Summer is over and it may only be Fall, but that means winter is not far off and with winter comes snow. Heavy equipment operators should now be preparing their equipment for snow clearing and part of that preparation will include examining what heavy equipment technology is now available for their machinery.

There are now more than 50 snow removal attachments, with the list including snow blowers, blades, buckets and pushers. The equipment used in snow removal ranges from the small skid steer loaders upwards to include graders, bulldozers and even trucks fitted with snow clearing blades. Each does a job and each can be more effective than the others under different circumstances.

It’s not unusual to see two or three vehicles working together to clear snow covered highways or airport runways. When these vehicles work together, they clear a runway, for instance, extremehttp://www.heavyequipmentschool.com/wp-admin/post.php?action=edit&post=1616ly quickly. It is generally the larger bulldozers using a range of heavy equipment technology that work as part of team to clear these large areas.

Snow clearing starts well before the snow falls, particularly in areas that require difficult access. These include mountain roads and trails. By working on these roads now the operators ensure easy access when snow clearing is required. Their work won’t end at the end of winter either. Once the snows melt the roads often need to be leveled again with pot holes filled. It’s a non stop year-round job.

Heavy equipment technology has been improving snow clearing attachments to make snow clearing quick and effective. This ensures that access is available along most roads and highways even through the toughest winters. If you want to be a part of this winter exercise then now is the time to get your heavy equipment training started. Winter is not that far off – get the skills now ready for the big chill.

One of the biggest advances in heavy equipment technology has not been in inventing something new, it has been in making the existing better. One area that has really seen improvements has been hydraulics. If you were to compare today’s heavy equipment with those of the 30 years ago, the biggest difference would be in how smooth and how fine the controls are now.

Thirty years ago, heavy equipment was cumbersome and awkward. It got the job done but there was a lot of grinding, shuddering and jerking that went on. Operators often climbed out of the cab (if it had one) at the end of the day feeling like they had been in huge vibration machine all day – in fact, they had.

Improvements to hydraulics have been huge. Using variable displacement pumps and closed center directional control valves, heavy equipment now runs smoothly. The vibrations have virtually disappeared, the shuddering and jerking replaced by smooth seamless movements. Operators now have the ability to operate their equipment to such fine degrees of measurement they can pick up an egg without breaking it or lower their buckets in fine increments so they are just touching the egg, again, without breaking it. This was impossible 30 years ago where ‘fine’ increments were measure in inches – several of them, not just one.

The benefits to an operator are immense. At the end of the day they don’t feel like they have been shaken to pieces. More importantly, they can perform their job with extreme accuracy to the point that other new technologies like laser guidance and GPS can be added. It’s pointless relying on laser guidance which requires accuracy to within fractions of an inch, if the equipment cannot perform to those standards. Today’s equipment can and does. Of course, that means heavy equipment training has changed and now focuses on using this new technology.

Being a heavy equipment operator is now one of the fine skills and brings with it a lot of job satisfaction. New heavy equipment technology, along with the improvements to existing technology, leads to better productivity – that’s a win-win for everyone involved in heavy equipment.

The use of GPS is growing markedly in our society and you can really see the impact it is having when you look at construction and machinery like graders or excavators. A technology known as 3D GPS assists the grader operator to accurately position the blade, allowing for a faster grade without utilizing survey grade stakes.

There are several spin-offs in the use of GPS when it comes to heavy equipment. A grader is a good example of the use and some of the benefits obtained. Safety, of course, is always an important issue on a work site. The use of GPS to set the position and orientation of the blade, even when working to slopes, means the grader will perform the work exactly as planned. This removes the need for a grade checker. Their job was to constantly check the grade from the ground, often putting them in close proximity to all the heavy equipment – the closer you get, the higher th risk of an accident. No grade checker – no accidents.

A second major benefit for construction companies that use GPS in their work is speed. Machinery like graders will get the job done first time every time. If the GPS co-ordinates have all been calibrated correctly then you will never come across a situation where the work done doesn’t meet the plans – and it’s done first time around. This saves time which equates of course to saving money. In some cases, construction contracts award bonuses for early or ontime completion of projects.

The use of GPS can be a specialized field when it comes to graders and excavators. Before undertaking GPS training, you would need to have a solid foundation of excavator or grader operator training along with a little experience using that equipment. Once you have that solid base of skills, you can then undertake GPS training for heavy equipment

If there is one thing that irks construction companies more than anything else it is the loss of their heavy equipment. New heavy equipment technology is now helping with loss prevention devices being fitted to most new machinery.

You would be surprised at how brazen some thieves can be. They have been known to turn up in broad daylight with a flatbed tractor-trailer and simply load up the machinery of their choice and take off. This normally happens on a weekend, or in the early evening when there is no one on the site to protect the equipment. There have, however, been situations where they have turned up on a working day, with what appears to be an authentic work order, and loaded up right in front of the construction crew. Let’s face it, if the equipment is not being used at the time then it makes sense to move it to a new site – how are the onsite workers to know any different?

