Engcon Updates Tiltrotator Quick Coupler for Compact Excavators

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Engcon EC206 tiltrotator automatic quick coupler display
Engcon

Engcon has updated its EC206 tiltrotator for excavators in the 4- to 6-ton weight class with an automatic EC-Oil quick coupler. This means hydraulics, electronics and central lubrication are connected automatically while the operator remains in the cab.

“It is both convenient and saves valuable work time for operators by not having to step out of the cab to connect with manual, pressurized and dirty hydraulic couplings, contributing to improved efficiency and safety for our end users,” said Martin Engström, product manager at Engcon.

In 2020, Engcon introduced EC-Oil automatic oil and electrical coupling as standard on the machine hitch S40 and on the upper part of an EC206 tiltrotator for machines up to 6 metric tons. The updated tiltrotator takes it a step further, introducing an EC-Oil automatic quick coupler system, also on the lower quick coupler. A pre-series will be delivered this spring with a production run planned for Fall 2022.

The lower quick coupler of the S40 also gets several extra hydraulic outlets, as well as a smart function with the possibility to connect a detachable gripping cassette. It is now planned for sweeper rollers and other tools.

“Detachable gripper cassette means that the driver can easily and quickly disconnect the gripper when it is not needed,” said Engström. “It is a weight savings of about 77 pounds, and if you count how many times you lift the bucket in a day, it quickly results in a fuel saving and reduced wear on the machine.”

The updated EC206 has a new swivel with increased capacity and more outputs for extra hydraulics on the quick coupler S40 under the EC206. In addition, there is an extra socket on each side of the quick coupler and an extra socket on the back of the bracket. Additional sockets on the side of the quick coupler bracket are also possible, feeding directly from the excavator's extra hydraulic socket, which then enables a higher oil flow than the outlets that are controlled via the tiltrotator's valves and enables operation of, for example, slope mowers or other tools that require slightly higher oil flows.

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Engström noted that the new swivel does not have any hoses in the lower quick coupler.

“It will be the same concept as the larger models where the EC-Oil blocks and extra sockets are screwed into the bracket,” he said. 

On the S40, the locking cylinder is also screwed directly into the block, so the bracket has no hoses or moving parts that rub and cause wear. 

“We know how crowded it can be to screw inside a tool holder, so this is a big step forward in terms of service friendliness,” said Engström.

The new EC206 can also be equipped with both tilt and rotation sensors for the machines that have machine control systems.