PRODUCT FOCUS
LOADING UP ON
TECHNOLOGY
By Robyn Grimsley
Autonomous vehicles are all the rage these days, but while self-driving cars and trucks
are grabbing the headlines, these are not the only vehicles to be on the receiving end of
the benefits of advancing technology.
Loaders are one of the staples of the earthmoving
machinery stable.
L
oaders are one of the staples of the
earthmoving machinery stable, and the
drive for modernisation in construction
and mining machinery has seen some
impressive advances in functioning and
operation for these stalwarts. With the
increasing industry focus on sustainability and
optimisation, it only makes sense to utilise
the options offered by advancing technology
to ensure increased uptime, optimised
operations, reduced fuel consumption, and
lower health and safety risks. While many
technological advances build on existing
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functionality, some go beyond enhancing
the machines’ operations to offer new, often
safer, ways to optimise operations. And with
the increasing focus on robotics, including
in the construction and mining industries,
SPARC — the partnership for robotics in
Europe — estimates that robotics industries
are set to achieve annual sales of between
EUR50-billion and EUR62-billion by 2020.
Telematics as well as data collection
and analysis have been around for years.
However, the possibilities offered by
these options are continuously increasing.
While we may have been able to monitor
machines and collect data on their
operations — and on their operators — it is
only relatively recently that we have been
able to harness the potential that these
tools offer. By monitoring a machine’s
operations, we can schedule services,
predict maintenance, and generally look at
ways to optimise performance and increase
uptime. By monitoring the operator’s
performance, we can identify areas where
additional training may be required, and also
look at introducing or reinforcing good habits