B&R continues to open new possibilities in the automation of mobile machinery or heavy equipment
New methods of construction, redevelopment, repair and maintenance have a major market in urban areas. The need for construction equipment at any site or project from start to finish, including the processes involved in constructing buildings, bridges, rail and road infrastructure, and industrial facilities, as well as related operations, necessitates increased demand. Thus, looking at the current development processes, the demand is increasing day by day. As the construction equipment goes through a lot of daily wear and tear that also needs replacement, all these factors help to maintain a positive market trend in the construction industry.
– HIMANSHU SHARMA
Head – Marketing and Corporate Communication, B&R Automation
What are the current demand trends of construction equipment for construction operations?
New methods of construction, redevelopment, repair and maintenance have a major market in urban areas. The need for construction equipment at any site or project from start to finish, including
the processes involved in constructing buildings, bridges, rail and road infrastructure, and industrial facilities, as well as related operations, necessitates increased demand. Thus, looking at the current development processes, the demand is increasing day by day. As the construction equipment goes through a lot of daily wear and tear that also needs replacement, all these factors help to maintain a positive market trend in the construction industry.
What are the emerging technology trends in heavy machines / off-road equipment?
Globally, every sector is adapting to market demands, and the comprehensive needs of the hour, such as sustainability and digital technology adoption are today’s hotspots. There has been a change in demand and design of the entire equipment outlook at the industry level or in the process of manufacturing heavy machines. Previously, OEM- designed equipment was stand-alone, without technology enabled or linked to software to store, monitor data and control the process.
Now, as there is a positive shift in market demand, the equipment shaped and designed by the manufacturer has a fresh look and has integrated different software-enabled solutions to make the equipment ready for the future. This change of modern outlook has been the breakthrough solution to progress with the current demand for technology.
How is automation evolving in the construction equipment industry? What are the key digital features and solutions offered by the company for various heavy equipment?
Manufacturers of construction machinery face the challenge of implementing intelligent and autonomous machine functions quickly and maintaining them over the long term. B&R continues to open new possibilities in the automation of mobile machinery or heavy equipment manufacturers with its modular X90 control and I/O system.
The system’s comprehensive set of standard components is perfect for implementing flexible automation concepts, which means they can choose controllers from a range of performance classes, ensuring consistent solutions for basic to high-end machines. A variety of option boards for the X90 makes it easy to connect sensors, transmit diagnostics data, or control stepper motors directly. Also, the topic of safety in general are increasingly relevant for manufacturers of mobile or heavy equipment machinery. Mobile controllers with safe, floating outputs have previously not been available on the market. With B&R’s new safety relay module, external safety components such as drives, or laser scanners can now be connected to the X90 controller via a floating-ground emergency stop circuit. In addition, the controller comes in a rugged IP69K housing. Since it does not require a control cabinet or complex wiring, easy service is guaranteed.
How do you look at the future scenario for automation machine control technologies for construction equipment?
The future appears to be more of a technological boom and adaptation to innovations. Also, if sustainability goals are maintained and achieved, we could see sustainable growth in the sector. With improved data monitoring, machine learning, advanced control systems and the introduction of robotics to this industry, there will be a revolution in automation and machine control in the sector.
What are the challenges in the sector?
Awareness regarding the latest available technologies and their penetration poses a major challenge. The heavy equipment industry is driven by residential, commercial, and industrial development. Most of the construction sector is still using manual machines with human operators, which also affects the project completion timeline and the quality of work achieved.
This is one of the major market challenges, and apart from these, there are several product-level challenges that the sector goes through stricter noise regulations to adhere to, increasing emission standards to be maintained, and the increase in market demand for customization and variants.
Hits: 1
