While you may think of remote-controlled equipment as being toys, there are actual pieces of working heavy equipment that is available for purchase. These pieces of machinery were designed with employee safety in mind and can perform jobs in areas where there is a greater risk of a rollover or an accident.

RC Crawler Remote-Controlled

As an example, the Komatsu D155AXi-8 RC crawler is a remote-controlled machine that features Intelligent Machine Control (IMC) technology. This machine is designed for applications in which the operator shouldn’t be in the cab because of safety concerns.

The machine description indicates that the “line of sight remote” allows for operation for up to 100 meters. Companies are offering remote-controlled excavating equipment. This helps with employee safety because the equipment can be used in areas where it isn’t safe to send an employee to operate the machine.

The crawler features the ability to sense and control the blade load, optimize the cut, and minimize the slipping track. It has an automated gearshift transmission and lock-up torque converter that selects the optimal gear range, which is dependent on the load and the conditions of the job site.

The electronically controlled transmission is capable of locking up the torque converter to transfer engine power directly to the transmission and eliminating the loss of horsepower and reducing fuel consumption by as much as 10 percent.

The D61EXi/PXi-24 Intelligent Machine Control Dozer

This second-generation Intelligent Machine Control dozer features a 6.8-liter engine with 168 horsepower. The system allows automated operation from fine grading to heavy dozing, which achieves as much as 8 percent greater efficiency in the moving of materials.

It lacks sensors mounted on the blades, so an operator will not have to climb onto the blade to remove or install antennas. There aren’t electrical connections or coiled cables.

While there are many festivals and events across the country, there is one that stands out – Dozer Day! Dozer Day will be held May 16-17, 2020, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Clark County Event Center at the Fairgrounds in Vancouver, Washington.

The Nutter Family Foundation is a non-profit organization that focuses on addressing the needs of children. The foundation believes that when children are provided with opportunities to develop their talents, society will thrive.

The primary annual event of the Nutter Foundation is Dozer Day. At Dozer Day children are put in the driver’s seat of heavy equipment used in the construction business as well as an ambulance, fire trucks, and other vehicles. During the activities, children learn about public safety, the construction of sustainable communities, and industry opportunities.

More About Dozer Day

Dozer Day is held annually, and it is a fundraising charitable event that strives to educate children about the opportunities that exist. It teaches attendees about real-world, important situations while ensuring they get experiences relating to construction by asking them to take the driver’s seat in heavy equipment, recycling trucks, ambulances, and fire trucks.

Besides putting the children in driver’s seats, they can participate in a variety of fun, educational activities.  Families are given the chance to interact with professionals from multiple industries and there will be redefining of stereotypes. It is a fun-filled family event.

Dozer Event Locations

Locations are spread out including Vancouver, Washington; Yakima, Washington; Seattle, Washington; Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho; Kansas City; and it is planned for Willamette Valley. The Nutter Family Foundation hopes to add some more locations across the country. To learn more about Dozer Day or to learn how to schedule an event in your community, visit www.dozerday.org.

As a heavy machinery operator, there are so many career options and job opportunities that it is often hard to make a choice. While many instantly think of someone working a backhoe or dozer on a construction site when they think of heavy machinery operators, they are far more varied in reality, and one area that offers a lucrative option is that of working in landfills.

This is very different from working on construction sites, or even mining, from the job itself to the machinery used, landfills are unique, but it also offers a great opportunity to build skills and a career. While you will find loaders and dozers at any landfill, the compactor is the machine that stands out at all landfills. If you have ever seen any images of a landfill, it’s normally of a compactor moving across the rubbish.

They are used to distribute and compact rubbish in order to reduce gas emissions, stabilize the material deposited and optimize the capacity of the landfill. While they have a blade at the front similar to a dozer, there are some unique features. The front and rear frames are connected via a flexible joint, to allow the compactor to adapt to what is often extremely uneven ground, and the cab is often isolated from the frame to provide a more comfortable experience and excellent all-around visibility, particularly important on landfill sites. What is most recognizable for compactors though, is the wheels. Spiked metal rims, no rubber, to gain traction and compact the rubbish deposits the machine is driven over. A unique machine that has evolved to be perfect for the job it does.

