Hyundai Heavy Industries supports rebuilding work in the wake of Italian earthquake
Hyundai Heavy Industries, in collaboration with the construction machinery manufacturers Italian dealer Hitex, supplied two machines, for four months free of charge, to help with the clearing and reconstruction in the areas affected by the earthquake in central Italy.
It was Wednesday August 24, 2016, when a violent earthquake shook central Italy and claimed 297 lives. The epicentre was located near Accumoli, 75km southeast of Perugia and 45km north of L’Aquila. The tremors began at around 3.30am on Wednesday morning, followed by a devastating 6.2 magnitude earthquake. Since then several earthquakes have followed, resulting in even more casualties and damage.
Following the earthquake Hyundai Heavy Industries Europe, with the backing of local Hyundai dealer Hitex, took the decision to offer assistance with the clean-up and reconstruction of the affected areas by offering two machines to the Il Corpo Nazionale dei Vigile del Fuoco – a R60CR-9A crawler excavator and a HL757-9A wheeled loader for four-months at no cost.
The machines were delivered to the headquarters of the Fire Brigade of Cittareale (Rieti), a town of medieval origins dating back to 1261 AD. The town was home to a wealth of historic buildings which were almost completely destroyed or seriously damaged by the earthquake.
The City vowed not to give up and launched a vigorous reconstruction plan. On November 8th 2016 – the Mayor Francesco Nelli – officially opened a new earthquake resistant school – and there are many more on-going initiatives to help the citizens of Cittareale to return to normality as soon as possible. The two machines supplied by Hyundai and Hitex have made a worthy contribution to this operation which will continue. Hyundai Heavy Industries managing director, Alain Worp said: “Hyundai and Hitex were honoured to be able to contribute to the clean-up and reconstruction of this Italian city by providing two machines. This earthquake has devastated a community – we are proud to have been able to help in a small way – and watch with great admiration as these people rebuild their lives and homes.”
Hyundai’s -9 Series
The HL757-9A wheel loader is one of six models in the Hyundai’s -9 series of machines with operating weight between 9 and 33.5 tons, with
bucket capacities of 1.8 to 6 m³. The HL757-9A has a weight capacity of 14,700 kg and a bucket capacity of 2.8 m³. The HL757-9A is designed to allow the operator to adjust the engine power and the timing of the automatic transmission and clutch disengagement based on the application and preference.
The engine benefits from three power modes – Power for heavy work – Standard for general work and an Economy mode for light work. The gearbox also benefits from four modes – Manual, Auto-Light Mode for light loads and transporting over long distances) – Auto-Normal Mode for general cargo and moving light material and Auto-Mode Heavy for heavy loads and heavy material movement and extraction.
The fully automatic transmission is equipped with self-diagnosis and low temperature protection – which is especially important for the machine working in areas such as Cittareale, where winter temperatures regularly drop below freezing. The automatic transmission improves performance, reduces power loss and maximises the strength of the machine. With the five-speed gearbox and the lock-up torque converter, operators can also benefit from a reduction of fuel consumption. Enhanced axles on this machine improve driving on rough terrain – which was an absolute must while working amongst the rubble caused by the earthquake.
The Hyundai R60CR-9A compact excavator, like all machines in the A series, has been designed to improve fuel economy. The flow rate of the pump decreases the hydraulic flow, when the controls are not in use, to reduce fuel consumption, whilst the fuel efficient, Yanmar 4TNV98 engine is electronically controlled for optimum fuel to air ratio and clean, efficient combustion and provides low noise, anti-restart features. All control devices are arranged for higher productivity and improved operator comfort.
Efficient and ergonomic controls allow an operator to control the machine in any working environment. A safety lever on the left-side console is provided to prevent exiting the cabin while hydraulic controls are live.
The advanced hydraulic system includes an arm flow summation system, boom holding system and a swing parking brake for smooth and fine control. Other valuable features include a hydraulic damper in the travel pedal, and a hydraulically lubricated swing reducer with a leak-free grease chamber.
The shift function of the main arm is designed to increase efficiency in residential and urban areas. The tail swing radius allows the operator to work within narrow spaces. Increased swing ensures higher performance for applications on the slopes. This machine is well suited to working within the earthquake zone.
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