New technologies raise producti<strong>on</strong>, lower costs. . . c<strong>on</strong>tinuedNewer technology suchas Topc<strong>on</strong>’s GPS+ system,which provides fullyautomatic grading of yourjobsite, can save time andhelp you be more accuratein material placement.The result is reducedstaking and surveyingcosts, plus you reach finalgrade in fewer passeswhich means less fuel toget the job d<strong>on</strong>e.C<strong>on</strong>sider new technologyIf you have older equipment, it may be timeto update it. Older equipment tends to beless efficient. New equipment has technologydesigned to increase productivity whilereducing fuel c<strong>on</strong>sumpti<strong>on</strong> and emissi<strong>on</strong>s. Fuelsavings and better producti<strong>on</strong> will help offsetthe costs of switching to more efficient machines.“The new Tier 3 engines have shownsignificant improvement in fuel ec<strong>on</strong>omycompared with previous models,” pointedout Scott. “At the same time, they’re morepowerful than before, so the producti<strong>on</strong> andefficiency benefits are outstanding.”Komatsu’s new ecot3, Tier 3 engines weredesigned to give the user increased power, whileat the same time using less high-priced fuel.Fuel savings can easily be 10 to 15 percent ormore. The ecot3 engines are available in a widevariety of new Komatsu equipment, includingexcavators, wheel loaders, dozers and trucks.These new machines were specificallydesigned to maximize fuel efficiency. Forexample, Komatsu’s new Dash-8 series ofhydraulic excavators comes with an “eco-gauge,”which serves as a guide to efficient operati<strong>on</strong>,giving the operator instant feedback regardingload and how it impacts fuel c<strong>on</strong>sumpti<strong>on</strong>. It alsolets him know if he’s idling too l<strong>on</strong>g.New wheel loaders have technology such asan “E Mode” for maximum fuel ec<strong>on</strong>omy, andcome standard with a newly designed variabledisplacement pist<strong>on</strong> pump that combines withKomatsu’s Closed-center Load Sensing System(CLSS) to deliver <strong>on</strong>ly the necessary amount offlow needed for hydraulic functi<strong>on</strong>. It preventswasted flow, which in turn provides better fuelec<strong>on</strong>omy.GPS systems can boostproductivityYou can also use technology to save time andbe more accurate in material placement with aglobal positi<strong>on</strong>ing system (GPS) such as Topc<strong>on</strong>’s3D-GPS+. A GPS system allows users to uploadjob design into a c<strong>on</strong>trol box, which then receivesmachine-positi<strong>on</strong>ing signals from the radioantenna, GPS receiver, the blade-mounted GPSantenna, and a cross-slope sensor.The c<strong>on</strong>trol box c<strong>on</strong>tinuously comparesactual machine and blade positi<strong>on</strong> andcalculates correcti<strong>on</strong>s that are sent to thehydraulics, creating fully automatic gradingof the jobsite. All the operator does is c<strong>on</strong>troldirecti<strong>on</strong> and speed while the GPS creates thefinal grade. The result is reduced staking andsurveying costs. Plus, it takes fewer passes toreach final grade.“The system has been proven to increaseproductivity by 30 to 60 percent,” reportedRandy Noland, Topc<strong>on</strong>’s Machine C<strong>on</strong>trolProduct Manager. “If you can get to gradefaster and place material more accuratelyyou’re going to use less fuel. It’s really a nicebenefit. With a Topc<strong>on</strong> system, users are goingto recoup their initial investment in labor andmaterial savings, but they certainly will save<strong>on</strong> fuel by getting to grade in less time.”Making changes pays offIt may not be feasible to implement all thesechanges at <strong>on</strong>ce, but making just <strong>on</strong>e couldbenefit you in both the short term and the l<strong>on</strong>grun. They will help you remain competitiveand could increase your profitability throughincreased producti<strong>on</strong> and more efficientoperati<strong>on</strong>.“It’s hard to predict what will happen to fuelprices in the future, but you can always findways to reduce your costs,” c<strong>on</strong>cluded Scott.“Even if you <strong>on</strong>ly save a little, it’s still morem<strong>on</strong>ey in your pocket.” n
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