Ease-of-use is the key issue in machine control systems
January 21, 2019
A black-and-yellow EC290 Volvo excavator sporting yellow bars can be seen on a hilltop in the centre of Karjaa in Finland. Viewed from the foot of the slope, the machine looks like the King of the Hill, causing heads to turn among by-passers. The machine belongs to Mr. Hannu Saukko, CEO of SSV Maarakennus Oy, an earthworks company. Hannu Saukko has come from Merijärvi, a northern municipality, to work at a VR Track site.
SSV Maarakennus Oy is an earthworks company established by Hannu and his brother Raimo Saukko, which principally operates at track repair sites in Finland. Hannu Saukko has been operating excavators since 1998, but was first introduced to machine control in 2008, when his then-employer acquired a machine control system. When the Saukko brothers founded their company, SSV in 2014, they decided to commit 100 percent to machine control as they knew that this was the future and would be required at larger work sites.
Why choose Xsite?
The key issue is ease-of-use. “For a guy who has always been into heavy-duty machines but never technology, Xsite® PRO was the easiest choice,”
With twenty years’ experience and hundreds of construction sites under his belt, Hannu offered his view on why Xsite systems, in particular, works so well. The key issue is ease-of-use. “For a guy who has always been into heavy-duty machines but never technology, Xsite PRO was the easiest choice,” Hannu says. Everything you need in your work is easy to find, and selecting and viewing different surfaces is simple.” The third important issue for operators of heavy equipment is Novatron’s customer-oriented approach: “When we suggest product development ideas, you never just brush us off; you take our ideas seriously,” Hannu comments. As a final point, he mentions the latest software update, which enables the integration of machine control with the equipment’s control lever. “Integration improves occupational safety, as there is no need to move your hand when taking precise measurements, which are needed at 20-metre intervals during levelling in particular.”
Hannu has a tip for people introducing machine control for the first time: ”If you have a question, don’t hesitate to contact the Xsite technical support; they can even provide remote assistance, if necessary.”