In civil engineering, machine control is used to accurately position earth-moving machines based on 3D design models and GPS systems. This helps operators determine, among other things, the precise position of an excavator bucket blade and continue digging. Two Dutch companies have entered into a partnership to market this development according to their own design. marXact and Nijhuis Engineering are happy to tell you more about this development and why making machine control as easy as possible is so important.
Making machine control much easier
Nijhuis Engineering and marXact are both known for being innovative and for high quality in their own fields. Nijhuis Engineering Dronten BV is a manufacturer of electronic protections, limits, weighing technology and controls, including: crane protections (LMB), work area limiters, on-board weighing systems, aerial platform adjustments, and remote control for all kinds of machines. In addition, Nijhuis has a construction department for the production of lifting masts, aerial work platforms, railway undercarriages, and other construction work. Design according to 3D engineering, force calculations, machining, welding, and assembly are performed entirely in-house.
Owner-director Willem van Arkel: “Our wide range of options definitely contributed to the fact that we saw a challenge in developing new options in this GPS machine control. This ties in nicely with the wishes of our customers, with the services and products that we are already allowed to supply.”
Tommy van der Heijden is the owner of marXact. They produce and supply easy-to-use digital surveying equipment. “Everything we do, develop, and adapt must lead to making digital surveying as easy as possible. Everyone should be able to survey points, lines, and polygons with centimetre accuracy – it really should not be difficult. On the contrary. We continue to listen to what the end-user wants, the development of this machine control is a good example of that.”
A linked partnership
Willem: “We were linked by a joint customer who needed and needs an easy solution. We started talking and it soon became clear that we share the same point of view: developing easy-to-use machine control. You have to make it as easy as possible for users, focus on a simple view. Prevent it from being too difficult as a whole and drivers dreading it.”
“The operator should actually touch the screen as little as possible. This is viable when you automate processes and have already set many default options for him or her. The operator does not have to deal with the work behind the scenes if that is not their own interest, we will take care of that. Then, you can simply focus on efficiently performing your work, which you see on your screen immediately”, Tommy adds.
bauma is the beginning
Tommy: “The first introduction to our machine control system for the general public will be in October. We get it right right away and start with bauma. During this major event, the largest construction fair in the world, we show what we have worked so hard on together. There, visitors get a first glimpse of the fruits of our collaboration through the interface. They can also ask questions about how the system works and we are open to feedback, as the user is the force behind the innovation. That is why Willem and his colleagues as well as the marXact team are at the stand.”
bauma will be held at the Trade Fair Center Messe München in Germany from October 24 to 30. Get your own introduction to easy and accurate digging thanks to machine control outside, at booth FS 1013/4.
Keep looking towards the future
“Tommy talks about the first introduction nicely, but we don’t stop there of course. We don’t stop with introductions and we certainly will not stop with improving and expanding the possibilities of machine control. After the fair, we will definitely continue to develop and test on multiple machines, in collaboration with our regular customers. By doing so, we create an increasingly strong solution that is also easy to use, preferably plug & play! We are focusing on the 2nd quarter of 2023 as the starting point for the first deliveries,” Willem concludes.
