A tubular solenoid, specially developed and supplied by NSF Controls Ltd of Keighley, West Yorkshire, is giving Macpactor landfill technology the competitive edge on its new CompaxTM twin wheel, waste compacting system.

The CompaxTM system provides fast and efficient compacting of containerised waste and is easily attached to the mechanical arm of a 360º wheeled excavator.

Available in two different sizes of 1.9 & 2.75 tonnes, the Macpactor CompaxTM system is unique in that it incorporates a wheel lock system initiated by the operator.

Locking the wheel for certain operations brings significant advantages, allowing the compaction of all areas of the waste container, and, if required, the use of virtually the whole weight of the excavator to gain the all important extra kilos of payload. Additionally, the locking system enables ’loading side’ waste build-up to be levelled, thus preventing space wasting ’soft spots.’

The versatility of a quick release coupling brings other advantages, enabling one machine to carry out multiple operations including compact, grab, sort, load and tidy, when the CompaxTM wheel is interchanged with other attachments. Also, the system’s mobility and flexibility mean that that the unit need not be confined to transfer station duties alone, providing breakdown cover for other areas of the waste handling business.

The Macpactor CompaxTM system reduces transport costs by as much as 75% on containerised (skip) civic amenity and trade waste.

The NSF solenoid is a vital component of the CompaxTM system, locking and unlocking the system through operator control, for the different modes of operation. The tubular solenoid was specially developed over a short timescale for what is an extremely robust application. The first model was produced in one month and two prototypes were completed in the development phase.

Both ends of the solenoid are completely sealed to prevent the ingress of dirt and moisture, while to activate the lock, the mechanism has to lift an assembly weighing 4.5kg through a 31mm stroke.

Macpactor’s engineering director, Bob McCartney, comments: "Now that development is complete, NSF’s tubular solenoid is proving to be a reliable unit, satisfactorily meeting the demands of what is an extremely arduous and demanding application."