 |
   |
|
|
Despite the recent economic downturn Bay-Lynx Manufacturing of Ancaster Ontario has been hard at work developing a new product that is sure to change the Material Placing business for the better – the Bay-Lynx Ultralite, the first commercially produced aluminum stone spreader. In early 2009 Bay-lynx started design on a new spreader with 3 goals: increased payload, better performance, and reduced maintenance costs. The design had to be radically different. After careful consideration and consultation with some very knowledgeable people in the aluminum fabrication industry, it was decided to use a double walled aluminum extrusion for the construction of the main body. The result was a weight savings of 1 t.”
To increase efficiency the hydraulic system was redesigned, allowing certain materials to be placed over 30 m from the rear of the truck. An electronic control system monitors the hydraulics, allowing the spreader to operate at peak efficiency with discharge rates of up to 1150 t/h. The system also monitors operating hours, reminding the operator of key service intervals and making off-road fuel consumption logging and fuel tax returns much easier to calculate. An optional wireless remote system is available which has been proven to reduce operator fatigue and allow for better operator’s depth perception which equals better grade control and less wasted material.
Besides the obvious weight savings, another advantage of the Ultralite aluminum spreader is its eye catching, corrosion resistant polished finish. Costly custom paint schemes to dress up your truck are unnecessary. Because these machines work in an environment where they are subject to road de-icing agents that are very corrosive and often are conveying materials that act as a catalyst to corrosion, most steel spreaders will require a complete sand blast and paint at least once during their lifespan. Not so with the Ultralite. “All of these features add up to big savings in the long run,” says Jim Van Drunen vice president of Oshawa Sand & Gravel, who has been field testing the Ultralite since the start of the year. He estimates that with the additional tonnage hauled and placed each day through increased payload and reduced time onsite, along with the additional savings in maintenance costs, his initial increase in investment will be paid off in 18 months with an additional profit of over $100 000 over the life span of the machine, when compared to the conventional steel bodies he operates today. Is an aluminum spreader the right choice for you? You do the math.
|
|
© InfraStructures - Tous droits réservés - All rights reserved |
All-Aluminum Stone Spreader
During field trials another advantage of the design was revealed. The new body handled much better on the road and around the jobsite giving the operator an increased level of comfort when driving the Bay-Lynx Ultralite Spreader.
Another goal of the Bay-Lynx design team was to reduce maintenance costs. Wear items that require replacement such as sprockets, chains and bearings were eliminated wherever possible. There is not one chain or sprocket on this machine with both the throw motor and the swing-drive being direct drive. There are no bearings or couplers on the main conveyor drive pulley. All of this adds up to less time in the shop and more time on the jobsite.
