Capital Equipment News April 2018

frame boom, MultiOne’s range offers increased lifting capacity. “High output radial piston wheel motors as well as the inclusion of Poclain hydrostatic pumps offer greater performance in the hydrostatic drivetrain,” says Van Wyk. According to Kundra, Cat’s state-of-the-art electro-hydraulic system provides low effort, fine control with fast cycle times. The Cat exclusive Road & Load package option includes Rimpull control, implement speed control, hystat modulation, to name a few. “Coupled with this, is our belief in being ‘efficiently powerful’ and there is no better example than the Cat hydrostatic drive system,” he says. “Customers can realise significant savings in fuel and tyre wear thanks to the Rimpull Control, which allows operators to reduce tyre slip in poor underfoot conditions, promotes more efficient bucket loading for reduced tyre wear and improved productivity. The operator can select among four settings to adjust power reaching the wheels, based on working conditions,” adds Kundra. Application range According to the Future Market Insights report, key application segments for the compact loader market include construction, ground maintenance, landscaping, mining, forestry and agriculture, among others. However, construction remains the largest recipient of the compact wheel loader, and sales to the segment are predicted to reach a valuation of close to US$160- million by 2026. Kundra says the reason why construction is the main recipient of this range of equipment is that it is inherent to their design. “These machines do what they are designed to do. Moving

Kemach, with its JCB 406, operates in the less than 6 000 kg segment of the local compact loader market.

“Both are important but one could argue that the interface to the machine plays a larger part,” says Kundra. “Operator fatigue is reduced with low effort, electro-hydraulic joystick controls. Caterpillar is the only manufacturer offering a complete electro-hydraulic control system, and therefore can develop software updates and features that increase productivity, without the need for any hardware changes. And when the machine is serviced these new features are automatically installed, at no cost.” In terms of comfort, Cat has significantly lowered in- cab sound levels. The OEM has just recently released a premium seat option for its range of compact wheel loaders following feedback from owners and operators. Comfort is also an area where Wacker Neuson has paid particular attention in its compact loader designs. “Our cabs are all state-of-the-art in terms of functionality and comfort. We also place a premium on visibility for the operator. All function switches are colour coded and easy to reach. Due to the hydrostatic drive, there is minimal strain on the operator. A unique feature on our machines is also the ability to change an attachment from the comfort of your seat by means of a hydraulic quick hitch system,” explains Vietze. Van Wyk says MultiOne has introduced a number of “fancy” options to its cabs lately with full glass enclosed cabins available, optional air-conditioning units and much improved controls making the M1 range more user-friendly and simpler to maintain, too. “We also offer insulation in the cabs, as well as a host of electronic options to assist with attachment control. In addition, we offer very affordable plexi glass cabins for the local market to keep debris and dust out. We also now offer high back luxury seating on our bigger models,” says Van Wyk. Further improvements Apart from operator comfort, OEMs continue to implement other major design improvements as the compact loader continues to evolve. For example, with a vastly strengthened and redesigned double H-

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