Groves Inc. of Woodstock, IL, has introduced its latest innovation, six-wheeled fabrication carts. The six-wheeled design - two fixed, four swivels - gives its new fabrication carts incredibly tight turning radiuses to maneuver around a facility. Available in 48- and 82-inch lengths, they feature galvanized steel and heavy-duty casters and wheels, industrial rubber padding and welded construction. Designed with an elevated ergonomic load height to reduce back strains, Groves fabrication carts take the pain out of moving fabricated parts from one location to another, the manufacturer reports, adding that the fabrication carts are specifically designed to handle the demands of the stone industry.

www.groves.com

Sandvik Mining and Construction is offering a new 60-mm (2-inch) tool system for drilling quarry holes up to 152 mm (6 inches) in diameter with hydraulic top hammers. The company reports that quarry managers in France and Germany are already using them as an alternative to DTH hammers. Sandvik reports that the new system is capable of drilling straight, clean blast holes up to 25 meters (82 feet) deep nearly twice as fast as DTH hammers and using half the fuel. It also offers greater flexibility in hole size in the 90- to 152-mm (3½- to 6-inch) range. Since it also uses lighter, more agile and more easily transportable drill rigs, it is highly suitable for drill-and-blast contractors.

On the DTH side, there are also new tool-led solutions that promise to bring down costs. For example, an advanced new grade of cemented-carbide has just been introduced for DTH bits. Tackling the widest range of rocks ever in an optimal manner, this new “silver bullet” only requires that the user chooses the best button-shape and bit-face design for the rock formation in question.

In terms of dimensional stone mining, where precision is critical, the rock tools are even stronger determiners. Sandvik reports that in slate quarries in Spain, a new guide-bit fitted with cemented-carbide buttons instead of chisel-type inserts is meeting very high demands. Most crucially, it is maintaining straight holes in horizontal applications up to 25 meters (82 feet) long. Elsewhere, in much harder and more valuable stones, such as granite, the new button bit offers straight drilling with fewer re-grindings and optimal service life, according to Sandvik.

www.miningandconstruction.sandvik.com

OMAX has recently introduced Maxiem, a new brand of waterjets. Manufactured entirely in the U.S., the new line of machines integrates proven technologies in a cost-efficient package to provide users with an affordable, highly productive solution, according to the company.

“Through years of marketing the OMAX line of JetMachining® Centers, we recognized the strong demand for a line of basic abrasive waterjet equipment,” said Dr. John Cheung, CEO of OMAX. “With the new Maxiem line, we meet this demand as well as the varying performance needs required by the international community. These varying needs and requirements, coupled with the current economic situation, make this a most opportune time to introduce this type of machine.”

Due to the differing specifications of Maxiem, the line will not directly compete with OMAX products and is instead intended to broaden the market for abrasive waterjets. The Maxiem line of machines is ideal for fabrication shops, metal service centers, trade schools and job shops as well as architectural, sign, stone and gasket shops.

“As waterjet technology has evolved, the precision and accuracy of OMAX machines has moved beyond the point of what some manufacturers require,” said Dr. John Olsen, co-founder and vice president of operations for OMAX. “To meet the needs of that market segment, we have built off OMAX’s R&D to develop the Maxiem brand, a highly productive, entry-level line of abrasive waterjets. With the hardships manufacturers are facing due to the economy, we felt it was our obligation to make the cost benefits of our waterjet technology available to as broad a base as possible.”

The first Maxiem waterjet to be released is the 1530MX. Designed for the production of large parts or multiple parts from large stock, the machine productively cuts a wide variety of materials, including stone, metal, plastic, glass, ceramics and composites. The machine’s 50,000-psi pump is available in 20- and 30-horsepower options. All Maxiem waterjets will feature Intelli-MAX® Basic, a control containing the core functionality of OMAX’s critically acclaimed software as well as the patent-pending X- and Y-axis Traction Drive System designed to handle an abrasive environment.

www.maxiemwaterjets.com