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Highlights of the Latest Version
This latest version of Earthmover completes a major
step in the program's development and brings us within several months of release shipment.
The following highlights the
program's new features:
Real Equipment Specifications
Comprehensive equipment
specifications are now available for rigid haulers, articulated haulers, and (within
several weeks) wheel loaders. There are over 24 specification categories including
engines, transmissions, torque converters, cabs, and tires. Specifications can be viewed
in abbreviated "Quick" format or in the comprehensive "Full" format.
All reports are customizable for content, font, and color.
Professional Reports
 All
Earthmover reports
are of professional print-shop quality format and layout. Reports include
a cover page with table of contents and an image, if one is available.
Comparison reports list the equipment or components being compared and
a tiled layout of their images. The table of contents is bottom justified
and includes only those categories you have selected in the customization
dialog. Reports can be generated for any machine or machine component.
Comparisons Any Way You Like
Earthmover allows you to compare machines and
components almost any way you would like. All reports can become multiple-column
comparison reports spanning across several pages width-wise in either portrait or
landscape mode. All report numeric line items can be compared in bar chart form. All
engine curves, rimpull curves, and any other curve can be overlaid on one chart for easy
comparisons. All graphical comparison charts can be printed full-size.
Powertrain Performance Curve
Calculations
Earthmover generates a series of performance
curves including rimpull, gradeability, and wheel power. All curves are built dynamically
from powertrain components, including engines, transmissions, and torque converters.
Unique to Earthmover is its integral engine-converter match module, similar in function to
the thirty-year old Allison Transmission SCAAN program, but with a graphical output. A
full accounting is given to accessory losses, including hydraulic pumps, air compressors,
and variable speed fans.
Powertrain Reverse
Engineering
Since we know how to compute machine
performance when given complete component specifications, we can reverse engineer those
component specs with reasonable accuracy from limited published information. When the
published data lacks the information we need, our engineering models will estimate
reasonable and typical values for the component. The bottom line is that all
machines and components in Earthmover have a full set of specifications for you to make
your evaluations and comparisons. In many cases, the values will be estimates but should
be of significant value to your studies.
Equipment Tire Loading
The complete machine specifications,
including axle loadings, combined with Earthmover's comprehensive tire models, allow the
program to compute suggested tire pressures and the resulting ground contact areas and
ground pressures. Since tire costs are one of the major contributors to total machine
operating costs, this information is extremely valuable.
Visual Project
Site Builder
You can get an advanced
lool at Earthmover's Visual Site Builder by clicking on the Toolbar's
Site icon, right-click on the sample site object, and select Site Plan.
All load,  dump,
maneuver, and segment change nodes are drag-and-drop from the Site Toolbar.
Road segments are dynamically computed as the nodes are linked together
into a road network. Drag-and-drop machines from the equipment trees
right onto the site drawing at either the load or dump points. Powerful
stuff, still in development, but we want you to see what is coming.
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