Operating a different kind of heavy equipment is always a good way to improve skills, but what is life really like in a landfill as an operator? Whether you are in a dozer, loader, or compactor, it is a challenging job, with the environment itself something that many operators struggle with. In summer it’s hot, and the smell can become extremely unpleasant, and in the winter, it leaves the machine exposed to the worst of the weather, with a long day in the cab that can be an issue. For operators, safety is also something to focus on, the environment makes spotters and other workers on foot or in machines incredibly vulnerable, and it takes skill to move the heavy machines around such a site safely.

However, it is not all bad news, and with landfill work not being as attractive as other options, there is high demand for landfill workers right across the country, and that means good pay and reliable, year-round work.  For those that can get used to the environment, landfill work is important, in-demand, and appreciated, and a great place to build a sustainable, lucrative career.

Advances in technology happen in almost every aspect of our lives today, it is no surprise that for heavy machinery operators, there have been several in the last decade or so. One such advance, GPS location technology, first appeared in dozers and motor graders and quickly became an integral part of the day-to-day operation of those machines. By combining that precision location data from satellites, and the latest 3D topographical plans of a site, operators could be sure they were taking just the right amount of soil or dirt away at exactly the right location. The technology enhanced the operator’s skills and delivered improved performance across the board.

While the technology is advanced and is able to use satellite data for precise measurement in real-time, the way the systems actually work is straightforward, making it a practical application on any site. For dozers or motor graders, a receiver antenna is placed on the blade, or more often today, built into the machine at suitable points, with the system getting real-time adjusted position data from base stations set up on site. A 3D topographical map of the site is loaded up and displayed on the machine’s monitor, and overlaid with the required cut data, or it can even allow the GPS to guide the blade to create the grade as required.

Future of GPS

What this means for operators is more accuracy, safer operation, and more efficiency. Operators cut where needed, to the right depth every time, saving time and money by adding efficiency. But not only that, because the operator has all the data required, having people around the machines guiding them is no longer necessary, and that itself is a safety benefit.

While initially this system was just used for dozers and graders, it is now appearing in many other heavy machines, including excavators, and while some industries are wary of technology-changing things, for the heavy machinery operator this is definitely a good thing. Having precise location control is not only useful for material removal, but it also enhances situational awareness for all operators, it is a tool that really gives operators the ability to deliver improved performance on any site.

With GPS appearing on more and more heavy machinery, operators need to become familiar with the technology to get the most out of it, but when they do, a safer, more efficient, and less stressful operating experience means that for operators all over the country, whether working with dozers, excavators or haul trucks, GPS technology is improving the working day. In a time where technological advances are often seen as a potential threat to workers, GPS stands out as an advanced tool that works with the operator, improving performance while increasing safety, and allowing the operator to really make the most of their own skills.

Working as a heavy machine operator is a varied career, every new site or project is different, not just in surroundings, but the machines that you can be operating. When we think about the different machines that are found in today’s industry, there are huge differences in size and ability, but what do they all do?

Skid Steers

Although they come in several sizes, skid steer loaders are some of the smaller machines you regularly see on sites. Extremely popular, these multi-use machines are primarily used for loading material onto trucks, with the bucket able to be lifted high over the operator’s cab. Today there are dozens of attachments available for these machines, including forklifts, planers, augers, and so on, meaning that these small but versatile machines are found on nearly every site you will visit today. For rough or muddy conditions, you will often see tracked versions, the track loader, used in similar ways.

