Since its introduction in 2022, the Road Ant has become one of the preferred options when it comes to forward moving aggregate spreaders, as Roads & Infrastructure learns from creators Quality Fabrication & Engineering, as well as its partners and customers.
VicRoads is responsible for the management of 173,533,000 metres squared of regional road networks in Victoria annually (Department of Transport Annual report 2021 -2022).
Management of these roads requires repairs and maintenance year-round in areas across the state, in varying climates and terrain.
The Victorian Department of Transport’s mandate of the use of forward-moving aggregate spreaders on its spray seal sites was introduced in July 2022 to modernise and increase the safety of these operations.
To answer the call, Quality Fabrication & Engineering (Q-FE) developed the Road Ant, a dual-control, forward-moving aggregate spreader built to comply with VicRoads Standard 408.11.
David Lockwood, QF-E Head of Sales, says an increasing number of Victorian councils are adding forward-moving aggregate spreaders into their specifications for local spray sealing works.
“Clearly there’s now a strong case for council boards and executives to adopt the industry’s best practise and to avoid the possibility of workplace accidents as we know our Road Ant is now proven and reliable,” he says.
We have taken the guess work out of forward-moving aggregate spreaders and the difficulty of moving heavy aggregate over a truck’s wheelbase safely and securely.”
The Road Ant features both a front and rear cabin with full operation of the truck, spreader and safety controls from either end, eliminating the need to spread in ‘reverse’. The rear cabin is also dual control, enabling operation from either the left- or right-hand side for a clear view of the spread line.
The Road Ant can be used in the spray sealing off season as the machine can be used for other works, as Q-FE General Manager Glenn Hardiman explains.
“The spray sealing season lasts from about six to eight months of the year, so the Q-FE team designed the Road Ant to be functional for 365 days a year, and to have alternative practical uses, such as a conventional transporting vehicle or a paver feeder. This allows the machine to continue providing value in the off season,” he says.
“We think people are impressed by the versatility of the machine and that it can accept alternative attachments and be used for other works such as asphalting, shoulder work, and traditional spreading of crushed rock.”
To date, Q-FE have delivered 15 Road Ants with another 10 set to be delivered to spray seal contractors.
“It’s been pleasing to see that our Road Ant has been accepted by the industry; we are no longer in the research and development phase and are scaling up manufacturing to meet demand,” Hardiman says.
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About Trout
During the early stages of development, the team at QF-E set out to develop a suitable rear body that could support required components as well as optional attachments.
This development led the team to Trout River Australia, a specialised manufacturer of live bottom conveyor systems.
Rodney Wells, General Manager – Trout River, says the initial Road Ant concept stood out from the get-go.
“We’d been approached by some companies whose concept placed a chip-spreading box at the front of the truck and delivering the product from a body behind the cabin,” Wells says.
“We couldn’t see a way of making that work with larger aggregate sizes. There was also the issue of potentially having too much weight on the steer axles. QF-E came along in 2019 and we felt that they had the best design that we had seen. After that, we agreed to help with their development of a prototype.”
Compatible with a variety of chassis, QF-E’s Road Ant can be fitted with a Trout River asphalt-compatible unit with an automated 10-gate chip spreader. The aggregate is conveyed from the moving floor body, passing under the cabin and into the Trout River automated 10-gate chip spreader.
This spreader is capable of covering 2.5 metres as standard and 2.95 metres with an extension, while also catering for aggregate up to 20 millimetres.
This spreader is also detachable and can be hydraulically raised or lowered to allow for towing.
Trout River and QF-E have maintained what Wells refers to as a “strong partnership”, which is leading to further development of the Road Ant concept.
“QF-E will approach us, and we assist in the development of a solution based on the requirement of the end user. We can design the body length and height to suit the requirement of each truck,” Wells says.
“We’ve evolved the design over time based on industry feedback and many of our customers say the concept works really well.”
Trout River Australia also has a large range of off-the-shelf attachments that can be fitted to add versatility.
“These units may not be used for spray sealing in the winter months, so we have other attachments that can be added to the units,” Wells says.
The user view
After the announcement of the VicRoads mandate, Cranes Civil and Surfacing was one of many contractors across Victoria who had to find a viable supplier of forward-moving aggregate spreaders.
Shane Hare, Spray Seal Manager for Cranes Civil and Surfacing says the company was able to benefit from existing relationships, having previously received machinery from the support of QF-E’s Glenn Hardiman.
The company received its first demo version of the Road Ant in 2020 and as Hare explains, the technological advances made with the model compared to existing options on the market was an immediate stand out.
“Nearly everything was electronically controlled, so all we needed to do was select throughout pre-sets on the in-built monitor. If we were spreading a seven millimetre aggregate, all we had to do was select that option, and away we went,” Hare says.
“Other machines we’ve used in the past placed the onus more on the driver to maintain a constant speed and spread width. The Road Ant allows us to maintain a constant speed and make slight variable changes with the aggregate.”
Cranes Civil and Surfacing purchased its first Road Ant based off its experience with the demo model. In the previous three years the company has also adopted an additional two models.
Cranes Civil and Surfacing has used its Road Ant models as part of spray sealing contracts across regional Victoria.
Hare says he frequently receives positive feedback from operators on the performance of each unit.
“Another standout is the visibility. In conventional trucks you’d need to obviously look backwards and frequently use your mirrors, so there were always blind spots,” he says.
“The Road Ant gives you great situational awareness. There’s also a smart braking feature, which can automatically apply the brake when the Road Ant is in reverse, such as off a stack site, should someone accidentally walk behind the reversing vehicle.”
With the ongoing growth in the business, Hare believes that more units will be purchased in the future.
“We’ve got to keep moving forward,” he says. “The business has grown exponentially over the last few years, and we’ll defiantly look to purchase more Road Ant units down the track.”
This article was originally published in the April edition of our magazine. To read the magazine, click here.