New Utilities package for Cat excavator simulators teaches safe exposure of buried utilities

Simformotion LLC has released the latest Caterpillar simulator training package. The Next Gen Excavator Underground Utilities package focuses on preparing heavy equipment operators for the challenging and often hazardous tasks involved in underground utility excavation. 

Set in a realistic construction-site environment, the new package teaches learners to safely and efficiently expose underground water, gas, and electrical service lines for inspection, repair, and extension.  

"Utility work is one of the highest-risk environments an operator can face on a job site, and organizations need training tools that reflect that reality," said Vanessa Price, vice president of Simformotion. "Our new Cat Simulators Next Gen Excavator Utilities system gives learners the opportunity to build confidence, accuracy, and safe work habits before they ever step onto a job site. It's an investment in workforce readiness that directly supports safer, more efficient operations across the industry."

Take a look inside the Next Gen Excavator Utilities package

The Next Gen Excavator Utilities package expands training by introducing four new utility-focused exercises. These exercises are designed to help operators perform tasks efficiently and safely. Learners can practice potentially dangerous buried-utility scenarios in the safety of a realistic virtual construction environment. 

• Underground water utilities – expose damaged water service: Learners use the excavator to uncover a damaged, leaking water service line, practicing safe digging techniques and precision control to prepare the line for repair.  
• Underground water utilities – extend service: This exercise trains learners on how to extend an existing water service line to a building, reinforcing trenching accuracy, depth control, and safe work practices.  
• Underground gas utilities – expose for servicing: Learners expose overlapping gas and water service lines, gaining experience in congested underground environments where precision and caution are crucial.  
• Underground electric utilities – expose for servicing: This exercise teaches learners to uncover an existing electrical service line while avoiding overlapping utilities and service lines, building the awareness required for safe excavation around energized infrastructure.  

Cat Simulators systems feature authentic Cat machine controls, exclusive walkaround machine inspection training, and built-in reporting software that records and reports learners' simulation sessions, comparing their performance to Caterpillar's benchmarks. The training exercises are available in multiple languages. 

Additional online training 

The online companion SimScholars curriculum provides a one-to-one match for each simulator's training exercises and is available for all models. It can be used in the classroom or for remote learning. The interactive, turnkey training curriculum includes an instructor course guide, learner guides, videos, quizzes, and more. By integrating the Cat Simulators Next Gen Excavator Utilities package with SimScholars curriculum, training programs can provide a unique blended learning experience. 

Simulators enable a safe, cost-effective solution for high schools, colleges, and corporate heavy equipment operator training programs. They eliminate the need to take costly machines out of production and allow learners to train anytime, anywhere, regardless of the weather. Cat Simulators can be converted between models using the same base unit and conversion kits, enabling cross-training on multiple machines while saving space. Their portability allows easy movement between locations.