Gypsum Panels Moisture Control SheetRock brand Humitek gypsum panels are designed to help the building industry face one of its most difficult issuesmoisture build-up. The panels are designed for interior areas and utilize a proprietary technology that makes them moisture and mold-resistant from front to back. They are available initially in 5/8-in. thickness and 8-, 10- and 12-ft lengths. United States Gypsum Co.; 800/874-4968; www.usg.com sponsored link: Gypsum Panels on Sweets.com (Sponsored Content) Single-Drum Rollers Mid-Size Models The BOMAG BW145-3 series includes three single-drum vibratory rollers that feature 56-in.-wide drums, making them suitable for a range of jobs, from utility
Pavement Grinders/Groovers Compact Design Manufacturer introduces a line of pavement groovers and grinders that includes three models. Each machine offers a 12-in. blade capacity and a 3/4-in. maximum cutting depth combined with a self-propelled design. Model PG 6522 is equipped with a 65-hp Wisconsin engine and a 21 3/4-in. cutting head, while the PG 3514 can be fitted with a 35-hp Wisconsin gas engine or optional 30-hp Baldor electric motor. Model PG 1608 is the most compact, featuring a cutting head width of 8 in. and a 16-hp Briggs Vanguard engine. Dimas, a div. of the Electrolux Group; 800/845-1312; www.dimas.com
STEEL PRODUCTS ANGLE GRINDERS More Torque and Power The 9-in. D28494N, operating at 6,000 RPM with 125 in./lb of torque, is one model in a new line-up of four 7 and 9-in. large angle grinders. Welders, structural steel fabricators and other tradespeople can choose from grinders with different ranges of torque and RPM for fast material removal. Each model is built around a 15-amp AC/DC motor with 4-hp maximum motor output and 3,084 maximum watts output. With AC/DC switches, the grinders can operate from welding machines and generators. DEWALT; 800/433-9258; www.DeWALT.com HAND TORCH Total Gas Management Design New SL100 hand
EARTHMOVING EQUIPMENT Machines Changed Construction Practices Civil engineer chronicles earthmoving equipment in North America The development of mechanized earthmoving equipment, particularly over the last 100 years, has drastically reduced grueling hand labor and has changed the way we sculpt the earth. "The need to reshape Mother Earth goes back almost as far as civilization itself," writes author Keith Haddock in The Earthmover Encyclopedia (Motorbooks International, $44.95). "After the steam shovel was established, steam power gradually progressed to other types of earthmoving equipment formerly powered by teams of horses and mules." A civil engineer and mining veteran of 40 years, Haddock
INTERNATIONAL EQUIPMENT Manitowoc Builds Digital Design 3-D modeling cuts lead times By Tudor Hampton in Paris Global manufacturer Manitowoc Co. Inc. has pushed its computer-aided designs higher with the Model 18000, a new 660-ton crawler crane. Designers believe it is the first of its size to be built and tested entirely on computer in what engineers are calling "virtual prototyping." The machine costs up to $6.5 million, but the manufacturer believes it will have lucrative payoffs in the petrochemical and power-generation sectors. "These days, lifts are getting heavier, and users are working in more confined spaces," says Steven Lohr, project
Elton Long (Photo courtesy of Case Corp.) Elton Long, mechanical engineer who lead the design team that developed the first American-made, integrated loader backhoe, died April 6 in Burlington, Iowa. He was 81 years old. Early in his career, Long designed heavy equipment for American Tractor Co. of Churubusco, Ind. When Case Corp., Racine, Wis., acquired ATC in 1957, Long and his colleagues were in the midst of designing a new type of machine that would eventually become the bread and butter of contractor fleets around the world. After joining Case, Long rivaled the efforts of Joseph Cyril Bamford, founder
Mini Hydraulic Excavator Designed for Space-Restricted Areas The new 304CR can be equipped with a variety of buckets and work tools to handle a wide range of applications. It delivers 36 net hp and accommodates two stick sizes. When fitted with the optional long stick, the excavator provides a maximum digging depth of 12 ft, 4 in. The 304CR is powered by a naturally aspirated, water-cooled, four-stroke, four-cylinder diesel engine, which meets Tier 2 and State II emissions requirements. Caterpillar Inc.; 309/675-8995; www.cat.com Tuckpointing Grinder New Guard and Enlarged View Window This 5-in. grinder, model 1775E, is designed for concrete
Retail products, including scale models, are becoming profit centers for equipment manufacturers, dealers and collectors around the globe. Several construction equipment producers experiencing dips in demand have resorted to creative measures in order to boost revenue and spread brand equity. Logo merchandising, common to manufacturers promotional budgets for decades, is working its way more and more into the retail side of the business, and the numbers are staggering. "Margins in the retail sector can be very good. If you get it right, it is far more profitable than manufacturing a wheel loader," says David Phillips, managing director of analyst firm
Recent economic fallout in equipment markets has drifted from North America into Europe, according to bargain hunters and equipment manufacturer representatives who made a trek to Paris for Intermat 2003, touted as the world's largest heavy equipment show of the year. THIN CROWD: Weeklong Metro strikes leave many attendees stuck in hotel rooms. The May 13-17, 320,000-square-meter exhibition got off to a quieter start than usual, as corporate financial concerns, a pervasive glut of new and used machinery on the market, continued international conflict and the SARS epidemic forced many firms to stay at home. Likewise, Intermat officials lost key
Outdoor Lighting Fixture Protective Powder Coating A new line of UL-listed weatherproof incandescent fixtures offers bright lighting in areas where moisture, dirt or corrosion is a problem. WFA incandescent fixtures are rated at 120v and suited for such locations as construction, tunnels, bridges and subways. Designed for use with 150v supply wire, the models can be direct- mounted to walls, ceilings or structural members, in part because no separate outlet box is required. Fixtures are factory-assembled and fully gasketed for easy installation. Appleton, part of the EGS Electrical Group; 847/679-7800; Fax: 847/763-6002 sponsored link: Outdoor Lighting on Sweets.com (Sponsored Content)