Komatsu UK a Smart approach from the factory to the site

Komatsu UK has been manufacturing its medium to large excavator range for the UK and export markets at its facility in Birtley, County Durham, for over 35 years. And on a recent tour of the facility, I witnessed the whole process, from boom fabrication to the dancing digger test area and proving ground.

But this tour wasn't just about the iron, as Komatsu has put Smart technology into its excavators and wants to add this smart approach to other OEM's products with the launch of a new retrofit machine guidance solution. This is because the business, through its Smart Construction division, is not just making great products. It's also built a powerful digital platform to ensure machines can deliver these projects more efficiently.

When you arrive at the Komatsu factory, the site itself is unmissable as it covers an area of 200,000 sqm of which 50,000 sqm is covered space used to manufacture and assemble its excavator range. This includes a total of 12 core models, starting with the 17-tonne PC170-11E0 and going right through to the 70-tonne PC700-11E0.

The factory also produces 11 specialist working gear machine models, with high-reach and demolition models, including the impressive PC490 HRD K100. And it was at its specialist boom fabrication assembly where the tour started. Here you got to understand why Komatsu is a smart business, as it not only fabricates the booms to ensure quality, but it does so with its own Komatsu build welding robots.

Komatsu has specially designed these for the individual tasks carried out in the factory, and there are 16 robots in all, as my guide John Lawson explained: "When it comes to the fabrication of the booms, 85% of the welding is carried out by our robots, designed and built by Komatsu colleagues for these specific tasks. We even have a special robot to perform the task of building our high-reach booms on a separate line."

The next part of the tour explored the undercarriage's fabrication, which combines more Komatsu robots with manual welding. It's also where the individuals on the line literally put their stamp on the machine. This is because each stage of fabrication is quality checked, with the individual responsible for this process having their own stamp, which is used to mark the undercarriage. John: "The stamping of the undercarriage is part of our Komatsu engineering quality standard with each track frame checked and the final stamp added by the section supervisor before moving onto the paint shop."

John continues: "This is where I spent over 26 years of my career, and the process is extremely important. Before any welded components go into the painting process, each weld is checked again. Components are then loaded onto a system that has a total of nine cranes. They first go through two phosphate pre-treatments. This helps the adhesion process when we come to apply the paint. The components crane journey then continues into the drying oven, is checked to ensure the surface is nice and smooth and is then manually painted before finally being dried in a double drying oven."

Once the painted components have been inspected, a green sticker is placed on them, and they are ready to move onto the assembly line. This was first created in 1985 when Komatsu took ownership of the site that Caterpillar previously operated. It began a major transformation project that saw the first Dash 3 excavator come off the line in 1987. Now at Dash 11, with 3D machine control, the 156 metre long line itself has literally helped the business move forward.

This is because it currently runs at 215mm per minute, which gives the operators approximately 29 minutes per station to produce 15 machines a day. It's also set to speed up slightly as the business takes on more staff to meet the high level of customer demand for its excavators.

With some component parts, including hydraulic systems and cabs assembled to the side of the moving line, cranes support the main team on the assembly line as each machine comes to life.

Once fully assembled, each unit goes into the Dynamic Evaluation System, which is used to check the hydraulics and performance of the machine. John: "By pressurising the machine, we ensure there are no oil leaks and that the components are working properly. Once these tests are completed, we move on to a 200 point mechanical inspection check. After this is complete, a special blue sticker is placed on the machine, signed by the inspection department supervisor.

What strikes you about the factory itself is the welcome you get from the people that work in it, and so I was very pleased that MD, Paul Blanchard took the time out to talk to me about the latest developments in the factory. He said: "Over the last 12 to 18 months, we have increased production by around 30% to meet industry demands for our products across the UK and globe.

"To support this, we have taken on 150 new staff, including apprentices and graduates. For me, it's all about building a sustainable, highly skilled local workforce and using our existing experts, some of which have been with us for 35 years to train those joining us. Our training is all about supporting each team member coming into the business.

"For example, new recruits for the assembly side will come in and do two weeks or as much time as they need in the training room and will then move onto our buddy up system on the shop floor. This is a further four week programme that ultimately leads to a role in the assembly line.

"From design to manufacture, we all take immense pride in what we do at Komatsu UK. We are particularly proud of the fuel savings achieved from our hybrid range and the applications we can support with our specialist machines like the K100. And of course, all of our machines can now be more connected through the development of the Komatsu Smart Construction Solutions we are now able to showcase in our demonstration area." 

Where the Komatsu UK team is responsible for the excavator range, its colleagues from Komatsu Europe are now rolling out the Smart Construction portfolio of solutions and hardware. To find out more, I met Richard Clement, its European Deputy General Manager, for the launch of its new retrofit 3D machine guidance system for mixed OEM fleets.

This system was retrofitted to a PC210 LC Dash 11 excavator straight from the factory, making it Smart Construction ready. As a machine guidance system the solution, like others on the market, requires the installation of sensors mounted on the boom, stick and bucket links so it can determine the position of the machine against site design data. The machine connects to the global navigation satellite system (GNSS) through two antennas mounted on the safety rails at the back of the machine.  

And for Komatsu machines, the system can also connect with an IMU sensor in the chassis, enabling it to report on the payload in each bucket, linking this into the overall material journey from excavator to ADT to stockpile or site placement.  

