CONTENTS
PRODUCTS & SERVICES
60 SAFETY AT ALL LEVELS
Curtiss-Wright’s sensors are ensuring
efficient tilting and elevation movements
61 SUPER SCREENS
Enovation Controls is utilizing recent
advances to make rugged off-highway
and lift-truck touchscreen displays
64 INCORPORATING CAN
Enhancing joystick functionality in the
same space is realistic says Caldaro
65 MULTIFUNCTIONAL
ERGONOMICS
Robust but flexible components are part
of Curtiss-Wright‘s DNA
FOREWORD
66 HVAC DEVELOPMENT TOOLS
Simulation remains essential for HVAC
validation says Siroco
67 STAGE V ENGINE CONTROL
DSE displays are enabling
improvements in engine efficiency
68 HYBRID AUTOSTEERING
SOLUTIONS
GPS-guided Hydraforce systems are
reducing operator fatigue
69 ELECTRO-HYDRAULIC
RECOVERY
Poclain is bringing different benefits to
different transmission types
4
“What do you do for a living?” is one of the standard small talk
questions when meeting someone new. I always feel incredibly
lucky that I’m able to tell people I edit a magazine, not only is it a job
I love, it’s an answer that usually gets people interested. The next
question is usually, “What is the magazine about?” When I tell them
it focuses on industrial vehicle technology sometimes they instantly
want to know more, but often I notice the initial interest begin to ebb
– they laugh nervously (perhaps they’d hoped I was working on an
A-list celebrity gossip title) and maybe they start looking over my
shoulder for the next person to talk to. Or perhaps they’re worrying
that I’m about to launch into a detailed analysis of modular hydraulic
components – for the record, if you do meet me at a party, I won’t
ever do this (well, not unless you ask) but you can read more on this
subject in Gerald Scheffels’ excellent article on page 24.
No, instead of going high-tech, at this point I like to bring
laypeople back into our world by picking one of the many topics
relating to off-highway machinery that is not only fascinating to
experts, but also captures the imagination of the public at large.
Automation is usually top of this list. Over the last five years hardly
a week has gone by without autonomous vehicles making headline
news. People are fascinated by the possibility of the everyday task of
driving being taken out of their hands in the near future, and tend to
have strong opinions on whether it is a good idea or not. But while
people dream of self-driving cars, the on-road reality is no more than
fairly limited driver assistance. This is in stark contrast to what has
p64
been happening in the world of lift-trucks, or more specifically AGVs
(automated guided vehicles). These machines have been autonomous
for decades. OK, so they operate only in controlled environments
with guidance technology built into static surroundings. But,
increasingly, these vehicles need such guidance less and are beginning
to ‘think’ for themselves. Not only that, but they are becoming more
affordable, you can find out why on page 50.
If the subject of autonomous vehicles doesn’t get the conversation
going then saving the planet probably will. Reducing carbon
emissions through electrification is another trend being seen right
across all types of on- and off-highway vehicle. But such solutions
often raise questions about the suitability of battery technology for all
applications. Even in automotive there are reservations about the real
carbon reductions achieved when offset against increases from
building batteries. Perhaps other alternative fuels should be given
more consideration – which is what’s been happening at Case
Construction Equipment. You can read more about the results of
their thinking as we get the inside story on Project Tetra on page 16.
I firmly believe that all magazines, whatever their subject, can be
exciting. However, this particular one happens to be focused on one
of the most fascinating industries in the world at a particularly
dynamic time. It is an honor to learn more every day and also to be
able to tell people all about it. I hope you enjoy reading this issue as
much as we enjoyed putting it together.
Tom Stone, Editor
p66 p67 p69
Coming up in the September 2019 issue of iVT
SPECIAL AGRITECHNICA 2019 PREVIEW EDITION: Your exclusive advanced insight into all the key
new components and agricultural vehicles being launched in November, in Hanover, Germany
iVTInternational.com June 2019
/iVTInternational.com