Cat Command for Loading for skid steer and compact track loaders will be available in two configurations – line-of-sight operation via a lightweight console and non-line-of-sight operation via a remote Command station. By allowing the user to comfortably control the machine from a safe location, Command maintains high machine productivity in difficult operating environments such as stevedoring, industrial waste, demolition, and site decommissioning.

A dealer-installed field kit makes any Cat D3 skid steer or compact track loader model Command-ready. The line-of-sight system includes indicator lights, wireless receivers, and antennas installed on the cabin roof with the command activation switch mounted behind a lockable door with ground-level access. The non-line-of-sight system adds front, rear, and side cameras for 360° viewing and a microphone for sound. Since Command controls are integrated with machine electronics, users experience the same control response as they would operating inside the cab, allowing for productivity to be maintained from a distance.

Flexible remote configurations – console

Line-of-sight Command for Loading operation comes complete with a lightweight, compact control console supported by a comfortable shoulder harness. Machine controls such as machine startup/shutdown, bucket rack/dump and lifts/lower, rpm, horn, creep control, and auxiliary hydraulic functionality are easily accessed through the ergonomic Command console control layout.

Two different line-of-sight consoles will be available to meet customer needs, each providing different levels of functionality and control with complex hydromechanical attachments. The operating range for both line-of-sight Command consoles extends up to 400 m (1,312 ft) to allow for convenient remote operation.

To ensure the user maintains machine control at all times, integrated Cat electronics activate several features to stop all machine movements if: the A-stop (all-stop) switch is pressed; command stop is activated; wireless communication is lost; a severe fault is detected, or the Command console is tilted more than 45 degrees from the normal operating position.

Customized Command station

The non-line-of-sight Command for Loading solution includes a modular, customized Command station that positions users in a familiar and comfortable seated position that simulates traditional machine control. One user can connect to multiple machines from a single station, controlling one machine at a time. The station is also compatible with other Command offerings for Cat equipment, such as excavators, dozers, and small wheel loaders.

Station components include machine joystick and foot pedal controls for all the company’s Command technology-capable machines. A touchscreen mount is incorporated in the station design for machine control, while universal screen mounts are included for camera displays of the skid steer or compact track loader. An emergency remote shutdown switch is located on the Command station to quickly halt all machine movements. At the job site, an optional remote A-stop (all-stop) switch control is available for site personnel working around non-line-of-sight Command skid steer or compact track loaders.

The projected availability of Command for Loading for Cat D3 series skid steer and compact track loaders is the third quarter of 2022.

The post Caterpillar Expands Cat Command for Loading to Skid Steer and Compact Track Loaders appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.

“The rock anchors are there for when the structure is empty. When it’s empty and the ground water table is above the bottom of the structure, if the rock anchors aren’t there, it could push up out of the ground like a boat. These buoyant forces are exactly what the rock anchors are there to resist,”

explains UMA’s Senior Engineer/Estimating Manager Mitch Crayton.

Cherokee County Water and Sewerage Authority outsourced this pump station improvement project to Atlanta-based Lakeshore Engineering, a heavy civil contractor that focuses on industrial, municipal, and environmental projects. UMA served as the
geotechnical subcontractor.

Located within proximity to Blankets Creek in Canton, Georgia, the water table is known to fluctuate. UMA’s sole function was to install a rock anchor system to keep the pump station’s concrete slab pinned down. The components to be built on top of the slab
would be a diesel engine-driven centrifugal pump and a concrete cast-in-place
emergency storage tank.

Working Down in the Hole

One of the biggest challenges for UMA’s team was working in a 23-foot-deep-by-
56-foot-wide excavation. Lakeshore Engineering had excavated the pit and installed a soldier pile wall with wood lagging. Tied-off workers accessed the pit via ladders.

“We’re working in a pretty tight area compared to what we’re normally used to on highway projects. It’s not the smallest footprint we’ve worked in, but it’s a lot smaller than our usual working space,”

says Crayton.

Lakeshore Engineering installed a mud mat to provide a stable working surface for UMA’s drilling rig and to keep the worksite clean. There was no air movement so the air was pumped in from ground level and circulated with fans to keep workers from breathing in diesel fumes.

