wider market now sees the benefits of this configuration, and we look forward to this model and the B30E 4×4 growing from niche products into well-recognized haulage solutions.”
Notwithstanding its 4×4 initiative, Bell Equipment still offers the most comprehensive 6×6 ADT programme on the market, with seven models ranging from 18,0 to 45,4 tonnes payload.
By MEq
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