(Photo courtesy of Volvo Construction Equipment)
Built with operator comfort and safety front of mind, Volvo CE’s new EC500 crawler excavator features a new and improved operator interface and cabin design. A successor to the Volvo EC480E, the EC500 is a 50-ton crawler excavator engineered for the toughest applications, from building and construction, road construction, utilities, quarrying and aggregates to agriculture and landscaping. The company says it is an ideal partner for the Volvo A25G to A35G hauler.
The manufacturer says the biggest change can be seen in the cabin design and styling, with new layout and features including high-definition co-pilot screen, keyless engine start, wired and wireless smart phone charging and new work mode switch.
Volvo Smart View with Obstacle Detection delivers significant safety benefits. Operators enjoy a 360° view thanks to an improved camera system and new radar detection system which provides automatic alerts when the excavator approaches any obstacle, identifying and classifying them as an object or human, and allowing the operator to take remedial action. Three-point access guard rails and a foldable top handrail for transportation are important new safety features.
This next generation of excavator is also set up to access a range of machine options to help operators complete their tasks faster, more easily and more safely, as well as boost their performance and productivity. These include the operator coaching app, Volvo Dig Assist, a suite of tools designed to help deliver excavator accuracy by eliminating the need to manually mark out a site and check depths and grades, and Volvo Lift Assist, all accessed via the Co-Pilot screen in the cab. Volvo Active Control, an automated grading system and part of the Dig Assist suite of tools, will also be available for the first time on an excavator of this size.
New electric joysticks give the operator even more control over the hydraulic system. The hydraulic pumps can be operated together as well as virtually disconnected, allowing the operator to control the boom without affecting track speed, delivering safety benefits and a smoother ride for the operator. This also increases controllability, shortens cycle times and improves fuel efficiency – delivering higher productivity and performance.
Comfort Driver Control allows the operator to move forwards, backwards and steer with the joysticks. What’s more, each operator can set up their own hydraulic settings based upon their preferences and the application they are working on and save them in Co-Pilot so they can be quickly and easily accessed for future sessions.
Increased cooling capacity means the EC500 can handle the most extreme weather conditions and the excavator also benefits from longer service intervals – from 2,000 to 3,000 hours – for the hydraulic oil and filter, bringing both cost savings from reduced maintenance requirements and increased uptime.
