Roading

Technology proves Volvo fuel efficiency

Many manufacturers make impressive claims for the fuel efficiency of their construction equipment, Volvo included, but now thanks to technology, the team at Titan can prove that Volvo graders, loaders, excavators and haulers really do use less fuel.

The reason they can tell is ‘Matris’ – a Volvo-developed software system that tracks not just fuel consumption but all the running characteristics of machines in fine detail and presents it in simple to follow colour coded charts.

As well as recording fuel use, it has a value for driver training in that it will show where an operator has maybe used too many gear shifts, been heavy on braking or kept the rpm too high; all valuable data for improving operator skill and, of course, extending the lifetime and resale value of equipment.
John Finlayson provides Titan’s construction technical support based in Wellington; it’s his job to make sure Matris is delivering the data that owners want.

“Matris is a typically innovative Volvo idea,” he says, “and it marks our move away from the ‘fix on fail’ habits of old. This system will currently record ‘alarm’ events for us – such as blocked air filter, speed of directional changes, oil pressures and temperatures. This data will not only alert us to problems before they become failures but it will pinpoint on exactly which shift the alarm was recorded. Our next development will be an alert that tells us when we need to take a sample of oil to check on its integrity and we’re also trialling a GPS system that will enable owners to send us data direct from the machine for analysis, from anywhere. It’s a remarkable step forward.”

Recent data retrieved from Matris for the Volvo 930 Grader shows some stunning results. On actual fuel usage, it has recorded consumption of just over 11 litres an hour whilst being used by the Fulton Hogan team under a normal mix of conditions. A typical rival machine claims a fuel usage of between 16 and 21 litres an hour – or between 25 per cent and 45 per cent higher. The on-the-job benefits of the Volvo 930 don’t end with low fuel consumption.

“You have to count the number of passes a grader has to do to get a surface right,” says Titan product manager, Paul France. “The Volvo 930 has a blade down force specification that is 30 per cent higher than its nearest rival, so it can take more out with each pass. The blade pull specification at 22230lbs is also five-ten per cent higher than competitor equivalent models. Both of these things, along with the 11 speed gearbox and quiet operation make the 930 an incredibly productive machine to own.”

As a customer, group mechanical engineer for Fulton Hogan, Graham Eaton should have the last word. “Matris is an excellent tool for analysing idle time, gear changes versus vehicle engine speed, in particular shifting from forward to reverse and vice versa. These details, together with the fuel use data, provide an excellent aid for the Fulton Hogan workplace tutors and the operator, to improve machine performance and productivity.”