SportsTurf provides current, practical and technical content on issues relevant to sports turf managers, including facilities managers. Most readers are athletic field managers from the professional level through parks and recreation, universities.
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/605094
TOOLS & EQUIPMENT 38 SportsTurf | December 2015 www.sportsturfonline.com P R O D U C T S NEW K-VERTIBLE UV FROM KUBOTA Kubota Tractor has introduced the new RTV- X1140, featuring an innovative Kubota K-Vertible cargo conversion system, transforming the vehicle with minimal effort and time from two pas- sengers and a large cargo bed to four passen- gers and a cargo bed. Kubota is the top-selling diesel utility vehicle in North America, 10 years running, according to Power Products Market- ing. The new five-point ROPS design increases RTV-X1140's workhorse characteristics allowing for more cargo volume and side loading. The RTV-X1140 also comes standard with hydraulic dump bed with 19.1 cubic feet/9.9 cubic feet capacity, two-seat and four-seat configuration, respectively. The RTV-X1140 delivers a powerful 24.8 horsepower Kubota liquid-cooled diesel engine, work-proven for dependable performance even in the harshest terrains. With convenient tilt steering and simple inline shifting, the RTV-X1140 has a Variable Hydraulic Transmission that offers wide torque band and large oil cooler that boost performance and durability. Kubota NEW SPORTSWEAR ACTION CAMERA U-HWK announces the launch of its first product, the U-HWK Show, a sportswear action camera that allows athletes to capture in game, point of view footage. Unlike other cameras, which are bulky and obtrusive, the U-HWK Show is custom- ized to fit seamlessly with the athlete's equipment across more than eight different sports including basketball, baseball, CrossFit, football, hockey, la- crosse, running, and tennis. The U-HWK Show is inspired by the training models followed by fighter jet pilots, giving athletes the ability to re-evaluate their in-game decision making in order to provide new solutions for performance and preparation. The product has a patented mounting system that is lightweight and flexible with no profile, allowing the camera to absorb impact in physical conditions and remain flush with the helmet. The camera is simple to install, curved to fit on a variety of equipment, and easily removable to charge and/or download video via USB. U-HWK In addition, the selected product had to meet the University's per- formance criteria. Compressive strength was one key consideration since the design called for a 6-inch layer of rock aggregate on top of the insulation, followed by the artificial turf. Placing the aggregate on top of the insulation required large trucks to drive onto the al- ready placed foam to dump the material, which was then finished in place. Other factors were the superior R-value of Foam Control Plus+; the ease with which the radiant heating piping could be laid into the insulation; and the product's 50-year warranty. Seelman remarked that one of the advantages of ACH's product was how well it works with the PEX tubing fasteners that hold the product in place. It is also the first EPS insulation on the market to come in uniform pre-scored pieces, increasing the ease and flexibility of installation. "This product is extremely easy to install," continued Seelman. "We actually hired the local high school football team to help with the installation, and the kids were able to use the work as a team fundraising project." Under MBA's guidance, all 80,000 square feet of under-slab foam insulation were installed in a single 12-hour night's work, tallying roughly 250 man-hours of labor. "There were about 20 players from the team and those boys worked so hard, we actually were pressed to keep the materials coming to them fast enough. They laid out the foam, taped the joints, and kept the over- all grid really straight. They also ate about $300 of pizza, but it was a great experience for all of us." The evenness of the product was also crucial. Since the insula- tion was being installed below grade, any inconsistencies in level could contribute to an uneven foundation. MBA used an Apache Dual Plane Laser System, tractor-mounted grading box to ensure a highly precise finish grade that remained flush within a quarter of an inch to support the aggregate and turf layers. Seelman also tout- ed Foam Control Plus+'s uniformity, calling it "the most square" foam product on the market. Though the design-build methodology is tried and true for builders and clients across the county, for the University of Iowa it was an unfamiliar process. That meant increased attention paid to every design and construction decision, including material selec- tion and procurement. According to Seelman, the University want- ed all long-lead items accounted for well before they were actually needed on site. "When we made the switch from the original specified product to Foam Control Plus+, the University wanted actual photographic proof that we would have the required volume of materials on hand and ready for installation," noted Seelman. "When you are talking about pre-purchasing 80,000 square feet of foam insulation, it's not the kind of thing that can be brought to a congested construction site and simply stored until it's ready to be installed." Working with Seelman and the local product distributor, Whitecap, ACH Foam Technologies processed the material order and then stored the foam until the foundation was ready. Know- ing that many contractors find themselves in similar situations, ACH Foam Technologies often works with distributors to ware- house purchased materials and transports them to construction sites for a just-in-time delivery. ■ ST