Equipment World Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/933470
January 2018 | EquipmentWorld.com 42 highway contractor | by Joy Powell | JoyPowell@randallreilly.com Curb-and-gutter manufacturers focus on keeping it simple C ontractors are looking for more simplicity in their curb-and- gutter machines. So, manufac- turers have made that a top goal in their design principles. "A big part of making the ma- chine more productive is making it easy to run," says Stephen Bullock, vice president of sales and market- ing for Power Curbers. "The simpler you can make it, the better." Simplicity also helps contractors bring new operators onboard. "The number one concern we hear from our customers is that labor, specifically skilled labor, is the hardest thing to find," Bullock says. The easier you can make ma- chine operation, the more flexibility a customer has in whom he can choose to be a machine operator, he says. Customers also want easy load- ing and unloading, so the Power Curbers machine has been designed with a low center of gravity and low profile that make it easier to get on and off. They also want all-around vis- ibility – from the front, where the chute man is feeding the machine, to the back, where concrete is coming out of the mold and an operator needs to easily make ad- justments to the finished product, manufacturers note. Wirtgen says its AutoPilot system reduces construction costs, allows faster setup and improves accuracy. Even an inexperienced operator can quickly learn AutoPilot, the com- pany says. "Offset slipform applications such as parapet barriers and curb-and-gut- ter work can benefit from Wirtgen's proprietary AutoPilot system, which permits stringless paving on a variety of jobs," says Tim Nash, director of concrete products, Wirtgen. Newest technology "Today's contractors are looking to purchase concrete paving equip- ment with the newest technology available because they know that technology will make things faster, easier and better for them on their projects," says Kevin Klein, vice president of engineering, research and development at GOMACO. He notes that the G+ control system offers "simple sophistica- tion" on GOMACO's full line of concrete paving equipment. With G+, an operator simply connects a 3D stringless control system to the paver, then connects two paver- mount GSI (GOMACO Smoothness Indicator) units to the back of the paver to get real-time smoothness results on screen for easy monitor- ing of paver operation and diag- nostics. Contractors also want to sim- plify diagnostics. Klein notes that with G+, customers can make diagnostics with GRD (GOMACO Remote Diagnostics). "It's more than telematics – giving owners the visibility of how, when and where their equipment is being used," he says. Without leaving the owner's shop or jobsite, technicians can get a diagnostic review of a machine from corporate headquarters in Ida Grove, Iowa. Several features make the Easi- Pour machines "operator friendly," including the operator control platform and simple machine setup, says Curtis Bales, business and sales manager. "Everything is within reach of the operator, and very simple design al- lows for operator comfort," he says. "The Compact 880 sets up in less time, making the contractor more efficient." Smaller machine considerations "In our niche of the market, sim- plicity is exactly what contractors are looking for," agrees Tim Mess- inger, president of Curb Fox, which makes smaller curb-and-gutter machines. "We've tried to make it as simple as possible, so an opera- tor can be trained in how to run the machine in a couple of hours." MBW's three models range in weight from 3,000 to about 4,000 pounds, compared to 12,000 to 15,000 pounds for typical curb-and- gutter machines, says MBW Presi-