CONTENTS
PRODUCTS & SERVICES
68 DURABLE AND DEPENDABLE
A new transmission from Twin Disc
promises reliability in all conditions
71 HIGH PERFORMANCE
Cummins’ latest engines offer more
power and torque for great
performance
73 GETTING AHEAD
Danfoss suggests five ways to optimise
work function performance on compact
wheel loaders
76 BETTER BY FAR
Stucchi’s new multicouplings improve
drilling and excavator speed
77 THRIVING UNDER DURESS
Faster’s quick-release couplings are set
to make a splash at ConExpo
78 PROBLEM SOLVED
Hydraulic limitations are overcome with
Bucher’s piston pumps and motors
79 TOUCHING THE HEIGHTS
Cartridge valve technology has
extended its reach with HydraForce
82 CONTROL AND CONNECT
Wandfluh helps electronic modules to
communicate more easily
FOREWORD
85 BETTER POWER DISTRIBUTION
MTA’s solution aids control and
distributes power for increased loads
86 ACQUIRE AND CONTROL
Makersan’s rugged HMIs are built for
today’s construction industry demands
87 STRONG DISPLAY
Deep Sea Electronic’s displays are
standout solutions for off-highway
88 COMPLETE NOT COMPLEX
A new machine controller platform from
Enovations simplifies system design
89 VEHICLE CONTROL MADE EASY
Vehicle functionality is optimised with
Ametek VIS’ new control module
92 ELECTRONIC PRECISION
Electric joysticks from Caldaro help
automate functions
93 NO COMPROMISE
Siroco’s heating and air-con units offer
improved comfort and performance
94 BEST HOSES AROUND
New hoses from Eaton promise to
keep vehicles in service for longer
4
A statistic I’ve often heard quoted recently is that the video
games industry is larger than the movie industry. Then, just the
other day, someone told me that not only is it larger than the movie
industry, it’s larger than the movie and music industry combined.
While pundits aren’t all convinced by assessing these industries on
raw, initial sales data (what about streaming? TV re-runs? Marketing
spin-offs?) there can be absolutely no doubt that computer games are
a colossally popular new entertainment medium. The nerds have
broken out of their darkened bedrooms and taken over the world!
But what relevance does such a trend have to the off-highway
vehicle industry? The answer lies in what’s known as ‘gamification’.
This is the tendency, across all different industries, for HMIs to
resemble and take cues from the gaming industry – using the intuitive
interfaces developed with the multi-million dollar budgets of our
newest, and possibly biggest, form of entertainment, and putting them
to use in the real world. It’s this kind of gamification that could help
the continued development of Caterpillar’s Cat Command solution.
Already available for mining, this is a central point where one
operator can remotely oversee multiple vehicles – and the diversity of
compatible machines is growing. You can read more about it in our
exclusive interview with Caterpillar’s Fred Rio on page 22. As this
brave new world evolves it’s easy to picture, in the not-too-distant
future, a control screen looking more like the latest isometric strategy
game than a traditional vehicle cab. Point your cursor at the vehicle
you want to control, click, select its action, leave it to do its thing and
p73
p82
then move onto the next one. All the while overseeing the entire site,
with automated alerts flashing up potential problems, so you can jump
in and fix them at the click of a mouse. One of the arguments for
automation is that it is helping to fill an increasing skills gap in the
construction industry. Finding experienced machine operators is an
increasing challenge for contractors as there aren’t enough young
people replacing the old as they retire. But with gamification, not only
will fewer workers be required, the kind of skills that are needed will
be much easier to come by. Indeed, many of the skills are being learnt
by today’s school children in their spare time, as they assimilate
complex HMI logic in the games they play.
Caterpillar is promising to reveal more about the evolution
of Cat Command at the forthcoming ConExpo-Con/Agg in Las
Vegas. And, of course, they are far from being the only OEM who’ll
have new ground-breaking tech on
show. Turn to page 60 for our 36-page
preview of some of the other highlights
to look out for if you are travelling to
Nevada for the triennial event this
March. And if you have any free time
while you’re there, why not hit the
tables? Just tell the boss you’re
researching ‘gamification’.
Tom Stone, editor
Coming up in the June 2020 issue of iVT
iVT EXPO 2020 PREVIEW EDITION: Our very own expo returns for its second edition, and we have
the full lowdown on the leading exhibitors and expert speakers in the three conference streams
iVTInternational.com February 2020
/iVTInternational.com