We recently spoke with Nick Wood, R&D Manager and Lead Engineer for Macquarrie Corporation, one of Enovation Controls’ distribution partners, about his work with Selita’s Tree Hedging on a legacy machine upgrade. Below is a recap of Nick’s view of the project, including what was improved and updated.
Selita’s Tree Hedging first reached out to Macquarrie 2.5 years ago (during Nick’s first week at Macquarrie) seeking to overhaul their 20-year-old, heavily-used machine. After sitting down with the owner and understanding their business and operations, Nick knew the solution needed to address the company’s biggest pain points:
- High maintenance costs due to aging hardware
- Frequent machine breakdowns interrupting workflow
- Lack of feedback when diagnosing hardware breakdowns
- Human error in calculating billable hours
- Time spent onboarding and training new machine operators
- Inaccurate precision measurements on auxiliary cutting functions, reducing operator accuracy
Macquarrie began by examining the existing system. The machine originally came with a John Deere 4045TF270 engine, Murphy analog gauges, and relays controlling the entire system. There was no operator feedback, and operators were using a stopwatch to calculate billable hours. After assessing both the existing hardware and the customer’s pain points, Macquarrie realized the solution needed to simplify the system’s complexity while giving more control and insight.
To address this, Macquarrie chose to use the Enovation Controls PowerView 700 and PDM IX3212, which gave the the backbone for a solution that was flexible and capable of expanding the system’s I/O as needed. The PV700 provided a platform to build a custom software package that synthesized machine data and presented it in a way that enhanced operation.
Through the PowerView 700 and PDM IX3212 modules, Macquarrie built a system that:
- Automates preventative maintenance reminders to minimize downtime
- Automates a counter for billable hours, reducing operator error and dependency
- Provides real-time feedback on machine status
- Enables customizable preventative shutdowns to prolong machine life
- Logs and provides historical fault data
- Replaces all analog gauges and physical relays
- Minimizes training requirements for operators
The supporting hardware for this system included:
- Axiomatic Triaxial Inclinometer
- Axiomatic Frequency to J1939 Converter
- 14 sensors
- John Deere engine harness
- Custom wiring looms for the entire machine
Following successful installation and commissioning, Selita’s Tree Hedging has seen significant benefits from the machine overhaul, including reduced maintenance costs and in-depth diagnostic feedback. They are already planning to upgrade the rest of their fleet, and Macquarrie is currently working on the next machine upgrade. In the customer’s words: “We now have a machine that is better than any other in our industry. Macquarrie’s solution is truly best-in-class and has made us more efficient. Macquarrie took all the pain out of upgrading our machine, and we can’t wait to upgrade the rest of our fleet with the same controller technology.”
This project has been one of Nick’s highlights over his 2.5 years at Macquarrie. It is incredibly rewarding to deliver a high-tech, best-in-class solution that exceeds customer expectations and transforms their machine and business. Hearing their positive feedback has been amazing, and we are all genuinely proud of the outcome. Projects like this are exactly why Nick loves his job at Macquarrie and being an engineer.
