Construction Tools & Equipment

Traditionally, learning to run a backhoe or drive a dump truck required getting behind the wheel and learning on-the-job. Today, with simulation training, damage to truck and student operator is "virtually" eliminated. Says one marketing director for a new line of construction equipment simulation software: "We teach people to work slowly and carefully first, with the emphasis on quality work…This is the opposite of the way people learn on real equipment, where there's a tendency for speed, because learning to do things carefully takes time..." Do you think simulation is a crucial element in operator training?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Construction Tools & Equipment, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Construction Tools & Equipment today.

Visit a commercial construction site in Europe and chances are you'll see a compact wheel loader or two in operation. But visit a similar job-site in North America and it's a good bet you won't see a compact wheel loader but instead a skid-steer.

How do we explain the popularity of one style of compact earth moving machine over the other? And what does geography have to do with it, if anything at all?

According to some experts, the popularity of the skid-steer began in Western Europe more than two decades ago due to its low fuel consumption, which became an attractive attribute there far earlier than it did in the U.S.

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Construction Tools & Equipment, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Construction Tools & Equipment today.

Tower cranes are as common a sight as the skyscrapers they help to construct. But recently one of the world's largest cranes was used to build something quite the opposite: a tunnel.

As a former contractor I'm the first to admit that necessity is the mother of invention, but this ingenious move is actually a no-brainer and a cost saver. Instead of using expensive crawler cranes to help complete the 3.15 mile, $1.8 billion, twin-bored, light-rail track tunnels connecting downtown Seattle with the University of Washington, the contractors are reaching 80% of the site with a single machine.

The next time I see a tower crane, I won't be thinking only about building towers. I'll be thinking about the endless building capabilities.

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Construction Tools & Equipment, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Construction Tools & Equipment today.

For the first time ever, new green and energy efficient gas standards introduced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency are to be instituted to both medium and heavy-duty construction and highway vehicles, reports Engineering News-Record. While the strict standards are projected to initially cost owners upwards of $8 billion in equipment retrogrades, it promises to save $50 billion in fuel three to seven years down the road. Do you view the new emission standards as a way to promote a cleaner environment without compromising on equipment efficiency?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Construction Tools & Equipment, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Construction Tools & Equipment today.

With the video game generation having matured and entered the workforce, video game-like simulators are the preferred trainer of choice. From "Guitar Hero" crane operating simulators to earth moving machines, today's video-game inspired simulators are resulting in tomorrow's operator certifications. Simulators not only take the "risk" out of high-risk equipment, they make learning fun for the new generation of young adults. What do you think about their inclusion in the training curriculum?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Construction Tools & Equipment, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Construction Tools & Equipment today.

Fatigue is a common cause of highway tractor trailer accidents. About one-quarter of commercial roadway accidents are due to drivers falling asleep at the wheel. That stark reality in mind, inventors in Denmark developed a dash-mounted alarm system that detects when a driver is about to fall asleep and issues a loud series of high-pitched warnings.

Or pull off the road for a quick, device-supervised nap. When the device offers up a green signal, it means you're good to go.

How effective is the anti-fatigue device?

With successful tests reported in several countries, it's possible overtired operators will become a danger of the past. And that means fewer tractor trailer accidents.

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Construction Tools & Equipment, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Construction Tools & Equipment today.