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Machine Matters

Cover Story/Machine Matters: Educated excavators

April 06, 2008 |

Full-size excavators have always held center stage on jobsites but have often been restricted to playing the dawdling heavy. With improved controls and electronics, today’s 40- to 50-metric ton excavators are able to extend their range and are being cast for jobs requiring more dexterity.

Taking direction
Many of the 40- to 50-metric ton models now include computerized management systems in their standard machine configurations. Peter Robson, product manager at Komatsu, says these next-generation electronic monitoring systems are taking a big step forward. “The machines have been telling us what is going on in them for some time, but now they can tell us what to do to correct the problems they diagnose,” says Robson. “They can report how much fuel they’ve used, how well the machine has been utilized, and how hard the unit was worked.” With this detailed information, you can ramp up the machine’s efficiency by reviewing operating conditions. Komatsu EMMS (Equipment Management Monitoring System), for example, continually monitors all critical excavator systems, alerting and guiding the operator if an abnormality occurs. “Komatsu excavators report vital health and machine efficiencies daily by Komtrax to your desktop or an alert to your cell phone,” says Robson. This often prevents a small problem from becoming an expensive major service issue later on.

As North American operators find they are doing more jobs in close urban areas, increased control sensitivity becomes both a production and safety concern. Terry Sheehan, president of Kobelco, says systems like Kobelco’s Intelligent Total Control System (ITCS) add computer control to hydraulics to provide smooth responses for very fine finishing and grading applications. “Operators need power and finesse,” says Sheehan.

Call it “featherability” – the precision movements an operator is able to do with more responsive machine controls. Smart hydraulics like those found on the Case CX 460B excavator make it easy to do fine, small adjustments.

Keeping fuel consumption low and productivity high is a juggling act but advanced engine electronics are bringing noticeably better fuel economy to this season’s excavators. A new power management feature on the Cat 345D L, for example, lets the operator select from alternative engine and hydraulic power settings to conserve fuel during light-duty work. Cat offers an optional tool control system that lets the operator pre-set flows and pressures for up to 10 work tools using the in-cab monitor. The operator can then select the tool when it’s needed without resetting the hydraulic system.

And data from John Deere’s JD Link system can be integrated directly into 23 different business software programs, giving the contractor an almost seamless line of communication between operations and the office. Deere’s Powerwise III system balances engine performance and hydraulic operations to provide consistent power for digging and low-effort, precise operator control.

Fleet monitoring systems such as JCB’s new LiveLink are reducing the risk of machine theft by keeping a wireless eye on equipment. The JCB LiveLink plugs into the machine’s diagnostic system and reports hours worked, fuel consumption and general machine health monitoring. Working with Qualcomm, the system lets contractors set curfews and geo-fences for the machines, instructing the equipment to demobilize itself if it detects tampering. Matthew Taylor, JCB’s chief operating officer, says, “JCB LiveLink is an extremely powerful deterrent to thieves by making the machines harder to steal and simpler to recover when they are.”

Bundle up
Volvo’s EC460CLD is an example of how manufacturers are bundling specific application features on excavators. Volvo’s attachment manager, Walter Reeves, calls the company’s EC460CLD the “demolition solution” because it is configured straight from the factory for demolition work. “In the past, contractors had to have their new excavators fitted with extra protection after they took delivery of the machine,” he says. “Costs for those modifications add up and what initially looked like a good deal for an excavator becomes more expensive than what the contractor had intended to spend.”