CM Labs Expands Into Demolition Training to Tackle One of Construction’s Most Difficult Operations

• CM Labs Simulations introduces a new demolition training curriculum featuring hydraulic hammer and shear jaw simulations for excavator operators.

• The training addresses the high-risk, high-cost nature of demolition by providing realistic, safe practice environments before live jobsite exposure.

• The simulation models material responses like concrete breaking and steel cutting based on force and angle, enhancing operator skill development.

• This update complements recent expansions in the Tracked Excavator curriculum and will debut at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026 in Las Vegas.

Integrated demolition training curriculum, including new hydraulic hammer and shear jaw simulation, will debut at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026 in booth #N11839.

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CM Labs Simulations, the leading vendor of simulation-based training solutions for construction and utilities, today announced a new product set that supports real-world demolition operations in a simulated environment. The curriculum for excavator-based hydraulic hammer, shear jaw, and grapple attachments give organizations an integrated approach to demolition training.

Demolition work sits at the intersection of high risk, high cost, and limited training opportunities. The training for this work is expensive, hard on equipment, and typically deployed only on live projects, leaving little room for structured practice. As a result, many operators first learn demolition techniques under production pressure, with safety, precision, and material behavior all converging at once.

“Demolition is exactly the kind of work organizations struggle using traditional training methods,” said Lisa Barbieri, VP of Marketing and Strategic Partnerships at CM Labs. “By moving those first critical experiences into simulation, we help customers build confidence and competence before anyone is exposed to jobsite risk or costly mistakes.”

Real-World Demolition Challenges

In the field, demolition training is hard to stage. Hydraulic hammer work carries inherent safety risks, with high-impact forces, flying debris, and little margin for error, making it difficult to train operators outside of live demolition projects. At the same time, opportunities to safely practice cutting steel structural elements with a shear jaw are limited. As a result, many operators learn how to handle demolition attachments without working on real materials, and their first exposure to concrete breaking or steel cutting often happens under pressure on a live jobsite.

The new demolition exercises are designed to close that gap. Operators learn to attach and detach demolition tools using a live quick coupler and apply controlled force to both concrete slabs and steel structural elements. The training covers concrete breaking with a hydraulic hammer and controlled steel cutting with a shear jaw, reflecting the range of tasks operators perform during real demolition operations.

“Every strike and cut matters in demolition, and material response is never identical,” said Alan Limoges, Manager of Product Growth and Partnerships at CM Labs. “Our demolition training models concrete fracture and steel cutting based on applied force and contact angle, not scripted outcomes. That realism allows operators to practice the true nuances of demolition work and develop muscle memory that transfers to the jobsite.”

This new demolition training capability builds directly on the recently announced expansion of the Tracked Excavator curriculum, which also includes advanced trenching scenarios and realistic soil behavior. Together, these updates reflect a broader shift toward training for the work operators are actually being asked to perform, not just the machines they are certified to run.

CM Labs will showcase the demolition update to the Tracked Excavator curriculum at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026, taking place March 3–7 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Visit booth #N11839 in the North Hall to see the hydraulic hammer training in action and learn how simulation-based training can help organizations safely and confidently expand into demolition work.