The company says the V-Cutter enables a cut with a flat base that covers everything between the drums.

Epiroc, a productivity partner for the mining and infrastructure industries based in Broomfield, Colorado, has introduced the new V Cutter. Named for its V-shaped design, the equipment enables energy savings of up to 40 percent.  

“The efficiency issues connected with trenching have been met with advanced, but expensive solutions,” says Gordon Hambach, global business manager for Hydraulic Attachment Tools at Epiroc. “We’re pleased to present an alternative that will save time and money in virtually every aspect, from investment to energy and wear on the carrier. It’s all achieved by the angles of the drum.”   

The company says the V-shaped cutter enables a cut with a flat base that covers everything between the drums. Where a regular drum cutter must move side to side to create an even trench, an approach that causes extra wear on the carrier arm, the VC 2000 can reach the same result by just going straight. The company says the design is easier to use. The machine's simplicity means less downtime and maintenance.  

The features of the classic Epiroc drum cutters, like the spur gears, adaptable high torque gear motor and the QuickSnap retaining system for fast pick changing, are all to be found in the new VC 2000. It also comes with the Pro bracket, which leads all hydraulic hoses through the center of the extension arm and out of harm’s way, as standard. Mechanical and hydraulic rotatable brackets as well as a dust-preventing water spraying system. HATCON, a monitoring system that keeps track of operating hours, location and service intervals and presents that data on virtually any screen via MyEpiroc is another option that will increase the overall effectiveness.   

“Providing solutions that can help our customers reach new levels is rewarding, not the least when it comes to energy-saving and sustainability,” says Hambach. “They inspire us to constantly rethink all aspects of our offer, and VC 2000 is certainly a result of that.” 

Germany-based equipment maker says it will showcase electric motors at the Munich event.

Velbert, Germany-based Doppstadt Group says it will showcase shredders featuring its electrically driven “resource-saving” shredders at the IFAT trade fair in Munich, May 30-June 3.

Electric-powered versions of its Inventhor 6 and Methor “stand out due to their extraordinary economic efficiency,” says the company. “Besides, they are extremely durable and help to keep operating and inspection costs down,” adds the firm.

“By collecting and recycling valuable resources, the activity of the recycling and waste management industry contributes substantially to the environment and climate protection,” says Dominik Niehaus, a product manager at Doppstadt. Critically, he says, “The technologies used must comply with this task.”

Continues Niehaus, “When developing new machines, we focus on efficiency and profitability.“ With the integration of electrified drives in the machines, Doppstadt says it can now offer buyers an attractive alternative to the customary diesel engine. 

At IFAT, Doppstadt says it will showcase the Inventhor 6 with electric drive; the multi-purpose single-shaft shredder Mehtor; and Doppstadt drum screens available with electric drives. “Compared to diesel engines, electric drives stand out due to their low operating costs – a decisive advantage in uncertain times,” states the company.

On the maintenance side, there is no need for tasks such as refilling diesel and the AdBlue additive. “Therefore, the machine productivity is increased considerably,” states Doppstadt. www.doppstadt.de

 The electrically driven machines produce no exhaust emissions, a benefit especially for the work indoors.

Niehaus remarks, “With the new electric variants we offer our customers a useful alternative to conventional diesel engines, which meets the highest demands on efficiency, profitability and user-friendliness.“

European firm targets magnets to auto shredder and concrete crushing applications.

Netherlands-based magnetic equipment producer Goudsmit Magnetics says it will display its “recently developed range of mobile overband [crossbelt] magnets” at the IFAT trade fair in Munich, May 30-June 3.

Some of its “modularly designed” magnets can be used to remove iron particles from underlying material streams and are intended for mobile recycling systems such as shredders, crushers and screens, says the firm.

“The magnetic separators are constructed with either ferrite or neodymium magnets, with the latter being upgraded from a two-pole to a three-pole system,” says Goudsmit. Neodymium is stronger while the price is ferrite is more desirable, adds the company.

“The compact and strong neodymium three-pole overband allows iron to rotate more and pulls it loose, even when it is under a pile of material,” states Goudsmit. The strength of the magnet can result in a cleaner product and can allow more metal to be recovered, adds the company.

