15/02/2010 Larger excavator cuts work in half, for Victorian contractor Photo caption 1: JCB Ballarat’s Stuart Sealey and Tom Sheridan (right) with Ian McDonald, I & P McDonald Excavations, in front of the JCB 98-horsepower JZ140D auto tracked excavator recently purchased by the business. INVESTING in a larger excavator has cut the time of some work in half for Victorian regional contractor Ian McDonald. Ian has been operating I & P McDonald Excavations at Ballarat for about five years, supporting the building industry in the region. The company particularly specialises in driveways, site cuts and plumbing excavation work. The business has a 5-tonne excavator and invested in a UK-built JCB 98-horsepower JZ140D auto tracked excavator to complement it about six months ago. Ian said the JCB 15t excavator, together with its blade, had been especially good for the site cuts. “With the 5t machine, the site cuts take a long time. The JCB now cuts this in half,’’ Ian said. “Since we have had the JCB excavator, we are now picking up more work.’’ The JCB JZ140D has a standard 4.7-metre boom and 2.5 dipper, and its Isuzu turbo-charged Tier III engine is renowned for power, reliability, durability and fuel efficiency, as well as low noise and exhaust gas emissions. Ian said JCB’s zero tailswing, together with the blade at the front, was also “a must’’ with the machine. “You can turn around with confidence, knowing that you are not going to break anything.’’ The zero tailswing allows for fantastic manoeuvrability in tight spaces. Ian said the hydraulic flows with the JCB JZ140D were also excellent. The main hydraulic components in JCB excavators are engineered in Japan to provide the increased flow and pressure. This increases available power and speed for improved dipper and bucket dig force, drawbar pull and work equipment speeds, making machine operation faster. Cushion control to the boom and dipper on the hydraulic system also protects the machine and its operator from shock loadings, meaning smoother and more comfortable operations. Ian said the cab on the excavator was also well designed and offered good visibility, with the front windscreen opening to the top of the cab. The JCB excavators employ an Advanced Management System (AMS) for ease of control in the cab. This has four operating modes, including auto, economy, precision and lifting, to maximise productivity and fuel efficiency and help minimise costs. Ian said his excavator primarily worked in economy mode, which provides maximum fuel efficiency in normal digging conditions by reducing hydraulic pressure and flow as well as engine rpm. The AMS also alerts operators if any problems arise and records the machine’s key operating data. Ian said a big factor in his purchase of the JCB JZ140D excavator was also the assistance and support he had received from Tom Sheridan and Stuart Sealey at JCB Ballarat. I & P McDonald Excavations can be contacted on 0429 878 006. For further information on the JCB tracked excavator range, contact JCB Ballarat on (03) 5336 4145, your nearest JCB Construction Equipment Australia branch, or phone 1300 JCB CEA.