Vactor Offers Another Sneak Peek of Vacuum Excavator Concept at WWETT

Reprinted With Permission From Equipment Journal 

The Next Generation HXX was unveiled in October, at the 2017 International Construction & Utility Equipment Exposition (ICUEE) Show in Louisville, Ky.

“The new HXX concept showcases our latest design thinking in terms of improvements in payload capacity, weight distribution, operation and performance,” said Ben Schmitt, Product Manager at Vactor Manufacturing. “Our goal in previewing this HXX concept at ICUEE is to gain feedback from customers and other industry professionals before launching the next generation of this truck.”

Improved Weight Distribution

With the HXX vacuum excavator concept, Vactor aimed to maximize legal payload for customers and improve operational efficiency.

“Maximizing productivity while adhering to strict weight regulations is a constant challenge for vacuum excavation users,” Schmitt said. “Weight enforcement is an important issue within the industry, as overweight fines can be significant.”

The placement of the debris body and water tank on the concept’s chassis ensures equal distribution of the payload on the axles, regardless of how much water is in the tanks. This design is an improvement compared to previous vacuum excavators configured with sloped floors in uni-body designs, where weight shifts as water is used and debris is loaded, often resulting in lost payload capacity. Each component of the HXX concept truck was purposely placed to ensure the entire chassis gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) is used.

Single-Piston Water Pump

A new PrecisionFlow water pump system on the concept machine features a single-piston design, which is capable of higher flow and pressure than a triplex water pump system.

“This new water pump system features half the moving parts of a traditional hydroexcavation water pump, eliminating more expensive and less reliable pressure regulating mechanisms or unloading valves and enabling quick and easy servicing in the field,” Schmitt said.

The HXX concept also features Vactor’s Park-N-Dig quick operation design, which the company says will reduce set-up and tear-down time between jobs. In addition, the concept features a seven-inch display featuring real-time operational and performance information feedback to improve productivity. As well, the HXX concept features Vactor’s Bluetooth service connectivity tool and on-screen diagnostics for field troubleshooting.

“Everything about the HXX concept truck was designed with operator safety, product reliability, productivity and serviceability in mind,” Schmitt said.

QuietPak System

The vacuum excavator concept is equipped with a QuietPak sound-damping system featuring a Robuschi positive displacement blower rated for 6,176 cfm and 71 cm Hg. The system delivers higher airflow and quieter operation, with a decibel rating of less than 90 dB(A) throughout the rpm range. Featuring ultra-quiet inlet and outlet silencers acoustically matched to the blower, the system is ideal for work at higher altitudes.