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Power or Fuel Efficiency

138,500. This is the measure of thermal energy (BTUs/gal) that is stored in one gallon of diesel fuel. Regardless of the make and model of the truck-mounted concrete boom pump, all operators fill their fuel tanks with the same fuel that has the muscle to move the concrete. In addition, every concrete mix has a specific resistance to being pushed through the deck and boom pipes.

These two aspects of concrete pumping are typically beyond the operator’s control. However, nearly every other part of concrete pumping has a varying affect on the work done and the associated cost.

POWER COMES FROM ENERGY

Pumping concrete requires a minimum amount of work that is supplied by the engine and its fuel. In addition, every extra action required by the equipment will consume a certain amount of energy.

This concept has several implications for the concrete pumping industry. Until recently, the dominant theme of the industry has been exclusively focused on POWER. The emphasis in nearly all purchasing decisions and operating procedures has been harnessing the most powerful solutions available.

Now, thanks to the skyrocketing cost of fuel, the emphasis is turning to the opposite end of the spectrum. FUEL EFFICIENCY is now the buzzword. As the concept above illustrates, this is the opposite of what has ruled the industry in the past.

GEARED FOR BOTH WORLDS

Unlike the majority of applications requiring a chassis, a concrete boom pump chassis has dual roles. The primary role is providing power for effective and efficient concrete pumping. The secondary role is the effective and efficient transport of the truck-mounted concrete boom pump. There are very significant differences in these functions.

Power from the Start

Operators know that job sites are not always easily accessible for equipment. In fact, concrete boom pumps are often required to move over rough terrain and travel roads that can have very steep grades.

These low-speed scenarios create the need for high power in lower gears. The powertrain assembly’s components must be chosen such that they give the operator the best tools to meet these challenges.

Economy On the Road

On the flip side, the concrete boom pump also has to be able to drive to the job site. Again, the powertrain assembly’s components must be carefully chosen so the required on-road speeds are obtained with the lowest engine speeds possible so to not over-burden the chassis or use energy (fuel) needlessly.

Concrete Pumping – Harsh Mix

Without a doubt, the concrete pumping industry’s number one requirement of the manufacturer is to design and build the concrete boom pump to take on the harshest mixes and conditions possible. Reputations in this industry have been built on ruggedness and reliablity.

Concrete Pumping – “Average” Mix

The much greater percentage of concrete boom pump use is on everyday jobs: the 4"-5" slump mix that needs to be placed. The muscle machines used to pump harsh mixes barely break a sweat on this type of job, typically having plenty of horsepower to spare. This is where the engineer can identify ways to match the requirements of the job exactly to the capabilities of the concrete pump so that energy (fuel) is not wasted.

SOLUTIONS THAT MEASURE UP

There are several questions that all operator/owners need to ask themselves in today’s concrete pumping environment:

• What was the intention of the manufacturer of your fleet when they designed and built it?
• Did they give you the tools to operate your equipment with all of your needs in mind?
• Without making expensive changes or adding optional equipment, can your fleet maximize the power when needed and be the most fuel efficient when its not?
• Is it designed for everything encountered from the start of the day to quitting time, for both pumping and transport?

If you’re a Putzmeister customer, you know the answer to these questions is YES!

Putzmeister has enjoyed the well-earned reputation for designing and building concrete pumps that deliver the goods. From the recent 600-meter vertical pumping record in Burj Dubai to the everyday stories from operators worldwide who are impressed at the harsh mixes their Putzmeister equipment can handle without a problem.

On a Mack chassis, the deliberate marriage of a well-engineered 10-gear transmission with the proper rear-axle gearing supports your needs. Operators get both powerful energy transmission when in starting/low speed, and while keeping the engine speed as low as possible at highway speeds for minimal fuel use.

However, it is Putzmeister’s Econo-Gear™ feature developed in 1997 that is just now being recognized by fuel-conscience owners. Available exclusively on Putzmeister truck-mounted concrete boom pumps mounted to Mack chassis, this technology puts the Putzmeister pump into its own version of overdrive. Allowing the operator to complete the vast majority of everyday jobs while being 10 to 20 percent more fuel efficient.

While this feature is not for every job, it delivers roughly 90 percent* of the Mack engine’s potential horsepower. All other variables being equal, that translates into a pumping capability difference of approximately ¼" to ½" in a concrete mix’s slump in full-volume horizontal pumping, or ½" to ¾" in vertical pumping*.

*Exact numbers depend on the engine model and year of manufacture.