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Relocatable operator’s platform .... a W 35 Ri highlight.

Small milling unit is highly versatile

01 July 2015

Wirtgen says its small milling machine, the W 35 Ri, is set to make a big impact by bringing high versatility to its class. It is the third model in the new generation of small milling machines and builds on the advantages provided by its size.

It follows the successful launch of the W 50 Ri and W 60 Ri 50-cm milling machines.

“Size is the key advantage of the W 35 Ri,” says a spokesman for the German company. “Whether it’s cutting out small areas for partial roadway rehabilitations, milling around manhole covers or applying or removing road markings, the versatile milling machine has the right solution to meet every challenge.”

And this is not just in classical small milling machine applications, he adds. “The W 35 Ri is perfect when paired with large milling machines. With its low weight, this easy-to-transport and highly mobile machine is an excellent and cost-effective option for small reworking applications. It has a much smaller milling radius than its predecessor in both the clockwise and the anticlockwise direction.”

As a result, swift turning and manoeuvring on the job site are now even easier, he says.

The W 35 Ri is equipped with a 45-kW Deutz engine conforming to EU Stage Four/US Tier Four Final emission standards, which provides seven per cent more engine output. Meanwhile, the electronic engine control makes for a particularly responsive engine with excellent torque characteristics, he says.

Three variably selectable milling drum speeds ensure a wide range of applications, enabling jobs involving milling depths of up to 110 mm at a working width of 350 mm to be carried out quickly and efficiently. “What is more, Wirtgen can also supply the smallest milling machine with a 500-mm milling drum on request. Prompted by the high engine output, many customers have already been fitting the preceding model with the wider milling drum to extend the machine’s range of applications,” says the spokesman.

Like the 50-cm and 1-m milling machines in Wirtgen’s new generation of small and compact milling machines, the W 35 Ri is simple to operate. Based on a standardised operating concept encompassing all series, the smallest Wirtgen milling machine also permits operators to save up to three milling depths using the ergonomic multifunctional armrest on either side – a feature which is included as standard.

Another new feature is the integration of the Wirtgen machine management system Widrive, which was previously only used in larger milling machines. This helps centrally control systems such as the diesel engine control, travel drive, milling drum drive, water system or Level Pro Plus. This generally eliminates some 50 per cent of the manual interventions the operator would previously have had to perform in order to control the machine and coordinate individual work steps during the milling process.

Also for the first time ever, the levelling system Level Pro Plus is now also available for the smallest of Wirtgen’s cold milling machines. The operator’s platform can also be quickly relocated above or behind the milling drum. This option of varying the platform to include additional components enhances flexibility on the job site.