Volvo CE's EC500 excavator is a new 50-ton crawler excavator for tough applications, from building and construction, road construction, utilities, quarrying and aggregates to agriculture and landscaping and is a partner for the Volvo A25G to A35G hauler. A successor to the Volvo EC480E, the machine was unveiled at CONEXPO in Las Vegas, Nevada earlier this year.
“We’re excited to share the first look at our next generation excavator. A pre-production model, there will be some differences to the appearance of the EC500 that will be available to our customers, but it gives an insight into the future, with enhanced safety, operability and productivity. At Volvo CE we continue to proactively develop intelligent solutions to improve safety and avoid accidents on the jobsite, so the addition of Volvo Smart View with Obstacle Detection is another important step towards our vision for zero accidents," said Stephen Roy, president of Volvo CE North America.
Operation
A notable change can be seen in the cabin design and styling, with new layout and features including high-definition co-pilot screen, keyless engine start, wired and wireless smart phone charging and new work mode switch.
Volvo Smart View with Obstacle Detection helps deliver safety on jobsites. Operators are provided a 360° view thanks to a camera system and new radar detection system which provides automatic alerts when the excavator approaches any obstacle, identifying and classifying them as an object or human and allowing the operator to take remedial action. Three-point access guard rails and a foldable top handrail for transportation are also available as safety features.
This next generation excavator is set up to access a range of machine options to help operators complete their tasks. These include the operator coaching app, Volvo Dig Assist - a suite of tools designed to help deliver excavator performance by eliminating the need to manually mark out a site and check depths and grades - and Volvo Lift Assist, all accessed via the Co-Pilot screen in the cab. Volvo Active Control, an automated grading system and part of the Dig Assist suite of tools, will also be available.
“With the EC500 and our next generation of excavators, we are utilizing new technologies to help operators work more productively and with more speed, precision and consistency, to help them get the job done every time," said Sejong Ko, product manager excavators at Volvo CE North America.
Control
New electric joysticks give the operator control over the hydraulic system. The hydraulic pumps can be operated together as well as virtually disconnected, allowing the operator to control the boom without affecting track speed.
Comfort Driver Control allows the operator to move forward, backward and steer with the joysticks. What’s more, each operator can set up their own hydraulic settings based upon their preferences and the application they are working on and save them in Co-Pilot so they can be accessed for future sessions.
Maintenance
Increased cooling capacity means the EC500 can handle extreme weather conditions and support long service intervals – from 2,000 to 3,000 hours - for the hydraulic oil and filter.
