By Komatsu
Komatsu’s Smart Construction solutions are an innovative suite of products that aim to improve productivity and safety on construction sites for operators.
Two of Komatsu’s leading Smart Construction products are Retrofit Kit (RFK) and intelligent Machine Control (iMC) – both of which offer significant advantages on excavators, depending on the need and application, according to Tony Clear, National Business Development Manager, from Komatsu Australia.
iMC 2.0 – integration that delivers productivity and efficiency
Komatsu’s iMC system allows operators to work with unparalleled precision, eliminating over-excavation and the need for manual grade checking, resulting in substantial time and cost savings.
“iMC machines allow both highly skilled and novice operators to work far more efficiently due to the semi-auto and auto functions,” Tony says.
“The machine will guide itself to the design and allow the operator to work at maximum speed with the security that the machine will not allow operators to overbreak the design model. iMC has the potential to increase productivity by upwards of 50% depending on the application and adds value from simple flat pad work through to batter work, trench work, and complex design jobs.
“Features like bucket angle hold control, and auto-tilt attachment control on excavators eliminate over-excavation and reduce the need for manual grade checking. Also available on dozers, iMC provides lift layer control and proactive dozing control, allowing operators to take-off or fill in material at optimum layer levels without operator input. These features result in substantial time and cost savings.”
iMC is available on a range of Komatsu’s hydraulic excavators, as well as several dozer models. Tony says the technology on these is a “must-have” for any site, whether using complex design models or simple flat pads.
“GPS is an important part of productivity onsite today, providing huge efficiency gains for smaller operators right through to larger contractors. iMC takes that productivity to another level, but at a typical guidance-only price,” Tony says.
3DMG-RFK – a flexible solution no matter what machine you run
Komatsu’s 3DMG-RFK provides customers with a “Komatsu-quality” high-end GPS solution at a price that makes the solution valuable for all applications. It is a guidance-only solution like traditional GPS systems and can be fitted to all Komatsu machines.
“If you’re looking to keep your fleet up to date with the latest solutions, then 3DMG-RFK is a cost-effective option, as it allows a fleet owner to take advantage of all the benefits of GPS guidance solutions by installing on existing machines,” Tony says.
3DMG-RFK gives operators 3D machine guidance to all models from simple flat surfaces to complex design models, a payload meter that allows a user to max-load trucks for optimum material movement, and even the ability to track as-built progress through the Smart Construction dashboard.
“3DMG-RFK ticks a lot of boxes for those looking to upgrade their machine productivity on both existing and new machines. We’ve had a lot of great feedback from operators on not only its ability to increase efficiency and productivity, but also its ease of use and the safety benefits from not having grade checkers within the proximity of equipment.”
To find out more about iMC and RFK, and Komatsu’s other Smart Construction solutions head to www.komatsu.com.au/innovation/smart-construction
