English
Turnkey excavation
Winter 2013
For the past 23 years, Ewald Rothmaier has served as a full-time independent contractor for Wellington Construction, headquartered in Palmerston, Ontario. Wellington Construction specializes in heavy civil construction projects, primarily water and wastewater treatment facilities and structures. With Rothmaier's specialty in excavating, concrete work and water and sewer installations, the success and longevity of the two-plus decade partnership is well founded.
As an experienced excavation expert and construction veteran of more than three decades, Rothmaier has witnessed several notable equipment advancements over the years, including enhancements to hydraulics, chassis/frame design, ease of operation, ergonomics and fuel efficiency — just to name a few. But according to Rothmaier, rarely does an excavator come along that combines so many important features into one efficient and reliable hydraulic excavator package.
"We just run them, and run them some more, and I haven't had any major issues with Doosan excavators," Rothmaier says. "I encounter conditions that will challenge any excavator and, to tell you the truth, of all the models I've owned previously, the DX225LC — in my opinion — is a superior machine. It's big enough to do bulk work, but it's small enough to get into tight places. It's efficient, reliable and very durable."
Service ... regardless of the sale
Rothmaier's relationship with Doosan began long ago when he owned another brand of excavator that was in dire need of service. A fellow construction comrade had been doing business with CG Equipment, based in Zurich, Ontario, for several years and suggested Rothmaier get in touch with them.
"Even though it wasn't an excavator manufacturer they represented, the good folks at CG Equipment said they could help me out," Rothmaier says. "They have a top-notch service department and were so willing to accommodate. The excavator was similar to Doosan equipment, which CG Equipment sells. "They were able to accurately diagnose the problem and knew exactly how to fix it, since the machine was so much like Doosan equipment. It turned out to be one of the best calls I've ever made."
A few months later, with the repaired excavator having surpassed the 10,000-hours-of-operation benchmark - and a solid 18-month project on the horizon - Rothmaier found himself in the market to expend his fleet. Rothmaier did his homework, including side-to-side and feature-to-feature comparisons of excavator models offered by three different manufacturers. The features and benefits of the Doosan DX225LC matched up well to other brands that Rothmaier reviewed.
"In addition to myself, I have two other guys who run the excavators; ease of operation, especially in tight, confined spaces, is critical," Rothmaier says. "The controls on the Doosan are so much lighter than all the other equipment. For speed and operation, everything really comes together in such a nice, fluid motion with the DX225LC."
Engineered for accuracy
Focusing primarily on excavation work, Rothmaier is often on sites that involve encounters with numerous existing utilities infrastructure. Accuracy — the ability to operate a bucket or ripper as precisely as possible — is crucial. At the core of operational accuracy is operator comfort that begins with improved ergonomics designed to maximize comfort, along with excellent visibility, providing a safe and pleasant working environment.
"I especially like the lightness of touch, specifically as it relates to joystick operation," Rothmaier says. "I was shocked at how much more effort it took for me to run the controls of other excavators. But it's not just the accuracy and efficiency with Doosan, it's also ergonomics. The guys are not as tired at the end of the day, so yes, there's greater efficiency that lasts longer throughout the day because we're not fighting the machine all the time."
Performance
The performance of the DX225LC also has a direct link to productivity. Its high-pressure common-rail engine and Electronic Power Optimizing System (EPOS) of hydraulics have combined to create a highly productive hydraulic excavator, with a cost/performance ratio that makes the DX225LC even more appealing for excavator enthusiasts like Rothmaier.
The DX225LC's diesel engine produces 155 horsepower at only 1,900 rpm, and more torque, due to its design combined with high-pressure common-rail fuel injection and four valves per cylinder. These features help optimize combustion and minimize pollution through reduced particulate emissions. And increased torque allows for more efficient use of the hydraulic system by providing faster working cycles that enhance productivity. The EPOS system electronically links to the engine's electronic control unit, enabling a continuous exchange of information between the engine and hydraulic system. The result is perfect synchronization, where electronic control of fuel consumption optimizes efficiency and enables fuel savings.
Ease of maintenance
The DX225LC has been designed to simplify access to daily maintenance points, while extending short maintenance operations to longer intervals. The engine oil filter, for example, offers a high level of filtration, allowing the oil change interval to be increased to 500 hours. The oil filter is also easy to access, and is positioned to avoid contaminating the surrounding environment. Access to the cooling system is also easy, making cleaning less difficult. Arm grease points are grouped and centralized for easy access.
"Greasing takes less than 15 minutes because the various zerks are grouped within a central location," Rothmaier says. "Keeping an eye on all the fluids is also easy. By simplifying the maintenance points, there is a greater likelihood that operators will be more diligent about daily servicing. It's easy to justify ignoring a service maintenance point if it's hard to reach, or worse yet, out of sight.
"Any of the heavier maintenance chores, I have CG Equipment handle. If I know I'm having a heavy operational year, I try to get the machines in once a year to CG Equipment and they will take care of flushing radiators, draining and replenishing all fluids, and service the hydraulics and drives; all the bigger stuff. The biggest thing I can say about CG Equipment is that those guys keep me running."
In addition to his DX225LC, Rothmaier owns and operates a Doosan DX340LC. "The DX340LC I have is a much older machine, but that thing is still really smooth," he says. "It is just a joy to run."
