Komatsu is expanding its lineup of semi-automatic machines with the unveiling of a new intelligent Machine Control (iMC) dozer.
The D85EXi/PXi-18 are the seventh iMC dozer model to be introduced to the lineup and fall between the D65PXi-18 and D155AXi-8.
The D37PXi-23, D39PXi-24, D51PXi-23, D61PXi-23 form the rest of the lineup, which in 2013 introduced the concept of a dozer shipped from the factory with integrated GPS/GNSS machine control hardware—using no blade-mounted antennas—and the ability to operate in automatic mode from rough dozing through finish grading. Komatsu also makes three iMC excavators: the PC210LCi-10, and the recently introduced PC360i-11 and 490LCi-11.
iMC allows the dozer to sense and control blade load through a pairing of stroke-sensing hydraulic cylinders and an Inertial Measuring Unit. When auto mode is engaged, the system automatically starts the cut and lowers the blade to the correct grade. The blade is raised once the system senses that the load has increased to the maximum.
Komatsu says iMC provides an 8-percent boost in efficiency compared to typical aftermarket machine control systems. And since the system is wireless and mounts no components to the machine’s blade, there’s no need to worry over damage to the hardware and no more time spent mounting hardware.