The latest heavy equipment technology includes GPS devices that are constantly on. They are often self powered and hidden so even the removal of the equipment’s battery won’t bypass the security system. If the machine is stolen at any time, it can be found, often very quickly, simply by tracking the GPS signal. Security firms will eventually have monitors for all heavy equipment fitted with these devices and an alarm will be raised should one be moved without authorization.

Fortunately for operators, heavy equipment technology like this doesn’t require any special training. In fact, most operators won’t even know of its existence unless told or warning labels are placed on the equipment. Heavy equipment training will only be affected in the short term by the introduction of GPS equipment when it is being used to complete a job – that, however, is a story for a future post.

As heavy equipment technology develops, the types of equipment available to operate grows. In the beginning there was the humble dozer, and that was just a tractor with a blade attached. Over time we have developed graders, backhoes, excavators, I could go on. If you like at road and rail construction, some of the equipment used is simply mind boggling.

One good example is the huge machines used to cut holes through mountains. We drive through these road tunnels and think nothing of them. The machine used virtually eats its way through the rock, no matter how tough it is.

Other heavy equipment that looks quite different are some of the specialist fork lifts like the all terrain fork lifts and the store picker fork lifts. As the name suggests, store picker fork lifts move up and down the aisles of warehouses picking items that are required. Picture a standard forklift. Now raise the upright arms 10 to 15 feet and extend the forks by a few feet. To counter balance the forks at f feet or more, the rear end of the fork lift can be huge. To navigate the warehouse aisles, it needs to be narrow. So you end up with a huge grass hopper like creature. A large heavy rear with these two arms sticking out way above your head.

All terrain forklifts on the other hand at least look a little more normal. The heavy equipment technology that ensures their safe use comes in the form of suspension, four wheel drive and a heavy counterweight to ensure the load doesn’t rock dangerously going over rough terrain.

Undertaking all-terrain fork lift training is a must if you want to successfully operate one. This training is sometimes offered as part of a heavy equipment training program. If you get the opportunity to have fork lift training included as part of your heavy equipment training, grab it. They are skills that always in demand across a wide range of industries and as heavy equipment technology expands, the ability to acquire skills across a range of equipment may become harder.

In years gone by, the cab of most heavy equipment was, to say the least, pretty bare. In fact, for some equipment there was no cab, only a set of roll bars, if you were lucky. Today’s cabs are a far cry from those early days.

If you thought modern cars had it all, you’re wrong. The cab of some heavy equipment, for example an excavator or grader, is full of gadgets, dials and mod cons. Let’s start with the cab itself. Gone are the roll bars and mesh sides. Now you have a fully enclosed cab with broad and often deep windows. As an operator, you have a complete 360 degree view, yet the machine itself maintains a safe posture when it comes to a roll over.

The modern seat has all the aspects of a luxury car – plus some. Height adjustment, seat angle and lumbar support are just some of the features. Some seats can rotate a full 360 degrees. Some even have internal heating for those cold winter days. Talking about heat – how about full reverse cycle air conditioning? – climate control at that.

We haven’t even got to the controls yet. Steering is, of course, power steering. Brakes are the best in the business, power assisted where necessary. You have a wealth of dials letting you know oil pressures, hydraulic pressures and – oh yes, your speed as well.

The cab of today’s heavy equipment could almost fit into the luxurious category. I have seen cabs with small coolers to keep your drinks cool. Radio, CD and GPS are almost standard along with a two-way radio system to stay in contact with fellow workers.

All things considered, its no wonder that heavy equipment operation is becoming a popular career choice. Can you imagine undertaking some of your heavy equipment operator training in that sort of environment? Of course, there are still quite a few of the old machines around for those that truly love the outdoors. If you ever get the opportunity – take a tour and marvel at how good the cab of most modern heavy equipment is.

GPS has become standard in many cars and I know there are some drivers that couldn’t do without their GPS unit in the car. GPS is also being used in heavy equipment and as form of theft prevention and for the quick location of stolen equipment. What many don’t realize is the GPS together with laser equipment is being used to enable heavy equipment operators to undertake certain tasks with extreme precision. This can, become a specialized skill for those who undertake GPS training for heavy equipment.

Graders are one piece of heavy equipment that may come fitted with lasers, GPS units or both. The equipment enables operators to grade the surface to precise measurements in perfectly from point to point.

Have you have ever wondered how construction workers could start a bridge or road at either end and meet precisely in the middle? In the past it took precise mathematical calculations and a lot of surveying – now it can be achieved quite easily using a combination of survey equipment and GPS. In fact, GPS is now being incorporated into some survey equipment.

If you are a heavy equipment operator, or perhaps you are looking to move into the field of heavy equipment operations, and you fancy the challenge of specializing in GPS related work, then you should consider GPS training for heavy equipment.

The ATS training school in Ohio provides GPS training for heavy equipment operators. Our schools are renown for the quality of the training provided and support provided to students before, during and upon completion of their training. Contact us at ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools if you are interested in GPS training for heavy equipment operators.