Heavy Equipment Training Simulators
Enhance your operator skills in a safe, efficient, and ultra-realistic training environment, the closest experience to real-world operation.
A heavy equipment training simulator lets an operator trainee practice digging, loading, lifting and maneuvering on real machine controls before going near a live machine, and it records how well each task was performed. SANLAB designs and manufactures the SIMPRO series of heavy equipment training simulators together with the 3DOF motion platforms they run on.
The range covers seven SIMPRO machine configurations plus a tower crane simulator. Every SIMPRO model is offered as a 3DOF Motion Platform system or a Standard System, so a training centre can match the level of motion feedback to its budget, floor space and number of stations.
SIMPRO3 3in1 Simulator
with 3DOF Motion Platform
Features Backhoe Loader, Excavator, and Telehandler simulators. Provides pitch, roll, and heave motion to enhance skills in realistic job site tasks.
SIMPRO 3in1 Simulator
with Standard System
A stable, motion-free training unit featuring full control systems—perfect for precise operations like lifting, digging, and maneuvering.
2in1 Simulator
with 3DOF Motion Platform
Features Backhoe Loader and Excavator simulators. Provides pitch, roll, and heave motion to enhance skills in realistic job site tasks.
2in1 Simulator
with Standard System
A stable, motion-free training unit featuring full control systems—perfect for precise operations like lifting, digging, and maneuvering.
Backhoe Loader Simulator
with 3DOF Motion Platform
Built for immersive training, this 3DOF motion platform provides realistic pitch, roll, and heave motions, allowing operators to develop essential skills with accurate movement simulation.
Backhoe Loader Simulator
with Standard System
Ideal for entry-level training, this stable system delivers full control functionality without motion, allowing operators to focus on mastering machine handling and operation fundamentals.
Bulldozer Simulator
with 3DOF Motion Platform
Designed for intensive training, this 3DOF platform movements, helping trainees develop basic control and maneuvering skills in a variety of terrain and load response environments.
Bulldozer Simulator
with Standard System
Perfect for foundational training, this fixed platform emphasizes control mastery and operational awareness through a full set of authentic machine inputs—ideal for a stable learning setup.
Excavator Simulator
with 3DOF Motion Platform
Compact yet immersive system that offers motion-enabled training for key operations like digging, loading, and attachment handling—perfect for labs or limited spaces.
Excavator Simulator
with Standard System
Stable training solution featuring full physical controls, designed to support focused skill development through scenario-based learning and consistent system performance.
Forklift Simulator
with 3DOF Motion Platform
A space-efficient training platform that delivers motion-based feedback for maneuvering, loading, and navigating obstacle courses with real control components.
Forklift Simulator
with Standard System
Durable, full-control system built for focused training in warehouse handling and precision operations—perfect for reliable, motion-free instruction.
Telehandler Simulator
with 3DOF Motion Platform
Designed for hands-on learning, the 3DOF platform replicates key machine movements like pitch and roll. It supports core skill development with motion-assisted control in realistic work scenarios.
Telehandler Simulator
with Standard System
This motion-free configuration offers full control fidelity in a compact setup. Suitable for continuous operator development, it supports practical learning on lifting, steering, and load balancing tasks.
Tower Crane Simulator
with VR & Dual-Screen System
Immersive VR or dual-screen training on a high-top tower
crane. Covers startup, load transfer, ZigZag handling and
shutdown with scored results.
What is a heavy equipment training simulator?
A heavy equipment training simulator is a training system in which an operator candidate learns digging, loading, hauling and maneuvering with real machine controls instead of a real machine. The software measures each exercise and reports accuracy, timing and errors, so the instructor has a record of what the trainee actually did.
SANLAB is a simulation manufacturer based in Türkiye that develops the SIMPRO heavy equipment simulator series and builds its own motion platforms. The software and the platform come from the same company, so control response, physics and motion are tuned together rather than integrated from separate suppliers.
The trainee sits at a physical control set of joysticks, pedals and dashboard controls, not at a desk with a gamepad. Scenarios can be run under rain, fog and snow, and in daylight or at night, so the same task can be repeated under conditions that would be unsafe or impractical to arrange on site.
