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Photo courtesy of Caterpillar Inc. Cat's new hybrid excavator generated more than 300 patents. Related Links: At MINExpo, Iron Is Hot Despite Cooling Commodities Around the Block: Caterpillar D7E Seeking to deliver greater fuel efficiency in its line of earthmoving machines, Caterpillar Inc. has unveiled its first hybrid excavator, the 336E-H. The technology will pay back in as little as one year, the company says.With an operating weight of approximately 40 tons, the excavator cuts fuel consumption by 25% over its non-hybrid counterpart, the standard 336E, and 33% over the outgoing model, the 336D, Cat says. Measured in tons of

Photo courtesy of Link-Belt Link-Belt is switching to Cummins engines to meet federal Tier 4 diesel emissions regulations. Related Links: CBQ: Why Contractors Are Renting Rather Than Buying Three Ways Suppliers Will Meet Tier-4 Standards A federal rule that requires off-road suppliers to curb diesel emissions through 2015 is suffocating innovation by diverting valuable research and development dollars, experts say."It has been a drain on resources," admitted Chuck Martz, chairman and president of Link-Belt Construction Equipment Co. Martz spoke with ENR last month at the firm's global headquarters and factory in Lexington, Ky. "A lot of energy and effort has

Related Links: Studio Build Program at Auburn University's Center for Construction Innovation and Collaboration Engineering Community's Licensing Debate a Lesson in Degrees of Separation Washington Subcontractor Leads State Push on STEM Tennesee Geotechnical Engineer Reclaims More than Riverbanks Engineering Academies' First High-School Grads The workers on the Birmingham, Ala., high-rise jobsite weren't sure what to make of the two college kids who turned up with a ton of questions. "At first, groups of end users are wondering what the hell you are doing with them," said Nickolas Madsen. "Then you show them the sketches, and they get it."When he walked

Photo by Tony Illia for ENR At MINExpo, Caterpillar showed off the D11T, its largest dozer. Photo by Tony Illia for ENR Liebherr premiered its 240-ton capacity T-264 haul truck at MINExpo this year. Related Links: Caterpillar Lauches $5B Global Mining Plan After Bucyrus Deal Looking Back at MINExpo 2008 Tentative optimism filled the exhibit halls at this year's MINExpo, where Caterpillar Inc. delivered a softened three-year outlook. Despite cooling commodities demand, the National Mining Association show, held on Sept. 24-26 in Las Vegas, attracted 50,000 attendees and 850,000 sq ft of exhibits, a respective 30% and 42% jump over

Related Links: ENR: Cellphone Nanny Alerts Snap-on Employs Imaging Technology To better manage equipment fleets and cut costs, contractors are increasingly using telematics technology, which blends on-board instrumentation and Internet computing. The recession has forced firms to do more with less, fueling innovation to remain competitive. Telematics has become a digital-age toolbox for succeeding in today's tight economy.Just ask Jeff Ciampa. As operations manager for Aggregate Industries' Northeast region, he processes 23,000 invoices annually from 120 vendors that transport building materials on the company's behalf. Ciampa has reduced paperwork by 70% by combining a global positioning system with payroll accounting

Fuel prices continue to cut into construction budgets, so fleet owners are looking at alternatives, such as natural gas.

Courtesy Ford Motor Co. The new Ford Transit next year will begin replacing the aging E-Series contractor van. Related Links: A Turbo Twist Comes To Ford's Commercial Van Test Drive: Ford Transit Connect Ford Motor Co. has taken the first wraps off its new Transit commercial van, which will begin replacing the aging E-Series van lineup next year in North America.The Euro-styled, unibody, rear-drive Transit, unveiled Sept. 6 in Amsterdam, will provide at least 25% more fuel economy than the body-on-frame E-Series, Ford says. The company plans to offer the sleek-looking van with short and long wheelbases, varying roof heights

Photo courtesy of Chrysler Group LLC The 2013 Ram 1500 will be available in the fall. Photo by Tudor Van Hampton Chrysler is using the 2013 Ram to introduce its next-generation Uconnect telematics system. Here, an app compares local fuel prices. Related Links: Test Drive: 2012 Ram Tradesman 1500 Whats New for the 2013 Ram Automotive suppliers know they must do more to win over contractors than just hiring Sam Elliott's western drawl to talk up the trucks in commercials. That's why Chrysler's Ram division is boosting fuel economy and internet connectivity in its latest full-size pickup.Earlier this month, Chrysler

Courtesy of Ford Motor Co. Ford's first gasoline-powered 2012 F-650 rolled off the assembly line on August 15. Courtesy of Ford Motor Co. The 6.8-liter V-10 gas engine fills a void among medium-duty trucks, which are dominated by higher-costing diesels. Related Links: Truck Quality Suffers From Cleaner Diesels A Turbo Twist Comes To Ford's Commercial Van Many private contractors and public fleet owners have been switching their truck fleets to gasoline lately due to the high upfront cost of diesel engines, reliability concerns and the ongoing hassle of maintaining the added emissions equipment. When diesel is not mission-critical to the