How 2 Argentine companies seek to conquer the simulator market for heavy machinery

Argentine companies MediaLab and EXO launched the first hydraulic excavator simulator developed in the country as part of an association aimed at selling these devices locally and in the international market.

“We have been developing simulators for 20 years, although initially with a more scientific and technical focus,” Cristian García Bauza, operational director of MediaLab, told BNamericas.

The simulator, comprising a physical model and simulation software, both produced by MediaLab, required an investment of US$400,000 and took two and a half years to build.

Founded as a research group at Universidad Nacional del Centro in Tandil city, MediaLab turned into a public limited company to pursue a more business-focused approach.

But the company, which could produce five to eight units per year, lacked the capacity to scale production further, which is why it partnered with local company EXO, focused on biosecurity, IoT, 3D printing, and others.

The hydraulic excavator simulator resembles a real-world standard model and comes preloaded with a series of training exercises. It is also offered as a service for training sessions at EXO's offices in Buenos Aires.

“We could complement to industrialize the product and go from a prototype to a mass-produced product,” EXO quality executive Ernesto Poschenrieder told BNamericas.

The companies started collaborating 10 months ago. The simulator allows training in the use of a 22.5t excavator, reducing the costs and risks associated with handling this type of machinery.

“Although nothing related to simulation and use of technology for training is new, the adoption in some form is,” García said. “There are few of us with that experience. Worldwide, there is a maximum of 20 companies that produce this type of solutions,” he said.

The company previously produced a simulator for Buenos Aires' subway and sold five excavator simulators before its alliance with EXO.

Both companies see demand coming from construction chambers, private road and construction companies, training centers associated with unions and from the mining industry, among others.

The companies believe the simulators have export capacity and could reach an "interesting" market share in Latin America.

EXO has capacity to produce 20 simulators per month, which could expand to 100. “It is a matter of simply allocating more resources and personnel for this work because manufacturing is standardized,” Poschenrieder said.

MediaLab plans to increase the number of simulators that can be transferred for scale production. The company also developed driving simulators and devices for other machinery. Currently, a forklift simulator is almost ready for manufacturing.

Development of a welding simulator will soon be finalized. This and the excavator simulator can be used, among others, in the metallurgy, logistics and hydrocarbons industries. 

“Surely, we will move to an association scheme due to the scale issue,” added García.