tors and operators adapt to cutting-edge technologies, they’ re not just controlling machines, they’ re shaping the future of an industry poised for a technological revolution.
From old-school hydraulics and levers to AI and virtual reality, construction sites are becoming more tech dependent and workers need to be more tech savvy.
Where We’ ve Been
In the industrial era of the 1920s and’ 30s, pneumatic controls and compressed air powered and operated actuators and tools. This was a good fit for smaller and lighter machinery, like jackhammers and forklifts, but they produced less force and weren’ t useful for heavy-duty equipment.
But by the 1960s, the rise of hydraulic systems powered heavy machinery from bulldozers to cranes that relied on basic levers, pedals and physical linkages. Operators manually controlled these hydraulic systems, which required significant force and precise coordination, and could fatigue operators. Hydraulic-assisted levers reduced the physical effort operators needed to pilot systems, but they suffered from wear and leakage, and they required a lot of maintenance.
In the 1980s, electro-hydraulic systems were the answer to these problems. Many featured electronic joysticks that replaced old-style levers; these more comfortable, ergonomic controls let operators be more precise and offered multifunctional capabilities. Varying operational modes and singlesystem controls streamlined operator tasks. Some equipment had CAN( Controller Area Network) bus systems, which let machine components communicate electronically with each other and improved equipment diagnostics and performance monitoring. However, as systems became more complex, operators needed more training, and the systems demanded more maintenance.
Where We Are With the new century came
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