Develon Ups its Excavator Game With Dash 9 Series

Develon, a manufacturer continuing its robust expansion in North America, has upgraded its crawler excavators to Dash 9.

While we couldn't always tell which parent company was in charge and what name to call them, we've watched Develon slowly add compact track loaders, dozers, and new loader and excavator sizes to their product line over recent years.

The growth has been impressive.

The first four new excavators in the Dash 9 Series that will reach dealerships this year are the DX230LC-9, DX260LC-9, DX360LC-9, and DX400LC-9. All current Dash 7 models will eventually be replaced.

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“We’ve built on the success of our existing excavator platform with the new -9 Series machines, which are engineered with a full electric-over-hydraulic control system, replacing traditional mechanical pilot controls to deliver up to 8% greater fuel efficiency,” said Brian Kim, heavy excavator product manager for Develon.

Develon excavator productivity features

With greater lifting power, the -9 Series boosts excavator operators’ productivity throughout the workday. Advanced Lift Assist, a new feature in the -9 Series machines, displays the excavator’s current lifting capacity and alerts operators to potential tipping hazards.

Advanced Lift Assist is a technology that uses a lifting force table to highlight risk zones during maneuvers and on slopes or uneven ground. 

“Our new Advanced Lift Assist uses a color-coded arrow system on the monitor to show operators how to safely work in various terrains,” Kim said. “This factors in the machine’s tilt to verify safety even when operators are working on slopes, allowing operators to work confidently without the risk of rollover.”

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The excavator breaker assist feature prevents blank firing, protecting internal components from unnecessary wear while reducing the physical strain on the operator. With auto breaker, constant button pressing is eliminated for smoother operation in demolition applications.

New weighing system 

The excavator’s new weighing system helps operators monitor production levels and manage volumes to make sure dump trucks are loaded to the proper and safe capacities.

Plus, the new stick steer feature lets operators steer the tracks using the joystick, which simplifies movement in tight spaces. The newly designed joystick gives operators the ability to personalize controls for maximum comfort and ease.

It enhances movement with options like stick steer and thumbwheel steer, in addition to traditional levers and pedals. This flexibility ensures smoother, more precise operation that’s tailored to the operator’s preferred style.

Safety and AI

The new -9 Series excavators utilize the smart around view monitor camera system and human detection system: Six cameras, radar sensors, and AI-powered human detection provide a 360-degree view around the machine. Additional safety features include the following:

• Active E-Stop: If a person enters the danger zone (within 10 feet), the machine automatically brings all movement, including the swing and travel, to a complete stop.
• Virtual Walls: Operators can set digital boundaries to prevent the excavator boom or bucket from striking overhead power lines or underground obstacles.

The -9 Series excavators also include several new smart solutions to give operators greater comfort and control:

• Larger touchscreen: A 12-inch high-resolution monitor features an easy-to-use, split-screen interface to access machine information and manage various functions. A dual monitor option is also available, which enables up to four screen splits to streamline workload and boost performance.
• Smart Control 2D and Machine Guidance 2D: Operators can take the guesswork out of grading and digging with these standard machine features. The new excavators will be fully compatible with an optional 3D smart control and machine guidance system.
• Advanced Prognostics and Health Management technology: The basic option continuously monitors critical components like hydraulic oil, engine oil and main pumps. This smart system predicts maintenance needs to help minimize downtime and lower service costs. The premium option includes the controller, pressure sensors, vibration sensors to provide diagnosis, and abnormality detection functions for the main pump, swing motor, and swing reduction gear.

Available through the My Develon fleet management app, a Bluetooth-enabled digital key lets operators unlock the cabin, start the engine, and adjust the air conditioning, offering machine control from any distance without a physical key.