LASKY All-American. Lasky’s entrée into construction was a Gradall. Bill Lasky’s career has just swung full circle. When he was 19 years old and working as a quality control engineer on New York state highway projects, he often found himself behind the controls of a Gradall excavator. Lasky, who is now chairman, president and CEO of JLG Industries Inc., just sold the firm’s Gradall line for $39.4 million in cash. The deal, announced Feb. 3, hit home for Lasky in more ways than one. “The Gradall excavator is the first piece of construction equipment that I ever operated in my
A business development manager for Tyco International recently discovered a speedy, non-corrosive rebar fastener called the “Kodi Klip” and saw potential for a complementary gadget. Richard Hoffman, the Tyco sales manager, helped the firm develop a new power gun that shoots the little plastic clips and secures steel rebar joints in a matter of seconds. 'Nailing' Rebar. Gun would sell for just under $1,000. “You can sell all the connectors and contacts in the world, but if you don’t have a tool, it’s not going to do you a lot of good,” Hoffman says. “It’s the whole razor/razorblade scenario.” Last
New Books Civil Engineering Exam Manual 10th Edition by Michael R. Lindeburg, PE Significant updates have been made throughout this new edition, including revisions to over 14 chapters, which align the book with the new structural design standards adopted by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) for the civil PE exam. The Civil Engineering Reference Manual is known to be the most trusted reference for the civil PE exam because it is a comprehensive and up-to-date source for civil engineering information. The 10th edition will help examinees effectively apply the new structural codes to civil PE
Handheld Saw Cuts Virtually Dust-Free Designed for a wide range of applications and installations, the new Arbortech AS160 brick and mortar saw features a powerful 900-watt motor. It uses a unique patented orbital cutting motion and two forward cutting blades that combine to perform both a hammering and cutting motion. The AS160 can cut through bricks, mortar, soft stone and wood and still be virtually dust-free. It is the only small, handheld saw that is able to cut to depths of 5 in. (plunge blade) in masonry materials, the maker says. The AS160 is wholly designed and manufactured in Australia.
Multimedia Bendix Safety Vehicles in Action: Windows Media, 1MB Quicktime, 1MB Electronic stability control is becoming a popular safety option on heavy commercial trucks after several years of success on passenger cars and SUVs. This year, ESC will be offered on some models of construction trucks as well. It doesn’t take much to roll over a highway tractor, and concrete mixers are especially at risk due to their high center of gravity and dynamic loads. Surprisingly, few rollovers occur. “It is not a prevalent problem, however, the consequences can be severe,” says Robert Garbini, executive director of the National Ready
Multimedia AccuGrade Controls in Action: Windows Media, 1MB Quicktime, 1MB The loader backhoe is the latest machine to get digital earthmoving controls, and one manufacturer thinks that contractors will be willing to pay more for the added intelligence. While updating performance on its line of loader backhoes, Caterpillar Inc. couldn’t resist offering new “E” series models with optional boom sensors and a cab-mounted LCD panel. Together, the “AccuGrade” controls will allow operators to program digging depths into the system and follow the computer’s guidance as they dig. New Tool. Controls speed digging cycles. Loader backhoes haven’t changed all that much
Upgraded Nail Technology Withstands Destructive Forces The new HurriQuake nail is the next generation design of a previous hurricane/earthquake nail called Sheather Plus. This enhanced nail design provides added security when storms threaten a structure. Two independent laboratory tests have concluded that the new HurriQuake nail can withstand uplift forces of over 271 lb/sq ft (depending on nail pattern and shank diameter) against hurricane and earthquake conditions. Enhancements include a stiffer plastic collation formula that breaks away more effectively as the nail is driven as well as a high-tech nail design with a 30% larger head that produces a dramatic
Welder-Generator Improved Fuel Economy The new 10,000-watt, diesel-powered DLW-300ES is an upgraded model that combines a 300-amp welder and a 10-kW generator with a 100% duty cycle at 280 amps. The unit operates at idle up to 160 amps and uses only 0.39 gallons of fuel per hour at 120 amps and only 1.1 gallons per hour at full load. In addition to lowering fuel costs, the welder�s arc force dial allows operators to fine tune the arc to the desired quality while lower noise levels help make operating the welder more comfortable, the maker says. Multiquip Inc.; 800/421-1244; www.multiquip.com
New Books Engineering Legends: Great American Civil Engineers Nearly one-fourth of the world's engineers work or live in the U.S., and more than its share of outstanding engineers are among those in the pantheon of civil engineering legends. In this book, 32 among the �best of the best� are spotlighted and many others are cited. These mentors and role models have helped define the profession as it is today. Engineering Legends is a very entertaining effort to remedy the fact that most of the general public and media remain unaware and uninformed about engineering accomplishments. It introduces a broad cross-section
Hammer Time. Afghanistan project is the largest of its kind in the world, experts say. (Photos courtesy of Louis Berger Group) Rubblization—or the process of breaking up an old portland cement concrete highway into aggregate-sized chunks, compacting it and paving over the newly created �base� with asphalt concrete—is quickly becoming a hot rehabilitation tool around the world. In just the past few months, several of the world�s largest rubblization projects are shaping up from Middle America to the Middle East. The Illinois Tollway just completed a 31-mile improvement project along Interstate 88 last month, near the Iowa border. As part
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