The working area had to be dewatered also due to the proximity of Blankets Creek and a water table approximately five feet below the ground. While the failure of
dewatering pumps would not have been cataclysmic, the potential slow accumulation of
water in the working area could have damaged equipment.

One of the visual spectacles on the project was Lakeshore Engineering using a crane
with rigging to lower a Beretta T46 Drilling Rig into the excavation as UMA’s team
provided direction.

“It’s a smaller machine, but we selected it for this purpose. It doesn’t quite get the production that we’re typically used to, but it can hold its own with this smaller hole size,”

Crayton explains.

UMA’s crew was seasoned and used to working together. They were also familiar with the equipment and how to rig it based on past projects.

“We shut down around Christmas every year for safety and for training. We alternate between first aid, forklift certification, and crane and rigging so that everyone is safe on the job site. That’s always our number one concern,”

Crayton says.

Drilling the Rock Anchors

UMA was tasked with installing 24 rock anchors, evenly spaced every 10 feet vertically and 8 feet 8 inches horizontally. Skyline Steel supplied the anchors, which were 1-inch-diameter Grade 150 ksi DCP (double corrosion protected) bar. The owner’s representatives provided the grid layout with specific locations required to support the pump station equipment.

“It was critical to making sure these (rock anchors) worked because it would be very cost-prohibitive to move them. If even one failed, they would have to change reinforcing plans and the connection details of the slab foundation to the actual structure,”

says Crayton.

The Beretta was drilling a minimum 4.25-inch-diameter hole 15 feet down to bedrock with a permanent casing supplied by Star Iron Works. The drilling crew had to focus closely on ensuring that the anchors were plumb and in the exact location specified.

The material was higher quality partially weathered rock, although the crew hit a high-quality bedrock in a handful of areas. The team then drilled into bedrock with a 10-foot
rock socket.

“Our drillers are schooled enough to distinguish between the materials they’re drilling through. One drills a lot slower than the other and they can hear and feel the differences,”

says Crayton.

The Beretta was equipped with a down-the-hole hammer with a 4½-inch bit to drill the rock sockets. This tooling fit perfectly inside the casing, allowing the cuttings to be extracted onto the mud mat before being plowed away with Lakeshore Engineering’s Takeuchi skid steer loader.

“We drill down into a specific rock socket, place our anchors, and lock them all to that slab. That’s how we end up with our rock anchor system,”

Crayton explains.

Testing Anchor Strength and Movement

UMA conducted two extensive performance tests to ensure that the anchors were of sufficient strength to support the pump station. The movement was essential also.

“These anchors are basically like high-strength rubber bands. Anything that moves has some sort of desire to go back to where it was. When they flood this pit with water, the anchors will keep the slab and pump station from rising,”

Crayton says, noting that the anchors are designed to move.

Testing requirements placed some restrictions on the schedule. UMA was only permitted to install two anchors on the first couple of days and conduct a load test to demonstrate that capacity was achieved before installing the third. This pattern continued throughout the project.

UMA was installing multiple corrosion-protected anchors. The corrosion protection is granted by several components within the anchor, in addition to the grout itself. The
grout was then pumped to grade until clean grout was observed.

“We worked with Lakeshore closely to help speed up their construction process and get out of the way so they could finish their job. The main way we expedited our work was to lock off the anchor to a mud mat using a secondary bearing plate,”

Crayton says.

The double bearing plate system had one bearing plate locking the anchor to the mud mat and one suspended in the air to transfer the loading to the foundation. UMA was able to get all of the testing completed at one time under the initial mobilization. This permitted Lakeshore Engineering to set a bearing plate at a certain elevation and pour the structural slab without having to wait on remobilization for final stressing. This allowed a majority of the elastic elongation to occur prior to the final placement of the slab, ultimately saving the contractor time and money.

Batching and Grouting to Lock in Anchors

UMA grouted the rock anchors in place. The material was mixed in a batch plant on-site
with a specific gravity of 1.85 to 1.86. Its team is trained to check specific gravity prior to pumping, and a third-party contractor was retained to take samples and ensure quality control.