But unlike other solutions, the end user does not need a specialist tablet, just one that operates on the android platform. In this case, a Samsung tablet was used. It connects to the main controller hidden inside the machine through Wifi and therefore doesn't require additional wiring inside the cab. It also means that a site manager can connect to the machine and access information from outside the cab.

Talking about the launch, Richard said: "We brought Smart Construction to the European market in 2020, and as part of its rollout, we recognised the need to make it fully accessible to mixed fleet owners. To do this, we developed a new machine guidance retrofit solution that could make a standard excavator, in this case, smarter. We already equip some of our machines with Intelligent 3D Machine Control 2.0 (iMC 2.0), but now we can use this solution to create a data feed into our Smart Construction dashboard.  

"By offering an entry level 3D and 2D machine guidance solution, rather than full machine control, we are also able to connect machines for a lower price point. And this solution has a dual purpose of providing that guidance for the operator to help with the efficiency on the job site whilst also sending a data feed from this machine directly into our Smart Construction ecosystem.

In turn, this will join data from other machines in the fleet, allowing us to see progress on site through an 'as built' data model. This approach helps site teams to understand what the machine is achieving, essentially using it as one of the Internet of Things sensors on the job site that can continually feed in information in real-time.

For example, on this PC210, we can also measure payload and match this to the Komatsu HM300-5, 28 tonne ADT in our demonstration area. By combining data from both machines you can see the muck you've shifted, where it has been taken to, and therefore build up a picture of your cut your fill. Combine this with fixed and variable costs like salaries and fuel, and you have a much greater understanding of your overall project profitability."

The data collected by Komatsu's Smart Construction solution is also comparative, so you can work out where extra training or support is needed from one operator to the next to boost productivity and efficiency. It's all part of building a digital project focused ecosystem that allows you to manage, measure and monitor a site.

Richard: "I think it's important to understand that the data feed doesn't actually have the value. The value comes from the information you can glean from it. And it's not just about managing a fleet of machines. You have to take a holistic look at the overall project. For example, the terrain data from drone flights can be very useful, as can other surveys of the site. And bringing together this information can be very impactful. This is because no singular feed from, say one machine, can answer questions around how to make improvements without complementary data from other sources."

Simplifying connectivity and updates

Using the Samsung tablet, Richard showed me how an operator can also take advantage of having a larger tablet in the cab as it's the Smart Construction app that provides the 'human machine interface' of the solution.

Richard: "By designing the app and field testing it with operators, we have made it intuitive and simple to use with Wifi connecting the tablet to our controller. We have even developed different visibility options so that the guidance information can be delivered in a way that is preferable to the operator from looking at a 3D or 2D model, for example. Site managers with existing android phones or tablets can also download the app to access information without having to buy another device. And the app is regularly updated to take advantage of new and improved features."

As part of the systems connectivity options, in addition to getting corrections from the GNSS network, it can also be used with a base station, connecting via satellite radio to the controller.

Payload on the move through clever calibration 

Richard: "To enable payload monitoring on its own excavators through the retrofit solution, we have networked our hydraulic sensors to measure the pressure and the cylinders. We can use this information to calculate the load in the bucket right after calibration. And this is a dynamic load measurement system, so you don't need to pause to let it measure as it weighs the material whilst the bucket is swinging to load it into the ADT."

Komatsu has developed Smart Construction pilot as part of its Smart Construction suite. This allows operators who use different buckets for varying applications to set up a machine and calibrate all of the different buckets at the start. This stored information can then be used to get accurate payload data for each bucket, using its unique system generated reference number. It also means if that bucket is shared or used on a different connected machine, the file can be sent to it.

Another benefit of pilot is all of the geometrical data of the bucket is also stored, so engineers creating models can use this information to ensure accurate machine guidance. Richard added: "In addition to this approach, we have recognised there are varying different software packages used within construction and earthworks design.

"With this in mind, we have built a Smart Construction translator into the pilot application, so you can transmit whatever file format you like, and it'll convert it into the format that's necessary for this machine to use. This means engineers are able to use the software they want and know that they are designing for the machine and no extra intermediate work needs to be done."

As part of the retrofit package, Komatsu has also thought about how the sensors in the boom, stick and bucket are connected, using shorter hose runs with added projection at the bucket link. Richard: "If you do damage a connection point having a shorter run is much easier to fix than replacing a large piece of pipe or the full length of wiring."  

To date, Komatsu has launched the tracked excavator kit with two piece boom and tilt buckets options. It will shortly also offer a wheeled excavator kit with other kit options being developed.

Once a customer connects a machine or fleet, they will then be able to join a fast growing base of Smart Construction enabled businesses. And this is where Richard and his team will be on hand to help understand how a customer operates from initial tender to pre-construction and construction, right the way through to project completion

Our Smart Construction approach is about analysing what can be achieved through optimising business processes one step at a time. With digital tools, you can plan better, reduce mistakes and cut out waste. But to be successful, you need to identify pain points and solve them together through implementing technology, training and coaching.

"We already know what technologies are round the corner like semi and full autonomous machines, but Smart Construction is about the here and now. And being able to simulate a project using our tools before a machine gets onto the site is a perfect example of forward planning that makes an immediate impact."  

Having seen the Smart Construction demonstration at the factory, it is clear that there are huge benefits to be had. From flying drones to making models and interrogating Smart Construction dashboards all in real-time, we can truly bring the construction site to life. It's then all about putting the right connected machines from any OEM, with the right technology, trained and informed staff together to deliver the project.