Image credit: Volvo Construction Equipment

Volvo Construction Equipment has released a new rotating pipelayer featuring five percent greater fuel efficiency and a six percent increase in horsepower relative to previous models. The PL3005E is equipped with the Volvo D8J Tier 4 Final engine, a 55-ton tipping capacity and an eight percent increase in max torque.

The excavator-based design and 360-degree swing capacity are expected to allow for more productive pipelaying and less repositioning. The operator can safely rotate the superstructure to lift and place large pipes anywhere around the machine, making it especially useful for loading and unloading, and feeding pipe-bending machines. The pipelayer’s design provides the stability to work safely across rugged terrain and on slopes of up to 35 degrees.

Unlike traditional sideboom dozer-style pipelayers, the PL3005E can be easily transported between or around jobsites on a trailer or lowboy without having to disassemble the boom or counterweight. The PL3005E can be converted into a standard excavator in as little as 2.5 hours, offering the benefits of two machines in one. Hydraulics matched for both pipelaying and digging applications means there is no loss of power in either configuration.

The user-friendly Load Management System (LMS) now uses a full-color seven-inch display with intuitive graphics. Three LED lights (green, yellow and red) on either side of the boom indicate load status to other operators and the lowering-in foreman. Another safety feature of the LMS includes the mechanical anti two-block system, which uses a wire sensor to prevent the winch blocks from coming into contact during lifting.

The PL3005E also features new safety-enhancing pipe-carrying and protection options, including added boom padding and a bar to hold the end of the pipe during machine travel for improved safety.