This standard mix was one that UMA was accustomed to and achieved the strength that
was required on this project. The spec called for a minimum of 3,500 psi at three days and 5,000 psi at 28 days.

Most of UMA’s soil nail projects require larger material quantities and hole diameters, and also deeper drilling.

“The crew that was doing this job came off of a year-long soil nail project so they were used to drilling 30-foot-long, six-inch diameter holes, and four batches of grout at a time. There’s a pretty big difference between a rock anchor job and a soil nail job, and our crew adapted well to the switch,”

says Crayton.

The grout was pumped through a tremie pipe to the bottom of the hole from within the casing. The casing sections were installed with the Beretta drilling rig, which was equipped with a special adaptor. UMA was performing a duplex drilling process, which involves drilling the casing and the hole concurrently. Once the rock was hit, the casing was halted, and drilling continued with the inner rod.

UMA workers fed casing to the drilling rig by hand.

“Normally we would use an EZ Spot UR attachment on the excavator to handle large casing sections. We had to use smaller pieces on this job because we didn’t have the real estate to put them in the pit with us,”

Crayton says.

The majority of UMA’s work on the Blankets Creek Pump Station project was done within a week and completed on schedule. Despite the technical nature of the work, the distance between the Jobsite in Georgia and UMA headquarters in Colfax, North Carolina was the true challenge.

“Making sure that everyone who needed to observe different processes was onsite during the installation and load testing was our greatest challenge,”

says Crayton.

That’s generally the hardest aspect of most of our projects: the distance between the field where the actual work is done and the office where the computers are required to do the analysis.”

The post UMA Goes Deep to Anchor Georgia Pump Station appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.

AGCO announces that Fendt 900 Gen7 Series and 1000 Gen3 Series tractors will include the new FendtONE operator station. New models of these premium high-horsepower tractors will debut at the 2021 Farm Progress Show in Decatur, Illinois, Aug. 31-Sept. 2.

Fendt continues to lead the way in designing high horsepower tractors to meet the needs of producers in North America. The new Fendt 900 Gen7 Series and 1000 Gen3 Series tractors feature the cutting-edge Fendt technologies that have created agile, crop-friendly machines that can handle any task a crop producer, large-scale cattle operation, or custom farming operation faces.

The latest innovation for Fendt tractors is the advanced FendtONE operator station, which provides producers with a streamlined and highly efficient work environment. FendtONE features up to three large, easy-to-read display screens, as well as a new multifunctional joystick and customizable control buttons built into the completely redesigned right-hand armrest, putting all tractor functions within arm’s reach. Both new series also comes standard with five years of Fendt Connect telematics that allows an operator or their dealer to remotely monitor important machine data.

FendtONE is designed for convenience and simplicity

“The philosophy behind the FendtONE operator station is its simple design and function. Fendt has delivered technology that is easy to use by incorporating setup of all the tractor and implement functions through an intuitive touchscreen system,”

says David Soliday, AGCO senior tactical marketing manager for tractors.

At the heart of the FendtONE operator station is a 12-inch LED touchscreen display mounted on the armrest, connecting the operator to all tractor functions. A second optional 12-inch display recessed into the roof liner can be pulled down when needed.

“The added display area is important for farmers who want to monitor many of Fendt’s smart farming programs, including ISOBUS for variable rate control or implement management; guidance with TI Headland; and more,”

Soliday says.

The two displays are linked and synchronized, providing data in unison. Each display shows up to six panels of user-selected information. Combined, these features provide more than four times the display area than the previous operating system.

A 10-inch digital dashboard-mounted behind the steering column enables operators to monitor real-time tractor conditions, including RPMs, speed, fuel level, and other core functions.

Operators also benefit from the additional control options built into the armrest. These include two joysticks – a larger, multi-function joystick that controls tractor functions, including speed and cruise control.  Right next to it, the standard 3L joystick controls the hydraulics and up to 27 ISOBUS functions. The 3L joystick can be used to control a complex ISOBUS-compatible attachment such as a Momentum planter or air seeder. There is no need for external joysticks if the attachment supports the AUX-N standard.

