Capital Equipment News February 2018

More than 10 years ago, Caterpillar introduced the M series motor graders and it was the first time a grader with no levers and steering wheel was put into production.

prove visibility to the blade and the working area below. “We offer LED lighting, which allows for better visibility. An adjustable antler rack allows the operator to move the control closer or further away so that they can comfortably operate from their suspen- sion seat,” says Oldridge. Focus on productivity Productivity with a motor grader has been another key area of focus for OEMs and they have adopted a suite of technologies (Grade Control, for example), either as in-house solutions or through partnering specialist suppliers such as Trimble and Topcon, to take control of motor grader productivity. Caterpillar offers both the in-house technology solutions and Trimble 3D grading systems. On Cat M series motor graders, the cross slope was introduced and is available from the factory. “Cross slope is a basic 2D grading system, which controls one side of the blade automatically, maintaining the desired slope, which is set by the operator. The system is unique by being fully integrated into the machine from the factory. Also, this system is a plug and play solution for the Trimble 3D grading system, all the high accuracy sensors are already installed on the machine, and to equip such unit with a 3D grading system takes less than half a day,” says Chechik. Thanks to its partnership with Leica Geosystems, CASE offers Site Controls,

the large ones. “As further development we are considering a higher integration with the machine standard controls,” he says. According to Chechik, one of the areas of focus for the future will be further tech- nology evolution. “It is very important for our customers to be able to track the pro- ductivity and condition of their machines remotely, which is already available with Cat Product Link, the functionality of which will be expanded in future,” says Chechik. Oldridge says it is important to look at what has been done on the global stage where some products have been launched without consideration of what the actual users want. “Different tech- nologies have their places in different markets and it is all about making sure that we are listening to the customer. We do have the option of sourcing the range of GP graders from Deere, which adopt finger controls as opposed to the antler layout,” he says. “These units retain the steering wheel and the move from antler to finger con- trols is easy to adapt to for the operator but there is not currently a requirement for this in the South African market. Additionally there is a growing need for simpler and smaller graders specifically for maintenance of South Africa’s signif- icant unpaved road network,” concludes Oldridge. ❂

with up to six different solutions (2D and 3D) to improve the machine performanc- es, allowing automation of the machine’s blade height and ensuring accuracy at the millimetre level. The CASE Site Control works with sen- sors, a control unit and a hydraulic interface. It offers several advantages to customers. “First of all, it’s easy to operate, ensures fully automatic height and slope control, reduces stake and grade checking,” explains Strati. “As a result, it translates into less rework, less fuel consumption, less machine hours, improving our customers’ competi- tiveness.” For Bell Equipment, its product can be manufactured as Trimble, Topcon or LEICA-ready directly from John Deere in the United States. “We have also partnered with a local company, RONIN, which specia- lises in these systems,” says Oldridge. When it comes to the benefits, Oldridge says the levelling systems integrate into the machine control system and, depending on the system being used, can self-adjust the moldboard to either provide a deep cut or shallower depending on the finishing required. To the future As motor graders continue to evolve, what could be some of the major areas of focus for future launches? Strati says machine control systems are the future for every jobsite, 2D for the small ones and 3D for

CAPITAL EQUIPMENT NEWS FEBRUARY 2018 19