P U B L I C I D A D E

ABRIR
FECHAR

P U B L I C I D A D E

ABRIR
FECHAR
Voltar

The industry of the future

Still with no preview of commercial production, Volvo CE discloses prototypes of autonomous electric and hybrid machines that allow people to foresee the next technological step of the industry

And fiction turns into reality. Several decades after R. G. LeTourneau (1888-1969) astonish the construction equipment industry with his diversified and unique inventions, this industry is about to start a new concept revolution in the worksites of the entire world with the introduction of autonomous and electric equipment. At least Volvo CE is ready to do so.

In an event carried out in September at Eskilstuna, Sweden, the manufacturer has shown at first hand the prototypes of equipment which will start a new chapter in the history of applied technology. Still in the phase of necessary tests of strength and safety, these machines do not have a definite data to start their production (if they will be produced someday) but they have potential to change equipment industry when they point to overcome the use of solutions based on fossil fuels using electro-mobility and to start the era of intelligent machines, as thought by science-fiction writers along the last century. “Volvo CE is in the front of technologic development. Every year the company invests billions of Swedish krona in research and development to make feasible the evolution of new technologies”, says Martin Weissburg, world president of Volvo CE. “Although these technologies may take years to be produced (or even will never be produced) they undoubtedly will influence our future demands and will have potential to transform construction industry as it is currently known.”

CONCEPTS

During the Xploration Forum, the manufacturer showed futuristic concepts such as the autonomous prototypes of the L120 wheel loader and of the A25F articulated truck, (which worked together), of the hybrid prototype of the loader LX1, a machine with potential—according to Volvo CE—to increase energy efficiency in 50 percent and of the autonomous electric hauler HX1, shown as part of the innovative project “Electric Site”. “We are starting to see systems that support the operations of moving and basically controlling machines, reducing the dependence of operators’ skills”, says Jenny Elfsberg, director of emerging technologies from Volvo CE. “In the future we will see an increase in the independence of machines. Operators will work more in supervision, developing a more interesting job and having a lower level of stress. It is possible that several machines would be controlled by a single operator.”

The exposed prototypes already do these functions. Working in a preset route, the autonomous loader may get the equivalent to 70 percent of the productivity level of a similar machine with operators. “They are programmed to carry out the same service several times during a relatively long period, using a preset route”, explains Elfsberg. “But we are in the dawn of this technology. Thus we are working in the development of solutions that may attend the levels of performance and safety demanded by the market. We have still a long way to cover, with no plans of industrialization for the moment.”

Until then, the expert says that the current researches look to improve the technology of machine-to-machine communication, allowing each equipment to be in communication with the others and with the control room. This is fundamental to prevent collisions and to make feasible a more efficient work flow. “Autonomous machines will increase the safety in dangerous environments and will eliminate the possibility of accidents caused by human mistake”, emphasizes her at the same time that the machine shows its systems of operators’ recognition, stopping motion, going back, blinking lights and sending sound alarms. “But they also carry out repetitive tasks more accurately and efficiently than a human operator, bringing benefits in productivity, fuel consumption and durability.”

In fact, safety is a central point in the development strategy of autonomous equipment, continuing the tradition of the company in research and innovation inside the area. “The basic idea is that the integration of resources increases passive and active safety”, says Christian Grante, expert in preventive safety and automation from Volvo CE. “Using radars, sensors and computers we are developing a technology of detection, identification and classification to prevent collisions and accidents in the operation, including to alert the person by his name through the use of tags.”

And there are hybrid machines, in addition to autonomous ones. The prototype LX1, for example, includes a driveline composed by electric motors installed on the wheels, electric hydraulics, energy storage system, a significantly low-size motor and a new architecture. As ensured by the company, this combination also allows a significant gain in energy efficiency. “The prototype received 98 percent of new parts and a practically new design, being able to carry out the work of a similar machine of higher size”, says Johan Sjöberg, automation expert from Volvo CE.

In spite of the high levels of fuel economy and gains in productivity, the company admits that points such as Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and return on investment will have to be considered. “Hybrid Technologies continue to be relatively expensive and their introduction is being slow because the benefits of the current hybrid machines still are not significantly higher than the conventional technologies. This will result in more time to recover investments”, points Scott Young, manager of the electro-mobility program of Volvo CE. “However, the cost of energy storage systems such as lithium batteries is being more and more reduced. Therefore hybrid technologies—together with the assimilation of new technologies—will become economically more attractive.”