Hidromek’s 600MG grader: Steering wheel or joystick
The driver has choices with the new fully-electronic 600MG grader from Turkish company 230 Hidromek – joystick or steering wheel.
“It comes from listening to our customers,” said Ilhan Varok, chief engineer with Hidromek, which is based in the capital Ankara.
“Because it is fully electronic, we can configure the machine in many, many ways. We can configure it for a customer so the joystick cannot be used over 30kph, as some companies have said their drivers find it difficult to control the machine past that speed.”
If the joystick is chosen and the driver touches, even accidentally, steering wheel, the joystick disengages in favour of the steering wheel.
Power is from a six-cylinder Mercedes-Benz OM 926 engine, stage 3a. A Tier 4f engine is being planned, but the market in Europe is small for such machines. Net power is between 140-160kW at 2200 rpm.
The machine on display is a prototype but deliveries should start by this summer, said Varok.
“It comes from listening to our customers,” said Ilhan Varok, chief engineer with Hidromek, which is based in the capital Ankara.
“Because it is fully electronic, we can configure the machine in many, many ways. We can configure it for a customer so the joystick cannot be used over 30kph, as some companies have said their drivers find it difficult to control the machine past that speed.”
If the joystick is chosen and the driver touches, even accidentally, steering wheel, the joystick disengages in favour of the steering wheel.
Power is from a six-cylinder Mercedes-Benz OM 926 engine, stage 3a. A Tier 4f engine is being planned, but the market in Europe is small for such machines. Net power is between 140-160kW at 2200 rpm.
The machine on display is a prototype but deliveries should start by this summer, said Varok.
