With so little time and so much trade show floor to cover, let our preview of the big show streamline your search for the best in show.

by Therese Dunphy, Editor-in-Chief

Highway portable stacker

Thor Global features its new T150-20, a 48-inch by 150-foot highway-portable telescopic stacker. The unit can be folded up and ready for transportation or unfolded and ready for production within 15 minutes, the company says, and can stockpile up to 2,000 tons per hour. The company attributes its experience in cranes in helping it to design the correct balance of weight and structure to create a high-throughput, strong machine. As part of the ThorStack 2 line, the new stacker features a quick-release system that allows the operator to easily engage or disengage the radial drive system within three minutes. It also boasts zero-speed switches on inner and outer conveyors to protect the stacker from overloading if the belt is broken or slips.

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High-volume mobile screening plant

Astec Mobile Screens will showcase its expanded line of Fold ’n Go mobile screening plants. Its new Fold ’n Go 2516KT track plant is designed to meet high volume demands in quarrying, sand and gravel, and recycling operations. Powered by a 97 horsepower Caterpillar engine, the portable screen features easy-to-reach engine controls and central grease points. The 5- by 16-foot double-deck screen is supported by rubber torsion springs that allow for a smoother operation. Operating angles of the screen box can be hydraulically adjusted for various production and material separation needs.

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Automated wheel wash system

Innovative Equipment Solutions will introduce its new Neptune Series of fully automated, drive-through wheel wash systems, which can be configured with one-, two-, or three-tire revolutions of cleaning to eliminate job site track out. Featuring concrete or galvanized steel sidewall construction, the system can be used in either permanent or temporary installations. All models are engineered with a fully automated, closed-loop water recycling and solids separation process. The series is said to feature a high-volume, low-pressure water design to prevent overspray and the knocking of oil and grease from the truck chassis. Its extra-wide, 42-inch wash elements flex the tire tread open to allow the high water volume flow to flush the tires clean while a highly focused spray is easily achieved with adjustable nozzle assemblies.

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Screen stringer system

Polydeck Screen Corp. will debut its PipeTop II Stringer System, a new design that maximizes versatility from a single frame. Available in three forms — bundled rails for a new screen deck, jigged conversions for changing out an existing frame, or a complete screen deck frame to retrofit an older shaker — PipeTop II is said to offer a variety of production benefits. Its 1/2-inch rails, when coupled with Polydeck’s Maxi screen panel designs, provide a high open area that may match wire cloth in many cases. It also offers multiple fastening options from a single frame including PolySnap and traditional pin-style versions. The fastener heads are polyurethane and screw into steel ferrules on the frame rails. If a fastener head becomes worn, it can be removed and replaced individually rather than replacing an entire frame. For applications requiring a changeover to wire cloth, crown adapters fit both fastener head types and offer the ability to change between screen media with a minimal investment of time and money.

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All-weather, automated drill rig

Atlas Copco plans to showcase its ROC D7C, a silenced SmartRig surface crawler. SmartRig is a concept that facilitates a variety of automation in drill rigs. The hardware is designed to operate in every possible weather condition, and the software can be upgraded on site. The units have built-in logging and monitoring functions as well as support for diagnostics and fault finding. Through PC software, the SmartRig control system electrical signals are generated to control the hydraulic valves. This concept of a “dry cab” has no hydraulic pipes or gauges and reduces noise for the operator. The amount of hydraulic and electrical cables is reduced, which frees up space in the cab and increases operator visibility. The use of a laser plane creates consistency in hole depth for improved fragmentation of blasted rock while an automatic rod adding system, AutoRAS, enables the operator to drill automatically to a given depth.

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Self-service kiosks

Libra Systems will unveil its Self-service Kiosks at ConExpo-Con/Agg 2008. The kiosks allow material suppliers to increase revenue by handling more truck traffic without a corresponding increase in the number of operators. The kiosks are said to enable extended operating hours at a lower cost, free scale house operators to handle other responsibilities, reduce data entry and ticket errors, reduce in-yard times, and improve customer satisfaction. Units are available that handle all of the various roles in ticketing including check-in, check-in with tare, checkout, and ticket printing. They also can be configured to control external equipment such as traffic lights and gates.

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