P U B L I C I D A D E

ABRIR
FECHAR

P U B L I C I D A D E

ABRIR
FECHAR
Voltar

Now it is real

Industry is starting to definitely come in the era of MAR-I, to be effective from January 1st, 2017 for construction equipment of all engine power ranges

Brazil is leading the introduction of emission control programs for agriculture and construction equipment in Latin America. It seems exaggerate but in a pollutant and noisy neighborhood this is the real condition of the local market in this important context for sustainability.

First country of the region to establish standards for such equipment, Brazil once again went out in front of its competitors, as it already had done recently (January, 2012) when started the Program for Controlling Air Pollution Caused by Automotive Vehicles (Proconve 7) for trucks and buses, a standard equivalent to Euro 5, still effective in Europe. Created in 2011, the Proconve MAR-I is the first phase of the program, specifically referred to agriculture and construction equipment. And like its predecessor for commercial transportation vehicles, it defines limits for emission of pollutant gases such as carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbons (HC), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate material (MP). The idea is to reduce significantly the diffusion of these components in the air. According to the Conama (National Board of Environment) it may reach 85 percent of particulate material and up to 75 percent of NOx.

In practice, most manufacturers are already completely in accordance with these acts which, even being introduced in 2011, became effective just from 2015 on, with its rules being effective only  for  construction machines produced from that year on with engine power varying from 37 kW (50 cv) to 560 kW (761 cv). In January 2017, all models with engine power above 19 kW (25 cv) will also be included. For agriculture equipment, changes will follow another scale, starting in 2017 for engines between 75 kW (101 cv) and 560 kW (761 cv) and being completed in 2019 with lower engines, from 19 kW (25 cv) to 75 kW(101 cv).

Informs tell that Cummins was the first manufacturer to present a product which would comply with the parameters of MAR-I, due to its presence in several markets, including North American and European countries. This is explained by Suellen Gaeta, product certification and emission compliance manager from Cummins. “Since we had all lines already developed and certified in these regions, Brazilian process was easier to be developed by our engineering”, comments her. “Since these products were already available in places where we were acting before, we could introduce just in 2010 our engines which comply with the regulations of MAR-I for agriculture and construction areas in the South American market.”

Cummins also has available in the country the families QSB, QSC and QSL, all of them complying with those regulations, with small changes in the torque and performance curves, according to its final application (agriculture or construction).

GLOBAL SYNERGY

John Deere, in turn, brought its construction division to Brazil in 2012, bringing technologies that complied with standards that would be demanded only three years later, since these figures were already required in the United States a long time ago.

For Roberto Marques, sales director of the Forest and Construction Division of John Deere, this global synergy is reflected in facilities adapted for local operation. “Certainly, technologic integration helps in the process”, considers him. “The availability of more restrictive standards in other countries and the years of expertise in selling engines which ensure emission levels equivalent to those of MAR-I allow us to quickly start new engines in our production lines, reducing their cycle of development.”

It is obvious that this condition is available for most manufacturers that are working in the Brazilian market, such as New Holland CE, whose portfolio complies with Brazilian regulations in 90 percent. “Adjustments of the remaining 10 percent were recently concluded, complementing the new products made available in 2015, such as the hydraulic excavators E215C and E245 ME, the crawler tractor D180C and the wheel excavator WE190B PRO”, points Paula Araújo, product manager of the brand. The executive says also that—in addition to ROPS/FOPS cabs that comply with European standards of noise and safety, always above Brazilian figures—equipment received other improvements. “For example, powershift transmission with a single speed selector lever which ensures smooth changes of velocity, lower fuel consumption and increase up to 14 percent in productivity if compared to the former loader, the 12D”, says her.

In the same line of New Holland CE, Case CE portfolio also has 90 percent of its equipment line complying with the new regulations and guarantees that its entire line will be ready till January, 2017. According to Carlos França, manufacturer’s marketing manager, product lines that comply with the standards cover from small excavators and motor graders to large excavators. “It is important to remember that Brazil started to establish emission limits later than Europe and United States”, says him. “But it is also true that it was the first country of Latin America that did something in the area, starting directly from Tier 3.”

Approximately five years ago, Case brought to the country the first products equipped with these engines. Currently, the manufacturer feels safe with this change of technology, what is clear in França’s words: “Our clients are completely familiar with the machines which are certified in Tier 3”, says him. “We had a smooth transition, with no impact on sales or on the product portfolio.”