From the Editor
Scholarship Winner!
Each year Simformotion™ LLC offers a $2,000 scholarship to a person enrolled in a heavy-equipment related program at an accredited college, university, vocational school, or training institute anywhere in the world. The program must include Cat® Simulators as part of the training. This year the scholarship was awarded to Jordan W. Ellis, who is enrolled in the Heavy Equipment Operations program at Alfred State College, in Alfred, N.Y.
Jordan has a job operating heavy equipment during college breaks. He is also active in the school’s disaster relief team and is attending firefighter training classes this summer to achieve his firefighter certifications. Join us in wishing Jordan good luck in his college career and beyond. Note: Download the 2015-2016 Simformotion Scholarship application today.
Customer Viewpoint
This month I had the opportunity to visit Luminant Mining Company, in eastern Texas. With one possible exception, this trip to Texas stands as one of my favorite, most informative and successful business trips ever. Why was it successful? Because it epitomized the dream of what heavy equipment simulator training could embody as we encountered some of the most passionate mining equipment trainers I’ve ever met.
This was a group of trainers who understand that simulator training is only a piece of what it takes to train inexperienced and experienced operators safely and efficiently, while keeping maintenance costs to a minimum. Their “Blended Training Methodology” includes a mix of audio, visual and kinesthetic training in a well organized and ever-evolving training curriculum. This form of training will eventually replace the “old school” training method of placing a new operator on a machine and letting him/her swim or sink, with very little instruction.
What one must realize is that the “old school” mentality is very hard to fight because it’s the “way we’ve always done it.” So the transition to “Blended Training” is slow and requires trust building of principles, mine supervisors and the operators themselves. At Luminant trust is being built one person at a time. A seasoned operator may be taken kicking and screaming into the training trailer, exclaiming “I don’t need training!” However, by the end of a day the same operator ends up begging to come back for more simulator time because “I never knew that button did that!” And, days later his supervisor arrives at the training trailer to ask what the trainers did because such-and-such operator is moving three times more material.
What made this trip exciting and successful is that I was able to see all of this in action, receive useful feedback, and leave confident that what we are developing in the world of simulation training is definitely the wave of the near future.
Certified Demo Units Available for Immediate Delivery!
Cat Simulators has a limited number of certified demo units for sale and immediately available for delivery. These simulators are in excellent condition and were used for a limited number of hours. For example, a Large Wheel Loader and M-Series Motor Grader demoed at a dealer event. To find out which simulator models are available, please call your Account Manager at 1.309.266.2640.
Free Infographic
Increase Mining & Quarry Production
Heavy equipment operators can affect a mine or quarry’s bottom line depending on how efficient or inefficient they complete a load, haul and dump cycle. Traditionally, training heavy equipment operators meant using actual machines and letting them learn with the trial-and-error method. Now operators can learn the correct techniques and procedures using simulator training. Even a seasoned operator can use the simulators to break bad habits and refine the skills needed to boost production.
Cat Simulators models include both a Large Wheel Loader and Off-Highway Truck. The machines are used in many mining and quarry operations throughout the world. Operators can learn driving, maneuvering, stockpiling, loading and unloading techniques, along with other applications found on real-world jobsites in the safety of a virtual environment. The simulators can be used to screen new operator hires as well. With simulator training, companies can reduce fuel costs; keep machines in production; and increase tons moved, which all add up to bigger profits.
Take a look at the infographic to find out how operators can affect production if they are not working at 100% efficiency. Imagine how multiple operators are affecting your organization’s bottom line? Get a copy of this training graphic for free. Contact a Cat Simulators Account Manager today at 1.309.266.2640 and find out how to integrate simulator training into your mining or quarry operation to increase production.
Free Training Graphic! Articulated Truck Training Reduces Accidents
Heavy equipment operators can affect a mine or quarry’s bottom line depending on how efficient or inefficient they complete a load, haul and dump cycle. Traditionally, training heavy equipment operators meant using actual machines and letting them learn with the trial-and-error method. Now operators can learn the correct techniques and procedures using simulator training. Even a seasoned operator can use the simulators to break bad habits and refine the skills needed to boost production.
Cat Simulators models include both a Large Wheel Loader and Off-Highway Truck. The machines are used in many mining and quarry operations throughout the world. Operators can learn driving, maneuvering, stockpiling, loading and unloading techniques, along with other applications found on real-world jobsites in the safety of a virtual environment. The simulators can be used to screen new operator hires as well. With simulator training, companies can reduce fuel costs; keep machines in production; and increase tons moved, which all add up to bigger profits.
Take a look at the infographic to find out how operators can affect production if they are not working at 100% efficiency. Imagine how multiple operators are affecting your organization’s bottom line? Get a copy of this training graphic for free. Contact a Cat Simulators Account Manager today at 1.309.266.2640 and find out how to integrate simulator training into your mining or quarry operation to increase production.
Attention Cat Dozer Simulator Users: Take Our Survey!
Cat Simulators is conducting a short 5-minute survey to get feedback on users of the Track Type Tractor Simulator System. If you have used the Simulator or trained others using the system, please take a few minutes to fill out the survey. Your responses will remain confidential and will help us as we plan for future upgrades.
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Contact a Cat® Simulators
Account Manager
1.877.434.7467 (in US)
1.309.266.2640
www.catsimulators.com
