Excavation aid gets best out of operator and machine

Levelling, trenching or slope profiling has never been easier. Dig Assist, the 'digging aid' developed by Volvo Construction Equipment, gets the best out of operator and machine. Bart Jansen of SMT Group, exclusive distributor of Volvo Construction Equipment, talks about the possibilities of Dig Assist on Volvo excavators.

Excavators are becoming more and more intelligent. "Putting together a new excavator today means not only selecting the right tires and attachments, but also a choice in software," says Jansen. And certainly the latter is taking on ever greater proportions. In fact, Volvo excavators can be equipped ex-factory with Dig Assist, a digging aid that uses the Co-Pilot tablet in the cab, various sensors on the machine and the latest positioning technology (GNSS). "All hardware is already fitted at the factory during the manufacturing process and is therefore not transferable to a new or  other machine. It's similar in that sense to the built-in info and entertainment system in the latest cars, you don't build that out either." 

Dig Assist is currently available for the Volvo EC220E through EC480E and EWR150E through EW220E. More models will be equipped with this system during the year.

From 2D to 3D
Dig Assist is available in different grades. Jansen explains, "The standard 2D function is intended for simple levelling and trenching, for example. Based on real-time data, the operator is informed about the intended excavation depth or slope height. This makes manual slope or height checks unnecessary and makes such work much more efficient and productive. The next step in the software is In-Field Design, which uses GNSS and RTK so that the position during excavation can be determined to the nearest centimeter. This feature makes it possible to dig a construction pit, for example, or to create more simple 3D profiles without having to have the construction window plotted by surveyors. Complementing this feature is a load indication system for a determination of the current bucket weight and optimal loading. Finally, Dig Assist is also compatible with Topcon 3D-MC software and soon with Trimble Earthworks for working with complicated 3D models used by the contracting industry."

In fact, Volvo excavators can be equipped ex-factory with Dig Assist, a digging aid that uses the Co-Pilot tablet in the cab. (Image: VolvoCE AA)

Intuitive user interface
As an exclusive distributor of Volvo Construction Equipment, SMT fully supports users in putting together and working with Dig Assist. "Service and maintenance on both hardware and software we take care of," says Jansen. "As far as support for the 3D software solutions is concerned, Topcon or Trimble is responsible. Dig Assist can also be operated very intuitively. For an operator who is already used to working with Topcon, it is a feast of recognition when he starts working with the Topcon 3D-MC app, as the user interface is similar. The great thing is that the touchscreen tablet on which all Volvo Assist functions run and its controls are identical across the entire Volvo line. So that means one tablet for all the different machine lines, obviously with machine-specific apps. The sensors and hardware of Volvo Co-Pilot are also largely identical. Good for uniformity and interchangeability of components."

Dig Assist makes it possible to perform very precise excavation work and to do so in a fraction of the time of conventional methods. "It makes the deployment of man and machine more effective and productive. Moreover, it is a prelude to fully autonomous machine control. A precursor to this, Volvo is presenting at BAUMA: the EC220E with Active Control, where the same tablet plays a prominent role," Jansen concludes.