Excavators

Whether a standard, large excavator, or the smaller compact type, excavators, or track-hoes, are perhaps the most recognizable heavy machinery around, and on most sites, a full-size excavator will be one of the largest machines in use. With its long arm and bucket, the tracked vehicle is designed to lift or dig material, and transport it to another point, be that a different area or loaded onto a truck. The tracks provide traction that makes them really suitable for rough terrain, and you will often find these machines fitted with tree shears or specialized grapples for removing trees on logging sites. The smaller, mini machines are very popular for small construction jobs, working in backyard plots or other restricted access areas.

Backhoe

Built to dig, carry and load material, the backhoe is a versatile machine common on almost any site. With a backhoe arm at the rear, essentially a smaller version of the excavator’s arm, and a loader bucket in the front, the backhoe can carry out the tasks of two other machines at once. In size, it is much bigger than the skid steer loaders and can carry larger loads, but smaller than an excavator, although this makes it more maneuverable for precise excavation work. As a do-it-all machine, a backhoe is one you will find on almost any construction site in the country.

Dozers

Tracked for the ultimate versatility in any conditions, dozers are designed to move soil or rock, by pushing it. Size depends on horsepower, some dozers can be extremely large, depending on the amount of material that is needed to be moved and the site itself. Dozers can often be fitted with extra equipment in addition to the blade at the front that is used to push the soil and rocks, with a ripper attachment at the rear used for moving rocks that are embedded into the ground, and often a winch, which can be used for removing stumps or other obstructions.

If you want a long-lasting career that pays well, try heavy equipment operations. You can learn to operate virtually any type of heavy equipment in use today on construction sites all around the world. The most popular and rewarding type of heavy equipment can be learned in one course. Here are 7 types of heavy equipment you can learn in one training class at Associated Training Services:

1. Backhoes – A backhoe is used for excavation. It consists of a bucket on the back end of an articulating boom. You’ll often see them on construction sites and are used for digging ditches and trenches. If you want bigger holes, use an excavator.
2. Wheel loaders – Wheel loaders are large pieces of equipment with bigger buckets than backhoes and are used to carry material from one end of the construction site to another. They are close cousins to front-end loaders.
3. Bulldozers – The bulldozer is the workhorse of the construction site. It consists of a large blade and is used for pushing dirt, soil, sand, rock, rubble, and other debris around the worksite. When you just want it out of the way, use a bulldozer.
4. Excavators – When you really need a big hole dug, use an excavator. See how an excavator compares with a backhoe in the video below.

1. Road graders – A road grader has a long blade on it and is used to flatten surfaces, such as gravel roads and construction sites.
2. Dump trucks – When you have a lot of dirt, soil, rock, and other substances to move, use a dump truck.
3. Skid steers – A skid steer, also called a skid steer loader, is a small piece of equipment that allows you to add different attachments to the front for hauling, moving, and lifting things. Watch this fun video of a skid steer in action.

Bulldozer training is one of the most important things you can do for your career. If you want a long and successful career as a heavy equipment operator, then the bulldozer is one of the essential pieces of machinery to learn how to handle.

So what do you learn in bulldozer training?

10 Types of Equipment You’ll Learn to Operate

At ATS Heavy Equipment School, we take training on all types of heavy equipment real seriously. That’s why we incorporate training for all of these pieces of machinery into the bulldozer training we offer:

• Bulldozers (obviously)
• Backhoes
• Excavators
• Front End Loaders
• Skid Steer Loaders
• Wheel Loaders
• Scrapers
• Graders
• All-Terrain Forklifts
• Off-Road Haul Trucks

When you graduate our bulldozer training classes, you’ll be fully versed in how to operate each piece of equipment, and that includes the proper safety procedures for operations on the work site.

You’ll Also Learn the Basic Operations of Work Site Maintenance

Of course, there is a lot more to handling heavy equipment than simply maneuvering and safety. On the work site, you’ll need to understand a few other things in order to be effective in bulldozer operations. Our instructors will also teach you:

• How to read grades
• Identifying soil
• Determining work site layout
• Worksite safety procedures
• Heavy equipment maintenance
• Laser levels

These skills will come in handy when and if you ever advance to management or take on a supervisory role on the work site (and we hope you do). With these skills, you’ll learn to operate and grow to become a productive contributor to any heavy equipment work site.

