Hitachi Construction Machinery Americas has added two new wheel loader models to its Dash 7 product line.
The 3.5 cubic-yard Hitachi ZW180-7 and ZW180PL-7 wheel loaders feature a 14,905 kg operating weight. The ZW180-7 offers either standard or high-lift front arms that excel in most bucket applications.
Both loaders are powered by a 173 hp Cummins engine.
The ZW180PL-7 offers a parallel link arm configuration. It is ideal for use in fork and tool carrier applications by keeping attachments parallel with the ground as the loader arms move up or down.
This ability delivers increased control while loading or unloading items. As well, the parallel link arm configuration expands operator visibility when using forks and other attachments.
“With the three front linkage options, these wheel loaders offer the versatility to handle any application, whether the loader is used to move pallets around the yard, load materials into trucks or manage stockpiles,” said Matt Koester, Wheel Loader Product Manager at Hitachi Construction Machinery Americas.
To improve upon productivity, Hitachi has equipped the loaders with Approach Speed Control and an Auto Power Up function. With approach Speed Control, the travel speed can be adjusted with fewer pedal operations during loading, which reduces operator fatigue and fuel consumption.
Travel speed is controlled through the five-speed transmission during short loading operations. Limited-slip differentials also ensure traction in demanding applications.
The Auto Power Up function increases hill climbing performance by identifying slopes and increasing power to prevent the engine speed from dropping.
Payload weighing system
The ZW180-7 wheel loader is equipped with a payload weighing system that uploads productivity information to the ConSite telematic system. Operators can check the weight of the load in the bucket from the in-cab monitor and log the material loaded. The system offers four modes:
- Tip-off to truck
- Tip-off to pile
- Auto-add
- Manual-add
These modes allow the payload weighing system to manage loads according to the application. As well, the unit is equipped with a warning function that reacts when the bucket is overloaded, improving safety during operation.
Hitachi improved the overall comfort of the ZW180-7 and ZW180PL-7 wheel loaders with larger and quieter cabs. The cab is enhanced with a seat-mounted armrest with ergonomic electric hydraulic controls, ergonomically located switches as well as an adjustable seat and mirrors.
A 20.3 cm anti-glare LCD monitor with Bluetooth radio allows hands-free phone capacity.
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Designing cabs with panoramic visibility helps create a safe and comfortable working environment. The position and design of the cab pillars, the layout of the monitor and switch panel have been improved to ensure a wider field of view from the cab.
Hitachi also improved visibility with its Aerial Angle Peripheral Vision camera system. It provides a wide 270-degree bird’s-eye view of the machine’s immediate environment. Aerial Angle includes three cameras mounted on the rear of the machine. Operators can see both the left and right sides of the machine on the monitor inside the cab.
Hitachi obstacle detection
Hitachi’s latest safety innovation is an optional rear obstacle detection system with automatic speed reduction for the ZW-7 wheel loader product line.
“About 50 per cent of the time that wheel loader is going in reverse,” said Simon Wilson, Vice President of Sales for Hitachi Construction Machinery Americas. “We improved the styling around the back so that you can see, but there is also an optional tool now that has rear obstacle detection that will automatically slow the vehicle down, so it doesn’t run into a person or into a wall.”
Design enhancements also help protect critical components of the wheel loader from the environment.
An inner element of the engine air filter protects the engine from dust ingress while cleaning the outer element. Even the air conditioner is protected with a sealed internal filter that prevents intrusion of dust into the air conditioner unit.
Airborne debris can become an issue in many wheel loader operations, often leading to decreased cooling system performance. Hitachi Construction Machinery Americas addressed this with an intelligent automatic reversing hydraulically driven fan and wide-fin radiators to prevent clogging.
Daily maintenance has been simplified with easy access filters and improved access to components.
