260 SX(i) – the Specialist for Challenging Infrastructure Projects

Infrastructure projects in rocky ground often require routing operations to be carried out before road or railroad construction, pipeline laying, or other construction projects can be realized. A task that is frequently carried out by drilling and blasting. Construction contractors can now do this job more efficiently and with less environmental impact – with the 260 SX(i), cross application miner, the first model in a new machine class from Wirtgen. Thanks to field-proven Wirtgen technologies, routing operations can now be carried out effectively, cost-efficiently and sustainably.

Watch Our Animation and Discover What the Wirtgen 260 SX(i) Cross Application Miner Can Do for You

Drilling and Blasting Seriously Impacts the Environment

Drilling and blasting is the traditional method used for carrying out routing operations in hard ground, for instance in sandstone, limestone, slate, or granite. With this method, explosive charges in individually drilled shotholes are used to blast away the rock. The consequences of this method are strong shock waves, noise and dust pollution, and a risk to health from toxic gases. Restrictive environmental requirements with regard to noise and dust pollution and significantly higher costs for the procurement and handling of explosives make the method less and less attractive. In many cases, the use of explosives is also not permitted in urban areas.

Highlights of the New 260 SX(i) Cross Application Miner from Wirtgen

Field-Proven Cutting Technology from Wirtgen Removes the Rock with Minimal Environmental Impact

As opposed to the use of explosives, the new 260 SX(i) cross application miner from Wirtgen removes rock and stone by cutting. The machine removes the ground with field-proven Wirtgen cutting technology up to a width of 2.75 m and a depth of 650 mm. The process is almost vibration-free and causes only very little in the way of dust and noise pollution. The process can therefore be employed in the immediate vicinity of buildings or buried utility pipes and cables. The 260 SX(i) cuts routes with a final profile and therefore saves the costs otherwise required for the processing of additionally excavated material and leveling.

Directly after cutting, the 260 SX (i) crushes the material and loads it on to construction site trucks, all in a single pass. Depending on the type of application and the situation, the extracted material can also be deposited alongside the machine (sidecasting) or behind the machine as it advances (cut-to-ground). Already successfully proven in road construction and mining operations, the new Wirtgen LEVEL PRO ACTIVE leveling system precisely maintains the required cutting depth.

260 SX (i) – High Productivity and Machine Utilization Rates Meet Safety and Comfort

Aside from performance, and as infrastructure projects often have to fulfill critical deadlines, a particular focus in the construction of the machine was set on assuring high machine utilization rates. Powered by a 30-liter, high-torque diesel engine with a rated power output of over 1,000 hp, the new machine always has sufficient power reserves for the extraction of rock by cutting.

The new cross application miner from Wirtgen also provides a safe working environment for its users. The dust-sealed and air-conditioned positive-pressure cabin with fresh air filtration features an integrated, certified ROPS/FOPS system. This protects the operator and effectively prevents dust getting into the cabin.

The operator’s cabin with all-round glazing is mounted on the front left chassis column and can be rotated to provide a consistently optimal all-round view of the working area and the material offloading process. An operating concept in line with the latest standards of ergonomics creates ideal preconditions for highly productive working and minimal operator-fatigue. The comfortable operator’s seat and powerful LED floodlights also contribute to this.

Cutting Even Surfaces and Stable Embankments

When cutting, the 260 SX(i) cross application miner produces precise, even surfaces that can be used directly afterwards as roadways for site vehicles. On the one hand, for example, existing profiles copied via side plate scanning can serve as a reference for leveling. On the other hand, new profiling is also possible with the 260 SX(i) cross application miner, for example, on the basis of a 3D terrain model. Depending on the application, construction work can begin as soon as the desired profile has been produced. In road construction, for example, the surface cut by the machine provides an ideal road bed for the subsequent placement of pavement layers. During the cutting process, the machine enables the production of stable embankments with a predefined slope angle – making another decisive contribution to safety and the minimization of the need for additional excavation.

Tunnel Construction

The construction of new tunnels or the lowering of the floors of existing tunnels often involves working in confined spaces and during ongoing rail traffic. Blasting is rarely a viable option for loosening the rock. The 260 SX(i) cross application miner enables the precise removal of benches with minimal vibration and the lowering of the tunnel profile to the desired level. The height of the miner can be reduced for working in tunnels by mounting the operator’s cabin directly above the front left track unit. In this configuration, the machine also works using the cut-to-ground method, without the discharge conveyor and conveyor frame. This means that the 260 SX(i) from Wirtgen can also realize its full performance potential in narrow tunnel systems.