Coping with the cold

The manufacturer of this powerhouse is Prinroth AG based in Italy where components shipped from Canada, the US and local plants are hand assembled to individual customer specification.  “We need to work fast but without any compromise on safety or reliability,” explained the head of assembly. “That is why we use Loctite products. They are easy to work with and we can rely on them 100%.”

The efficiency of the hydraulic systems that drive the tracks, blades and tillers is crucial to The Beast. For sealing hoses Prinroth uses Loctite  572 to create an instant seal that cures to burst strength. Loctite 638 is also used, typically to retain ice studs and aluminium track blades and must cope with pressures to 550 bar.

Loctite 638, one of Henkel’s retaining compounds, provides excellent resistance to dynamic, axial and radial loads. This Henkel family of high strength products is capable of carrying high loads and filling all voids to prevent and corrosion and fretting.  As they provide 100% contact, load and stress is distributed evenly over the joint.  

The assembly mechanic said: “We can safety use Loctite 638 with a lot of different materials and it is extremely strong.  Because of the extreme conditions, any mechanical failure is potentially very serious so we must always deliver the highest quality of workmanship.”

Loctite threadlocking products prevent self-loosening and secure any threaded fastener against vibration and shock loads. The product predominantly used by Prinroth for this purpose is Loctite 243 an easy-flowing liquid that completely fills the gaps between mating threads. A typical application on The Beast is on M20 bolts tightened to 365Nm to secure the track-drive wheel.  

Prinroth machines are not mass produced. “That means we must be flexible,” concluded the head of assembly.  “Loctite has the right products for all our requirements, clearly labelled and easy to use, which is vital when things get busy.”