Mecalac’s AS1600 swing loader offers the ability to pivot its bucket 90° to either side, representing a departure from traditional wheel loader design. A rigid frame and 4-wheel steering provide stability while driving, operating and unloading. It requires only half the space of conventional loaders for tasks such as loading trucks or discharging materials into trenches with a standard 2.1 cubic yard (1.6 cubic metre) bucket.
“Mecalac understands that on today’s crowded jobsites, space management is vital for safety, productivity and efficiency,” said Peter Bigwood, General Manager for Mecalac North America. “Contractors are trying to fit all the equipment, vehicles and personnel they need into a very limited space, leading to congestion and sometimes dangerous conditions. Our engineers are always looking to optimize equipment utilization, providing the solutions that let operators do things that they cannot accomplish with other machines.”
The key to the 12-ton (10,920-kilogram) AS1600, like all models in the AS Series, is said to be its innovative design – giving it the ability to swivel its fully loaded bucket 90° on either side. This opens up a number of opportunities to approach jobs differently – taking up just one lane of traffic, for example, on a road job, rather than the two necessary for operating traditional loaders — and transforms space management and logistics.
The equipment features three steering options — 2-wheel, 4-wheel and crab — which offer further flexibility for congested jobsites. Operators can simultaneously drive, pivot and manoeuvre, increasing productivity and safety and making common tasks such as backfilling a trench easier and more efficient. After loading material, operators can simply back up, rotating the bucket in the process. Materials can then be discharged over the side while the machine reverses along the trench, streamlining operations and reducing unnecessary downtime, noise and environmental impact.
