Compaction equipment may not be the stars of the construction machinery industry, but it is an important, invaluable and often overlooked machine.
Whether it is compacting the ground around building plots ready for scaffolds, or compacting stone on paths and roadways, compaction equipment needs to be efficient and reliable so that when it is called upon, it is ready to get to work.
One of the largest civil engineering delivery companies for the UK housebuilding sector is Alliance Groundworks and Civils. The Midlands based company undertakes the initial preparation works, installation of roads, sewers and plots ready for development companies to come in and complete the main building works.
While the company runs a high-spec fleet of excavators, dozers, and dump trucks, they have also invested heavily in a fleet of compaction equipment from Ammann, purchased through UK dealer Molson Equipment, part of the Molson Group.
Molson was appointed the Ammann dealer for the UK back in 2006, just six short years after the company entered the new equipment market. They have grown the brand hugely since adding the Swiss manufacturer to their constantly expanding portfolio of products.
Ammann is a world-leading supplier of mixing plants, machines and services to the construction industry, with core expertise in road building and transportation infrastructure.
The family-owned company has enjoyed international success since 1869 with Hans-Christian Schneider, current Ammann CEO, the sixth generation of the family to run the business. The company built their first tar laying machine in 1908 with their first powered roller arriving three years later in 1911. In 1931 the company signed an agreement to become the Caterpillar dealer for the Swiss region, a deal which lasted until the mid 1980’s. During this time the manufacturing side of the company continued to expand globally to reach the position they find themselves today, one of the leading developers of compaction equipment.
Alliance Groundworks and Civils have taken over ten rollers from Molson Equipment in the past 12 months, comprising a variety of ARX 12-2, ARX26-1.2 and ARX 45-2 twin drum rollers.
The ARX light range of twin drum rollers have been designed to be a rugged and productive product that can be turned to whenever they are required. Constructed around a robust chassis with an easily accessed and spacious operator platform, the ARX light range of twin drum rollers covers models with compaction widths of 800mm up to 1380mm and weights ranging from 1460kg to 4980kg. Whilst commonplace twin steel drums make up the biggest sellers for Molson Compact, the range also includes several pneumatic tyred versions designed for asphalt compaction. “As most of our work will be compacting aggregates, soils and occasionally tarmac, we have opted for the steel twin drum roller versions,” says Alliance’s Plant Director Alex Gribble. The operator’s platform on the twin drum rollers is a clean and straightforward workstation. The centrally mounted steering wheel sits against the simple and easily identifiable switchgear on the dashboard. Pictograms on each rotating switch show its functions, with an LCD screen to the left showing a variety of machine information as the roller operates. To the right-hand side of the vinyl seat is the multi-function joystick, which controls the twin drum roller’s direction and speed through its hydrostatic transmission. The joystick also allows single-handed operation of the machine’s vibratory and sprinkler system. The hydrostatic transmission allows for accurate control of the machine, allowing precise work compaction up to obstacles to be carried out with total confidence. The precisely manufactured articulation joint allows for a compact turning circle on all ARX twin drum roller models and ensures the drums stay in constant contact with the surface, even on the tightest of turns.
While most of the work the twin drum rollers are used on doesn’t require the use of the water sprinkler system, it has come in for praise from the site teams. They say they have had very little in the way of issues from it compared to some of the previous compactors they have used. The system’s multi-level filtration system with a class-leading large water tank enables the twin drum rollers to work for longer between filling.
The smaller of the two models, the ARX 12-2 twin drum rollers have been specified with an 820mm wide offset drum option, allowing compaction up to kerbs or walls to be undertaken with ease. Powered by a Stage V Yanmar diesel engine, the ARX 12-2 twin drum roller is favoured by the finish gangs when working close to completed properties, as the offset of the drum provides a “clean side”, allowing the operator to get parallel with the edge of walls or other obstacles. This massively reduces potential damage to finished properties whilst allowing for a perfect finish in even the most difficult areas.
The larger of the two models, the ARX 45-2 twin drum roller is the largest in the ARX Light range, with a 1380mm compaction width and is powered by a Stage V Kubota power plant.
The larger of the two twin drum rollers can be operated with the drums in-line or off-set for a wider compaction area, and features a two-stage vibratory system with three different compaction settings, making it suitable for a wider variety of materials. For operators requiring more than just a smooth and compacted finish, the ARX 45-2 twin drum roller is available with Ammann’s optional ACEforce Intelligent Compaction System, which is a continuous compaction measurement system that evaluates real-time material stiffness passing the information back to the operator, eliminating passes and improving productivity.
The ARX twin drum roller range has not only been designed to be productive, but also to enable swift and simple maintenance tasks to be carried out with ease thanks to quick and easy daily inspection and tool-free maintenance parts. Service downtime has also been extended with a great proportion of the parts being maintenance free.
“We are delighted with the Ammann products we have purchased,” Alex commented, “We know we have a product that we don’t have to worry about on the sites, such is their build quality and reliability.”
