We organise customers' meets and operators' meets regu?larly, to update them on the technological improvements in the ma?chines and educate them on the environmental protection requirements. We also update them on the initiatives being taken by Case India in our endea?vour for improving technology in machine operations and towards a cleaner and greener environment, says Anil Bhatia, Director - Sales and Marketing, CASE India. Excerpts from the interview.

What is the energy and fuel-saving technology you have used in the recently launched F Series wheel loaders and B series motor graders?
Our F series wheel loaders and B series motor graders are fitted with FPT 6.7 l engines. These engines are equipped with Common Rail Diesel (CRD) injection system and Electronic Diesel Control (EDC) system.

Tell us about the advantages of electronic diesel management.
Supply of the exact quantity of fuel required to the engine according to the load demand to avoid unnecessary fuel consumption and emissions.

The injection timing will be decided by the engine electronic control system (ECU). Based on the inputs of various sensors like ambient temperature, ambient pressure, fuel temperature and coolant temperature, the engine ECU will decide the quantity of the fuel requited to the engine.

These machines also fitted with electronic control unit on the transmission (TCU). The TCU will identify the torque requirement and communicate with engine control unit, the engine ECU responds accordingly and decides the quantity of fuel required to cope up the load at that point of time. With TCU, the machine can be operated either manual mode or in automatic mode. The automatic mode gives optimum speed and torque according to the operator`s wish and working conditions.

Lastly, these engines have a high pressure diesel injection system due to which the fuel will burn completely and produce low emissions and particulate matters.

Engines are equipped with internal exhaust gas recirculation system (IEGR) to minimise the emissions (like nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons) to protect the environment.

What are the fuel-efficient technologies being used for the backhoes and compactors?
Loader backhoes: Currently, the engines which are being used are with according to the norms of BS III. We have incorporated the optimum engine working temperatures to minimise the emission. These engines are fitted with high pressure rotary type fuel injections, IEGR, turbocharger and heavy-duty silencers to keep the emissions low. For better fuel consumption, we have opted for engines which produce the better torque at optimum engine speeds.

Vibratory compactors: Currently, the engines being used in this equipment are fitted with BS III emission norm engines. Like the loader backhoe engines, these engines are also fitted with the high pressure rotary fuel injection systems. These engines are equipped with both IEGR and EEGR to keep the hazard emissions to bear minimum. Apart from the EGR mechanism, these engines are also equipped with turbocharger waste gate control mechanisms.

What do you see as the major challenges in meeting the stringent demands?
Case has a dedicated team in place with the sole intention of keeping it up to pace with the latest trends and emission standards. We strive to achieve low levels of emissions and to have optimum fuel consumption for the machines with help of superior technology.

Have you built in any features to reduce vibration and noise?
In general, the noise and vibration levels are high in a diesel engine during its operation. These vibrations and noises are dependent on various parameters. However, to minimise the noise levels and vibrations, our equipment engines are fitted with turbochargers and perfect fuel injection timing and optimum operating temperatures. All other hydraulic components are smooth and low noise components as these are filled with hydraulic oil and the oil will be used as the lubricant during the function.

As the purpose of the compactor is to produce vibration near the drums for compaction of soil, we are using the high quality anti-vibration mountings to restrict the vibration rest of the machine. With this arrangement, we have minimised the vibration levels to the rest of the machine. Apart from the above mountings, to keep the operator in vibration-free mode, we adopt elevated operating platforms. The platforms are separated by anti-vibration pads from the chassis of the machine.

How do you look at the usage patterns of these sophisticated machines by the user segments?
Along with each machine, we provide operators and spareparts manuals to guide the operators and customers about correct use of the machine. To keep the operators and customers up-to-date with the latest practices and techniques, we also have a dedicated training centre which organises training programmes round the year.

How do you assess the role of pre- and periodical maintenance in achieving optimal use of machinery?
As we are acquiring the components for the products from global level manufacturers, all the components will be tested after designing according to our requirements. These components will pass through the validations at every stage. During the validation, the manufacturer tests the components rigorously with different loads and based on the results the preventive and periodical maintenance will be framed. The Case validation department also validates the components as per systems (various methods) and frames the maintenance practices on the components. It is understood, that the best maintenance practices will results the good performance of the machines. For example, the bad maintenance of the fuel system of any diesel engine results in the poor performance of the engine so that the end-user will not get the returns out of it. Similarly, with the lapses in maintenance in other systems like air induction, lubrication and cooling systems also result in the poor performance. The poor maintenance practices leads to higher repair costs and losses. So we make sure that our customers and operators are up-to-date with the latest practices for safe and efficient operation of the machines.