SP-100e Stealth Designed for Economical Operation
Stealth aircraft developed by the U.S. Military are designed to avoid detection, but we’re guessing that the more SP-100e Stealth pavers seen on job sites, the more pleased the manufacturer (Roadtec) will be. The new paver’s angular design and dark colors, characteristics of its namesake aircraft, signify that the SP-100e is unconventional in design and performance, says Roadtec. According to the manufacturer, the new model incorporates limited wear parts, promoting low operating costs, and is capable of fast paving speeds (up to 143 fpm).
The 32,360-pound SP-100e, with a basic 10-foot paving width, is designed, says Roadtec, to be a low-maintenance, gravity-fed paver, specifically developed for operating in conjunction with a Roadtec Shuttle Buggy material-transfer vehicle.
Hot-mix asphalt enters at the top of the machine’s 11-ton-capacity, cone-shaped, mass-flow hopper and is conveyed by gravity through the flow gates directly to the auger. According to the company, the gravity-flow system is designed to deter segregation and eliminates the need for slat conveyors, hopper wings, push rollers, and tandem front bogies. The SP-100e’s simple design serves to reduce both the machine’s initial price and maintenance costs, says Roadtec, and eliminating the need to drive a conventional material-delivery system significantly reduces engine load and fuel consumption.
The head of material in front of the augers is automatically controlled by an electronic system, says Roadtec, delivering hot mix “in one smooth motion to provide a uniformly placed mat with consistent density and smoothness.” The process of using a material-transfer vehicle to feed asphalt directly into the paver’s gravity-fed hopper, says the company, helps remedy physical and thermal segregation in the asphalt mix.
The new Stealth paver uses solid-rubber wheels and is powered via a Tier 4-Interim Cummins QSB 6.7 engine rated at 173 horsepower. A dual-path hydrostatic drive system features two-speed motors.
The machine features a 10-foot, electrically heated, vibratory screed with a 32-inch-long screed plate. Several screed options are available: Roadtec S-10 (standard, fixed-width); Carlson EZ III-10 (front-extendable, paves to 17 feet); Carlson EZIV-10 (front extendable, paves to 19 feet); Roadtec Eagle 10 (rear extendable, paves to 19.5 feet); and Carlson EZ–R2 (rear extendable, paves to 19.5 feet). All screeds are electrically heated via a 34 kW generator with outlets for lighting and accessories.
The Stealth can be operated from either side of the paver, and operator platforms can swing out to provide enhanced sight lines for the machine operator, with controls and display screen moving with the seat. The FXS airflow system creates a barrier of air between the back wall of the hopper and the operator, pushing asphalt fumes and heat up and away from the operator platform.
Engine maintenance and inspection areas are designed to be easily reached through access doors on the sides and top of the paver, and the hood lifts hydraulically (with a manual-lift back-up feature).