The armrest also accommodates push dials that control cab comfort features, including speaker volume and cab temperature.

All buttons and switches in the FendtONE cab are within easy reach and color-coded to match their function. For example, orange buttons run the powertrain, engine, and transmission functions, while blue buttons run the hydraulics. White buttons are unassigned and customizable based on the operator’s preference. Each operator’s profile, specific to either the user or a particular job, can be saved in the system, making it easy to come back to those settings again.

FendtONE is not only connected with the operator inside the tractor cab, it also is able to share data back and forth from the cab to the office in real-time. Both new series also comes standard with five years of Fendt Connect telematics that allows an operator or their dealer to remotely monitor important machine data.

“If a farmer is interested in monitoring machine hours, fuel consumption, machine location, whether it needs service or when it needs to refuel, FendtONE can simplify some of those tasks. It will also share error codes if the driver is not operating the tractor properly, so the issue can be corrected right away.”

Soliday says.

1000 Series updates – new tires and a bolder footprint

The Fendt 1000 Gen3 Series includes four models ranging in power from 396 HP to 517 HP. These high-performance tractors are workhorses, designed for year-round work, including heavy tillage, planting, combine chaser work, and large-square baling. Track width can be adjusted down to 60 inches for row crop applications.

All models in the 1000 Gen3 Series have received another upgrade – a new tire option. The Trelleborg VF “very high flexion” 480/95R54 tires are the largest tires offered on a row crop tractor and are designed with stronger, reinforced sidewalls.

“This allows for less air in the tire, allowing it to flex up and down more, giving the tire quite a bit bigger footprint, more grip, and creating less surface compaction in the soil. We are limited on tire width for row-crop tractors, so making the tire diameter bigger means more tire can touch the ground at any given time.”

Soliday says.

The Fendt VarioGrip tire inflation and deflation system allow the operator to deflate the tire pressure from the cab with the push of a button. This Fendt-first innovation also allows automatic tire inflation before traveling down the road to improve handling and fuel efficiency. The Fendt 1000 Gen3 Series has a top road speed of 31 mph.

900 Series features – fuel efficiency, uptime, and agronomic benefits

Complementing the larger 1000 Gen3 Series, the Fendt 900 Gen7 Series tractors include five models ranging from 296 to 415 HP. They are designed to specifically meet the needs of producers in North America and deliver unprecedented fuel efficiency, uptime, and agronomic benefits. The 900 Gen7 Series has a wide range of implement connections at the front and rear to operate a varied combination of front and rear implements. Use the versatile tractor for a variety of jobs, including pulling a large square baler or planter, or for heavy work around livestock operations like spreading liquid manure and towing silage wagons.

The operating weights of the five Fendt 900 Gen7 tractors range from just under 25,000 lbs. up to 42,000 lbs. A convenient front mono-block ballasting system, with weights from 1,918 lbs. (870 kg) to 5,512 lbs. (2500 kg), lets the operator quickly re-ballast the tractor for the job at hand. Compact and agile, the 900 Series tractors have a narrow transaxle combined with pull-in turn action to allow them to maneuver in tight spaces with a shorter, smoother, and more precise turn.

“The Fendt 900 Gen7 series also offers the Fendt VarioGrip tire inflation and deflation system. Deflating the tires before entering the field gives the tires up to 15 percent more tractive power and improved ground contact with reduced soil compaction. Inflating the tires back up improves handling and fuel efficiency at road speeds up to 31 mph.”

Soliday says.

Fendt engine technology puts power where it’s needed

Fendt 900 Gen7 Series is powered by a six-cylinder, 9.0L MAN engine, and the 1000 Gen3 Series by a six-cylinder, 12.4L MAN engine. The Fendt iD low engine speed concept allows the tractors to achieve greater torque at lower engine RPMs. It works in unison with the Fendt tractor management system (TMS) and the Fendt stepless VarioDrive continuously variable transmission (CVT). VarioDrive, controlled through the FendtONE’s new multi-function joystick, automatically diverts power between axles to reduce slip and lower overall fuel consumption. With this combination, the engine operates at a maximum engine speed of 1700 rpm, provides exceptional pulling power, uses less fuel, and reduces wear on engine components.

