Bell to introduce E-Series ADT at Bauma 2013

Brand new B30E articulated dumptruck to take centre stage on the Bell Equipment stand

THE much-anticipated Bell B30E ADT will showcase the improvements the company’s design engineers have made in the key areas of performance and fuel-efficiency. Along with the smaller B25E model which will also be on show, Bell Equipment say they have taken ADT functionality to new levels with customer-focused advancements and the highest level of automated machine protection. 

Moreover, the all-new truck platform has been specifically engineered to handle future emissions requirements and take ADT innovation into the next era. 

Fuel burn can contribute to more than 40% of the operating cost on a site and has, therefore, always been a major focus area for Bell Equipment, especially in reacting to international emission restrictions schemes. 

The latest generation of Bell D-Series trucks introduced the ‘Blu@dvantage’ SCR technology as an industry leading standard in fuel-efficient emission control, compliant to Tier4i and Stage IIIB. 

While the E-series platform has been designed for upcoming legal requirements, the new B25E (210kW/1,120Nm) and B30E (240kW/1, 300 Nm) ADTs continue to use the proven Blu@dvantage engine configurations of their predecessors, but engine power and fuel consumption have been additionally optimized through event dependant software that controls retardation, cooling and charging of accumulators.

Bell Equipment's D-Series platform, particularly for their larger ADTs, has continuously emerged as the best in class during its long lifetime due largely to the company's evolutionary approach to design. It should come as no surprise that Bell Equipment engineers have opted to carry this platform through to the smaller trucks in the new E-Series range by changing the front suspension on the smaller E-series trucks to an A-frame layout. 

‘We've increased the suspension travel and the A-frame gives a more independent ride. In ride quality evaluations numerous operators have been unanimous in their approval and appreciation of the improvements achieved on the E-series,’ commented Tristan du Pisanie, B30E project manager. 

Moreover, wider tyres are offered as an option on the B30E, while importantly still keeping the machine width below 3m to allow for easy on-road transportation of the truck to job sites in Europe. 

In keeping with the practice of carrying through attributes from the larger Bell ADTs to the smaller trucks, the company has switched to Allison transmissions. Bell previously used Allison transmissions on the small C-series trucks and believe that the change offers improvement in performance due to greater efficiency. Importantly the change is in alignment with Bell Equipment's single-family design concept.

For improved safety and productivity, the E-series has an automatically engaged Inter-axle Differential Lock (IDL) to provide the vehicle with full automatic traction control. A sensor on the inter-axle differential identifies when an axle loses traction and automatically engages the IDL function while the vehicle is still moving. 

‘This feature is working so well that the diff lock button on the Sealed Switch Module (SSM) may soon become redundant,’ said Mr du Pisanie. In addition, the B30E and B25E ADTs both have limited slip differentials in each axle so the cross locking of wheels is achieved automatically without any interaction from the operator.

According to Pieter Goosen, head of engineering at Bell Equipment, the E-Series has been in development for the past five years and has undergone stringent durability testing, having enlisted reputable independent national and international test facilities for additional verification. 

Development has followed a well-structured process that has included an unprecedented level of customer interaction, concept vehicles and numerous prototypes to ensure a strong, reliable product. 

Extensive testing formed part of the process and engineers used structural analysis and dynamic analysis, along with a rigorous testing programme on some of the harshest mine sites in the world, to ensure that the E-series is worthy of taking the Bell marque forward. 

‘We are confident that with Bell Equipment's continuous development philosophy, the E-Series platform will take us well into the next decade to further strengthen our pedigree as the ADT specialist,’ said Mr Goosen.