Wheel Loader Software Description

The simulation software puts you at the controls of a modern wheel loader at work in a typical construction site with a bucket and forks, in interaction with a dump truck to learn to “spot”.  There is also a flatbed truck for work with the forks and palletized loads.

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Special visual cues in different colours help improve depth perception, to better see the position and orientation of the attachment. There’s also an optional “tilt indicator” to help you learn to level the “floor” of the bucket when loading, and to level the forks when picking up and placing loads.

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Version 2 also features the same cabin “semi-transparency” already part of many other Personal Simulators, to make it easier to see the lift arms, attachment, and obstacles, in order to make the simulated work easier to do, especially at the start. (Later, to get ready to “graduate” to a real wheel loader, you’ll instead make the cabin “opaque”.)

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Configuration Parameters for Machine Characteristics

There are three configuration parameters for machine characteristics, as follows:

• choose one of three colour combinations

• choose either the “general purpose” bucket without teeth, or the “rock” bucket with teeth

• choose either “Steering Wheel Steering” or “Stick Steering”, to “match” the operator controls in the cabin of your (real) wheel loader

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Rear Camera System

To improve safety, (real) wheel loaders are increasingly equipped with a rear camera and for that reason, Simlog’s Wheel Loader simulation software features a simulated Rear Camera System (that can be disabled) superimposed on the simulation graphics.

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Note that the Rear Camera System is especially important for setups without a rear display positioned behind the simulator controls.

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Simulation Modules

A total of ten Simulation Modules present training scenarios typical of (real) wheel loader work and for each one, key “Performance Indicators” measure how quickly and how carefully the simulated work is performed, as well as tracking events related to safety and operating procedures, as follows:

• Controls Familiarization

• Positioning

• Stockpiling 1 –  Level ground

• Stockpiling 2 – Slope driving

• Truck Loading 1 – Standard Dump Truck

• Truck Loading 2 – Articulated Dump Truck

• Truck Spotting 1 – Standard Dump Truck

• Load Handling 1 – Level ground

• Load Handling 2 – Slope driving

• Load Handling 3 – Flatbed Truck

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In addition, there are “Demo’s” for “freestyle” simulated work with the bucket and the forks, to “demonstrate” the simulation graphics and physics.

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Key Features

• Highly realistic simulation graphics and physics

• 10 Simulation Modules of increasing difficulty

• 67 unique Performance Indicators to comprehensively evaluate the simulated work

• 7 Procedure and Fatal errors to detect incorrect and unsafe operator actions

• Many kinds of USB-ready simulator controls and mounting options

• Support for up to four displays (three in front, one in back)

• Rear Camera System

• Configuration parameters for both "Steering Wheel Steering" and "Stick Steering"

• Viewpoints from inside and outside the cabin that can be changed during simulation

• HD Instructional Video for each Simulation Module

• e-book Instructional Companion

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Viewpoints From Inside & Outside the Cabin

You can change the point of view during the simulation using buttons on the simulator controls.

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You can also use the keyboard function keys to present pre-defined views from outside the cabin e.g. to the left and right sides or right, or use the computer’s mouse to “fly” around and create an arbitrary point of view.

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Tracking Results

Key “Performance Indicators” measure how quickly and how carefully the simulated work is performed.

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With 67 unique Performance Indicators, feedback is diagnostic instead of just a consolidated pass/fail score. They include execution time, driving speeds (forwards and backwards), lift arm and attachment “slams”, measurements about how precisely palletized loads are picked up and placed, and counting many kinds of collisions (bucket, forks, loads, lift arms, obstacles, etc.).

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New to Version 2 is the Performance Indicator associated with “High Speed Shifting”, i.e. not coming to a complete stop before changing the direction of motion, so going forwards and shifting into reverse gear before stopping, or going backwards and shifting into forward gear before stopping. In this way, trainees learn to avoid operating techniques that lead to substantial wear-and-tear.

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Finally, conditions related to safety will trigger a “Fatal Error” that immediately stops the simulation related to rollover, to detect an imminent overturn condition. A variety of incorrect operating conditions will trigger “Procedure Errors” such as driving “out of bounds”.

 

Software Pricing

Please contact us for pricing of a commercial software license for the wheel loader simulator. Even small accidents due to inexperience can cost thousands of dollars in replacement parts and downtime, far in excess of your investment in this training tool. This represents an excellent training value and improves operator safety - a priceless investment in the health and wellness of your workers.