Intelligent Machine Control (iMC) technology from Komatsu provides significant benefits to earthmoving machines by integrating advanced automation and precision control directly into the equipment.
Imagine if the blades of your dozers and excavators could be automatically adjusted to utmost precision, without having to rely on manual surveying or cumbersome calculations in the cab.
The technology that enables this is already here. Komatsu’s iMC technology transforms traditional earthmoving operations by enabling fully automated blade control.
The system integrates 3D GPS technology with sensors and controllers, allowing the machine to perform tasks with unparalleled accuracy. For example, when grading a site, the iMC system automatically adjusts the blade position in real-time based on the preloaded design plans, ensuring the earth is moved exactly as needed without over-excavating or under-filling.
This level of precision significantly reduces the need for manual staking, streamlines operations, and minimises material waste. Operators, regardless of experience level, can achieve consistently high-quality results, leading to faster project completion times and reduced operational costs.
One company making the most of this leap in automotive innovation is dry hire company Mayday Rental, which is upgrading its fleet to complement its impressive new headquarters located in the bustling industrial precinct at Neerabup, north of Perth.
Freshly completed in 2023, the huge 7000m2 premises is designed for efficiency and safety, with the workshop including a nine-bay facility for servicing light and heavy vehicles, two gantries for supplying oils, coolants, water, and air, and a waste evacuation setup.
Earthmoving Equipment Magazine caught up with some of the company’s staff at the site recently, to discuss its operations and how the Komatsu initiative is helping improve machine productivity for its clients.
Director Bryce Abbott said the family-owned and operated business specialised in high- quality rental machinery. Previously known as Mayday Earthmoving, the company has supported local shires, civil and earthmoving companies for over three decades.
“My father Ken founded Mayday in 1992, and we’ve now been servicing the rental market for 32 years,” he said.
“Mayday Rental specialises in supplying premium heavy equipment across WA. We’ve supplied sites with machinery from Wyndham to Albany and everywhere in between.
“Focused on our customer’s success, our team strives to provide high-quality and reliable equipment to reduce downtime and promote efficiency.
“Combining industry experience with reliability and professionalism, our team consistently delivers fantastic customer service, follow-up support, and rapid response times.
“When we started up, we supplied everything from Bobcats to excavators to tippers. We have grown into a much larger fleet now of predominantly rental equipment, such as excavators, dozers, loaders, dump trucks and graders.
“Mayday Rental currently runs a fleet of over 100 Komatsus across the state.
“At the moment we have a team of about 12 dedicated field experts, and that means that everyone’s roles are dedicated to looking after that plant for our clients.”
Bryce said that since becoming the company’s sole director in 2020, it had been incredibly rewarding to see the company continue to grow, overcome challenges, and achieve some significant milestones.
“A highlight is coming to work each day and being surrounded by a team of like-minded people, working hard towards the same goal, and having a laugh at the same time,” he said.
But the journey hasn’t been without obstacles.
“Like most other companies, COVID presented some of our biggest times of uncertainty,” he said.
“The biggest challenge was building our new headquarters in Neerabup. Constructing a purpose-built industrial workshop and office of this calibre requires a lot of planning, collaboration, and patience.
“The build had to not only accommodate our current requirements but also grow with the company as it evolves.
“Building our new headquarters was a long and demanding process (made easier by the Armada Construction and the Mayday team), and our biggest challenge became our biggest accomplishment.”
Bryce said the leading criteria for equipment is reliability and innovation, features that the company’s client wanted and expected.
“We experience a high demand for all our Komatsu machinery, particularly our iMC dozers and excavators. Our clients prioritise the increased efficiency and accuracy offered by these machines,” he said.
Working in tandem with Bryce is Mayday Rental General Manager Kye Keenan, who oversees the general operations of the business.
“This means looking after sales support, backup for our customers and the maintenance of our fleet of predominantly Komatsu equipment,” he said.
“We choose the Komatsu line of products in our day-to-day operations for the fact that they’re local. We use their support network for maintenance and field service parts. Their customer support is second to none.
“In our opinion, the support that we need in running an operation this size, with this amount of equipment, has really led us down the path of aligning with one OEM. And Komatsu is our machine of choice.”
Kye said Mayday Rental started a journey three years ago to build a state-of-the-art purpose-built facility for machine maintenance and its service team.
“Our service team is now operating out of this facility with dedicated approved wash pads. The setup has been custom-designed and built for our operation, where our service crew run our maintenance vehicles and breakdown departments to the minute,” he said.
“We needed to set something up that basically streamlined our operation for maintenance and breakdowns in the metro and in regional areas.
“This new facility is equipped with everything: every oil, every coolant, everything that the boys need on a moment-to-moment basis, to service machines and our service trailers, including evacuation points and bits and pieces.”
Kye said the office space at the new location was a testament to Mayday Rental’s commitment to a healthy work-life balance, filled with natural light, greenery, and timber and marble-sequel finishes.
“The meeting rooms are equipped with modern amenities and luxuries, including a boardroom with an adjoining undercover alfresco area. Bryce is also in the process of building a gym and wellness space at the facility, further enhancing the team’s well- being and productivity,” he said.
