Yanmar Develops Next-Gen Electric Work Machine Prototype with Enhanced Force Control

• Yanmar Holdings Co., Ltd. has introduced a prototype electric work machine with advanced force control at the Construction DX Challenge 2023, aiming to address labor shortages and enhance automation in construction tasks.

• The prototype was developed in partnership with JAXA's Space Exploration Innovation Hub Center and is part of the Moonshot Research and Development Program, focusing on the development of construction machinery with force control functions.

• The new technology utilizes a Series Elastic Actuator (SEA) to provide force control, a feature challenging to achieve with traditional hydraulic systems, and is integrated into an electric mini-excavator.

• The electric work machine prototype is designed to perform delicate manual tasks more efficiently, with the potential to mechanize operations and save labor in civil and construction sites.

• Yanmar's development includes an articulated motor to increase the range of motion for the machinery, enabling it to perform high-altitude tasks such as ceiling operations, which is a step beyond conventional electric cylinders.

• The company aligns this innovation with its YANMAR GREEN CHALLENGE 2050, committing to sustainable practices and supporting decarbonization efforts through advancements in electrification and other technologies.

• The Moonshot Research and Development Program under which this prototype was developed aims to create collaborative AI robots that can adapt to diverse environments and innovate infrastructure construction, including potential applications in disaster sites or extraterrestrial settings like the moon.

Yanmar Holdings Co., Ltd. (Yanmar HD) has unveiled a prototype of a cutting-edge electric work machine with advanced force control at the Construction DX Challenge 2023, organized by the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism.

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Developed in collaboration with JAXA's Space Exploration Innovation Hub Center^※1, the large SEA (Series Elastic Actuator), was part of a prototype for the next-generation work machine under the Moonshot Research and Development Program^※2. Yanmar HD successfully implemented force control capabilities, a challenge for conventional hydraulic systems. Using the SEA composed of an electric motor, reducer, and spring, the functionality was implemented in an electric mini-excavator.
This technology aims to automate fine manual tasks, addressing labor shortages at construction sites. Moving forward, the company plans to conduct further verification to realize the practical applications of next-generation work machines in construction sites and similar environments.

Aligned with the company’s YANMAR GREEN CHALLENGE 2050, the Yanmar Group continues its commitment to realizing a sustainable society, contributing to customers' decarbonization efforts through ongoing developments in electrification and other forward-looking technologies.

Key Features:

• Test development of force control function using a large SEA that can be mounted on construction machinery.

• Development of a prototype incorporating this technology into a mini-excavator as part of the Moonshot Research and Development Program.

• Mechanization of delicate work in civil and construction sites, contributing to the labor-saving of material placement operations.

• Implementation of an articulated motor, not a conventional electric cylinder, to expand the range of motion through electrification, enabling high-altitude work like ceiling operations.