English
Concrete company adds strength with fly ash and Doosan equipment
Spring 2017
Enhancing the performance of concrete by using concrete admixtures is not a new concept, but it is a popular one. For The Rasmussen Group, a large construction management firm based in central Iowa, the choice of concrete admixture was fly ash – a by-product of the combustion of pulverized coal in electric power generation plants.
Fly ash, which helps construct a stronger, more durable binder, is known to be a resource-efficient and cost-effective admixture. It also can reduce energy use and adverse air emissions, as well as decrease the amount of coal combustion products that are disposed of in landfills.
However, the add-in ingredient is heavy and bulky, which made it difficult for The Rasmussen Group to effectively scoop, lift and carry the material between its two ready-mix facilities – Iowa State Ready Mix and Concrete Supply – located in central Iowa and eastern Nebraska.
The company found the ideal solution in four Doosan® wheel loaders, including the newest model, a DL250-5, purchased from dealers in central Iowa and eastern Nebraska.
The right material requires the right equipment
One of the Doosan wheel loaders, equipped with a 3-cubic-yard bucket, plays an integral part in the transporting and concrete-production process by scooping, lifting and carrying concrete products in two 40,000-square-foot storage facilities. One building holds 20,000 tons of fly ash and another holds 20,000 tons of cement, according to Wade Beck, shop and equipment manager at The Rasmussen Group.
With a dump height of more than 9 feet, wheel loader operators can successfully transfer material into the storage facilities or place it into trucks. “The Doosan wheel loader pushes the material inside the buildings, then pushes the material to an auger that then loads out a truck on a scale,” Beck says. “Then, the trucks transport the raw materials to our various ready-mix facilities.”
Even in tough operating conditions, the wheel loader delivers more traction when loading trucks because of its limited-slip differentials. According to Beck, “this wheel loader function gives the wheels more traction to receive the proper torque when working 10 to 12 hours a day, six days a week during the summer.” When summer production slows, the machine stays busy with snow removal jobs during winter.
When loading and transporting fly ash, visibility is an important factor, Beck says. “With the machine’s large windows, operators can gain excellent front, side and rear visibility,” he says. “We got a good bang for our buck.” Machine lighting is especially important for the company’s operators when working early in the morning and late at night, or when navigating storage facilities. An optional rearview camera provides operators with enhanced visibility from a view on the machine’s LCD screen in the cab, Beck says.
To maximize the wheel loader’s performance, minimize downtime and reduce operating costs, Beck’s crew performs routine maintenance while working closely with the dealership.
“We request that the dealership keeps the basics like filters and fluids on hand for when we complete routine maintenance inspections,” Beck says. “Our machines have been pretty repair-free since we bought them.”
Additionally, at each ready-mix facility, Beck relies on equipment-monitoring functions that allow equipment owners and fleet managers to remotely monitor machine location, hours, fuel usage, engine idle versus work time and error codes, as well as engine and hydraulic temperatures. His dealership can provide improved customer support using the system by responding to machine warning messages and alerts, troubleshooting machine issues, and then sending a field service technician to help with repairs and deliver the proper parts.
