True Plug & Play Cab Components Decrease Design Time

 

In the age of choosing exactly what you want and when you want it, customization can seem like an increasingly daunting concept for OEMs. But when you work with an experienced cab partner that has designed cabs across a wide variety of industries, there will likely a number of proven components, including armrest assemblies and switches, that work perfectly for your machine with minimal modifications. Not only will that decrease preliminary design and manufacturing time, but it will also decrease the likelihood of future issues.

There will always be unique features in every cab. Whether it is a more modular base structure, a specific type of safety certification, or unusual controls the need to be easily accessible to the operator. In preliminary design conversations, it’s vital to highlight those areas in order to ensure your cab meets your primary objectives and operator needs. However, if speed to market is equally as important as customization, it’s also important to discuss areas in which you have more flexibility. For example, if you want a certain number of switches incorporated into your joystick pod, but don’t have a preference as to what type, it’s possible that an existing switch panel will meet your needs.

While you still maintain the ability to program existing solutions to meet your machine needs, not having to create an entirely new control or hydraulic solution gets you a prototype much faster. Furthermore, an existing solution has actually been used in the field and has already proven to optimize productivity and ergonomics. This means less issues, less downtime, and more less chance for necessary modifications.

In order to use this method in a cab design, OEMs need a partner that not only has a substantial portfolio of diverse cabs and has the engineering ability to custom program those components or make minor adjustments to keep the end product in line with OEM branding.  By doing so, an OEM can significantly decrease design and overall manufacturing time, while still getting you a cab that is unique to you.