Good things really do come in small packages with the latest Yanmar Compact Equipment sub 2-tonne SV solutions. Professional Builder’s Lee Jones explores the new arrivals.
A small machine it may well be but the mini excavator is doing big things in sales on these shores, and the 1-2 tonne segment is crucial to manufacturers. As a specialist in the field, Yanmar Compact Equipment believes it is best placed to understand its customers’ priorities and deliver the performance they demand. Indeed, Yanmar has devoted much time in listening to a diverse cross-section of its customer base, from contractors to landscapers and hirers, to understand what the expert end user actually wants – and the result is the new SV range.
Ask a mini excavator operator what they’re looking for in a machine and reliability, and ease of use is liable to be a predictable response, not to mention power and versatility. With its recent additions to the SV range Yanmar believes it has achieved all those requirements and more.
Diggers are now multi-purpose tools and a machine that can be configured to an individual operator’s needs is the ideal, and that’s one of the guiding principle of the brand new SV mini excavators – the SV15VT, SV17VT and SV19 VT. As an explanation of the model designations the SV denotes Semi Vio – and a conventional short tail swing machine – whilst VT signifies a variable track, where the undercarriage retracts for access into confined spaces and expands to deliver greater stability. Finally, the numbers refer to the weight – 1.5, 1.7 and 1.9 tonne.
“We wanted to develop a solution that was not only productive but could adapt to the needs of a specific jobsite,” declares Cedric Durand, Marketing Director, Yanmar Compact Equipment. “That’s why different versions of the same machine will be available – whether short or long digging arms and levelling blades, for example, and a range of hydraulic options for attachments.”
The cab has been redesigned to offer 360º visibility, and more space, with ROPS, TOPS and FOPS certification for both the canopy and cabin variants. Once safely ensconced in the driver’s seat – thanks to the manufacturer’s ViPPS (Variable Displacement Piston Pumps) hydraulic set-up on the 1.7 and 1.9 tonne machine – operators are guaranteed to feel more power and control at their fingertips. The system cumulates the flow of separate pumps in order to obtain the optimal combination in terms of speed, power and balance, guaranteeing smooth and simultaneous operation of working movements. As a result, the machines can achieve 53litres/min at 210 and 220 bar for the SV17 and SV19 respectively. In addition, on the 17 and 19 optional auxillary hydraulic circuits and quick hitch supply lines can be specified.
Yanmar is equally committed to delivering the simplest possible maintenance regimes for its customers. A wide rear hood opening – with all powertrain service points within comfortable reach – is complement by easily removable side panels and a cabin floor that will allow access to all hydraulic systems and components. In addition, all three excavators benefit from the Japanese manufacturer’s fleet management system, SmartAssist Remote. As a result, a machine can be tracked via a PC or smartphone, and its health monitored in real time. As a brand Yanmar is rightly renowned for its diesel technology and this is exemplified in its Stage V-compliant TNV series mechanically-controlled 3-cylinder indirect injection engine.
Whilst the SV15 VT is a rental ready machine, its larger sibling, the SV17 VT has upgraded hydraulic performance and versatility, and the SV19vt is tailored to more demanding tasks. The latter’s short turning radius at front and rear, wide boom swing amplitude, and long blade increases the working range. Indeed, for easier cleaning and finishing, the combination of long arm and a levelling blade of extended length means the operator can easily push and collect soil with a ditch cleaning bucket against a blade. The SV19VT, also benefits from a digging force of 11.4/16.7kN (short arm/bucket) and traction force of 12.9kN, with two travelling speeds – either 2.4 or 4.4km/h.
Whether it trenching, light demolition, landscaping or repair, maintenance and improvement in residential properties, the extendable undercarriage provides a balance between compactness and stability. The SV15 also has a light transport weight of just 1,465kg and 1,555kg for the canopy and cabin versions respectively. It can be easily towed between jobs with work tools on board, utilising a standard 2.5 tonne Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) trailer. Four tie-down points on the track frames (standard) and four on the turning frame (optional) make transport preparation simple. Moreover, a top mounted boom cylinder and hydraulic hoses routed inside the boom, as well as additional bucket and digging arm cylinder protection, will reduce downtime.
The SV15 is equipped with a double gear pump hydraulic system suppling 28.6 l/min at a maximum 205 bar pressure. This achieves a digging force of 7.4kN (short arm) and 12.9kN (bucket), while also coming with a standard auxiliary hydraulic line to power breakers or augers.
So, what have Yanmar’s customers been saying about the newly introduced mini excavators? More power and lifting performance has been the consensus, and, thanks to those extendable tracks, that’s complemented by enhanced stability, not to mention greater visibility and a working environment that puts the operator quite literally front and centre.
At the launch event the reveal for Yanmar’s SV Excavators began with former world breaking dancing champion, Ismail doing battle with a digger in the medium of dance, a fitting display for a highly compact and robust package that can perform on the most confined of urban jobsites.
For further information on the Yanmar SV15VT, SV17VT and SV19VT visit https://www.yanmar.com/gb/construction
