Shovelhands
Member
- Location
- Sunny Essex
Do you really think that's safe though?
I'm sure in certain, dangerous situations, remote operation would be preferable, but day to day operation on most sites?.....I'm not so sure....
JD take on the Xerion
- Thread starter warksfarmer
- Start date
Do you really think that's safe though?
I'm sure in certain, dangerous situations, remote operation would be preferable, but day to day operation on most sites?.....I'm not so sure....
Sussex Martin
Member
- Location
- Burham Kent
I watched the whole thing, just don't get it though, you need someone to check fluid levels etc then fly to Australia to sit in front of a screen to work it! It isn't the same as answering a few emails when on holiday, seems very impractical to me.
Pheasant Surprise
Member
- Location
- Woodbridge, Suffolk
I think the logic behind it, at least in the open cast mines, is to remove all human operators from the danger zone. So all excavators, dozers, dump trucks etc are remotely controlled a safe distance away. In that scenario it must be safer as there are no human beings in the site.
Shovelhands
Member
- Location
- Sunny Essex
Yes I suppose there is less risk to operators, well actually no risk, but there's nothing quite like having your bum on the seat and your finger on the pulse, so to speak. I think the potential for machine damage would be greater, and obviously any breakdowns would have need to be attended to by engineers, in the instances where personnel were on site, I'd fear that they would be in greater danger than ever if the machines were controlled remotely.
As always, I suppose technology is what you make it, it will no doubt have huge benefits to those who require it and can implement its use safely.
CrevisbigX
Member
- Location
- Cheshire
Was there anything good about a County
farmerbill
Member
If there was they wouldn't have gone bust 30 years ago
- Location
- Lincolnshire
Love the way they claim its safer,....... standing in front of a 30 ton dozer with no driver.
- Location
- Huntingdon, UK
But making them remote controlled must take away the feel of the machine. This means operators would be more inclined to go closer to the edges of slopes or other risks that would cause accidents?
Big Dom
Member
- Location
- claybrooke magna, Leicestershire
Your missing the point (partly to do with the crap messaging in the video...... and I’m a Cat guy......) line of site remote operation is not there to be the way you operate the machine day in day out, but in areas or applications where danger to an operator may occur, under blast faces where possible rock fall may be a risk, on bench edges where there may be a remote risk of machine and operator safety due to unstable ground for example.
It is also offered (in the US only currently) on all D series Skid steer and Compact track loaders, in ag a prime example would be using in poultry sheds, where low sheds and heights make people cut the top of the ROPS structure off or remove it all together so the operators head is the first thing that would get struck if the machine had a wobble or the chicken sh!t depth changed and the height reduced. Also the exposure to toxic gasses and or dust are a potential hazard in poultry production, the machines can be operated from a safe line of sight distance for that operation, and than be used normally when doing other operations.
Line of sight is simply a solution offered for specific applications, not a solution to replace an operator.
Remote operation, yes a machine can be operated from anywhere using cameras and sensors, for example there is a regeneration project in Norway(iirc) where an ex military artillery firing range is being made into a nature reserve, but unexploded ordinance is a high risk, so excavators, ADTs etc are operated from a few km away to keep the operators safe.
Autonomous operation is and has been a reality for many years, especially on repetitive tasks such as hauling. It takes the human element out of the equation, but is still reliant on human interaction on servicing, maintenance, daily safety checks, refuelling etc etc etc. Again this is a solution offered by Cat for specific applications and customers, not a replacement for everyone, the key is being able to offer multiple solutions, for multiple applications on a global scale, not to force a vanilla solution for everyone.....
holywell farmer
Member
- Location
- holywell, north wales
That's the future there machines with no drivers !
The disappointing thing about all this is how long its taken to get this far, I can remember a ford 3000 being remotely driven around stoneliegh show back in
197ish. Not sure if its our fault in not demanding progress, or the manufacturers holding progress back for reasons which are unclear
197ish. Not sure if its our fault in not demanding progress, or the manufacturers holding progress back for reasons which are unclear
- Location
- S.E
My best guess would be 1976 AD., so 30 plus years or there abouts. even back then the tech used was not actually new fangled.
Even positioning systems were being used extensively by ships using the Decca transmitters
Big Dom
Member
- Location
- claybrooke magna, Leicestershire
The simple answer is economical viability, and value in the eyes of the customer.
Electric cars have been around for 100+ years, yet it is only now they are regaining traction.
Yea, and even now the marketing men are holding them back, For the vast majority an electric car is a no brainer decision. I know in our usage we only need
a reliable range of 100 miles occasionally, most journeys would only be 30 miles max. What will be usefull is when the car can also be used as a store of power
for the house and charged from the house roof. Yet all the marketing hype is directed at long range which is putting many off buying