Excavator controls patterns

The main controls of an excavator are usually governed by international standards that are responsible for normalizing the actions of the equipment concerning levers or controls within the operating cabin regardless of their brand.

For this post, we will ignore the actions of the levers and propulsion pedals since in both standards they perform the same action and we will focus on the joysticks destined for the left and right hands in charge of controlling the arm, boom, bucket, and turns of the machine on its axis.

The most common control configurations in more than 95% of manufacturers will be ISO 10968 and SAE 1814.

ISO 10968 standard.

It is the standard of controls established by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the most prevalent worldwide.

Joystick for the left hand: It is responsible for controlling the turns made by the vehicle while maintaining a fixed posture in the traction system, as well as the movements of the arm.

-Action to the left = Turn on its axis to the left. -Action to the right = Turn on its axis to the right. -Action forward = Arm extension. -Backward action = Retraction of the arm.

Right Hand Joystick: Takes care of the service bucket and boom movements.

-Left action = Loading or closing the service bucket. -Right action = Unloading or opening of the service bucket. -Action forward = Lowering the boom. -Backward action = Elevation of the boom.

SAE 1814 type controls

It is the standard of controls provided by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) for vehicle construction. It is the dominant configuration in the United States and unlike ISO 10968 controls the hands that control the arm and boom are interchanged. It is popularly known as backhoe type control.

Joystick for the left hand: It is responsible for making the turns in the vehicle and the boom.

-Action to the left = Turn on its axis to the left. -Action to the right = Turn on its axis to the right. -Action forward = Lowering the boom. -Action backward = Raise of the boom.

Right Hand Joystick: Its movements control the opening and closing of the service bucket, as well as the lifting and lowering movements of the arm.

  -Left action = Loading or closing the service bucket. -Right action = Unloading or opening of the service bucket. -Action forward = Extension or opening of the excavator’s arm. -Action backward = Retraction or closing of the excavator’s arm.

Some of the most well-known excavator manufacturers often add a setting selector between ISO and SAE to their equipment for operator convenience. Please read the operating manual to alternate the settings of the levers in case your equipment has both.