Volvo Construction Equipment (VCE) says it is able to offer a complete road building equipment package — from site preparation to final compaction – and it is this capability that the Sweden-headquartered company intends to impress upon visitors to a leading international construction equipment fair to be held in France shortly.

At Intermat 2009, which runs from April 20 to 25 in Paris, VCE will showcase several models from its paving, compaction, motor grader and milling machine ranges.
Among the equipment on display will be the G946 motor grader, a wide choice of single-drum and double-drum vibratory compactors, the tracked ABG7820 and the ABG6870 pavers and the new MW500 milling machine.
The G946 — equipped with a 7.2–litre Volvo D7E engine — is designed for optimum blade-down force and drawbar pull. Its long blade and wheelbase help to achieve a smooth graded finish with good weight distribution and high cutting capability at the mouldboard edge.
“This configuration allows high productivity by enabling the operator to take a deep cut while maintaining good steering ability,” says Bill Law, director external communications for VCE.
Compaction, both at the site preparation and paving stage, is a critical part of the road building process. Among the compactors on stand at Intermat will be the DD14S and DD24 double-drum vibratory compactors.
“The DD14S is the most compact of Volvo’s tandem vibratory rollers. With an operating weight of 1,545 kg, it features the same high vibration frequency found in larger models, which translates into high working speeds and improved productivity. This compactor features 900-mm-wide drums in front and rear, with front vibration,” he explains.
The Volvo DD24 double-drum compactor has an operating weight of 2,600 kg and features two 1.2–m–wide drums and two vibration frequencies (55 Hz and 67 Hz) for compacting different substrates – a rare feature in this size class, Law points out.
Three models from the single-drum line will be on display: SD25D, SD115D and SD190X. The SD25D single-drum soil compactor has an operating weight of 2,562 kg and can operate in trenches – making it suited to commercial and residential site development, utility installations, roads, driveways and landscaping jobs. It is also available with a clamp-on padfoot shell and strike-off blade.
The SD115D, which has an operating weight of 10,748 kg and 2,134–mm vibratory drums, is designed with many innovative features that provide good drum performance, serviceability, reliability, and a comfortable and productive operator environment.
Turning to VCE’s heavyweight compactor, Law says: “At 19,410 kg, the SD190X has significant compaction force which means it can handle thicker lifts with fewer passes. It is equipped with the Ultra-Grade full-time traction control system for superior tractive effort. The SD190X is powered by a 151 kW six-cylinder diesel engine and has a drum width of just over 2 m.”
Volvo’s ABG paver range has been recognised for many years for its advanced single and double tamping and vibrating screed’s ability to produce a high-density asphalt mat. At the stand will be the tracked ABG7820, which has a maximum paving width of 10 m. The ABG7820 can lay asphalt mats up to 300 mm thick, and its travel drive system ensures accurate straight-ahead travel, exact cornering and ‘soft start’.
Also on display will be the ABG6870, a wheeled paver with a variable paving width up to 9 m. This machine is equipped with Smart Drive technology that provides good traction, even on the most difficult bases. This paver also features Active Steering, which eases manoeuvring in tight spaces. Its 2.5 m turning radius allows the operator to move around obstacles in one pass, rather than several complicated turns, Law adds.
Both pavers feature the latest electronic paver management (EPM) control system.
Finally, on display at Intermat will be Volvo’s new MW500 milling machine, which is both compact and easy to manoeuvre, making it suited to smaller milling applications such as patching, joints, trenching and close cutting around street and roadway obstructions.
The four-wheel, rear-loading machine offers a standard cutting width of 500 mm and maximum cutting depth of 210 mm. The machine’s tight cutting radius of 200 mm is comparable to many three-wheel units on the market.
The MW500 offers all-wheel drive for optimal traction and features Anti-Slip Control (ASC) as standard. “Volvo’s patent-pending Line Manager System works in conjunction with the ASC to allow the operator to maintain a constant speed of operation and direction of travel without being adversely affected by the rotation of the milling drum,” he says.
VCE is part of the Volvo Group, one of the world’s leading suppliers of commercial transport solutions.