ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH

“THEHYUNDAI HW150A CRIS EASY TO OPERATE, EVERYTHING IS CENTRALISED AND CLEARLY ARRANGED WITH THE DRIVER’S CONVENIENCE AND SAFETY IN MIND”

Hyundai construction machinery can be found working virtually in any part of the world in all sorts of challenging and difficult terrain – from rain swept hillsides and wide open spaces to busy quarries, and confined town and city centre building sites – but perhaps nowhere is as tranquil and beautiful as the Swiss Alps which is where Awesome Earthmovers came across a Hyundai excavator earning its keep on a project in the beautiful Schanfigg Valley.

The remote, idyllic and very popular Swiss resort of Arosa is the very picture of an Alpine village, with its charming wooden houses that are so quintessentially Swiss. It has a diverse array of ski runs, having installed its first ski lifts back in 1938.

Manufacturer Hyundai

Model HW150A CR

Weight 17,170 Kg

Engine 129 kW (173 hp)

VIEW SPECS

Arosa lies at an altitude of 1,800m, surrounded by snow-capped mountains and some quite stunning scenery. It is just as attractive for extended hiking tours in summer as it is in winter for its variety of snow sport activities. It gets an average annual snowfall of 485cm and on average it snows for 38 days a year. Thankfully, it was a warm and sunny summer day when we travelled there to talk to Hansruedi Allemann, who owns Allemann Kies GmbH - and a small fleet of Hyundai machines, all fitted with Steelwrist tiltrotators.

Apart from carrying out excavations for snow-making systems, it also focuses on other civil engineering and underground construction projects. On the day we arrived in the area known as the ‘Rocky Mountains of Switzerland’, the company was employing a Hyundai HW150A CR wheeled excavator, designed for high stability, easy handling and excellent manoeuvrability. It was being used to install a pressurized water pipeline for the municipality of Arosa in collaboration with Brunold AG, a well established construction company in Arosa, whose services include large-scale construction and demanding civil engineering projects.

“It is one of three Hyundai machines we have in the fleet,” said Hansruedi Allemann. “We like the brand because over the years we have been working with Hyundai we have always had a very good experience with them. Working in this type of hilly terrain, the Hyundai HW150A CR machine has proved to be very stable, and is extremely manoeuvrable. It has been performing very well for us and has been perfect for this project.”

Safety First

He added that his operators are big fans of the Hyundai brand. “They are easy to operate, everything is centralized and clearly arranged with the driver’s convenience and safety in mind.”

Certainly, the Hyundai HW150A CR has a lot to recommend it, not least its deluxe seat and full climate control that provide a comfortable working environment for the operator. A coil spring and damper inside the cab viscous mounts improve durability and also contribute to a stress free operating environment.

In addition, many electronic functions, for example, are concentrated in the most convenient spot for the operator to improve work efficiency. There are also three different work modes – Park, Work and Travel – for convenient automatic control of a range of functions. The Forward/ Reverse switch is positioned right at the operator’s fingertip, while an 8" display similar to a smartphone allows the operator to easily check the status of the machine – and the addition of an Eco Gauge helps the operator to reduce emissions and running costs by constantly monitoring efficiency. It displays engine workload and fuel-saving status while the machine is working.

Powered by a 4 cylinder Cummins B4.5 Stage V engine which is perfectly balanced to deliver 129kW (173hp), the HW150A CR has clearly been designed with a lot of consideration given to operator safety, essential when working on hilly terrain such as in the Swiss Alps. Features include a standard rear view camera - an optional right hand side camera is also available to give the operator improved visibility - and for enhanced safety a seat belt warning alarm is triggered if the seat belt is not buckled when the ignition key is turned on.

An electronic valve and control system has also been added to improve safety and utilization. The opening and closing time of the swing brake valve is controlled according to the sensing and control system. In addition, an emergency steering function kicks in if the hydraulic supply should fail, automatically enabling manual steering.

Also featured on the machine is Hyundai’s LUDV Load Sensing hydraulic system. This allows for multifunctional operation and precise machine movements. Control is smooth and predictable, even with a demanding workload. By delivering power exactly when needed, the system also contributes to fuel savings, as does an auto-idle feature which also reduces noise and cuts exhaust emissions by automatically switching the engine to idle setting when the excavator is inactive.

"THE HYUNDAI HW150A CR WHEELED EXCAVATOR IS DESIGNED FOR HIGH STABILITY AND EXCELLENT MANOEUVRABILITY"

Versatile Steelwrist Tiltrotator

For added versatility, Hansruedi Allemann has fitted his Hyundai machines with Steelwrist tiltrotators. The HW150A CR on which we focused during our visit was utilising a Steelwrist X20 tiltrotator. It enhances the flexibility and efficiency of the excavator as it enables the operator to rotate a work tool 360 degrees and tilt 45 degrees in each direction, resulting in excellent precision and controllability.

Meanwhile, easy access for maintenance means regular checks get done faster, giving you more uptime and reducing operating costs. Ground level access to filters, lube fittings and master switches make servicing more convenient, while the service interval of the fuel filter on the new engine has been increased by 100% (from 500h to 1000h). In addition the long life hydraulic oil (5000h change interval) contributes greatly to reduce the maintenance cost.

The new Hyundai machine was supplied by BAMAG Maschinen AG, ( www.bamag-maschinen.ch ). They are based in Regensdorf near Zurich and have been official authorised dealers for Hyundai excavators since 2004. They specialise in capital equipment, and stock Hyundai’s complete line of construction equipment. They expanded their portfolio in 2022 to include Hyundai forklifts.

“We enjoy a good working relationship with BAMAG. They provide us with very good service and support,” says Hansruedi. “If an issue arises or if we need a quick repair, we can simply call them up and a service technician will be on site in no time, which prevents unnecessary downtime.”

He adds: “Based on our experience with the Hyundai brand and if things continue to go well and the machines continue to prove themselves as they have been, we will have no hesitation in adding more Hyundai excavators to our fleet.”