E60 & S650: Perfect on-site partners

Published:01/08/2011
Media Type:Article

Tags: Bobcat

"These two pieces of equipment are a great combination, which we rely on time and time again," said Steve Cugley, Operations Manager for the Civil Remediation Division at McMahon Services. "We're working at the former Glenside Hospital site, which will become SA Film's new premises. We're involved in major works including bulk earthworks, remediation, the installation of storm water systems, sewerage facilities, roads and paths."

"We excavated the trenches with the Bobcat E60 excavator and laid sand or screenings in the trench depending on the services going in. Then we used a crane to lower the pipes into the trench and backfilled them with the Bobcat S650 loader. We compacted the layers as we backfilled until we reached ground level. Also the Bobcat S650 loader was an ideal size to assist in road and path preparation works."

Bobcat has taken its best-in-class performance and made it better. The new M-Series excavators, ranging from a 1.1 tonne right up to the E80 at 8.4 tonne, have been completely redesigned to deliver a stronger performance but with a lighter machine. The series offers:

-  Smooth, quiet and efficient operation
-  Reduced overall machine weight
-  Tremendous digging and lifting performance
-  Impressive tractive performance when manoeuvring
-  Enhanced travel performance
-  Low fuel consumption
-  Productivity-boosting operator comfort

The 6.1 tonne E60 features minimum tail, a powerful 39 Kw diesel engine, 4.1 metres dig depth, 6.5 metres reach at ground level and 4.1 metres of dump height.

The Bobcat S650 has also undergone significant enhancement – delivering performance improvements on every job.

Great performance doesn't only come from a high horsepower engine - bobcat loaders use the machine's design and balance to deliver more usable horsepower. They feature:

-  Quicker turning—ideal weight distribution of 70% in the rear and 30% in the front to deliver ideal performance
-  Faster cycle times—hydraulic pumps in Bobcat loaders are matched to cylinder size and loader lift capacity
-  More Torque—Bobcat loaders reach maximum torque at a lower RPM
-  Control in your hands—you can feel the loader's drive, engine torque and tractive effort
-  Powerful breakout forces—high-efficient hydraulic pumps deliver more power

The M-Series vertical lift S650 has a Rated Operating Capacity of 1,220 kg, a tipping load of 2,440 kg, a height to hinge pin of 3,149 mm, and is powered by a 74.3 hp diesel engine.

McMahon Services has used Bobcat loaders and excavators for many years to carry out kerbing and bitumen preparation, sewerage and pipework installations as well as the construction of associated paths, car parks and roads.

"The Bobcat loader carries out general site works and clean up while the excavator performs major and minor digging around the site. Often three tonne excavators are ideally suited for this type of work due to restricted site access or the relatively detailed, small scale nature of the works," said Steve Cugley.

McMahon Services offers a one-stop solution for construction, industrial and environmental services. With offices inSouth Australia,Western Australia,Queenslandand theNorthern Territory, the company works the length and breadth ofAustralia, from remote areas to city centres.

McMahon Services’ civil works and remediation capabilities cover the full spectrum of infrastructure civil works for road, rail, water and marine facilities, through to bulk earthworks, concreting, pre-construction and landscaping. Civil and early works packages can begin whilst demolition or asbestos removal activities are still in progress, ensuring strong project momentum. McMahon Services is particularly adept at handling projects that require a diverse mix of capability, from demolition and possible hazardous waste removal, through to bulk earthworks, paving, drainage, car park construction and complete commercial landscaping.

McMahon Services invests heavily in ensuring our staff have the right tools for the job at hand. Their fleet of plant and equipment is second to none and can be deployed to work on projects anywhere inAustralia.

Recent projects

Hills Industries site remediation, Adelaide, South Australia

This project involved the excavation, transport and treatment (on and off site) of 4000 tonnes of solvent impacted soil to mitigate the risk of ongoing groundwater contamination. Subsequently, the project required the clean-up of the impacted portion of the site to allow for the ongoing commercial and industrial use of the area. Dust monitoring was carried out continuously and all remediation excavation was accurately tracked and recorded. Stringent environmental control measures were implemented for both expected and potential issues.

Worldpark Adelaide, South Australia

This $1.5 million project was completed in late 2010 and involved the delivery of the civil works component of the Worldpark Adelaide commercial subdivision development at Mile End,Adelaide.

Initially the site was bulk excavated which also involved the testing, classification and off-site disposal of the excavated spoil. The site was then formed to levels over the duration of the project. Civil works included the construction of the asphalt road network and carparks, undercroft asphalt carpark, spray seal carpark, concrete kerbing and driveway crossovers,side entry pit and concrete stormwater pipe installs, landscaped stormwater swales and retention pond, hydroseeding, retaining wall and main building waterproofing and paved cafe plaza area.

'In the Civil Remediation Division we use the S650 size loaders and 3 tonne excavators as our general all-purpose machines on most of our jobs,' said Steve Cugley. 'The loader is used for preparing the car park base and levelling it out. For large car parks we bring in a grader at the end but the loader can finish the car-park off to within 10 millimetres with a skilled operator and the help of a laser.

'The loader is fitted with an auger attachment that drills piles 600mm wide and 3m deep by using a couple of extensions. That avoids bringing in large, expensive drilling plants,' Steve Cugley explained.

'We have a lot of plant and equipment and we are very conscious of ensuring it is well looked after and serviced. We have a good association with SA Lift and Loader. Their service people are great, right on the ball all the time. We get them to service all our Bobcat equipment,' said Steve Cugley.