The Cougar SC-130 and the SR-85 are Soilmec’s new stars at bauma 2019

First published at bauma - April 12, 2019

Soilmec is celebrating 50 years in the ground engineering equipment business with the launch of several products, the most exciting of which are the Cougar SC-130 hydromill, the SR-85 hydraulic drilling rig and a new cab design which will now be rolled out on all its new machines.

The Cougar SC-130, which can excavate down to depths of 70m is the successor to the SC-120 which was used on Copenhagen’s CityRingen and supplied by Soilmec’s parent the Trevi Group. It has new features aimed to improve its operation.

One improvement on the SC-130 is the addition of flaps on the side of the excavating section which can be moved in or out to correct the verticality of the excavation. Another is the addition of high-pressure filters which can remove any bentonite that finds its way into the hydraulic oil, therefore preventing the machine from failing.

The SR-85 hydraulic drilling rig is the big sister of the SR-75, which has been Soilmec’s best seller over the past two or three years, according to the company’s marketing executive Pietro Manenti. The big difference between the SR-85 and the SR-75 is the new machine’s undercarriage: it is heavier to provide it more stability and hence heavier lifting and it can also be removed for transit.

The removeable undercarriage means that the machine can weigh in at under 50 tonnes, which is important for the US market, according to Manenti: “In the US it is very expensive to transport loads over 50 tonnes. With this solution our customers can have the range of this machine but with cheaper transport.”

Soilmec’s new cab boasts a raft of improvements all designed to improve comfort for the operator. The grill across the cab’s front screen – to protect against falling rocks – has been removed and replaced with laminated glass.

The cab is more spacious and the controls, seat and arm rest have all been re-thought. The air conditioning system has been improved, as has the camera system to provide views all around the machine. There are useful additions such as a small fridge and a position for a mobile phone with wireless charging.