In July 2014, at its headquarters in Senago near Milan, Compagnia Italiana Forme Acciaio (CIFA) held an “Underground Concrete Machinery” open house, dedicated to tunnelling and mining concrete machines, which CIFA has been supplying for a long time and believes it now has a complete range. CIFA is now part of Chinese group Zoomlion. An introduction by CIFA CEO Davide Cipolla opened the event, held in the presence of a group of Italian and European underground mining and tunnelling clients. Test machines demonstrated sprayed concrete simulations and the company states that in the last year and a half some new underground products have been developed. One of these is a dedicated underground concrete mixer, the Coguaro4, whose main features were described to the customer group by Massimo Galimberti, CIFA product manager for underground products.
Guidelines adopted by CIFA in developing this model were related to the special transportation of concrete in the demanding environment of tunnels and mines. Small dimensions were necessary for moving in drifts but it also needed a large enough capacity to be efficient. The Coguaro4 is 2.5 m tall and the drum has a maximum capacity of 4 m3. CIFA says it has an unmistakable “made in Italy” style and an unusual design for this type of machine. “It’s the first project developed from scratch by our Styling Centre”, Galimberti underlined, “blending aesthetics, quality, technology, functionality and ergonomics.” An innovative electrically-operated hydraulic transmission, a hydraulic pump and two hydraulic motors mounted directly on the axles without moving mechanical parts, ensure “maximum drive, reliability and minimum fuel consumption. Four driving and steering wheels and a sturdy frame ensure high agility.”
Moreover, the mixer has a number of safety enhancements. “We transferred to this machine the checks that we currently use on the most advanced truck mixers”, Galimberti specified, “such as the drum rotation check during vehicle movement and safety systems to block the drum when carrying out maintenance inside it”. All the machine functions are always under control thanks to a CSD (Control Speed Drive), while driving safety is guaranteed with a ROPS-FOPS closed cabin and visibility is high thanks to electronic sensors for obstacle detection with an infrared rearview camera for manoeuvres in tunnels.
The Coguaro4 has a Diesel Perkins STEP 3-A engine, and on request a fire suppression system. During the event three Spritz Systems, the Underground core products, were displayed as well: the CSS-3 (present on the test field) with Z3 section boom with a third telescopic element, adaptable to any kind of tunnel; the CSS-3 EVO, which is the latest version, and the CST 8.20 (present on the test field as well), which is designed for use in mines and small tunnels.