Road to America

Atlas Copco has set its sights on the US paving market with the launch of its Dynapac F1000 asphalt paver series.

The 3 m wide tracked F1000T and wheeled F1000W were unveiled at Dynapac's Garland facility in Texas, US, in December prior to an official launch scheduled for February's World of Asphalt show.

Designed to be rugged and reliable, the F1000 series has been designed specifically for the US market and features heavy welded frame construction, dual swing-out operator stations and what the company believes is the lowest deck height in the industry.

"The deck height gives superior visibility of the hopper, auger and work area for the operator," said Claes Ahrengart, divisional president for road construction equipment at Atlas Copco Construction and Mining.

Asphalt is delivered to a high-capacity slat conveyor with a wide material tunnel and extra heavy chains and slats via 19 mm formed hopper wings. Dynapac believes a unique aspect of the pavers is the high-performance outboard auger drive and conveyor design, which eliminates the auger chain drive box and therefore eradicates centre line segregation.

The conveyor system delivers 545 tonnes of asphalt per hour to either a Carlson EZ III or EZ IV screed to lay mats up to 304 mm deep in the construction of new roads. The pavers are also suited to thin overlays for rehabilitation projects.

The F1000 series features simple controls and a multi-function display designed for ease of use and to withstand harsh environments. Precision front-wheel assist steering on the F1000W is tight and responsive, while steering on the F1000T can be controlled by a knob for precise paving speed control. A return-to-centre feature is common to both pavers as is a single lever for forward and reverse control.

"We have also designed these pavers so the asphalt fumes are expelled via the engine exhaust stack, thus reducing the crew's exposure to asphalt fumes," Mr Ahrengart told iC.

Powered by a 171.5 kW Cummins QSB-220 Tier 3 compliant engine, the F1000 series also features an integrated Sauer-Danfoss drive system. "The availability of these parts throughout the US means a quick turn-around for maintenance and repair," said Bruce Truesdale, president of Dynapac USA. "Everything on these pavers has been designed to help contractors improve productivity, reliability, operator comfort and safety, while reducing the total cost of ownership," he said.