Two-thirds of the life-cycle cost of a breaker can be attributed to operator cost, energy and fuel consumption, as well as service and maintenance costs. Reducing the challenge of the life-cycle cost of machinery and tools is an increasing demand from the market currently, states industrial group Atlas Copco.

The company’s latest addition to the medium breaker range, the MB 750, matches this challenge and provides 54 % more percussive performance compared with its predecessors.

More percussive power does not mean that the breaker adds extra weight to the carrier and the MB 750 allows the use of a smaller breaker and carrier for the same kind of job. This, reports the company, helps to significantly reduce investment costs and fuel consumption. Together with increased productivity, these are the main contributions to reduced life-cycle cost.

The high operational efficiency of the MB 750 can recover a combination of oil and gas power and energy by using the recoil effect in the best possible way. This boosts the output power of the breaker without increasing the hydraulic input power of the carrier, which results in less fuel consumption during operation.

Atlas Copco breakers contain a highly effective noise and vibration damping. Atlas Copco’s VibroSilenced system isolates the percussion mechanism acoustically from the external guide system. Moreover, the VibroSilenced system helps to prevent damaging vibrations that could be detrimental to the carrier and the operator.

A new feature on the MB 750 is the double retainer bar system, which increases the service of the tool and retainer system. Extra-long retainer bars provide a large contact surface to the tool and the lower hammer, and they can be used on both sides for extended service life. The company says that the double retainer bars offer higher wear resistance than a retainer pin and are a reliable and proven locking system for the working tool.

The MB 750 is optionally available with the patented DustProtector II, a two-stage sealing system with coarse and fine wipers that reduce the penetration of abrasive dust into the lower hammer part. DustProtector II also keeps the lubricant around the wear bushing longer, lowering grease consump- tion. The system reduces wear on the bushings and the hammer and protects against damage.

The MB 750 is ideal for secondary breaking, demolition, excavation and trenching, tunnelling, or any operation that requires a hydraulic breaker with a powerful, efficient and reliable design.

Meanwhile, the company has also launched a new breaker to its light breaker range, the SB 452, for excavators of up to 13 t. The SB 452 extends the line of the new generation of solid body breakers. This range is based on a new manufacturing method and a new body design that was introduced three years ago.

Atlas Copco believes that the weight: impact ratio of these solid body breakers is unmatched, regardless of which SB breaker from the 50-kg class up to the 500-kg class is used. To achieve the same impact with a heavier conventional breaker would require a larger carrier.

The company says its solid body breakers are recognised for their durability and reliabi- lity. They are used for roadwork, trenching, general demolition, and landscaping.

“One of the most important features in the new design is the floating bushing, which makes service and maintenance easy. The new SB 452 has many advantages, as the single-blow impact energy has increased by more than 12%, compared with the previous model, which provides higher performance and breaking power. The new body design generates lower vibrations and less noise to meet the requirements of customers,” says Atlas Copco product line manager Thord Wikström.

He adds that a solid body breaker is machined from a single block of steel. This method provides a number of benefits, such as no side or head bolts and a distinctive resistance to bending forces and operator abuse. Other benefits include the use of fewer parts and less maintenance.

The slim design of the SB 452 makes positioning easy, says the company. The compact dimensions also facilitate working in confined applications, such as indoor demolition work, along house walls and in narrow trenching. The SB 452 provides high performance and breaking power owing to a new hydraulic system that delivers higher efficiency and improved energy recovery.

Atlas Copco technical development man- ager Conny Sjöbäck says the company is proud to launch the seventh model in the new solid body range, which represents an advancement in its technology. By further developing the solid body concept, Atlas Copco has created the SB 452 to help boost the productivity of its customers.