The totally redesigned operator’s station will greatly improve the operators experience.

Tigercat has recently released the 220E loader with notable improvements such as an upgraded operator’s station and the addition of the Tigercat FPT power plant. Conforming to Tier 2 and Tier 4 emission requirements, the quick and lightweight 220E is powered by the Tigercat FPT N45 Tier 4f or the Tigercat FPT N67 Tier 2 engine, delivering 125 kW (168 hp). The cab has a significantly improved climate control system along with several additional features to improve the operator experience.

The new heavy-duty suspension seat is wider and standard equipped with heating and cooling. The seat has improved adjustability and many of the frequently used rocker switches have been repositioned into the armrest mounted joystick pod for enhanced ergonomics. The climate control system is further enhanced by the addition of window blinds for the front windshield and skylight. Acoustical engineering along with the quiet Tigercat FPT engine contributes to extremely low in-cab noise levels, while the new sound system with Bluetooth® audio allows for hands-free calling.

A new main pump and larger hoses to the boom cylinders provide faster boom and swing functions. Hydraulic component layout remains unchanged with hydraulic valves easily accessible underneath the deck plate cover, allowing for clean, easy service access. The updated electrical system incorporates hydraulic pressure sensors that can be monitored on the display in the cab as well as improving fuel economy with an automatic engine idle down feature. Source

The acquisition is part of Caterpillar’s automation and autonomy strategy.

Caterpillar Inc. announced they’ve acquired select assets and hired employees from San Francisco, Cal. based robot and autonomy technology solutions company Marble Robot, Inc. The acquisition is part of Caterpillar’s automation and autonomy strategy and demonstrates its commitment to the next generation of jobsite solutions. Building on its leadership in autonomous mining, the company plans to leverage the deep expertise of the new team to bring scalable solutions to meet the changing needs of construction, quarry, industrial and waste industries.

The new team is comprised of leading roboticists with a deep background in the robotics industry. Caterpillar intends to leverage the team’s fully integrated on-board autonomy technology – including perception, localisation and planning – to continue delivering smart, safe, more productive and cost-effective solutions to customers.

Caterpillar is well-positioned to grow services based on its large installed base of connected equipment, field technology and decades of product, service and application expertise to turn that experience into useful insights for our customers. The company will continue to make investments in emerging technologies, like automation and autonomy, in order to bring innovative solutions to meet the industries’ challenges. Source

The new model is designed to unlock new value for customers and respond more quickly to changing market conditions.

Deere & Company (DE) announced a new vision and operating model to accelerate its success in the integration of smart technology innovation with its manufacturing excellence. The Deere Smart Industrial strategy is designed to unlock new value for customers and to help them become more profitable and sustainable, while simultaneously revolutionizing the agriculture and construction industries through the rapid introduction of new technologies.

To ensure success, actions will be concentrated on the following three focus areas:

• Production Systems: A strategic alignment of products and solutions around Production Systems roadmaps – which capitalizes on Deere's knowledge of its customers and how they work. The new production systems structure enables the company to drive an integrated product roadmap and related investments that span all aspects of a customer's jobs and to meet customer needs more fully.
• Technology Stack: Investments in technology as well as research and development that deliver intelligent solutions to Deere customers through an intuitive technology stack made up of hardware, embedded software, connectivity, data platforms, and applications. The Deere family of "smart" machines, systems, and solutions unlocks customer economic value through enhanced precision, automation, speed, and efficiency not possible previously.
• Lifecycle Solutions: The enterprise integration of Deere's aftermarket and support capabilities to manage customer equipment, service, and technology needs more effectively across the full lifetime of a John Deere product, and with a specific lifecycle solution focus on the ownership experience.

As previously announced, John H. Stone will assume his new role as President, Worldwide Construction & Forestry and Power Systems on July 1. Deere's Construction and Forestry division, which was recently organized along production systems for earthmoving, roadbuilding and forestry, will now more fully leverage the technology stack and lifecycle solutions in the future.

In order to realize the Smart Industrial vision, Deere will adopt a more disciplined approach to capital allocation by devoting research and investment dollars to the most promising and profitable opportunities. Deere plans to dramatically accelerate the speed with which the company brings priority technology to market to drive value creation and capture it more quickly. The new operating model will assist Deere to respond to changing market conditions with greater speed and efficiency. Source

This is the last machine in the drive-to-tree feller buncher line-up to advance to the G-series.

