DEVELON, formerly known as Doosan Construction Equipment, exhibited for the first time in Italy at SaMoTer 2023 in Verona, the most important Italian event for the construction machinery sector.
The name has changed but not the identity. DEVELON aims to reinforce its reputation as a leading company in the development of cutting-edge technological and construction site solutions that establish and develop ‘beyond’ the present. These are key concepts encapsulated in the new name DEVELON itself: combining ‘Develop’ and ‘Onwards’.
In recent years, the R&D teams at DEVELON have never ceased to amaze, under the motto ‘Powered by Innovation’. Many new technologies have been developed to expand the company’s Smart Solutions portfolio of intelligent construction equipment solutions.
These innovative solutions were on show in the Digital Construction Site (External ‘E’ Area), which saw the latest generation of DEVELON machines, equipment and technologies at work.
Among the many products that offer added value through innovation, the revolutionary and well-accepted Transparent Bucket has been met with unprecedented success. It is a technology that DEVELON developed to improve visibility on site, effectively setting new safety standards that no one had thought of before.
In fact, the technology represents the first safety system in the world (complete with a patent) which allows the operator to see ‘through the bucket’ on a wheel loader. It does this by making the bucket appear transparent, thanks to cameras mounted at the top and bottom at the front of the wheel loader, which record and combine real-time images on the monitor in the cab, using a curved projection method.
The innovative system, in addition to guaranteeing greater safety for the operator and for other workers on site, improves operational efficiency during loading/unloading operations and during the transport of materials. DEVELON is already working to further enrich the system in the near future with new artificial intelligence algorithms for the recognition of people and objects.
In the demo area of the stand, the transparent bucket system could be seen mounted on the DL420CVT-7, a wheel loader with dual transmission, i.e. hydrostatic and mechanical at the same time. The DL420CVT-7 is equipped with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) which switches continuously from the hydrostatic drive to the mechanical drive as the speed increases and depending on the application-related requirements. The advantages that this system offers include, in particular, the excellent traction that a hydrostatic transmission offers and driving over longer distances with a direct mechanical transmission.
The complete driving range, forwards and in reverse, is controlled by the CVT system. Low engine speeds ensure a high efficiency and the highest driving comfort irrespective of the traction speed. The power splitting continuously variable technology facilitates moving off softly and hydraulically. Furthermore, with the CVT, a fuel saving of up to 22% can be achieved.
The advantage is not only a lower environmental impact, and therefore lower noise and reduced fuel consumption in the face of greater productivity, but it also provides greater comfort for the operator who does not need to use the brake (hydraulic deceleration) so much, resulting in less wheel slip with a positive impact on running costs on tyre wear, brake wear and extended axle oil life.
Presented as a world preview at the 2022 edition of Bauma, the new DX225LC-7X – the first ‘Smart’ crawler excavator from DEVELON – has been designed to make work even more efficient and faster. This achievement is made possible by the DX225LC-7X’s exciting new standard features, most notably the new FEH (Full Electric Hydraulic) Joystick control technology.
With the latest development in the DX225LC-7X, the machine now comes standard with Trimble 3D ready, the first aftermarket 3D system for semi-automated dig assistance.
Excavators equipped with this innovative system can work in semi-automatic mode even in 3D, without the need to take reference points and allowing operators to dig according to project specifications, gaining speed and eliminating costly remakes.
While DEVELON machines can be observed working in the outdoor area, the latest developments in the company’s range of excavators, loaders and dumpers are being exhibited on Stand L1-M2 in Hall 10, in the static display.
At SaMoTer, DEVELON also exhibited the DA30-7 Stage V articulated dump truck (ADT), with a payload of 28 tonnes. As well as the DA30-7, the DEVELON ADT range comprises another 6×6 model, the larger DA45-7 Stage V model with a payload of 41 tonnes. The range was extended at Bauma 2022 with the launch of a new 4×4 version of the DA45-7 ADT, intended to compete with rigid dump trucks (RDTs) in the 40-tonne class.
Like all DEVELON ADTs, the DA30-7 and DA45-7 models feature an articulation hinge positioned behind the turning ring to provide equal weight distribution to the front axle even during maximum steer articulation. This combined with a free-swinging rear tandem bogie ensures equal distribution of weight to each wheel and guarantees permanent 6-wheel contact and drive for equal power distribution and excellent performance particularly on difficult terrains such as soft ground, uneven surfaces, very steep slopes, tight turns or a combination of all of these difficult conditions.
In the new 4×4 ADT, the front truck and cab unit is the same as in the original 6×6 model, with modifications being made on the rear dumper unit only. Featuring a ZF EP8-420 transmission, the 4×4 DA45-7 is a two-axle ADT with twin wheels at the rear, and with a dumper section similar to that on RDTs in the 40-tonne class.
