Simlog’s Wheel Loader Personal Simulator puts you at the controls of a modern wheel loader equipped with either a bucket or forks, at work in a typical construction site with a dump truck or flatbed truck.
Configuration options are offered for both “Steering Wheel Steering” and “Stick Steering”, to reproduce the operator controls of (real) small, medium, and large-size wheel loaders.
Developed in collaboration with key operator training professionals, Version 2 features new 3D modeling of a medium-size wheel loader in a typical construction jobsite, but the simulation environment also includes a new “commercial site” that resembles a typical loading/unloading yard at a factory or warehouse.
And because rear cameras are increasingly present in the cabin of real wheel loaders to promote safer operations, the simulation software also features an optional Rear Camera System.
Other configuration parameters let you modify the 3D modeling to choose one of three possible color combinations, to make the simulated wheel loader look more like your real wheel loader.
Version 2 also features the same multi-display functionality already a part of many other Personal Simulators, to let you set up three displays in front to create a 180 degree “panoramic” view, along with a fourth display in back to teach people to turn their heads when backing up.
And all you need is one off-the-shelf computer. Either purchase your own off-the-shelf PC or choose the convenience of our PC bundle with the Simlog software already installed, licensed, and ready to go.
Replica ControlsOperator ChairSoftware DescriptionMulti-Purpose SetupKey FeaturesThe simulation software puts you at the controls of a modern wheel loader at work in a typical construction site with a bucket and forks, in interaction with a dump truck to learn to “spot”. There is also a flatbed truck for work with the forks and palletized loads.
Special visual cues in different colours help improve depth perception, to better see the position and orientation of the attachment. There’s also an optional “tilt indicator” to help you learn to level the “floor” of the bucket when loading, and to level the forks when picking up and placing loads.
Version 2 also features the same cabin “semi-transparency” already part of many other Personal Simulators, to make it easier to see the lift arms, attachment, and obstacles, in order to make the simulated work easier to do, especially at the start. (Later, to get ready to “graduate” to a real wheel loader, you’ll instead make the cabin “opaque”.)
There are three configuration parameters for machine characteristics, as follows:
To improve safety, (real) wheel loaders are increasingly equipped with a rear camera and for that reason, Simlog’s Wheel Loader simulation software features a simulated Rear Camera System (that can be disabled) superimposed on the simulation graphics.
Note that the Rear Camera System is especially important for setups without a rear display positioned behind the simulator controls.
A total of ten Simulation Modules present training scenarios typical of (real) wheel loader work and for each one, key “Performance Indicators” measure how quickly and how carefully the simulated work is performed, as well as tracking events related to safety and operating procedures, as follows:
In addition, there are “Demo’s” for “freestyle” simulated work with the bucket and the forks, to “demonstrate” the simulation graphics and physics.
You can change the point of view during the simulation using buttons on the simulator controls.
You can also use the keyboard function keys to present pre-defined views from outside the cabin e.g. to the left and right sides or right, or use the computer’s mouse to “fly” around and create an arbitrary point of view.
Key “Performance Indicators” measure how quickly and how carefully the simulated work is performed.
With 67 unique Performance Indicators, feedback is diagnostic instead of just a consolidated pass/fail score. They include execution time, driving speeds (forwards and backward), lift arm and attachment “slams”, measurements about how precisely palletized loads are picked up and placed, and counting many kinds of collisions (bucket, forks, loads, lift arms, obstacles, etc.).
New to Version 2 is the Performance Indicator associated with “ High-Speed Shifting”, i.e. not coming to a complete stop before changing the direction of motion, so going forwards and shifting into reverse gear before stopping, or going backward and shifting into forward gear before stopping. In this way, trainees learn to avoid operating techniques that lead to substantial wear and tear.
Finally, conditions related to safety will trigger a “Fatal Error” that immediately stops the simulation related to rollover, to detect an imminent overturn condition. A variety of incorrect operating conditions will trigger “Procedure Errors” such as driving “out of bounds”.
Simlog’s Operator Chair with industrial controls is a cost-effective way to train operators with the same Wheel Loader simulation software, but in a more realistic way. It also offers a superior simulation experience, thanks to an authentic operator seat with consoles for the left and right hands and an adjustable steering column mounted on an industrial platform with casters, for easy portability.
The steering wheel column telescopes and easily pivots to numerous angles, and there are three industrial (toe-down) pedals.
For Steering Wheel Steering, the right console is equipped with one Multi-Purpose Replica Control joystick for controller functions such as lift arm and bucket control, along with horn, and three kinds of kick-out programming (Upper Lift, Lower Lift, Auto-Level). There is also a 3-position F/N/R Transmission Lever mounted on the steering column, just like in the cabin of (real) wheel loaders, to reproduce an authentic operating experience.
For Stick Steering, there are instead two Multi-Purpose Replica Control joysticks for the operator control functions and steering control for the central articulation, the horn, and three kinds of kick-out programming (Upper Lift, Lower Lift, Auto-Level), along with Simlog’s Replica Controls 2-Pedal Unit.
If you already have a Simlog Operator Chair for some other Personal Simulator, then you may be able to “re-use” that for Wheel Loader, perhaps by purchasing additional elements.
There are four possible arrangements, one with a single display in front, another with one front display and one rear display, one with three displays in front arranged side-by-side, and one with three displays in front and a fourth display in back to teach people to turn their heads to look behind when backing up.
Vibration increases the realism of our Personal Simulators by adding physical (tactile) feedback to the audio and visual feedback, making the experience more “immersive” at little additional cost, especially when compared to a motion platform.
The vibration that you feel is generated from the simulation software’s sounds as things happen. In this way, engine idling, collisions with obstacles, etc. can be seen, heard and experienced! Adding vibration improves the realism of the simulation and makes the simulator-based training more “engaging”, encouraging trainees to be more serious and thereby learn more carefully.
For our Operator Chairs, Simlog offers a vibration system that includes the “ButtKicker Simulation Kit” plus special mounting for the operator seat. The “ButtKicker” is a low-frequency sound transducer equipped with its own amplifier and “volume” controller to change the “force” of the vibration created by the simulation software sounds.
Simlog’s Replica Controls for the Wheel Loader Simulator feature industrial strength USB-ready components suitable for both Tabletop Mounting with our Custom Travel Case, and our Operator Chair.
Replica Controls begin with an industrial USB joystick with 8 push-buttons for the lift arm and bucket control, along with horn, and three kinds of kick-out programming (Upper Lift, Lower Lift, Auto-Level). Simlog also offers a tabletop mounting bracket to bring the joystick down from tabletop height to the sides of an ordinary chair, to better mimic the positioning of real controls in the cabin of real wheel loaders.
For Steering Wheel Steering, add the Logitech “G920 Driving Force Racing Wheel” steering wheel and a three-pedal unit, along with Simlog’s Transmission Control Lever suitable for many other Personal Simulators. (The Logitech “Driving Force Shifter” can also be used.)
For Stick Steering, add a second replica joystick for the steering control of the wheel loader articulation, along with pedals.
Many kinds of USB-ready simulator controls, and mounting configurations, are available:
For all setups, Simlog’s Custom Travel Case makes transportation easy.
Typical programs for “Heavy Equipment Operations” provide training on many types of heavy equipment such as (in alphabetical order) Backhoe Loader, Bulldozer, Hydraulic Excavator, Backhoe Loader, and Wheel Loader.
To support such programs, Simlog customers create multi-purpose simulation stations that combine multiple Personal Simulators by using the same computer, the same displays, the same speakers, and especially the same simulator controls.
In this way, Simlog offers unique cost-efficiency and the lowest cost-per-station on the market.
