Known in-house at Genesis Atta
In developing a shear to fill the need of one niche market, Genesis Attachments found a way for all shear users to get bigger-machine production without the need for a bigger machine.
The original concept behind the Genesis XP MAXX mobile shears was based on a specialized requirement of select processors that are in the business of cutting up rail cars. Those customers essentially needed an overbuilt yet transportable shear, so Genesis engineers went back to the company's established GXP line, which ranges from the 4,000-pound GXP 200 to the 45,000-pound GXP 2500, and focused on a shear to accommodate 35-ton excavators.
Today, the GXP 660 MAXX "is our hottest model," said Bruce Bacon, the company's vice president and general manager. "As a limited number of customers saw the product or heard about it, and our regional managers realized the advantages of that product being able to produce more with the same-sized carrier, all of a sudden it took off like wildfire."
The GXP 660 MAXX "can cut basically what traditionally would have required a shear on a 100,000-pound machine," said Bacon. "So, you have a less expensive excavator that uses less fuel, is easier to transport, and you can still have the same performance that historically would have required a larger machine.
"We've actually had customers who had been considering a larger shear and excavator moving down to the 660," he said, "because when they've seen the performance characteristics of it, they've realized they can do everything they need to do. . . and there's commonly a $75,000 savings on the excavator purchase."
Into the compact shear, Genesis engineers installed a longer lever arm with a smaller opening and a longer cylinder.
"In-house, we call it 'The Bulldog,'" said Bacon. "Really, what it does is allow a customer who has a 35-ton excavator to have a shear with more power than has ever been available before in that weight class."
Retaining a transportable package, but specifically for very heavy cutting, Genesis installed a beefed-up pivot group, superstructure, and upper and lower jaw.
"Essentially, what we got is a shear on steroids," said Bacon. "What we ended up with is a shear in that weight class that has more piercing and cutting capacity than anything on the market."
At an operating weight of 13,300 pounds, the standard GXP 660 MAXX is 1,000 pounds lighter than the standard GXP 700, yet actually generates slightly more shear force than the larger model. The 660 MAXX generates a shear force of 1,475 tons at 5,000 psi and 1,625 tons at 5,500 psi, compared to 1,460 and 1,606 tons respectively for the 700 model.
The XP MAXX product line was completed with the recent market introduction of a 990-size model, designed for use on 45-ton excavators. Genesis will be offering a new automatic-lubrication system on the 660 and 990 sizes.
As with all other models in the standard GXP mobile shear line, a continuous 360-degree rotation version of the MAXX shear is available.
