Hamm says it has tailored its new HP 180i pneumatic tire compactor specifically for the North American market.
The new roller, unveiled at ConExpo, is part of the next generation of compactors to replace the GRW Series, which has been the company’s standard bearer for 50 years.
The GRW and HP series are similar in looks, but Hamm added features to boost the HP models’ productivity, says Richard Evans, Hamm vice president of sales.
For one, the water capacity of the HP models has been tripled, designed to last a full day without refill, Evans says.
The models also have a simpler ballasting system. “The ballasting used to be spread around the machine; everything now is in the middle,” Evans says. That keeps the weight evenly distributed on each axle and makes it easier to adjust the weight.
The ballasting can be adjusted to the compaction task with prefabricated ballast bodies made of steel or concrete that can be inserted and removed with a forklift.
The HP 180i and other HP models are also equipped with Hamm’s Easy Drive, the company’s standardized operating platform for not only its pneumatic tire compactors but for its HD+ and DV+ tandem rollers and its H series compactors.
The HP 180i ranges in operating weight from 8 to 18 metric tons and has a compacting width of 72 inches. It is powered by a 74.2-horsepower Deutz Tier 4 Final engine. The HP series also includes the HP 280i, which was released last year. It has operating weights between 10 and 28 metric tons.
Hamm offers a canopy or panoramic cabin for operators. The company says the operator station meets new, stricter ISO field-of-view standards, and the compactor’s asymmetrical frame enables a clear view of the flanks of the front and rear wheels.
The joystick is positioned on the armrest for more comfort, and the brake pedal is integrated with the seat so it can be easily reached in any seat position. Hamm says the operator station also has fewer switches for simpler operation.
Along with a larger water tank, Hamm offers a 396-gallon supplementary tank. The supplementary tank not only provides additional water for the sprinkler system but can also serve as ballast weight. The supplementary tank connects to the main tank with interconnecting pipes and a C-pipe fitting and can be filled in 3 minutes, and there is a pump to discharge the water from the tank, Hamm says.
The compactor’s additive sprinkler system, for handling specialty asphalts, can be filled with additive concentrate without having to be premixed. The operator can control the additive dosage from the cab, and the roller doses and mixes the additive during compaction according to the specifications, the company says. The operator can also switch from water to additive from the cab.
For easier maintenance, Hamm put all check points on the right side of the engine. Steps to the engine are opened outward for access and then are retracted into the roller’s outer contour.