Simulators for construction machinery make training more practical

Anyone taking the controls of an excavator, wheel loader or dump truck for the first time bears immediate responsibility. Large machines move heavy loads, operate in complex environments and require precise procedures.

Mistakes can be costly or pose safety risks. At the same time, the demand for qualified machine operators is growing in many sectors. Training programmes therefore face the challenge of combining knowledge, practical experience and safety as efficiently as possible. At bauma, Tenstar demonstrated how digital simulations can support this task. The systems are visually reminiscent of modern computer games, but pursue a distinctly different objective. They are designed to gradually introduce prospective machine operators to real-world workflows, simulating situations that could only be practised in real-world scenarios with significant effort or increased risk.

Tenstar focuses on networked training for multiple machine operators

Particularly striking was a training environment in which several participants work simultaneously. Whilst one user operates an excavator, a second controls a tipper. Both are located within the same virtual construction site and must coordinate their work. As a result, the training goes beyond simply mastering a machine. Participants learn about processes that take place daily on real construction sites. Loading procedures, routes, safety distances and communication between different machines form part of the training. According to Tenstar, the company is one of the first providers to implement such a multi-machine simulation in this form. The training programmes are continuously being expanded and supplemented with additional vehicle types.

From excavators to combine harvesters in a shared environment

The platform is not limited to traditional construction machinery. In addition to excavators and tippers, agricultural machinery can also be integrated into shared scenarios. One example is the interaction between a combine harvester and a tractor during the harvest. Here too, several operators must coordinate their workflows. The virtual environment allows such situations to be trained in a realistic manner without having to deploy machinery, fuel or personnel on a training ground.

Possible areas of application include, amongst others:

• Excavators and tippers on construction sites
• Wheel loaders and transport vehicles
• Combine harvesters and tractors in agriculture
• Safety and hazardous situations
• Coordination of multiple machine operators
• Practising standardised work procedures

Safety rules and maintenance as part of the training programme

The actual driving operation is only one component of the training. The training programmes begin much earlier. Participants first receive basic information about the respective machine, its structure and technical characteristics. This is followed by a focus on safety rules. These include hazard zones, behaviour in the working environment and typical risks in daily operation. Only then does the practical training begin. This is supplemented by content on maintenance. The daily inspection of machinery is considered a key component of cost-effective operation and helps to reduce downtime and repair costs. The simulators therefore teach not only driving skills but also organisational and technical fundamentals.

Virtual errors create real-world learning experiences

Digitalisation is also becoming increasingly prevalent in the industry. One advantage of digital simulations is that errors have no material consequences. Participants can experience situations that would cause considerable damage on a real construction site. During the demonstration, it became clear how a tipper truck reached its stability limits on uneven terrain. The simulation displayed the vehicle’s position and highlighted how quickly critical situations can arise. Such experiences can be safely repeated and analysed in the simulator. This opens up additional opportunities for instructors. Errors can be deliberately induced, evaluated and subsequently corrected. This creates a learning process that, in many cases, is more efficient than practical exercises using real machines alone.

Virtual reality is set to be the next stage of development

The systems already operate with multiple screens and a high degree of visual detail. The display gives the impression of a real machine cab and facilitates orientation within the virtual environment. According to Tenstar, the next stage of development will increasingly rely on virtual reality technologies. The first applications using VR headsets are already in development. In the long term, this could result in even more immersive training environments in which users perceive their surroundings almost entirely digitally.

The systems presented at bauma demonstrate just how much machine operator training is changing. Digital simulators do not replace practical experience, but they do create an additional training space between theory and real-world operation. There, procedures, safety rules and complex teamwork can be learnt under controlled conditions – an approach that is becoming increasingly important in view of the rising demands placed on operators and machinery.