Bobcat has produced an electrically powered tracked construction vehicle with no hydraulic systems
The latest model from the American construction equipment manufacturer is the Bobcat T7X, which does not use hydraulic parts or oil. The zero-emission and all-electric T7X is said to have the power and performance of a diesel hydraulic machine but without the noise, emissions and hydraulic leaks.
All the hydraulics normally associated with diggers have been replaced by a framework designed by Moog, the “intelligent machine electrification system”, which consists of an integrated software framework, an electric machine controller, lift and tilt electric cylinders, electric traction motors and power electronics.
Bringing the T7X to reality came from a combination of Bobcat’s vision to electrify construction equipment and Moog’s history of building electric actuators for other industries and for simulation systems.
Moog applied the engineering principles of heavy duty electric actuators to the T7X to control the motion of the tracks, as well as lift and tilt functions to enable a powerful zero-emission machine with significantly increased run time and reduced maintenance costs.
According to Moog, the “intelligent machine electrification system” provided not only the
brains that controls the motion, but also the nervous system helping to intelligently coordinate actions, and the muscles, which are the all-electric actuators and motors.
The company is also optimistic about further electrification projects in the construction industry on the back of this project. It will do this under a new venture, Moog Construction, to bring the intelligent machine electrification system to market for customers looking to create zero-emission, connected and more automated construction machines.
By integrating multiple subsystems including power management, motion control, connectivity, and automation, users are able to develop their own differentiated offerings based on the centralised system for electrification.
The intelligent machine electrification system has the sensing and control capabilities needed for automation while the integrated software framework comes with built-in tools to coordinate multiple axes of motion and precisely control torque, velocity, position and force. This, paired with the system’s connectivity, enables Moog construction customers to develop and deploy valuable automation functions via software updates more easily and continuously.
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