Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/430655
I DA U N I V E R S A L N ove m b e r - D e ce m b e r 2 0 1 4 25 NUTS & BOLTS continued from page 23 Continued on page 73 Komatsu America caused quite a stir last June, when it unveiled the D61i-23 intel- ligent machine control dozer with integrated fully automatic blade control. Now, it's stirring things up again with the intro- duction of what it describes as the "world's fi rst intelligent machine control excavator," the PC210LCi-10. " e PC210LCi-10 repre- sents a huge leap forward by bringing automation features to excavators," says Jason Anetsberger, product manager of Intelligent Machine Control. " anks to the exclusive semi- automatic control function, customers will unearth their productivity, and operators can focus on moving material, while the machine semi- automatically protects the target surface." e 158-hp, 52,000-lb. PC210LCi-10 has the same basic specs as the standard PC210LC-10. What's diff erent is the standard machine control system that is fully integrated at the factory. Like the four intelligent machine control dozers that came before it (the D51 EXi/ PXi-22 was introduced in early 2014, while the D37i-23 and D39i-23 were formally launched at CONEXPO-CON/ AGG 2014), the intelligent excavator utilizes stroke- sensing hydraulic cylinders, an inertial measurement unit (IMU) and GNSS receiver technology to deliver fi ne grading accuracy. However, the technology has been specifi cally adapted to the unique needs of excavator operation, providing the ability to achieve grading accuracy of just over 1/10th of an inch. Automating the Digging Function e bucket cylinder, arm cylinder and one of the boom cylinders on the PC210LCi-10 incorporate Komatsu's proprietary stroke-sensing technology. "We're able to accurately know the placement of those cylinders, so that we know where the cutting edge is relative to the body of the machine," says Anetsberger. "Mounted to the machine, we also have an inertial measurement unit. at sensor measures the attitude of the machine." In other words, it determines if the excavator is rolled to the side, pitched forward or pitched up. "Finally, mounted on the hand rails behind the cab forward of the counterweight and engine compartment, we have our GNSS antennas." Inside the cab is a large control box monitor featuring Komatsu's proprietary inter- face. " is 12.1-in. control box allows us to very clearly, in a simple graphic format, convey the grade information to the operator," says Anetsberger. As part of the semi- automatic operation, the PC210LCi-10 provides two selectable functions: auto grade assist and auto stop control. With the auto grade assist function, the operator moves the arm, and the boom adjusts the bucket height automatically, tracing a target surface and minimizing digging too deep. When the operator moves the boom or bucket without arm opera- tion, the work equipment is automatically limited from damaging the target surface. If the arm is operated in combination with boom or bucket operation, auto grade assist overrides the auto stop control. " e machine is going to limit [the operator] from over excavating – digging below the design surface," says Anetsberger. "It will prevent him from going below grade. It will also allow him to trace the grade automatically… for a nice fi nish grade perfor- mance. It allows him to focus on his operation without having to follow a light bar or some sort of indication to see if he's on grade or not." Another key feature is minimum distance control. "With conventional a er- market machine guidance, the operator needs to manually set where the focal point or guidance point is along the bucket – for example, the le tip, the right tip or the center of the bucket," Anetsberger explains. "We have those abilities with this system, as well, but we've gone above and beyond that and off ered the minimum guidance feature, where the system is automati- cally going to calculate which point of the bucket is closest to grade." For example, say you're excavating a slope. "If you come at it with the le tip closest to the slope, it's automatically going to give you guidance to that closest point (the le tip). If you come in with the right tip closest to the slope, it's automatically going to change to the right tip without the operator having to Komatsu Digs in with Semi-Automatic "Intelligent" Excavator