Making of an Armrest: Joystick Integration

“We can take a joystick base with any combination of axes and any grip that’s offered in the market, and offer you a large portfolio of smaller controls. We can custom design all of that into a joystick you wouldn’t be able to find elsewhere.”

There is no question that joysticks are the primary touchpoint for heavy equipment operators, and therefore one of the most critical aspects of machine design. Which functions should be controlled with the joystick? What buttons and switches work best with the desired handle? But beyond even the primary decisions for your joystick design, the next step is to integrate it into your operator’s control station. One of the best ways to do that is through either an arm pod or a larger armrest assembly. Where your joystick should be located on the arm pod, the mounting ergonomics, and many other factors should be strategically decided to ensure maximum productivity.

In this series, we look at all of the factors that go into designing a custom armrest or console for heavy equipment with different experts from our engineering team. Last month, we looked at our approach to switch panel design and integrating them into complete armrest assemblies. In this next video, one of our Engineering Team Managers discusses joystick design and how that extends to armrest as we optimally integrate a custom solution into your machine.

Contact us today to find out our team can utilize our wide range of engineering experience to integrate a custom joystick into your armrest or console.