Hitachi Construction & Mining Division, an operating division of John Deere Construction & Forestry Company, rolled out options for its grade control technology on select excavators, including 2D Grade Control and Solution Linkage 3D Grade Control. These allow an operator to set a grade and hold it. The factory-integrated technology increases efficiency while also lowering daily operating costs by enabling operators to spend less time getting the grade right the first time, according to the company.

With Hitachi’s grade control technology, the machine controls the boom and bucket as the operator handles the arm. This is especially useful as it reduces the need for multiple passes to achieve the correct grade. Likewise, less experienced operators can achieve the correct grade more efficiently while a crew member who previously had to check for the grade can now be assigned elsewhere on the worksite.

Solution Linkage 3D Grade Control with Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) controls position and elevation with respect to a global reference, while the 2D Grade Control manages the elevation of the cutting edge in relation to a benchmark. The 2D Grade Control technology can also be upgraded to 3D Grade Control through Hitachi excavator dealers.

Hitachi grade management technology is available on the ZX210-6, ZX210LC-6, and ZX350LC-6 in the United States and Canada.