ENERGY-efficiency and fuel-saving are buzzwords in the construction industry and this will be amply reflected in the exhibits and technologies on display at bauma 2013, the world’s largest exhibition for construction machinery, vehicles and equipment and building material and mining machines.

New solutions to these challenges will be presented in almost all the segments at the event, which takes place next month (April 15 to 21), in Munich, Germany, at the New Munich Trade Fair Centre.

Held every three years, the international trade fair – which is now in its 30th edition – is probably the most important trade fair for the building industry.

“The trade fair, which was established over 50 years ago, presents a comprehensive international product range in the area of construction machinery, construction equipment and vehicles and mining machines,” says a spokesman for the organiser, Messe München International.

He says bauma is a hub for international business and an important venue for gathering information and establishing contacts, where building and construction experts from all over the world can inform themselves about state-of-the-art technology.

Among the fuel-saving innovations on show include British construction machinery manufacturer JCB’s Ecomax engines which will make their debut at the show. These engines meet the rigorous emissions standards Stage IIB and Tier 4 Interim, without the need for diesel particle filters or emissions after-treatment. Instead, JCB is using a new engine technology (patent-pending) which enables particularly clean and efficient combustion. JCB is fitting the Ecomax engines to excavators, loaders, telescopic handlers and rough-terrain forklifts.

Caterpillar will be unveiling its new Cat hybrid excavator 336E H to the trade audience for the first time in Munich. Instead of losing the kinetic energy when braking the upper structure, it is captured in accumulators and re-used during swing acceleration. According to this American manufacturer, it has mastered the technically difficult challenge of re-using hydraulic energy. The reward for the efforts of the developers, says the company, is a reduction in fuel consumption of approximately 25 per cent. Another way of saving on operating costs is offered by the Cat wheel loader 966K XE, which will also be on show. This has been fitted with a new, stepless powertrain system designed to minimise fuel consumption.

German manufacturer Liebherr will be presenting a hybrid solution for heavy-duty applications at bauma – the HS 8300 HD duty cycle crawler crane. Weighing in at more than 350 tonnes, this “world’s first” is fitted with a powerful and environment-friendly hybrid drive on a hydraulic basis. According to the manufacturer, the storage and subsequent reactivation of excess energy increases handling rates and also significantly reduces fuel consumption.

Doosan Construction Equipment has brought out two new heavy-duty excavators in the 50-tonne class, both of which meet the Stage IIIB emissions standard: the DX490LC-3 model, with an operating weight of 49 tonnes, and the DX530LC-3, with 52 tonnes. According to this Korean manufacturer, the ratio of productivity (excavated cu m per hour) to fuel consumption in standard operating mode was increased by nine per cent in both these models as compared to the previous models.

Hamm of Germany, part of the Wirtgen Group, is expanding its range of articulated tandem rollers. The new models – HD+ 70i and HD+ 80i – are fitted with engine technology that already meets the EU IV/Tier 4f standards, which will come into force in 2014. Two separately controlled ventilators cool the charge air, hydraulic oil and engine cooling fluid. In doing so, the load-dependent control of the ventilator for engine cooling saves fuel and reduces noise emissions. In addition, the rollers are fitted as standard with the Hammtronic engine management system, which, according to Hamm, ensures that the engine is always operated in the right loading range. This optimises performance and minimises consumption.

Innovation Award

In 2013, the Innovation Award is being presented for the tenth time in a joint project by the German Engineering Federation (VDMA), the German Construction Industry Association (HDB), the Central Association of the German Construction Industry (ZDB), the German Building Materials Association (BBS) and bauma.

Some 15 nominated innovations in five categories were announced recently from a total of 156 submissions from Germany and abroad (three innovations per category). The categories include machinery, machinery components, construction process/construction work, research, and design. The winners and nominees will be awarded on April 14. Most of the new developments will also be on show at bauma.

Think Big! Live

A new feature at bauma 2013 is an extensive interactive programme for schoolchildren. This 3,000-sq-m display is being put on by VDMA in cooperation with Messe Munchen and the agricultural machinery association LandBauTechnik Bundesverband. The aim of this initiative is to fill young people with enthusiasm for technology and the construction and building material machinery sector in particular.

bauma 2010

The last bauma held in 2010, spread over 555,000 sq m, attracted 3,256 registered exhibitors from 53 countries. Some 60 per cent of the exhibitors had come from outside Germany with the fair registering a new all-time highs for the overall number of exhibitors, international participation and space booked. Over 420,000 visitors from more than 200 countries attended bauma 2010 – 65 per cent of them from Germany and the rest from abroad.