a 129kW/173HP Komatsu engine, is being manufactured at the company鈥檚 Birtley factory, near Newcastle, where the company has recently employed an extra 200 staff to build the new machine.
Opening the demonstration event, the company鈥檚 senior general manager for distribution in Europe, Tito Baldan, explained why Birtley was the obvious production location:
鈥淭he philosophy of Komatsu is to have worldwide engineering,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e want to reduce our impact on the environment, so producing where we sell will reduce CO2 emissions 鈥� we want to have 50% less emissions by 2030 versus 2010, and to go to zero emissions by 2050.
鈥淏ut, very importantly, design and development locally allow us to adapt to local needs,鈥� he added.
One example of how the machine is being localised is its hazard detection capability. In Japan, where job sites tend to have fewer personnel working around excavators, this is done using radar but on busier European sites radar detection would create too many false positives.聽 Komatsu is therefore developing a camera-based system which will feature a slow-and-stop mechanism, rather than a simple alarm or alert, when personnel are detected in close proximity. This system will be available on the PC220-12 in coming months.
Another peculiarity of the European market, particularly in the north of the region, is the use of tilt rotators. As he walked visitors around the excavator, product manager Vince Porteous explained how Komatsu has worked with suppliers including Engcon, Rototilt and, more recently, Steelwrist, to develop a simple plug-in system for the tools.
As well as easing machine set-up when using these attachments, the control system can handle their complex movements, reducing the number of simultaneous movements the operator needs to make from six to two.
In a live demonstration, operators showed how easily the machine can use a tilt rotator to deliver a smooth grade. Similarly, in trenching, the movements of the excavator can be set to follow a path, with the operator able to move backwards and forwards along the trench without steering.
From the engine to the hydraulics, many of the excavator鈥檚 components are designed and manufactured by Komatsu. One key difference between this machine and its predecessors, explained Porteous, is the adoption of separate inlet and outlet valves 鈥� rather than the previous single hydraulic spool 鈥� to control the flow of hydraulic fluid through the system.
This, product manager Paul Dickinson explained, means that differing amounts of hydraulic fluid can be let in and out simultaneously, allowing more nuanced control over working speeds.
Operator access to the machine is controlled using an electronic key or code. Each operator can decide how the controls are set up to suit their own working methods. On the PC220-12 LC machines, up to 33 different settings are available; on the PC220-12 LCi, which employs Komatsu鈥檚 upgraded Intelligent Machine Control or IMC 3.0, up to 49 different settings can be programmed.
One of the big changes for operators in the physical design of the machine is in the cab. 鈥淥ur cab hasn鈥檛 changed a lot in the previous couple of generations of machine,鈥� Dickinson acknowledged, 鈥渟o when we started the research for this machine, we started with the operators.鈥�
The monitor panel has been moved from the A-pillar to the right-hand console, removing obstructions from the operator鈥檚 foot space and contributing to a 50% improvement in visibility towards the front.
At the operator鈥檚 rear, previous machines featured a large bulge on the hood to accommodate emissions after-treatment. On the PC220-12, the top of the machine has been raised slightly and the engine dropped, giving better rearward visibility.
The IMC 3.0 system in the PC220-LCi also makes the operator鈥檚 life easier. LC versions of the PC-220 can be adapted to use IMC 3.0, allowing customers to upgrade their machine as they take on more demanding jobs.
One of the handiest features of the system is its ability to transfer files on and off the machine. This can allow operators to log progress on each day鈥檚 work, collecting data at a rate of 25 points per square metre per second as they work. Conversely, design files can be updated from the office, giving the operator a clear view of any changes to the works planned.
This Smart Construction Remote system can also be used to offer support to the operator, without a technician visiting the site.
Areas of the work site can be set as out of bounds, by marking two points. The line between these is then extended infinitely, preventing work in this exclusion area.
Where the PC-220-12 is being used for loading trucks, the quantity of material loaded can be tracked to prevent overloading. This data can then be sent back to the office using a system called Smart Construction Fleet Light, allowing for accurate reporting of materials moved and invoicing of clients.
Both of these features 鈥� Smart Construction Remote and Smart Construction Fleet Light 鈥� are offered, without a subscription, for the life of the machine.