Going the distance

Thomas Elberskirch, Product Marketing Manager of Excavators for Case Construction Equipment Europe and International explains the importance of going that extra mile for long reach customers.

“Designed specifically for extended reach applications, Case long reach excavators go the extra mile to ensure that the job gets done”
-Thomas Elberskirch

The main application for long reach excavators is river maintenance and landscaping work around waterfront areas, where the machine cannot normally reach without sitting on delicate river frontage. However, the Case CX models are not just about long reach, they retain the respected Case digging and excavating capabilities, maintaining productivity for the customer and boosting ROI.

For an extended reach machine to retain durability and reliability it has to be designed as a long reach model from the outset, not simply converted from a standard excavator. Case has many years experience of producing special attachments and booms for its excavators, to suit a number of industry sectors. Now, with the introduction of the dedicated Case Special Excavators (CSX) division, the company is even better prepared to meet the needs of long reach customers worldwide.

All LR models use an exclusive upper structure on a reinforced LC long undercarriage. The rotating frame is reinforced and extended, and carries additional counterweight to compensate for the long reach equipment. Swing motor relief valve settings are revised and the hydraulic system features upgraded check valves and circuitry.

Each boom and dipper stick combination is built specifically for long reach use, with larger diameter pins and bushes and stronger arm and bucket cylinders. Additional auxiliary circuits can be supplied for attachments such as weed cutters and tilting buckets.

However, the machines retain all of the positive features of the current Case CX-B series excavator and offer real profitability through low fuel cost and reduced maintenance requirements. There is real comfort for the operator, thanks to the CX-B low noise cab. LR machines also have the same engine and hydraulic mode selection system as the regular CX series excavators, ensuring real operating performance through the standard auto power boost function.

Both the CX210B LR and the CX240B LR can be supplied with 900mm wide bog tracks for swamp conditions, while the CX210B LR can also be specified with a 600mm wide track to remain within a 3m transportation width. Both machines can also be specified with a conversion kit to remove the long reach boom and use a conventional digging arm, increasing versatility and boosting utilisation.

In the UK, Case has once again won a contract to be the exclusive supplier of construction equipment and machinery to the country’s Environment Agency. The five-year agreement covers more than 100 machines and includes both 15m boom CX210B LRs and 18.5m reach CX240B LR models. The most common tasks include reed cutting and dredging work to keep the water flowing freely and the machines are also used with tree shears for the pruning of over hanging branches.

“The nature of the work means that we need as long reach as possible on the smallest machines possible,” says the Environment Agency’s fleet manager Graham Patrickson. “We’ve got to be able to reach all the way across the river as we can’t always have access to both sides, and we want to be able to deposit material on the far bank as we can’t just dump everything on the side where there’s a road.”
 
The Environment Agency’s machines have been equipped with additional fuel tanks as they have to be able to operate for up to a week without refuelling in remote areas.

“Being able to standardise on Case long reach machinery has been a real benefit as they’ve listened and worked with us with regards to what is needed,” says fleet operations manager Steve York. “They now come as standard machines straight from the factory. The Case dealer network proximity is also a benefit in terms of reducing the carbon footprint generated when getting to the machines, which is of course a concern for us.”

Whatever the operation, Case has a long reach machine capable of handling the task. Designed specifically for extended reach applications, Case long reach excavators, with the support of the Case dealer network, go the extra mile to ensure that the job gets done.