The Vortex Edge Plus runs CM Labs’ full fleet of earthmoving, lifting and forestry equipment training packs including the Excavator, Backhoe, Dozer, Wheel Loader, Motor Grader, Luffing Tower Crane, Flat-top Tower Crane, Mobile Crane, Crawler Crane, Forwarder and Harvester.
Its ease of transport makes Vortex Edge Plus a hands-on tool for attracting talent at job fairs and career development events. It can also be used to quickly assess the skill level of new operators. Hardware includes a laptop, monitor, industrial-grade joysticks and pedals, and a steering wheel to support specific earthmoving equipment.
"This really is the latest technology of simple, portable, accessible simulation training," said Julien Richer-Lanciault, CM Labs’ Construction and Forestry Product Manager. "With the construction industry doing absolutely everything it can to eliminate barriers to training, this is an ideal solution to getting the next generation of skilled labor exposed to the challenges and rewards of a construction career."
The Vortex Edge Plus runs on the same engineering-grade software that powers CM Labs’ fully immersive Vortex Advantage simulators, used by training schools and fleet owners internationally. This means all simulated machine components behave as they do in the real world, whether operators are digging a trench, delimbing a tree or catching a swing.
In addition, the Vortex Edge Plus can be paired with an optional Instructor Operating Station (IOS) for instructor-led training. With the IOS, instructors can control the training right from their seat and do everything from launching exercises and manipulating the weather, to injecting machine faults, providing hand signals as well as customizing scores and generating reports. The Vortex Edge Plus can also connect to other Vortex simulators, for collaborative crew training. It complements classroom theory by simply making learning more engaging and efficient.