PRESS RELEASE: KOMTRAX uses satellite-based information communication technology (ICT) to provide constant monitoring of machines, including operational conditions and status to help increase machine safety, productivity, uptime and availability – and reduce customers’ costs per tonne and per hour.

An important element of this new version of KOMTRAX is the new website interface – compatible with smartphones, tablets and computers – that ensures users have access to information faster and in a more easily understandable format.

KOMTRAX was rolled out in Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia in September 2008, and earlier last year reached a milestone of 10,000 Komatsu machines covered by the system. By late 2017, more than 11,000 Komatsu machines were covered by KOMTRAX.

Todd Connolly, Komatsu’s general manager - Construction Solutions, commented: “At Komatsu, we are leading the industry into the future with our use, application and understanding of telemetry technology, and how it can help our customers reduce their machine operating costs, and increase efficiency, productivity and profitability.

“It represents a significant step forward in our information communication technology capabilities and how they interface with our customers in an easier-to-use and more user-friendly way."

Jacques Le Roux, Komatsu’s national manager - ICT & Fleet Management, said that in developing the new KOMTRAX, Komatsu had sought feedback from customers from around the world.

He added: “Customers have complete access to machine detail at a glance, more importantly they can view forecasted service requirements, and exclude machines accordingly from a project or job site while they are scheduled for periodic maintenance.

“We believe this will support customers significantly with job-site management, because they will know exactly when machines are scheduled for a service, allowing them to better plan around that.”

The new KOMTRAX maintains its ability to monitor operator efficiency, measuring parameters such as how long a machine spends idling, what working mode it’s in – and whether that mode is the most appropriate for a particular task.

“Although this has been a longstanding key feature of KOMTRAX, the information is now easier to access and interpret allowing follow-up action to be taken faster,” said LeRoux.

“In addition, we are now getting more data coming out of Komatsu machines than ever before – and this latest upgrade has been designed to make the best use of all this extra data and accompanying capabilities.

“For example, with our new Tier 4 emissions-compliant engines, there’s a lot more data coming off the engines, particularly in terms of monitoring the emissions control systems and elements.

“That ensures customers can stay on top of their engine emissions and equipment fuel consumption, gives them a lot more control over how they manage their machines, and also provides them with peace of mind that these critical engine management systems are working to their optimum,” he said.

Locating and getting to a machine has also been simplified, with a switch to Google Maps with the updated system, said Mary Jo O’Donovan, Komatsu’s KOMTRAX Systems Co-ordinator.

In addition, the new KOMTRAX continues to offer its trademark machine security capabilities, Night Lock and Calendar Lock. 

These services – whereby a machine can be automatically locked down with its engine disabled outside of working hours or during extended periods of time – prevent machines being switched on and driven away, thus allowing for better asset management. 

Moreover, KOMTRAX remains as a complimentary service to Komatsu owners for the life of the machine – including to subsequent owners.