Connectivity is key

BOBCAT HAS recently added Doosan forklifts to its compact machine portfolio, rebranding the trucks in the process. The company will now roll out the compact machine innovations Bobcat has developed in recent years for its forklift line. The focus of its R&D approach in this area will be in improving connectivity, performance, sustainability and safety. 

In addition, thanks to the deal Bobcat can now offer its customers a more complete package of material handling solutions. The forklift range alone consists of dozens of models, including diesel forklifts with a lifting capacity of 2 to 16 tonne; LPG forklift trucks with a lifting capacity of 1.5 to 7 tonne and electric forklift trucks with a lifting capacity of 1.5 to 10 tonne.

Bobcat recently showcased innovations for logistics and material handling. These include prototypes of the B18NT electric forklift truck with 3 wheels and a lithium battery and the B30X-7 Plus hydrogen forklift truck. An important expansion now on the market is the new NXE series of electric forklift trucks with 4-wheel drive. The series consists of forklift trucks with a capacity of 6 to 10 tonne, which are suitable for heavy applications in container transport, machine construction and industry. These zero-emission machines can work an entire day on a battery charge and are of course very suitable for work in factories and warehouses. The machines offer excellent visibility and (in Bobcat style) a lot of comfort and features as standard that make operation easier.

R&D effort

Optimal comfort, ease of operation and safety for the driver are important principles for R&D, says Vijayshekhar Nerva, responsible for innovation at Bobcat EMEA. Connectivity is important in achieving these goals. Companies have access to enormous amounts of data that are important for their activities and that data must be available in real time and in the machines as well. It also concerns the performance and productivity of machines. They must function optimally when carrying out work. Sustainability is also important. This not only concerns emissions, but also the use of sustainable, robust materials in the production of machines and ease of maintenance, so that machines last longer.

At Bobcat’s recent Demo Days event for the EMEA region, visitors were able to see the very latest developments in safety and efficiency. They included new Operator Presence technology that leverages a 3D time-of-flight (ToF) camera to monitor users' movements and the cab environment, enhancing safety by preventing unintended machine actions. The Pedestrian Detection Camera uses AI-enabled processing capabilities to differentiate between humans and surroundings, reducing unnecessary operator alerts.

Bobcat’s transparent OLED (T-OLED) screen technology, developed with LG and BSI Research, enables operators to access various functionalities without taking their eyes off the worksite. This technology facilitates advanced applications like real-time virtual reality (VR) simulations for utility line mapping.

For more information, visit www.bobcat.com