The MT 3000-2i Material Transfer Vehicle from Vögele Debuts in North America

The newly designed MT 3000-2i material transfer vehicle from Vögele offers exceptional performance in material transfer vehicles for asphalt paving. This machine is designed with the contractor in mind for unmatched productivity, exceptionally low operating costs and ultimate maneuverability.

This high performance unit weighs 56,000 pounds, with 18-ton storage capacity, heavy enough to get the job done, but portable enough to haul to operate on bridges. Its low profile gives it a low centre of gravity, and exclusive innovations give it an edge in performance and productivity that the conventional products don’t have.

The MT 3000-2i can move 1,300 tons per hour, and active remixing is achieved by two 16-inch diameter conical augers in the receiving hopper. Both primary and secondary conveyor belts are 43 inches wide, and are heated to keep material from sticking, and eliminate “warm up” loads. The secondary conveyor can swing 55 degrees to left or right. Heated scrapers also keep the belts constantly clean with a minimum of fuss.

Material transfer vehicles eliminate contact between truck and paver, resulting in smoother mats. They also fight thermal and material segregation. Essentially, they provide noncontact paving between truck and paver, and surge capacity to allow the paving process to continue during truck exchanges.

More efficiency is achieved by providing active remixing in its receiving hopper, and a passive remixing in a 17- or 22-ton “receiving insert”  in the paver hopper. A grate system in the receiving insert breaks up cold crusts as they enter the insert, allowing smaller clumps to absorb heat from the hotter surrounding mix. This passive remixing insert costs nothing in terms of energy or maintenance, in fact it enhances a lower cost of total ownership.

The receiving hopper empties in advance of the next dump, a rear-tilting front of the hopper will move stray material toward the conical augers. Conical augers themselves minimize end-of-load and start-of-load segregation.

Its extremely efficient feed system has an auto feed function that will automatically slow or shut down feeding when the paver hopper insert is filled, while a maximum delivery override switch will deliver material at maximum throughput for instant filling of the hopper insert. Moreover, a propel system featuring a unique auto distance control keeps the feeder at a pre-set distance from the paver, so the operator can focus only on steering and the trucks dumping in front. In essence, the paver electronically pushes the feeder.

Also a collision bar on the paver insert will halt Vögele pavers if they get too close to the MTV. The water-cooled Deutz engine features 215 hp and is Tier 4 Interim–compliant.

While the MT 3000-2i is new to this continent, it is a product that has been developed and used in Europe for decades. For North America, the design has been changed to include swinging conveyors and continuous rubber tracks instead of steel tracks.