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Monthly Archives: July 2018

INNOVATION IN THE EQUIPMENT INDUSTRY

Innovation in the Equipment Industry

With the global construction and industrial equipment markets as competitive as ever, innovation and inventive concepts are essential. Manufacturers trending toward the cusp of innovation will realistically maintain market leadership in upcoming years, so special attention to research and development is paramount. As strategic innovation increasingly becomes a necessity, Hugg & Hall Equipment Company (Hugg & Hall) continually assesses the latest trends in marrying technological advancements with industry needs. As such, two developments in the industry are spotlighted below: Volvo Construction Equipment’s new compact electric excavator and Hitachi’s advanced oil-monitoring sensors.

Volvo Compact Electric Excavator

Volvo Construction Equipment unveiled their new compact electric excavator. Billed as the “compact excavator of the future,” the Gaiax compact excavator features innovative technology targeted to make excavation quicker, safer and more eco-friendly.

The Gaiax compact excavator boasts zero emission technology, is fitted with rechargeable batteries and can also be used while plugged into an electrical power source, according to the Volvo Equipment Company website. The electric excavator was designed with user-safety as a priority and works in harmony with nature, featuring a minimally-invasive environmental impact.

Other special characteristics of the Gaiax compact excavator include innovative safety features like an integrated first aid kit, a pedestrian warning alert system and attention-catching orange guards rails.

Remote operation through an augmented reality tablet allows the operator to use the machine at a safe distance while keeping an eye on surroundings. The main benefit of this device is that only one person is required to use the machine, the operator can dig and survey the site at the same time. Remote operation also allows the machine to be used in potentially dangerous situations while the operator maintains a safe distance, according to the Volvo Equipment Company website.

The iPad-like remote operation system is also encrypted with data regarding a city’s mapped utility networks, such as water pipes and electrical lines. This ground scanner technology allows the operator to visualize a worksite before breaking ground, and increases the efficiency at which work can be performed.

Electrically powered equipment is a fairly new concept within the industry and Volvo continues to introduce innovative concepts relating to articulated trucks, wheel loaders, excavators and more.

Hitachi Oil-Monitoring Sensors

Hitachi has released an innovative new technology as part of their remote fleet-monitoring system, according to AggNet. The article notes that the recently-released innovation recurrently extracts data from advanced sensors which monitor the quality of machine’s engine and hydraulic oil and is the first of its kind in the construction equipment sector.

The monitoring feature increases a machine’s availability and decreases maintenance requirements, which results in saved time and expenses, according to the article. The sensors transmit data to the remote fleeting-monitoring system which informs fleet managers, via text/email, when oil quality has deteriorated or has become contaminated. It enables fleet managers to promptly take necessary action to keep equipment running, optimally.

The sensors more accurately determine when new oil is necessary, as opposed to the typical scheduled maintenance system. This helps prevent downtime and ensures engines are running at their maximum capacity.

This new technology is similar to other innovative trends in the industry, like the use of telematics for equipment monitoring. Telematic technology can be used to track operator training schedules and safety goals, monitor equipment and export data for retention and metric tracing.

Hugg & Hall is dedicated to keeping customers informed and is vitalized by the continual progress and innovation represented in the industry.

Hugg & Hall Fort Smith Hosts WEDA Technician Trainee

Jace Ewing

Jace Ewing completing technical training at Hugg & Hall- Fort Smith

Jace Ewing, a student in the Western Equipment Dealers Association  (WEDA) Technician Training program at Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology, is completing part of the program requirements at the Hugg & Hall Equipment Company (Hugg & Hall) branch in Fort Smith, Ark.

Students enrolled in the Western Equipment Dealers Association Technician Training program spend half their time on campus for technical instruction and the remaining time acquiring real-world, on-the-job training at member dealerships, according to the program’s website.

The purpose of the program is to upgrade the technical competency and professional level of incoming industrial and farm equipment service technicians, according to the website. Graduates of the program are prepared to enter the workforce as trained service technicians adept at diagnosing problems and performing factory recommended service procedures.

Ewing, a native of Waldron, Ark., is completing the program’s on-the-job training requirements at Hugg & Hall. Recently, Ewing spoke on what convinced him to enroll in a technical program.

“I chose this field because I didn’t want to go to college to get the traditional four year degree,” said Ewing. “I wanted to learn a skill that I like to do and can carry with me anywhere. I’ve always been interested in anything with an engine, and figured out that I wanted to do this for a living in my automotive class in high school.”

The Western Equipment Dealers Association strives to deliver dealership owners, managers and employees the information and skills they need to serve customers and grow business, according to their website.

The challenge of, and the satisfaction from, repairing construction and industrial equipment attracted Ewing to the trade. 

“My favorite thing about working with machines is the feeling of accomplishment I get when I fix something that didn’t work,” said Ewing. “I like the challenge as well, because these machines aren’t the easiest to work on.”

Hugg & Hall appreciates Ewing’s hard work and encourages the advancement of technical training and support.

Danny Harvey Achieves One Million Accident-Free Miles

Danny Harvey One Million Accident-Free Miles

From left to right: Robert Hall, Danny Harvey and John Hugg

Danny Harvey, a night delivery driver at Hugg & Hall Equipment Company (Hugg & Hall), recently achieved a major career milestone: achieving one million accident-free miles driven. Harvey onboarded with Hugg & Hall in 2004 and, for the most part, drives at night which makes the achievement even more impressive because the majority of miles were driven in the dark.

Harvey works a non-traditional schedule: from 3 p.m. to between 12 a.m. and 5 a.m., Sunday through Thursday. The unorthodox schedule means that a lot of the impressive work can go unnoticed, but Hugg & Hall wants to ensure that this admirable achievement is appropriately recognized.

“Danny is as dependable as they come,” said Tyler Cummings, the regional load planner and Harvey’s supervisor. “If he tells you he’s going to do something you can bet it’s the truth. He is a team player and hardworking. About the only time he’ll take off work is for his annual two weeks off in November to go deer hunting.”

Hugg & Hall is fortunate to employ such a dedicated driver and would like to extend a huge ‘thanks and congratulations’ to Harvey for this milestone achievement!