Combination concrete slipform paver and placer/spreader
By Adam Freill
Concrete Construction Equipment Roads
(Photo courtesy of GOMACO Corporation)
Building on the success of its GP360 combination concrete slipform paver and placer/spreader on two tracks, GOMACO has introduced the GP460 for wider width operations. As a placer/spreader with a 60-inch (1,524 mm) belt, the GP460 will accommodate widths up to 50 feet (15.2 m). As a concrete slipform paver, the GP460 will pave widths up to 40 feet (12.2 m).
The machine is built on the framework of the company’s two-track GP4 slipform paver with the ability to convert the prime mover into a concrete placer/spreader. The prime mover is equipped with vibrator circuits for paving and auger drive circuits for placing.
Controlling the new technology is a GOMACO-exclusive G+ digital control system designed to seamlessly handle the controls conversion needed for each application while also bringing onboard Machine to Machine (M2M) communication, sonic sensors, 3-D machine guidance, and more.
The wider machine is powered by a Caterpillar C7.1 turbocharged diesel engine to drive the conveyor belt and distribute concrete across the grade. The high-volume, 60-inch (1,524 mm) conveyor belt can be mounted on either the left or right side, depending on jobsite conditions and the location of the haul road.
It has a discharge speed of up to 492.5 feet per minute (150 mpm) and a controllable material deflector directs the flow of concrete at the discharge end of the conveyor for placement accuracy. A dual-drive auger system moves the material to the centre or outer areas and across the strike-off.
The GP460 is available with an optional sonic sensor system to monitor the concrete depth as it is placed. Information from the sonic sensors is used by the G+ control system on the paver using M2M communication to provide an optimum and consistent head of concrete in front of the paver.
