TECH TALK Tech Talk is a regular feature of Concrete Openings magazine, focusing on equipment, maintenance and technical issues of interest to concrete cutting, polishing and imaging contractors. Readers wishing to have a particular subject addressed can call or email CSDA with their suggestions at 727-577-5004 or rhitchen@concreteopenings.com.
Technology: Our Greatest Advantage and Biggest Challenge By Cliff Bailey
B
igger. Better. Faster. Stronger. Easier. More reliable. These adjectives and more describe what we have been striving for since the first time a diamond blade cut the first piece of concrete. The desire to evolve different techniques, to improve processes and find the best way to get something done is human nature. To be able to accomplish objectives in the concrete cutting and demolition industry, the right equipment and power source have to be used. The power source is very important since it is what runs the equipment. If the power source does not perform as expected, the equipment won’t either. The concrete sawing, drilling and polishing industries have used every applicable power source in as many different combinations as possible. It is important to understand how these different types of power sources work, what the benefits are and what disadvantages they have. Knowing these key factors help us understand where we have been, what is available today and where technology is going in the future. INTERNAL COMBUSTION Over the years, engines have been used in every size, shape and horsepower to do the majority of sawing, drilling and polishing work. Everything from handheld power cutters to large, diesel-powered hydraulics or generators have been run using internal combustion engines. This technology has served the industry well, but it has come with a cost. Today, the effects of mass gas and diesel consumption have become increasingly hot topics and the Environmental Protection Agency continues to refine standards associated with fuel economy and clean air requirements. This has challenged manufacturers to alter their engines to meet the new standards and requirements. The 20:1 two-cycle, handheld power cutters and the air-cooled, four-cylinder engines were tough and durable, but at what cost to the environment? For those who grew
4 0 | M ARC H .14
up working on cars and dirt bikes, there are no doubt fond memories of this “old school” non-technology. Nowadays, it has become more like a recurring nightmare for some. While these machines were easy to work on, it was not unusual for would-be mechanics to work on them all the time. These old technologies just do not compare to the new, clean air power cutters and the Tier 3 (soon to be Tier 4) diesel engines. HYDRAULICS Hydraulic systems have been one of the most dependable, flexible and adaptable forms of power delivery. They are used in everything from the largest earth moving (concrete breaking) equipment to the smallest handheld saws and everything in-between. Hydraulic equipment has a very high degree of dependability and power delivery, with relatively low maintenance. Of course, all hydraulic systems are driven by some type of internal combustion engine or electric motor. They are sized by the amount of horsepower the hydraulic system is designed to deliver, plus another 10 to 20
percent that it takes to run the hydraulic pump, motors and push the oil—at potentially high flows and high pressures. This is all before it is hooked up to a machine to work. Perhaps the only “Achilles’ heel” of hydraulics, is its vulnerability to contamination in the system. The smallest amount of contamination in the oil can cause severe damage to the components. And with the frequent use of quick couplers on the tools and hoses, this can be an issue. Hydraulics have not seen too much in the way of new technology, except that the control units that run the systems have become much more technical. A good example is demolition robots. Manufacturers use Programmable Logic Control (PLC) and Bluetooth communication in the controls of the machine, but still use the same standard components in the machine itself, such as pressure compensated variable displacement piston pumps and positive displacement gear pumps with magnetic proportioning valves. These are time-tested components—very dependable and widely used in other industries as well as the concrete cutting industry.