Smart Construction and Intelligent Machine Control (iMC) is changing the way projects are designed, planned, and executed. See how Komatsu Australia is leading the field.
Komatsu Australia’s range of digital and data-driven machine technologies are the culmination of more than a century of invention and creation.
Autonomous features such as stop control, grade assist, tilt control and bucket precision are just a handful of features that have – for years – helped to reduce mistakes, damage and unnecessary rework. All the while making it easier, more efficient and more accurate for operators to carry out day-to-day works.
James Muir, General Manager, Smart Construction – Komatsu, says that the technology in construction is rapidly evolving.
“There are so many different solutions in the smart construction portfolio space, some are moving faster than others, but the one thing that is consistent is that customers want to have an immediate benefit and a return on investment within 12 months,” he says. “Demonstrating that value is our key focus.”
James says Komatsu recognises that customers are likely to have different machinery types from different manufacturers, which is why the company set out to develop solutions that can be used universally.
“One of the key driving factors for the success we’ve had with our technologies is that they’re agnostic and will work with other OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) and brands,” he says.
“We export and receive data freely; we think that’s vitally important. As much as we’d like customers to be completely in our ecosystem, that flexibility is very important to the customer.
“They want all their data centralised so they can use it across an entire project and make actions and decisions accordingly. We want our customers to be able to work with us, no matter the tools or solutions that they’ve already invested in.”
James adds that the only way to build a product that fits all customer needs, is to incorporate learnings and feedback from the end user.
One example of this has been Komatsu’s new Smart Quarry Site (SQS) platform. The technology, which focuses on site management, production management, machine health monitoring, near real-time (30 second intervals) monitoring and increasing safety, was designed with customer input front of mind.
“It’s been built from the ground up from the voice of the customer,” James says. “That’s how we continue to develop and improve our products, with the voice of the customer resoundingly loud in our ears.”
Greener outcomes
Greater productivity and efficiency are positives of Komatsu’s Smart Construction and iMC portfolios, so are greener outcomes.
James says he’s seen examples of businesses saving 30 per cent in fuel costs across their iMC fleet, and time application efficiencies of +20 per cent by minimising rework or unproductive idling of machines. This all translates to tonnes of CO2 (carbon dioxide) saved over the period of a single project.
“Back to the Smart Quarry Site platform that has a machine peer to peer communication tool for loading. Say it’s an excavator, or a wheel loader in the back of a truck, you can get immediate payload feedback off the truck struts, so you can see the weight in real time,” he says.
“When it comes to greener outcomes, we have examples of companies saving 81,000 litres of fuel and 217 tonnes of CO2 emissions in just one year, thanks to the efficiency gains provided by SQS.
“The distribution of the material in the tray of the truck is represented by a digital spirit level indicator, so you can get an even load. What that means is that the truck is going out at a maximum targeted capacity each time. That means real dollars, because you’re loading the truck more efficiently and it also, importantly, means there’s less trucks and less loading cycles required. Not to mention the productivity gains.”
These efficiency gains can also help to increase the safety of a site. One example James uses relates to surveying.
“iMC is survey grade accurate, so it’s plus or minus 25 millimetres,” he says. “As a result, you can easily, safely, and quickly see ‘yes you’re on track’, for the digital design plan loaded into the iMC, or ‘no you’re not’, ‘you need to dig a little more over there’.
“You’re moving the person – who could be at risk – out of the way, while also potentially increasing the efficiency of your operation by up to 20-30 per cent.”
When it comes to sustainability, James says Komatsu is actively engaging the market, as well as its business partners, to accelerate the development and uptake of sustainably fuelled machinery.
It is currently releasing tier four engines, although they are not yet mandated in Australia.
The company is also committed to its own targets and is producing electric excavators and electric wheel loaders. It’s in the final testing stage of hydrogen fuel cells in the United States and is hopeful of adopting new products and methods in Australia.
When it comes to the future, James says autonomy is likely to become the preferred method of operation for construction and earthmoving equipment alike. He believes that popular held beliefs, such as that autonomous machines threaten the viability of a human workforce, are misplaced.
“It won’t just be artificial intelligence (AI) for the next generation of machinery, but also machine learning. Machinery is already learning from operators, so it’s clear that the cycle will ultimately tip towards autonomy in the future,” he says.
“We’re not moving towards autonomy to remove jobs. In fact, we’re finding them. Autonomy creates a lot more support roles to make sure those machines continue to operate efficiently.
“Autonomous machines will be very accurate, very efficient and won’t fatigue, which means you can operate 24/7, if the machine is refuelled or charged.”
Komatsu recognises that customers can be overwhelmed with the vast amount of data generated by IoT, machine learning, and AI technologies. To address this, it’s focusing on providing customers with the right information at the right time, helping them to make more informed decisions without being inundated with data.
Komatsu already has new additions and developments set to be released in 2025 to answer this call, the biggest of which being the company’s iMC 3, the third generation iteration of the semi-autonomous intelligent machine control.
This new version of iMC is expected to have additional capabilities and features, further enhancing the semi-autonomous and efficient operation of Komatsu’s equipment.
“I think we’re still years away from seeing the first ever, fully autonomous construction site. There’s still many hurdles and variables to overcome but that’s what drives me and us as a company every day, it’s that excitement towards potentially achieving that vision,” James says.
“What’s driven us for a century is building better engines, better machines and more reliable equipment. Our people are working side by side with our customers and the industry as we move into the next 100 years, with data and technology solutions being a key driver.”
For more information, visit:
www.komatsu.com.au
