New features on the Volvo A30G articulated dump truck are helping ensure the unit remains durable and efficient well into the future for Digwright.
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Control features of the Volvo A3OG include hill assist, an engine brake and automatic traction control
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I was recently invited to view and inspect the latest addition to south-east Queensland civil contractor Digwright’s fleet of late model earthmoving equipment: the new Volvo A30G articulated dump truck. Already a huge fan of the Volvo haul trucks, I immediately went for my camera, hard hat and truck keys, and soon made my way to site to check out all the hype surrounding this new machine.
Whether it’s a 25-tonne, or up to a 60-tonne capacity, Volvo’s articulated dump trucks have always been an industry-leading machine and are known for having their comfortable spacious cab, ease of operation and overall safety features.
They have always been a winner with operators and the new A30G truck is no exception. Highlights include a sleek design with a ready-for-business attitude, unbeatable off-road performance, automatic traction control – including 100 per cent differential locks – all-terrain bogie, maintenance-free hydro-mechanical steering, new dump support system, increasing stability and control in tough-going conditions.
The new A30G is specifically designed for heavy hauling in adverse conditions and a few of the standout safety features pointed out to me by owner Andrew Wright was the gear shifting ability of the machine and how it adapts to operating conditions, improving the overall comfort and fuel efficiency.
The new hill assist and dynamic Volvo engine brake features give the operator more control over the machine when going down steep gradients. A centrally-positioned seating, superior steering, excellent suspension, low noise levels, climate control, space and visibility all reduce operator fatigue for more effective operations.
Haul assist
Volvo Construction Equipment has introduced a particularly important feature designed to improve load accuracy on the new articulated haulers. Haul assist is a system that shows how much material the truck has moved; providing operators with data and real-time insight to assist in achieving optimal payloads and improves productivity.
Haul assist comes standard on Volvo A35G through to A60H model haulers and is optional on the A25G and A30G models. The cost-saving benefits with this new technology are just the beginning. If an articulated haul truck is under-loaded, it’s a good guess that the overall operation will be losing money with extra trips and fuel consumption, and an overloaded truck can present safety issues and put unnecessary wear on the truck. The more accurate the load, the lower the cost per tonne, keeping the haul truck running efficiently and operational costs at a minimum.
Haul assist is fully integrated with the Volvo on-board weighing system, which measures the payload and was developed to increase the efficiency of hauling operations.
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The in-cab Volvo Co-Pilo 10-inch (25.4cm) touchscreen
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Operators are now able to monitor all the relevant information at their fingertips through the easy-to-use, in-cab Volvo Co-Pilot 10-inch (25.4cm) touchscreen. The on-board weighing feature in haul assist provides the operator with various tools to monitor the productivity of the machine. The feature can be used in either Project mode or Trip Meter mode.
Project mode allows the operator to set up specific projects, add various dump zones, add material types and provide targets. This technology will allow the operator to monitor production and report progress back to the office via a productivity report, which provides efficiency information about the machine for a given time period, or it can generate a cycle report.
that can specify information for a given time period. Operators can schedule reports to be generated automatically at set intervals or create them manually when desired. The data can be stored in the cloud and accessed remotely, or it can be exported using a USB.
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The new A3OG is specifically designed for heavy hauling in adverse conditions
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Trip Meter mode provides the operator with a payload counter (that can be reset), a cycle counter and other valuable payload information. The in-cab productivity dashboard feature provides the operator with a complete overview of the current machine productivity status, which can be monitored at any time and includes tonnes per hour, tonnes per litre and payload utilisation.
The operator can decide what data to display on the screen, depending on what is to be considered most relevant, and for each item a target can be added so the operator can monitor the progress in relation to expectations.
Other notable Volvo articulated dump truck features are the double-acting hoist cylinders that enable the operator to cut time at the dump site. With optimised pressure and oil flow, a fully loaded body is hoisted in just 12 seconds and lowered in nine seconds. This excellent hydraulic system gives the operator precision handling, even on uphill locations. The fact that it has high ground clearance, high placement of the dump joint and a unique body shape also gives the Volvo A30G enough control to dump the load over the dump edge, reducing the requirement for dozers in certain applications.
Whether it’s operating in quarrying, mining or civil construction earthworks, the new Volvo A30G articulated dump truck series delivers on all levels when it comes to reliability, speed, productivity and safety
Photography: Shaun Croaker