Palfinger nexcellence
As part of the PALFINGER NEXCELLENCE programme, EPSILON is for the first time ever entering a new era of timber loader cranes – the era of digitalisation – with the first, fully functional Smart Control and Virtual Drive prototypes. As a result, PALFINGER EPSILON has made the future a reality by integrating in the EPSILON product range the applications and benefits of electronic assistance systems for crane operators and companies.
Nexcellence
We are in an age of digital transformation. Our lives and our habits are changing forever. As a driver of transformation and innovation, we at PALFINGER are helping to shape the future.
In our new NEXCELLENCE programme, we are pooling our digital core competencies as well as our new approaches, products and services for the benefit of our customers.
As has always been the case, NEXCELLENCE focuses in particular on one central question: how can we make our customers more successful in their work?
This is why we always think in terms of solutions that improve support, enhance comfort, increase efficiency and contribute to greater safety.
The connectivity of all our products is the key to success and essential for new, smart services.
Simplified controllers and enhanced field of vision will ensure greater comfort, while new assistance systems will improve human–machine interaction, protect the products against manipulation and make them easier to use.
SMART CONTROL and VIRTUAL DRIVE (prototypes) – simply NEXCELLENCE!
Smart Control
Thanks to Smart Control, the new boom tip controller, crane operation is easier, more intuitive and faster than ever.
Crane operators no longer have to control each cylinder individually because now, thanks to the electronic assistance system, the operator can concentrate exclusively on the boom tip.
Smart Control also allows the crane’s physical capability to be utilised to the full in every situation by ensuring that the most important movement parameters are perfectly optimised with each other in every position.
This helps to enhance the efficiency of work performed using the crane and ensures that crane operators are not quite as exhausted as they used to be at the end of the day. This places less of a physical load overall on operators, which, in turn, helps to prevent accidents and significantly reduce crane training times.
Smart Control is also the only system on the market to feature an adaptive gripper tip controller. This means that when objects are lifted from the ground, the gripper is also raised automatically so that it does not come into contact with the ground when it closes. This reduces not only ground disturbance but also damage to the truck loading surface.
In addition, the integrated electronic limit position damper helps to significantly reduce wear on the main components.
With this latest product, too, PALFINGER EPSILON has once again given a lot of attention to service-friendliness. The sensors, for example, can be maintained and replaced without the hydraulic cylinders also having to be removed.
Virtual Drive
The new Virtual Drive – as a concept study, the virtual-reality (VR) control system developed by PALFINGER EPSILON offers some early insight into the control technology of tomorrow.
A perfectly designed VR control system offers not only enhanced driver comfort and safety but also a range of additional benefits such as a better overview of the situation, additional loads and reduced fuel consumption.
With the Interforst concept prototypes, EPSILON is showcasing a fully functional, state-of-the-art system that offers a range of new features not available with current systems.
You'll be amazed at what's possible with the technology that's already available, albeit with one slight caveat. Technological progress – especially in the field of VR glasses – is currently not quite as advanced as EPSILON would like.
For example, the resolution and field of vision of the VR glasses that are currently available are still limited compared with crane operation without VR assistance.
Despite our global quest for the very best VR technology and the fact that we are using the most state-of-the-art VR glasses currently available on the market (and that represent a tangible improvement on older systems), the technological progress being made in this field still does not meet the typically high standards expected by PALFINGER EPISLON.
But EPSILON is well equipped for the future! As soon as VR glasses offer the kind of resolution we expect, there'll be no stopping us. We are continuing to monitor developments in this field together with our international team and will keep our customers up to date on progress in the future.
In the meantime, experience what VR technology can already offer and how easy and intuitive it is to use this crane controller – especially in combination with electronic assistance from Smart Control.