Tigercat engineering recently completed the drive-to-tree feller buncher line-up with the release of the 718G. One of the last Tigercat machines to receive a Tigercat FPT Tier 4 engine, it was a challenge to package the additional after treatment componentry required for Tier 4 compliance, while still retaining the nimble size of the industry’s popular thinning machine. The designers have succeeded, incorporating all the features of the larger G-series family members, as well as additional enhancements, while maintaining the approximate size of the previous E-series machine.

The 718G gets its power from the Tigercat FPT N45 Tier 4f engine which provides 125 kW (170 hp) at 2,200 rpm. The completely redesigned engine compartment allows for a high capacity cross-flow cooling set-up with a hydraulic driven, automatic variable speed fan and an automatic reversing cycle. The new compartmentalized layout keeps the cooling system, hydraulic components, and engine in three separate areas.

The new accumulation mode allows the operator to choose between normal and auto-accumulate for bunching head arm operation. Simultaneous open and close of the clamp and accumulator arms can also be programmed on a joystick button. A saw interrupt trigger on the joystick turns off saw power temporarily when extra horsepower is required. This is particularly useful in hilly terrain once the saw head is full and the operator is backing up to dump the accumulated bunch.

The G-series cab is quiet and well-equipped and affords excellent visibility. LED lights improve reliability and brightness. A more even light pattern provides better coverage around the machine. The front window area is nearly ten percent larger. Combined with Tigercat’s low-profile boom structure, visibility to the front is excellent. The rear quarter windows are over twenty percent larger improving the view over the back tyres – an asset in thinning applications.

Additional new features include a rear camera system, programmable joystick buttons, electric hydraulic fill pump, and ground-level fueling. Enhanced differential lock controls are timed to turn off after a pre-set duration to save axle wear. Source

The Stage V for non-road machinery has been integrated into their production process.

The new Clean Energy Standard was implemented in the new range of Doppstadt machines and will be evident to customers from the e5v logo. Furthermore, the next generation of machines will also come off the assembly line with the reduced-emission drives as standard.

Compared to the exhaust standard stage IV which focused more on the limit values of carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, carbon hydrocarbons and particulate emissions, this new EU emission directive for machines and equipment mainly applies to a limit value of the particulate concentration. Usually a diesel particulate filter is required to meet the limits for pollutants. The EU aims to reduce the harmful emissions by up to 98 percent.

Doppstadt have started very early to change over to the new generation of engines. All their mobile AK series, the Inventhor Type 9 and the latest models Inventhor Type 6, Methor and SM 518.2 comply with the Clean Energy Standard and they are on the market with this technology. A clearly defined schedule for the gradual delivery of the different product lines guarantees a high degree of planning and investment dependability to the customers. At the same time, with machines of the new emission standard generation, the enterprises have higher chances in tendering and awarding processes. A further advantage is that the conditions for the approval in urban agglomerations are fulfilled and the working conditions for operators and chargers are enhanced. Source: https://doppstadt.de/en/

New Cat MH3040 material handler for millyard operations

The boom, sticks and other high-stress areas feature thick, multiplate fabrications, castings and forgings to withstand wear and deliver years of durable operation. Specially designed mountings on the upper frame support the new heavy-duty cab. It has a 12 percent faster swing speed for reduced cycle times and allows operators to move more material in the same amount of time. Source

Comprehensive safety measures as JCB production resumes

These include employees self-assessing for COVID-19 symptoms before leaving home, temperature checks overseen by medical staff for every employee arriving for work, issuing of surgical masks to office and shop floor employees, provision of visors for shop floor employees for extra protection, introduction of thermal imaging cameras at UK plants, widespread provision of hand sanitiser, clearly-marked walkways and a reduction in office desks to maximise social distancing, closure of canteen facilities and vending machines and suspension of car sharing schemes, disabling of lavatory hand dryers in favour of paper towels, and working from home for employees where at all possible. Source

“Efficiency drivers in harvesting operations in mixed Boreal stands: a Norwegian case study”

Found in the International Journal of Forest Engineering, June 2020. The authors were G Aalmo, P Kerstens, H Belbo, P Bogetoft, B Talbot and N Strange. Source

“Optimal planning of timber extraction methods using analytic hierarchy process”

Found in the European Journal of Forest Research, Volume 139, 2020. The authors were N Gülci, A Akay and O Erdaş. Source

To see the full list of conferences and exhibitions, please click on "Events" in the menu at the top of the page.