For the aggregates recycling market, Goudsmit says its crossbelt magnet styles include some to cater to the “diverse power supply” range that can be used by mobile crushers. Its magnets also are available in various working widths ranging from 650 millimeters (25.5 inches) to 1,400 millimeters (55 inches).

To offer the magnets protection in harsh recycling environments, a protective cover on shafts and bearings is designed to prevent metal parts such as steel wire from wrapping around the shaft of the unit. “The optimized shielding on the underside of the belt ensures that no iron parts can get between the belt and the magnet,” states the Dutch equipment producer.

Goudsmit says its three-pole ferrite system initially was used for overhead conveyor magnets but has now been “optimized for mobile applications.”

Firefighting equipment firm says its infrared systems can detect and identify sparks and embers in material stockpiles.

Germany-based fire prevention and firefighting equipment company Fagus-GreCon has issued a white paper recommending its infrared detectors as a tactic to suppress fires in recycling facilities before they become major incidents.

In its 15-page white paper, the company says that spark and ember detection systems already are installed on hundreds of recycling facilities across the world (Fagus-GreCon says 300,000 of its detectors are deployed globally), but “there are hundreds more that could benefit from their use.”

States Fagus-GreCon, “Using infrared sensors to detect the kinetic energy irradiated from sparks, embers, and hot particles, the presence of ignition sources can be detected within the recycling process.”

The firm lists several locations within a plant where such sensors can be helpful, including “outfeed from conveyors, trommels, and dryers; transfer points between mechanical conveyors; [and] ducting in dust extraction systems.”

Such detectors, says Fagus-GreCon “can identify a single spark or ember, allowing for mitigatory action to be initiated before a fire can take hold.”

As to the scale of the problem, Fagus-GreCon says in the United Kingdom alone, the National Fire Chiefs

Council (NFCC) reported more than 4,300 waste or recycling facility fires between 2001 and 2013. More than three-quarters of these, says the firm, “were on regulated sites [where] permitting regimes were in place specific to the waste operations and installations.”

In the report, Fagus-GreCon notes lithium-ion batteries “continue to present a challenge in extinguishing or suppressing the [fire] risk they pose.” GreCon says it has experience designing systems to identify where a detected ignition source or fire results from a battery in a thermal runaway condition, and it has worked with operators “to de-risk the downstream processes and storage areas.”

The Fagus-GreCon white paper can be downloaded from this web page.

The association signed a joint letter suggesting the Biden administration could work on port infrastructure, address freight bottlenecks at major highway interchanges or invest in grade separation projects.

The National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA), Arlington, West Virginia, joined more than 50 other associations in a letter urging U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to invest grant money from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) in projects aimed at easing supply chain challenges.  

“The waste and recycling industry and the United States Postal Service are the only two entities that travel every road in America at least once a week,” says Darrell Smith, president and CEO of the NWRA. “Investments in these projects will improve safety, help strengthen the American economy and enable the men and women of our industry to do their jobs even more efficiently.”  

The joint letter says for the past two years, the supply chain has endured extreme slowdowns due to pandemic-related pressures. IHS Markit, a data research firm that surveys businesses on their supply delivery times, found that, after a decade of constant or slightly declining delivery times, their index, starting in 2020, has signaled a “substantial and widespread” slowdown of the supply chain. Pandemic-induced record cargo volumes have put pressure on the supply chain leading to abnormally long loading and unloading times at seaports, inland ports and throughout all modes of transportation.  

For example, on-time reliability for the shipping industry hit a historic low in the third quarter of 2021, falling to 34 percent from a recent high above 80 percent.  

“With multimodal traffic patterns returning to prepandemic levels while the supply-chain problems persist, the U.S. Department of Transportation should focus the $18 billion in Infrastructure for Rebuilding America, Mega and Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvement grant programs put forward over the next five years on making the physical improvements necessary to address these issues,” the letter states.   

The joint letter suggests the Biden administration could invest in projects like making improvements to port infrastructure, addressing freight bottlenecks at major highway interchanges or investing in grade separation projects.  

Other associations urging Buttigieg to invest in infrastructure improvements include the Construction and Demolition Recycling Association, the National Demolition Association and the American Iron & Steel Institute.