Mayday Rental’s new workshop and office have been designed with an innovative layout and meticulous planning, highlighting the commitment to safety and efficiency, and providing a secure and comfortable workplace.
The expansion followed the 2021 acquisition of an in-house transportation fleet to meet the growing demand for equipment transport options.
“Our trucks comprise of triaxle drop decks and quad/dolly combinations to move a selection of client-owned equipment in addition to our rental machinery state-wide,” Kye said.
“From the Kimberley to the Great Southern, our experienced truck drivers quickly and safely deliver your rental machinery to site, meeting pickup and delivery times.”
Supporting the Mayday Rental team on the Komatsu front have been the manufacturer’s Construction Sales Business Development Manager Lindsay Nelligan, and WA/NT Sales Manager Chris Hovelle.
Both were quick to point out the benefits of the groundbreaking iMC application.
“One of the strategic advantages Mayday Rental utilised with the commercial equipment is our iMC product, which serves not only as a point of difference to their customer base, but also provides an efficiency gain that they can offer to their customers over and above any other brand,” Chris said.
The iMC advantage
In short, with iMC, equipment operators — even those with less experience — can work with utmost efficiency, guided by sophisticated automation.
According to Mayday Rental Operations Manager Lucas Sartori, the 3D design data basically gets put directly into the machines and from there, through using the sensors, the GNSS antennas and the automated controls, the dozers and excavators are able to give the operators autonomous control, which allows them to focus less on cutting to grade and more about pushing the material.
“They don’t have to worry about damaging the design surface or the material they’re moving. They just focus on operating,” he said.
Komatsu has already released a significant update to the iMC technology, known as iMC 2.0, that delivers major productivity, efficiency and cost saving advantages to its latest model “intelligent” dozers and excavators.
Businesses using iMC can be confident that they’re getting the most from their machines, crew and carefully designed plans.
Incorporating a host of advanced, proprietary machine technology, iMC presents the opportunity to take advantage of sophisticated, productivity-enhancing automation and cutting-edge job site design.
With the tool, users can:
• Get new operators up to speed quickly
• Go from mass excavations to finished grading faster than ever
• Fully integrate 3D design data into machines
• Empower operators to work efficiently, pass after pass
iMC excavators give operators the power to work more efficiently than they ever could with conventional aftermarket machine guidance or manual operation.
With semi-automatic control, they offer the capability to work smartly, from rough digging to finish grading, and help minimize over- excavation to make every pass count.
iMC dozers enable operators to work to plans with utmost efficiency and accuracy.
Through automatic dozing, rough cut to finish grade, iMC-equipped machines help make every pass count to achieve superior production compared to traditional aftermarket systems.
Features include a factory-installed, integrated system; no coiled cables between machine and blade; GNSS antenna and mast removed from blade; and no daily connections required between machine and blade.
Lucas said Mayday Rental had recognised the problems the construction industry faced with a lack of skilled operators, an issue made more prominent during the height of COVID.
“Komatsu’s iMC technology was developed to help less skilled operators come up to speed,” he said.
Lucas said operator feedback had been extremely positive, with users welcoming not just the iMC features, but also the operator cab visibility and comfort.
He welcomed the solid support from the Komatsu smart construction team, with iMC training easily organised either on-site, in-house or at Komatsu’s head office in Welshpool.
Also giving the thumbs up for the backup service was Mayday Rental’s Marketing and Brand Coordinator Maddison Genovese.
“I often speak to the operators, see what their experience is with the machines, and it’s always very positive, they find them really easy to use,” she said.
“Komatsu’s follow-up support really aligns with ours because what we really aim to do is provide our clients with a very seamless experience when renting heavy equipment, because a lot of things can go wrong.
“Mayday Rental, along with Komatsu, are very good at allowing our customers to have a very easy experience in renting equipment.”
Lindsay said the relationship between Komatsu and Mayday Rental was more than “just transactional”.
“It is a true relationship. If something’s needed, Kye gives me a call, and we work it out. We introduce new technologies, and we try and assist that with the changed management or trying to get it into the marketplace,” he said.
“The relationship with Komatsu is more than 20 years old. Mayday Rental and I have been going way back, originally dealing with Bryce and his father, and now dealing with Bryce and with Kye.”
Bryce said Mayday Rental has been purchasing Komatsu plant from the Welshpool branch over that period, with the partnership growing strongly purely on sales support.
“The backup with Komatsu along with our own team has been second to none. The support from Komatsu alone has been phenomenal,” he said.
“One of the main reasons Mayday Rental gravitates towards Komatsu equipment is the exceptional after-sale service, parts, and support. We promise our clients premium follow-up support, so having a reliable and responsive OEM enables us to reduce machine downtime for them.
“By aligning with Komatsu, Mayday Rental is known for offering clients premium, high- quality machinery with exceptional follow-up support. Our access to Komatsu’s expertise also helps us keep our clients updated with innovative new features, making Mayday Rental an industry leader in providing iMC rental solutions across WA.
“The company’s fleet of iMC equipment is expanding to meet a growing demand for precision earthmoving, enhanced efficiency, and accuracy. We aim to remain WA’s most trusted supplier for exceptional plant and service, and we will continue to provide innovative and reliable rental solutions to our clients.”