Which machines can you train operators on?
The SIMPRO series covers seven configurations: excavator, bulldozer, backhoe loader, forklift, telehandler, 2in1 and 3in1. SANLAB also builds a separate tower crane simulator. Each SIMPRO model is available on a 3DOF motion platform or as a standard fixed system, with the same scenario library available on both.
| Simulator | Sample training scenarios | Configurations |
|---|---|---|
| Excavator Simulator | Digging, Lowbed Loading, Bucket Path Following, Balls on Cones, Quick Attachment, Hill Driving | 3DOF Motion Platform / Standard System |
| Bulldozer Simulator | Hill Driving, Material Stripping, Stacking, Slope Cutting, Straightening, Soil Loosening | 3DOF Motion Platform / Standard System |
| Backhoe Loader Simulator | Cone Grouping, Breaker Positioning, Digger Path Following, Fork Loading, Attachment Switching, Trenching | 3DOF Motion Platform / Standard System |
| Forklift Simulator | Slalom, Warehouse Loading, Balls on Cones, Truck Unloading, Slalom Circle | 3DOF Motion Platform / Standard System |
| Telehandler Simulator | Slalom, Warehouse Loading, Ghost Loader, Container Moving, Truck Unloading, Lowbed Loading | 3DOF Motion Platform / Standard System |
| 2in1 Simulator | Excavator + Backhoe Loader: Digging, Bucket Path Following, Soil Loading, Fork Loading, Quick Attachment, Trenching | 3DOF Motion Platform / Standard System |
| 3in1 Simulator | Excavator + Backhoe Loader + Telehandler: Bucket Path Following, Quick Attachment, Rock Loading, Pipe Placement, Breaker Positioning, Trenching | 3DOF Motion Platform / Standard System |
| Tower Crane Simulator | Startup, load transfer, ZigZag pattern, shutdown | VR headset / dual-screen non-VR |
On the product pages, the motion version of each model is named SIMPRO3 and the fixed-base version is named SIMPRO.
The excavator simulator with realistic digging and loading scenarios runs digging, loading, path following and attachment exercises under adjustable weather and daylight conditions. The tower crane simulator with pass/fail scoring and instructor monitoring models a high-top hammerhead crane with 12 tonne (13.2 US tons) lifting capacity, 40 m (131 ft) hook height and 50 m (164 ft) jib length.
Do you need a motion platform, or is a standard system enough?
A 3DOF motion platform transfers machine tilt and vibration to the operator’s body. A standard system runs the same scenarios without motion feedback. Choose motion when the feel of slope, balance and load swing is part of the skill being taught, and choose a standard system when many trainees need control practice at the same time.
A 3DOF motion platform suits you when:
- Terrain slope, machine balance and load swing are central to the task, as in bulldozer slope cutting or excavator hill driving.
- You are running deeper training with a limited number of stations rather than high trainee throughput.
- Trainees will move onto machines where misreading machine attitude carries real risk.
A standard system suits you when:
- A large group needs basic control familiarity and scenario practice at the same time.
- Budget or workshop floor area is limited.
- You want to add stations later without rebuilding the training room.
The motion systems are 3DOF motion platforms manufactured by SANLAB, specifically the sMOTION500-E3D and sMOTION1000-E3D. If you are unsure which option fits, the practical test is whether the trainee needs to feel the machine’s attitude change, or only needs to learn the control pattern and the sequence of the task.
Not sure which configuration fits your programme? Request a quote for your training centre and describe your trainee numbers and available space.
How is operator performance measured and reported?
Each scenario records task accuracy, completion time, fuel use and operator errors. The instructor watches activity live during the session and receives a detailed session report afterwards. Measurement is per exercise, so you can see which specific task a trainee is failing rather than only a single overall grade.
What the system captures and reports:
- Real-time operator activity monitoring during the session.
- Scenario-specific data points such as control input, task timing and movement accuracy.
- Completion score and efficiency data, including fuel and time consumption logs.
- Error detection and error type tracking per session.
