SharpGrade 1.6 leveller 2021 Machine Spotlight

As the country comes to grips with the ‘new normal’ following a harsh 2020, the Federal and state governments are frantically injecting funds into infrastructure work around the country in a bid to revive the economy and create more jobs.

The much-needed economic boost is seeing small to medium-sized contractors like Tasmania-based Otta Group working harder than ever.

"We don't have time for breakdowns," Otta Group owner, Graeme Vinney said. Based in Scottsdale, Tasmania, the company specialises in bulk haulage, civil works and quarry operations which includes earthmoving, heavy haulage, non-intrusive excavation, rock crushing and bulk recycling. 

Like many entrepreneurs, Vinney started small, armed with just a skid steer and a little tipper. His attention to detail and willingness to go the extra mile for his customers soon saw demand for his services grow.

The Otta Group now employs a small team of staff which Vinney hand picks to ensure each and every one of them shares the same values and work ethics. He said the work and dedication his team provides ensures customers are happy with their services and keep coming back.

"About 50 per cent of our clients annually are repeat customers, including landscapers, developers, builders and local councils," Vinney said.

"Certainly, COVID-19 has been hard on all of us. But I have to say that lately, we've been running off our feet.

"We've grown every single year in the last five years, and while growth in 2020 was slow, we anticipate 2021 to be another strong year for us. We are continuously looking to grow and are planning to expand our fleet in the future."

Vinney said increased customer demand prompted him to purchase the new SharpGrade box blade leveller.

"We were searching for a tool that would not only add efficiency to our road and site preparation projects but improve the accuracy and quality at the same time,” he said.

Vinney said the New Zealand designed and built SharpGrade leveller essentially transforms a standard skid-steer loader, like the Terex PT50 Positrack loader in the Otta Group’s fleet, into a precision laser grading machine.

This allows precision levelling operations to be carried out on tight and restricted work sites such as on highways and urban compounds where big bulky graders won’t fit.

According to Vinney, one of the biggest advantages of a box blade leveller over a traditional smudge bar is its accuracy.

"With the Sharpgrade, the blade is independent of the machine, and the front wheel stabilises the blade and prevents it from digging in when the loader travels through a depression.

“Another advantage of this leveller is it can cut, grade, or spread product to fine tolerances over wide areas."

SharpGrade’s products are compatible with Topcon or Leica Geosystems controls such as the Leica iCON system to provide better accuracy.

C.R.Kennedy is a local distributor of SharpGrade’s products in Australia. Sales consultant, Luke Fulton-Tindal, spent a day with the Otta Group machine operators to deliver a detailed machine training session. 

He started off by explaining the key features that set the SharpGrade apart from other machines on the market.

"Upfront, there are two large parabolic mirrors which allow you to see what the blade is cutting. But importantly, they allow you to see the outer edges of the box which is critical when working next to a concrete curb, for instance. They will enable you to get right up next to the curb without damaging the concrete."

A retractable spring-loaded wheel allows operators to lift the wheel easily when required.

"If you're working up towards the wall of a building or curb, you can lift the wheel when you get near the wall so you can grade almost to the wall because the wheel sits well behind the blade when retracted,” Fulton-Tindal said.

“Furthermore, when the wheel is in the raised position, you can comfortably use the SharpGrade as a bulldozer. For instance, you can push through a stockpile of material without the wheels getting in the way."

The SharpGrade's unique QuadRod linkage system connects the chassis to the blade. As its name suggests, the system features four arms that are strategically placed for increased rigidity. Two outboard cylinders directly connected to the outer edges of the blade is the heart of the machine that allow the machine to grade accurately.

The system and joints are sealed for life and requires no greasing, Fulton-Tindal said.

“There are two linkages at the top and two at the bottom which control the vertical and pivot movement of the blade.

“This system allows the blade to pivot 10 degrees in either direction.

"The zero clearance spherical mounts eliminate any slop between the blade and chassis, which enables the SharpGrade to grade very-hard materials with great accuracy because there is no flex in the link."

The linkages are mounted high up on the blade to keep them out of the dirt. Because the rear of the box-blade is entirely open, it can carry almost three-quarters of a cubic meter of material without spilling when back blading, adding to the machine's efficiency.

At the rear of the SharpGrade chassis is an adjustable hitch plate. According to Luke, the initial set up is critical to ensure the machine's accuracy, mainly because the SharpGrade has two blades - one for forward and another for reverse grading.

"If the SharpGrade attachment is not mounted level with the wheels of the machine, then the front blade will trim at a different level to the rear blade," Fulton-Tindal explained.

"The other critical area we need to get right when completing the initial set up is to ensure that the skid steer’s boom is resting on the bump stop when zeroing the SharpGrade.

“When the boom is on the bump stop, it becomes rigid with the skid steer machine. Because the SharpGrade chassis is solidly attached to the mounting plate, the SharpGrade and skid steer are now one rigid device.

“The SharpGrade's hydraulics and QuadRod linkage will now work seamlessly and be able to accurately control the movement of the blade."

Once the initial set up is done properly, connecting the SharpGrade leveller to the skid steer in the future only takes a matter of minutes. The operator only needs to place the skid steer boom down on the bump stop, rest the front wheel on the ground and the SharpGrade is ready for work.

“Also, the fact that the Positrack's boom is resting on the stops when using the SharpGrade greatly reduces the wear on the machine arm's pins and bushes," Vinney said. 

"Sure, it's early days yet for our SharpGrade, but take a look at how swiftly and easily it trimmed up this piece of roadway,” he said.

“I'm certainly impressed and I'm confident it will be a great asset to our business and deliver the efficiency we were chasing."

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