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The all-electric battery-powered Merlo e-worker.
Obviously not wishing to get left behind by some of its competitors, Italian manufacturer Merlo is planning to add to its green-liveried telehandler range with another set of green credentials in the shape of an all-new, all-electric battery-powered Merlo e-Worker model.
The new e-Worker has a 2,500kg capacity, 4.8m maximum lift height and a 60hp power output which, at an average 6kW/h consumption, translates into a working span of eight hours. The new model will be built in two versions, a two-wheel drive 25.5-60 and the fourwheel drive 25.5-90.
Turning to how it works, the machine’s battery powers the hydraulic pump for arm movements while motors power its traction and movement.
Suitable for on-road and off-road applications, the manufacturer claims that the e-Worker has a “distinct edge when working in enclosed environments” such as herdhomes, grain stores, stables or environments where low noise and zero emissions are a requirement. The machine meets all active regulations for frontal tipping prevention, offers maximum driver comfort and visibility thanks to its easy entry 785mm wide cab, with its compact stance offering exceptional maneuverability and handling in tight spaces.
In other news, the patriarch of Merlo is showing no signs of slowing down yet, moreover promising a raft of “new innovations” in the coming months. Founder of the telehandler manufacturing company, Italian engineer Amilcare Merlo, was recently conferred with an Honorary Degree in Mechanical Engineering by the Polytechnic of Turin in a ceremony held to coincide with his 86th birthday.
Speaking after the event, the octogenarian inventor talked about “incredible things” as he forecasted a future of “new inventions”, while also advising the students present, to whom he dedicated his degree, to “dare all the possibilities” and cautioning that “those who don’t dare never achieve anything”.
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With the biannual Italian EIMA machinery Expo less than a month away, Case IH has taken out a Technical Evolution award for the Advanced Vehicle Suspension system available on its Optum 360–440 series tractors.
The Advanced Vehicle Suspension system, available on Optum 360, 390, and 440 models, responds to changing conditions, automatically adjusting how the suspension reacts to absorbs shocks and controlling vehicle movement.
In operation, sensors monitor the vibrations transmitted from the tractor chassis to the operator cabin, allowing the system to adjust suspension damping in real time. The control system incorporates key priorities, such as comfort at lower speeds and stability as speed increases, while also reacting to factors such as lower tyre pressures, where the tyres absorb more of the initial shock.
Case IH said as suspension requirements change throughout the working day, as tractors move between the paddock and road transport, the system manages suspension response in the background as tasks, speeds and conditions change, leaving the operator without the need to make manual adjustments.
Richard Hollins, Optum series tractors global product manager, said: “Pioneering technology must earn its place in the working day. Farmers and contractors will judge an investment by what it delivers, including manageable ownership costs, dependable up-time and the versatility to tackle different jobs. With AVS, we are putting intelligent control to work for comfort and stability, without giving the operator another setting to manage.”
Organised by FederUnacoma, the Italian Agricultural Machinery Manufacturers Federation, the contest has been part of EIMA since 1986, with the Technical Evolution distinction awarded to products that introduce original improvements to solutions already manufactured or patented.
www.caseih.com
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