- On the tower crane simulator: pass/fail scoring, load collisions, overload warning records, safety violations, and local LMS integration, meaning results can be passed into the training-tracking software your institution already runs.
- Real-time instructor monitoring during the session.
- Trainee history, so progress across sessions is visible instead of only the last attempt.
This is the part that matters most to a training manager. A record per trainee per exercise is what makes the training auditable inside your own quality system.
Do simulator hours count toward operator certification?
Simulator hours do not replace an operator certificate on their own. In the United States, the text of OSHA 29 CFR 1926.1427 recognises three certification routes and does not list simulator time among them; it separately requires the employer to have the operator evaluated by a person with the knowledge, training and experience to assess equipment operators. In Türkiye, crane operator competence is defined through MYK national qualifications.
Requirements differ by machine type and by country. The references below are crane-specific; the rules that apply to your excavator, forklift or bulldozer operators depend on your jurisdiction and your sector’s own regulations.
What a simulator does contribute is preparation before certification and a measurable record that documents the employer evaluation step. The session reports show which tasks the operator completed, at what accuracy and with which safety violations, which is evidence you can file.
Practices vary between institutions on whether simulator time may be counted toward required experience hours. Consult the certification body your training centre works with before making that assumption. Relevant references: OSHA 29 CFR 1926.1427 and the MYK Kule Vinç Operatörü Seviye 3 qualification.
Can one simulator cover more than one machine?
Yes. The 2in1 and 3in1 configurations run training for more than one machine type on a single hardware station. The 2in1 covers excavator and backhoe loader. The 3in1 covers excavator, backhoe loader and telehandler, and reports all three machine types through one session report.
These configurations are built for training centres that need to put several trades through the same workshop. A vocational school teaching excavator and backhoe loader operation in the same term does not need two separate stations, two sets of floor space and two maintenance routines.
The 3in1 simulator configuration for training centres with limited space is available both as SIMPRO3 on a 3DOF motion platform and as a fixed-base SIMPRO system.
Who uses SANLAB heavy equipment simulators?
Vocational schools and technical high schools, operator training centres, construction, mining and port operators, defence and military engineering training units, and regional distributors. The common requirement is producing operators who can be measured before they reach a live machine.
The hiring pressure behind this is documented. In the AGC 2026 workforce survey of 1,830 firms, half of respondents reported that applicants lacked the required skills, certifications or licences, and 36 percent of firms had increased their training spend.
Institutions running broader workforce programmes often combine machine training with welding, painting and EV maintenance simulators for workforce development programmes in the same facility.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a 3DOF motion platform simulator and a standard system?
A 3DOF motion platform moves the cabin on three axes, so the operator feels machine tilt and vibration during the task. A standard system runs the identical scenario library and identical measurement without that physical movement. Both use the same real joystick, pedal and dashboard control set.
Can one SANLAB simulator train operators on more than one machine type?
Yes. The 2in1 simulator covers excavator and backhoe loader on a single station. The 3in1 simulator adds telehandler, so one hardware unit trains three machine types and produces one session report across all of them. Both are available with or without a 3DOF motion platform.
Do simulator training hours count toward operator certification?
Simulator hours do not substitute for an operator certificate. OSHA 29 CFR 1926.1427 does not list simulator time among its certification routes, and Turkish crane operator competence runs through MYK qualifications. Practice varies by institution on counting simulator time toward experience requirements, so ask your certification body directly.
Can training results be exported to our own learning management system?
LMS integration is a feature of the tower crane simulator: scores and session records can be passed into the training-tracking software your institution already operates. The SIMPRO machine simulators produce a detailed report for each session, covering task accuracy, timing, fuel use and errors.
How much does a heavy equipment training simulator cost?
Price depends on configuration: which machine types you need, how many stations, and whether you choose a 3DOF motion platform or a standard system. There is no single list price, and we do not publish one. Send your trainee numbers and machine list through the quote form for pricing.
Tell us which machines your operators need to run, how many trainees pass through each term, and how much workshop space you have. We will come back with a configuration and pricing. Request a Quote to start, or if you want to represent SANLAB in your region, see Become a Distributor.