Why scrapers are useful heavy equipment to have on a construction site. In many ways, they are more beneficial than bulldozers. A bulldozer has a blade that is useful for pushing dirt or snow for short distances. The problem is, once the blade has pushed its limit, then you’re done. You have to push it to the side and start over. Scrapers don’t have that limitation.

Scrapers have a blade for pushing. On that note, they have something in common with dozers. But where they have the advantage is being able to pick up the load they push and dumping it into a dump truck-like compartment for hauling. Because of this extra capacity, the scraper can push more dirt in a shorter period of time and haul it off to a dumping site. Having one scraper on the construction site eliminates at least two pieces of heavy equipment but more than likely three.

Without a scraper, you’d have to bulldoze the dirt then pick it up with a backhoe and dump it into a dump truck for hauling. You can do all of that with one scraper.

Keep in mind, however, that a scraper does not have a bucket. It has a blade that forces the dirt into the wagon part of the machine. Once the wagon is full, you drive it to the dumping location.

If you want to set yourself apart on the construction site, learn how to operate a scraper. You’ll be a valuable member of the team with a marketable and valuable skill.

Building a new road is a fairly complex job, more so if the ground is covered with vegetation. If you were to take some time to watch a new road being built, you would be surprised at the equipment that is used to undertake the job from start to finish. The heavy equipment used includes:

• Bulldozer – the bulldozer is the first piece of machinery used in most construction work. The bulldozer’s job is to clear the land to be built on. When it comes to new roads, the bulldozer clears a strip of all vegetation and rocks and begins the levelling process.
• Loaders – loaders are used throughout the project to move earth and rocks. They are predominantly used initially to load excess earth into dump trucks for removal.
• Dump Trucks – whilst not really heavy equipment, dump trucks play an integral role as they are used to cart waste away and to cart in loads of road base used to build up the new road.
• Graders – graders perform the finishing work, ensuring the new road is smooth and has the right gradient to allow for water run-off.

Other equoipment used include water trucks that damp down the road base, rollers that are used to compress the road base, and specialist heavy equipment that lays the sealant to the prepared base. Like most modern production lines, each part plays their role to a timetable, ensuring a smooth completion of the job.

With new roads being constantly built around the nation, there is always plenty of work for those who operate heavy equipment. If you’re looking for a career as a heavy equipment operator, building new roads is rewarding in many ways, including financial and job satisfaction. You can become a part of one of these teams with as little as three weeks heavy equipment operator training.

There’s a lot of satisfaction gained in a career as a heavy equipment operator. In most cases, you can really see what you have achieved at the end of the day. Consider a bulldozer operator, at the end of the day, they can look back at all the earth they have moved. For a grader operator, there’s a perfectly graded stretch of ground, perhaps the base for a new road. Loader operators can look back at all the dirt they have moved. When a project has been completed, there’s a new road to drive on they can say they helped to build, or a new school, hospital or housing project. The role of a heavy equipment operator is tangible – you can see the results of your work, and in most cases, those results are there to see for decades.

Job satisfaction goes beyond results. There’s the satisfaction a heavy equipment operator gains whilst working. It’s not until you get in the operator’s seat and commence moving dirt that you realize how powerful heavy equipment is – and that includes the little babies like skid steer loaders. A bulldozer is a beast that can push tons of earth around each day, and as an operator, you can feel that power at your fingertips. Heavy equipment operators don’t need power trips. Every trip is already full of power, and plenty of it too.

What may surprise many is that modern heavy equipment is so easy to operate. You can learn to operate a range of heavy equipment in as little as three weeks, and we are talking about being work ready after three weeks. With a little more experience on the job, heavy equipment operators can bring home good monthly pay checks, easily covering the costs of their training.

If you want a career that’s full of job satisfaction, then consider a career as a heavy equipment operator. It’s one job where you can proudly state your being well paid to move the earth.