Set it. Forget it.

Today’s crawler and wheeled excavators offer technology that makes it easier for equipment owners and operators to minimize mistakes with hydraulic-powered attachments. The integration of more sophisticated technologies, such as in-cab monitors, continues to improve attachment versatility and productivity. It’s easier to operate attachments and adjust rates, flows, pressures and preferences than ever before.

The ability to preprogram and store attachment settings can be a game-changer, allowing companies to change tasks and materials while significantly enhancing their excavator experience. It’s important to learn about these in-cab technologies because they can translate into measurable efficiencies on the job site.

Stored settings save time

Prior to onboard management systems, an attachment would be installed on an excavator and manually calibrated with the minimum and maximum hydraulic flows and pressures. Today, when changing hydraulic attachments, owners and operators easily can select the appropriate preset via LCD screens or touch-screen panels to optimize excavator and attachment functionality.

Between 10 and 20 different one-way- or two-way-flow attachment preset settings can be stored in onboard monitors. One-way flow only requires hydraulic power in one direction for attachments such as hydraulic breakers and plate compactors. Two-way flow is ideal for excavator attachments that need bidirectional flow, such as hydraulic clamps, tilting buckets or shears. Each preset selection can be matched to the specific operational requirements of an attachment by limiting the maximum pressure and the minimum and maximum flow rate delivered to the attachment.

Password protection discourages improper attachment preset selection if an operator has a limited understanding of hydraulic systems. Some onboard excavator monitoring systems can be configured with two or more passwords.

In addition to optimizing flows and pressures, monitors in the excavator cab provide quick snapshots of the machine’s vitals. A main screen can track how long the excavator has been operating in one- way or two-way mode, providing owners and operators an accurate number of hours and usage type. If you know your excavator has been working for 50 hours in one-way mode, you can track its fuel use and estimate future fuel costs.

Engine coolant temperature, day and time, throttle position, idle hours, digging hours and engine speed are other typical vitals displayed on monitors. Some equipment manufacturers have the ability to display the surrounding area via rearview and side-view cameras.

Customized controls simplify operation

Another innovative technology is the operator’s ability to customize excavator joysticks for simplified operation. Joystick controls make it easy to adjust the excavator’s variable auxiliary hydraulic flow and speed. Some joysticks are equipped with controls that can be personalized for each operator.

On some excavator joysticks, a roller switch can be adjusted left to right to control the speed of the two-way hydraulics for attachments such as hydraulic clamps, which are commonly known as thumbs. This feature can be beneficial in loading and material handling applications.

Flow options optimize performance

To tailor their machine’s performance, some equipment manufacturers preload their excavators with multiple work modes, such as digging, lifting, breaking and shearing.

Two modes recalibrate the machine’s power for digging or lifting applications. The other two modes—breaker and shear—change the auxiliary hydraulic flow for specific attachments to optimize performance and protect hydraulic components.

For instance, the breaker mode works well for hydraulic breaker attachments. Nitrogen-powered breakers are equipped with an upper and lower suspension system that isolates the power unit from the housing, making it an ideal fit for a variety of demolition and rock-breaking applications. The breaker mode maintains consistent downward pressure for maximum attachment performance and to protect the machine’s components.

Some excavator manufacturers offer hydraulic breakers with two-speed controls that can be manually adjusted between low- and high-frequency strike settings. In addition, operators could modify or select the way the detent button operates. Some operators could want the breaker to engage only when a button is held, while others could want the breaker engaged when a button is pushed and for it to continue to cycle until it is pushed again. Both controls allow operators to match the breaker impact rate to the working conditions for better productivity.

The second mode, shear, provides a two-way auxiliary hydraulic flow that helps secure material during loading and material handling applications.

Training and educational resources

A wealth of information is available at an operator’s fingertips as attachment technology evolves toward greater sophistication and efficiency balanced with easy operation. As an equipment owner, it’s important to make sure all employees who will be operating machinery have adequate training on these technologies. Whether it’s classroom or hands-on training, operators need a general understanding of basic procedures on controls and monitor displays before going to work.

Review the manufacturer’s operation and maintenance manual. It’s an important first step for anyone operating equipment. The manual serves as a primary guide for proper heavy construction equipment operation and maintenance. It is provided upon delivery from local dealerships. Manuals could be kept in the machine’s cab for quick reference, and an electronic copy, such as a PDF, also could be available on a smartphone or tablet for easy access.

Heavy equipment manufacturers also recommend that operators visually inspect the attachment connection system before each use to help detect potential failures and prevent unexpected downtime. The excavator’s hydraulic hoses should be the correct length and always be routed properly to help decrease wear. Many manufacturers have standard hydraulic hoses that are the correct length for their machines. However, if standard-length hoses are not included, refer to the owner’s manual for guidance.

Local dealerships often can provide hands-on equipment training. Service technicians also have the product knowledge and experience to help troubleshoot and maintain an excavator. They understand and can explain recent technology updates, encourage demonstrations and help show you how to get the best performance from your machine.

The advancements made in new labor-saving attachment designs can translate into measurable efficiencies on the job site.

By taking the time to understand these in-cab technologies, machine owners and operators can continue to capitalize on what excavators have to offer to meet customer expectations and deadlines.

The author is a strategic communications specialist for Two Rivers Marketing, based in Des Moines, Iowa.