Wirtgen North America has launched its new SP 33 slipform concrete paver to the U.S. market, replacing its SP 15.
The new SP 33 comes in two configurations, enabling it to pave curbs and berms, concrete safety barriers up to 52 inches high, drainage and gutter profiles, and concrete slabs.
In the offset paving configuration, it can pave slabs up to 7 feet wide and 8 feet wide with a trimmer. In the Crosspave configuration, it can pave slabs up to 10 feet wide transversely to machine’s direction of travel.
Jim Holland, vice president of sales for Wirtgen North America’s concrete products, explains that operators can switch between the two modes, thanks to two cylinders on the paver’s rear leg.
“This machine actually has a Crosspave function,” Holland says Jim Holland. “With this second cylinder, we can actually turn that track, and as well the front tracks, 90 degrees, and we could mount up to a 10-foot paving mold underneath it and go in the Crosspave mode without doing anything to the machine other than putting the premium mount one time for it to accept that mold.
Jim Holland, vice president of sales for Wirtgen North America’s concrete products, points out the SP 33 can be equipped with up to eight vibrators.Equipment World
“So if you want to go from offset to inset, you could do that in under two hours, probably an hour and a half, even less if you don’t take the conveying system off.”
Two other key improvements made to the SP 33 are a simplified conveyor system and an improved scraper.
“We’ve really simplified the conveyor and shortened the height of it, to give it less maintenance,” says Holland. “We’ve reduced the amount of rollers in there, so that’s really helpful … from a maintenance standpoint.
“And as well, we have an improved scraper, which is one of the challenges that people had with any curb and gutter machine.”
Another improvement is the ability for operators to switch between a conveyor and an auger (the same auger that was on the SP 15) for different applications.
Holland points out Wirtgen also worked to improve the trimmer, which is now more powerful and features a spade-style carbide tooth versus the previous conical pick. The SP 33 can be offered with either a right-hand or left-hand trimmer. The model seen at Wirtgen Tech Days on November 12 sported an 8-foot-wide trimmer in front of an offset 7-foot sidewalk mold, something Holland says is, “really unheard of without having to do anything to the frame itself.”
He adds that the SP 33, using adapters, can be fitted with molds from other manufacturers as well.
Jim Holland, vice president of sales for Wirtgen North America’s concrete products, points out the two cylinders that give the SP 33 crosspave functionality.Equipment World
A new electronic control system for the vibrators on the SP 33 replaces hydraulic controls, and Holland says the system is designed to allow for the addition of other systems (such as paving performance systems) in the future as they develop.
“The other really nice thing is that to move from the left side to the right side is as simple as moving the consoles over,” Holland says. “And since we’re controlling all the vibrators electronically through the control panel, we no longer have to move the manifold, which actually took longer. So, to be able to go from the left side to the right side could be a 30-minute job or less.”