Clean air, less dust

A new self-cleaning air filter system for the engine is now an option on both the 900 and 1000 Series tractors. This air filtration system blows compressed air back through the air filter in the opposite direction, helping to keep it dust-free even when the tractor is running.

Fendt gets a Gold Star for warranty

Each Fendt 900 or 1000 Series tractor is backed by the Fendt Gold Star Customer Care warranty. The full warranty covers the tractor for 3,000 hours or 36 months, with no deductible. It covers all scheduled maintenance, including the cost of oil, filters, belts, and maintenance items during this time. In the rare case of a breakdown, Fendt dealers will take care of the parts support, while quickly diagnosing and repairing the problem to get the tractor back in the field or provide a loaner guarantee if it takes more than 48 hours to complete a repair.

The Fendt network of dealers continues to grow and expand in North America, with more than 210 dealers currently supporting the brand.

“Among other things, Fendt represents excellence and quality, and we are ensuring we uphold these values by putting the right dealers in the right places and giving them the support needed to succeed in our dealer network,”

Soliday says.

The Fendt 900 Gen7 Series and 1000 Gen3 Series will be featured at the 2021 Farm Progress Show in Decatur, Illinois, Aug. 31- Sept. 2 in AGCO lot #333, as well as at select Fendt dealer field days this fall.

The post Fendt Will Unveil New 900 Gen7 Series and 1000 Gen3 Series Tractor Updates at the 2021 Farm Progress Show appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.

Portland General Electric and Daimler Trucks North America announced the co-development of “Electric Island,” a large public charging site for medium- and heavy-duty electric commercial vehicles expected to be the first of its kind in the United States. Electric Island will help accelerate the development, testing, and deployment of zero-emissions (tank-to-wheel) commercial vehicles.

The site is under construction now near DTNA headquarters in Portland and is designed to support up to nine vehicle charging stations with charging levels of up to greater than one megawatt by the spring of 2021. Electric Island will provide DTNA, PGE, and the public the opportunity to charge light-, medium-, and heavy-duty vehicles. Plans for more chargers, on-site energy storage, solar power generation, and a product and technology showcase building are currently being finalized.

Electric Island aims to address the intersection of vehicles and the grid, creating new opportunities for future EV drivers and utility customers. Powered by DTNA’s enrollment in PGE’s Green Future Impact renewable energy program, the site will be greenhouse gas emissions-free, including all vehicle charging.

Roger Nielsen, president, and CEO of DTNA said,

“In cooperation with PGE, and with the plan to expand electric vehicle charging right here in Portland to support not only our EV charging needs but those of other drivers in the area, we are paving the way to a brighter, cleaner CO₂-neutral future. As the largest manufacturer of commercial vehicles, we can accelerate this shift and are excited to address, holistically, the complete EV ecosystem. Daimler Trucks has made Portland our home for the past 73 years and having been born and raised in Oregon, I am incredibly proud to help make Swan Island an Electric Island.”

Maria Pope, president, and CEO of PGE said,

“Oregon’s transportation future is electric, and with global leaders like Daimler Trucks North America right here in Portland, we have the opportunity to accelerate a clean energy transition. We are excited to launch this cutting-edge partnership with DTNA, demonstrating what is possible when utilities and the automotive industry collaborate and innovate.”

Electric Island is designed to inform both DTNA’s work in commercial electric vehicle development and PGE’s work in meeting customer charging needs. The project will inform each company’s efforts by studying the future of heavy-duty charging, including:

• Use of vehicle chargers featuring power delivery of up to over one megawatt (over 4 times faster than today’s fastest light-duty vehicle chargers), enabling PGE and DTNA to develop best practices for cost-effective future deployments;

• Integration of heavy-duty charging technology into PGE’s Smart Grid, such as vehicle-to-grid technologies, second-life use of Daimler’s battery packs, and onsite energy generation; and

• Testing information technology opportunities like fleet and energy management by captive solutions and services.

The post Daimler Trucks and Portland General Electric Announce Public Heavy-Duty Electric Truck Charging Site appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.