Integrated wiring system for construction equipment

Advances in electronic technology have brought numerous changes in design of most types of construction equipment. Due to the electronic devices and electric loads, such as lamps and motors, a typical construction vehicle has many wires and connectors. The next phase of the changes is to focus on how to reduce these complex wires by using digital communications. This paper presents the development of an integrated wiring system for construction equipment. More specifically, an excavator that has more than 40 devices has been chosen in order to apply the concept of the integrated wiring system. After grouping electrical devices by their locations and functions, two communication controllers, i.e., an instrument controller and an engine-hydraulic controller, are defined. Two test controllers have been developed in order to prove the concept.