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Changes and Advances in Equipment
There is a differing of opinion when it comes to classifying which types of machinery are earthmoving equipment. There are so many different pieces of machinery that do indeed fall into the category of earthmoving, and some of them include excavators, backhoe loaders, front loaders, dump trucks and loaders to name some. Then there are other types of machinery that fall somewhere between articulated trucks, wheel and track tractors and scrapers. It all boils down to the motor grades, which make the machinery capable of light duty types of excavation, making them typically used to level lots and grade roadways. When researching heavy equipment, you go to the manufacturing source, and todays leading companies like Caterpillar, Komatsu, or Case will all agree that the most important change and advancement over the years has come from the ability to increase productivity. After that, they will all claim greater comfort and safety features as the next biggest changes and advancements. The increase in productivity can be contributed to the different advancements implemented by each manufacturing company. Caterpillar has introduced more powerful engines that have faster rise in torque, allowing their machines to respond quicker, increasing the power demands. Even with the added power, the newer models are also made to reduce the impact on the environment, making them energy efficient. Changes and Advancement in Electronics Many of the new models are fitted with electronically controlled systems, which go a long way to optimizing the engine, the transmission performance, fuel consumption and the hydraulics system. Again, look at the mid-sized G series wheel-loaders manufactured by Caterpillar. They feature electronically controlled power-shift transmission, which offers an auto-shifting capability that eases the pressure on the operator. Also, the electronic clutch pressure controls a smoother shift of the gears, making them last longer. Changes in Comfort In todays industry, there is a concern for the operators, and there is a willingness to go the extra mile to keep them happy. One way to keep the operator happy is to consider the comfort of the machinery they have to work with each day. Manufacturers are now hard-pressed to produce a model that is not just productive, but also comfortable and convenient for the operator. After all, keeping the operator happy will also lead to better productivity. The newer models are being designed with cabs that do offer better visibility. There has been a reduction is noise and vibration, and all this goes into improving the comfort. The new innovative control systems are easy to operate and with less effort, all while it improves the overall operation of the machinery. It is easy to use by both the experienced and novice operator. Maintenance Made Easy A wonderful perk with the new machinery is the electronic monitoring system that has been implemented to provide a constant analysis of information on the health of the machine. This information is provided to the technicians, and allows them the ease of diagnosing problems and fixing them more quickly. The monitoring system takes the guessing out of troubleshooting. The machines of today are designed specifically to make maintenance quick and easy. For example, Caterpillars wheel loaders have service points that are easy to access, with site gauges that make it easy to check fluid levels in the radiator, hydraulics and transmission, and no longer require the use of a dipstick. The Best Changes When comparing todays excavation equipment with those of the past, the beneficial changes and advancements are easily noticed. The machines from the past really relied heavily on the skills of the operator, since very few of them had the electronic features that have been implemented today. The electronic features in todays machinery have really been a plus for the industry. They have made the operators job more efficient, yet easier to carry out. It is no longer necessary to physically get out of the machine to check fluid levels, since they have installed easy to read instrument panels, and this really does save a lot of time. The manufactures know, the industries know and the operators know that the machines of the past cannot even begin to compete with the newer more efficient models of today. Technology has become more innovative and there is no telling what the future will bring to the heavy machine industry. As the years go by, changes and advances will continue to modify heavy machinery and the new improvements will, no doubt, continue to make the life of the operator easier and increase productivity.
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