Get FinancingKomatsu Dozers’ intelligent Machine Control 2.0 Helps Newer Operators Up Their Game
Komatsu showcased three crawler dozers equipped with its intelligent Machine Control (iMC) 2.0 technology in Las Vegas at the ConExpo-Con/Agg construction show last month. The manufacturer says that the automated dozing features of its D39PXi-24, D51PXi-24, and D71PXi-24 models can boost productivity and precision from mass excavation to finished grading. The iMC 2.0 suite can also help new operators perform more like experienced crew members, according to Komatsu, which is a key selling point in a tight labor market.
A Machine That Learns
With iMC 2.0, users can program 3D design data directly into select Komatsu dozers and excavators. The manufacturer says the machine automation technology in its iMC-equipped dozers helps make every pass count, reducing time, effort, fuel expenditure, and emissions output compared to aftermarket grading systems.
An iMC 2.0 dozer analyzes the terrain as it drives and uses what it learns to calculate its approach to the next pass. The machine also can learn from the operator's blade input. The proactive dozing control available through iMC 2.0 can increase productivity by up to 60% compared to traditional grading methods, according to Komatsu.
A button-activated lift layer control tells an iMC 2.0 dozer to spread fill material automatically, leaving consistent layers for quality of compaction. This can double production during this stage, the manufacturer says. In addition, a tilt steering control can level material and maintain straight travel during rough dozing by automatically tilting the blade, cutting the operator’s steering input by up to 80%. The iMC 2.0 technologies can even automate certain operations by nearly 100%, including auto stripping, rough dozing, material spreading, and advanced finish grading.
Komatsu’s iMC 2.0 Dozers
The three iMC 2.0 dozer models Komatsu displayed at ConExpo have Tier 4 Final-certified diesel engines and hydrostatic transmissions for fast travel and responsive steering. The smallest is the agile D39PXi-24 with an operating weight of 22,774 pounds (10,330 kilograms). Powered by a 105-horsepower (78-kilowatt), four-cylinder engine, the iMC 2.0-equipped dozer can use a fast-blade mode for high-speed grading with its 2.89-cubic-yard (2.2-cubic-meter) blade.
The middle model of the group, the Komatsu D51PXi-24, is a 131-HP (98-kW) machine with a 4.4-cu yd (3.4-cu m) blade and a 31,438-lb (14,260-kg) operating weight. This versatile jack-of-all-trades has a standard parallel link undercarriage with rotating bushings, which allows it to travel briskly in reverse without undue wear, the manufacturer says.
The heavyweight of the trio is the D71PXi-24 dozer, which has a lower ground pressure rating than its D71EX model sibling. The 51,147-lb (23,200-kg) dozer moves up to a six-cylinder engine with 237 HP (177 kW). Its blade capacity is an impressive 6.1 cu yds (4.7 cu m).
Source: Komatsu