The combination of technologies can increase jobsite safety for excavator duties.
The Leica iCON PA80 safety awareness system is integrated with XWatch XW 4 & 5 series safety systems to deliver an improved solution for users. This combined package is said to offer a significant boost for jobsite safety by interconnecting excavator height control and slew control with Leica Geosystems 2D and 3D machine control and safety awareness systems.
Addressing the risks arising from personnel working in close proximity to heavy equipment and helping to prevent incidents on construction sites, constituted the primary motivation behind the integration of the Leica iCON safety awareness technology portfolio with the Xwatch XW safety systems.
With its XW series, Xwatch claims it has revolutionised the safety market, with height control, slew control and rated capacity indication (RCI). The Xwatch safety systems monitor machine height and slew movement and are designed to accurately restrict movement using proportional hydraulic controls. An operator can limit excavator working height and side boundaries, defining a working zone to increase safety around the machine. The Xwatch product range is said to offer a cost-effective solution with products based on the latest hardware technology within the automation sector.
Users of the popular Leica MC1 machine control platform can already leverage their investments by running the new safety awareness solution, the Leica iCON PA80, directly on their existing machine control system. The technology integrates safety awareness into the machine control platform and automatically alerts operators on the screen of the same device they use for ongoing machine operations. The safety awareness package can be used for dozers, excavators or any other heavy equipment using the Leica MC1 machine control system.
“With the integration of Xwatch into Leica MC1, we are now not only able to alert the operator but are able to proportionally slow down and stop a machine when a wearable device is detected in a configurable zone,” explained Brad Mullis, product manager for Safety Awareness Solutions at Leica Geosystems. “In addition, by leveraging Leica ConX cloud solution, comprehensive logs can be downloaded and distributed for analytics within contractors’ existing management processes.”
“The Leica PA80 personal alert solution has been integrated into the Xwatch controller. This takes safety to a whole new level. The wearable device worn by the field personnel can link with all machines onsite creating greater awareness and a much safer working environment. Our aim at Xwatch is to evolve safety solutions for the heavy construction industry,” said Dan Leaney, director of Sales and Operation for Xwatch Safety Solutions.
Contractors already use both technologies, for which the partnership will provide additional synergies. “We are particularly proud that we were the first plant hire company in the UK to use the Leica Geosystem fitted semi-automatic excavator,” said Plantforce digital manager, Dale Hawkins. “At Plantforce we pride ourselves as being innovators in our field, providing the very latest machine technology to our customers, and Xwatch falls into this category. This combined safety solution with a reliable, easy-to-use system and an excellent aftersales service is why we have the confidence in Xwatch and Leica Geosystems products to enhance our commitment to safety.” He added.
