Equipment World Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/873881
T his fall, ICUEE, also known as the International Con- struction & Utility Equipment Exposition, will be showcase central for what's new in horizontal directional drills (HDD). While OEMs were still being coy at press time about new products, we did get some hints. Toro, for instance, says its show introduc- tion drill will feature the Toro Drill Operating System (TDOS-1) with SmartTouch. (More on the TDOS-1 later in this article.) Also on hand will be the recently introduced DD4050 with its 40,000 pounds of thrust and pullback and 5,000 foot- pounds of rotary torque. Vermeer will introduce a new, smaller utility machine at ICUEE and is touting the debut of a "complete solution" for rock drill- ing, especially for utility jobs. This package also exemplifies Vermeer's use of joint ventures, using features developed under agreements with other manufacturers. Ditch Witch started shipping their new JT40 at the end of the first quarter and will use ICUEE to build momentum for that machine. Also on hand will be the com- pany's VR HDD simulator, which it showed at ConExpo. Trainees (as well as visitors at the show) will be able to don a headset and see a virtual jobsite in detail, right down to the controls and the presence of a spotter. Launching officially at ICUEE, the VR product is a response to the customer need for operator training, says Seth Matthesen, senior product manager at Ditch Witch. "This is not a replacement for on-the-job train- ing, but it is a better introduction for new hires," he says. Compared The Toro DD2024 features a Cummins B3.3 turbocharged engine rated at 74 horsepow- er. A two-speed floating carriage moves at 120 feet per minute in high-speed mode to further reduce cycle times. September 2017 | EquipmentWorld.com 20 machine matters | by Richard Ries MANUFACTURERS HINT AT ICUEE POISED TO DEMO NEW HDD MACHINES