A team of industrial engineers put their heads together to see what a construction excavator might look like in the 2020’s.
The result was a concept vehicle called the SfinX. The team also looked for technology outside of the construction sector. So what are some of the interesting features?
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- No diesel engine, only a small fuel cell (hydrogen p owered) which produces electric energy and emits only water and vapour. Emissions legislation is speeding this technology up.
- Having no large engine frees up space. Now the en gine can act as an active counterweight which moves in and out to compensate for forces on the boom. For foresters, this means that the machine will be both zero tail swing and large swing!
- Because electricity is available there will be less use of hydraulics. For example electric motors could be situated at the pivot points of the s tick and boom.
- A lattice boom that allows for improved operator visibility. New generation high strength steels would still provide adequate strength.
- Four tracks instead of two. They would have a better surface contact area, especially on rougher terrain. Each track would have independent suspension with separate wheel motors which can brake, accelerate and allow the operator to steer the excavator. The tracks can be moved together to form a more traditional appearance (to cope with soft ground), or far apart to create stability.
- Rubber-like material will be used as tracks. This will better cope with high abrasion surfaces.
- There will be wireless connections between the driver controls and the components they control. Commands are sent wirelessly to senso rs.
- Real time fleet management using satellite technology will be the norm.
- Composites will increasingly replace metal components due to their resistance to the environment, easier repairing and lower costs.
- No large roller bearing between the superstructure and undercarriage. The excavator would hover on an electro-magnetic field. This woul d result in zero friction, better control of speed and torque.
- The cab can be tilted and moved away from the machine to improve visibility. It can even be detached and the machine operated remotely! It is even possible that operators of the future might wear fighter-pilot type helmets with virtual reality projections on the screen.
These might not all come to fruition, but it certainly gets us thinking!
Source: www.volvo.com/constructionequipment/corporate/en-gb/innovation/concept_vehicles/