The complexities involved in successfully operating a grader mean that grader operators need more training than those who work with other machines – and this is part of the reason for the new design. Volvo said that when designing the new G900 series grader, engineers developed the two-person training cab which allows the trainee operator and instructor to sit side by side.”As an instructor, I can talk comfortably with a new operator and explain exactly what is happening,” Volvo grader training instructor Russell Sharpe said.Sharpe has more than 30 years experience with these demanding machines.To ensure the trainee operator gets an exact grading experience, the two-person cabs are fitted with the instructor seat on the left, maintaining the original operator position. The cabs are subjected to the normal standards testing for a rollover protection structure (ROPS) and falling object protection structure (FOPS) for a machine weighing 27 tonnes. Climate control in the cabs provides a comfortable, quiet, environment that allows easy conversation while student and instructor ride in a standard suspension grader seat, complete with seat belts.Volvo said the ability to change from a two-person cab to a standard one in less than a day means that graders can easily be reunited with their standard cabs. The company said this was important if the grader was to be sold after accumulating significant training hours.
