Lasers, GPS, Sonar, for Site Work

[johnny watt]

Not long ago I admired the site work being done with a bulldozer on the local interstate project. The swales were perfect and looked like god had made them that way. The blade was attached to lasers and or possibly GPS. At least that’s what I was told it was. I would have thought just laser because I thought that GPS was not that accurate.

I am curious to hear about anyone’s experience/equipment with automatic site grading with Lasers or other tools.

[Wngsprnt50]

lasers can give a beautiful finish for sure, as long as all is set right. We have a stretch of concrete highway about 4 miles long that either someone messed up setting the lasers or there was a problem on the paver, but it has humps. It is pretty annoying and funny, as well as a good reminder to double and triple check things of major importance! I see alot of our local parking lot guys using lasers for the grade work and they have great drainage and very nice surfaces when done.

[dave_k]

Yes indeed they do use GPS and lasers for machine control. It can be as simple as a laser reciever on the arm of an excavator working with a laser or automatic machine controls that reads the site plan directly and is guided by GPS positioning. The total station changed everything. Even building layout is now done with a total station that downloads the drawings. Once you set your total station over a control point the instrument will automaticlly give you the correct angle and distance to all the points in your layout. No need to set up over corner points and turn angles and chain any more. There's some very cool technology out there.
Here's Topcon's machine control website: http://www.topconpositioning.com/app...n-and-grading/
Robotic total stations: http://www.topconpositioning.com/pro...tions/robotic/
GIS mapping
http://www.topconpositioning.com/pro...pping-and-gis/

[dmwyatt]

The best thing about that is given Moore's "Law" (which applies to all integrated electronics, not just CPU's) all of that will have pricing making it obtainable by "mere" residental contractors before long.

[johnny watt]

Thanx for the links Dave k.
The ones I saw looked like the ones in the Topcon link.
Found some youtube but not much.
What kind of $$ does that stuff run.
I’m fascinated with the idea of using it on a skid steer for prep under slab.
Trying to reduce the amount of equipment operator skill required.

[dave_k]

Thanx for the links Dave k.
The ones I saw looked like the ones in the Topcon link.
Found some youtube but not much.
What kind of $$ does that stuff run.
I’m fascinated with the idea of using it on a skid steer for prep under slab.
Trying to reduce the amount of equipment operator skill required.

Here ya go:http://www.laser-grade.com/bucketmount.htm

http://www.laser-grade.com/

[dave_k]

Johnny

I just got a flyer from my local surveying supplier. They were advertising basic Chinese made laser recievers for excavators and blades for C$2000. They also had a box blade system with machine control for a bobcat advertised with no price. It was shown as a hands off guided system. They also had a laser that could read grading plans from a total station for $8000. For just levelling under a slab any decent laser should work. I didn't want to inquire about a price from them because it would just get their salesman excited. I did a quick google search and found this. http://www.lascolaser.com/product/Le...LEVELBEST.html. I think you can get box blades for most skid steers, one of the excavators we use has a Bobcat with one. http://www.bobcat.com/attachments/box_blade

[Dancing Dan]

My excavator uses total station, etc. Given the hundreds of thousands of dollars in equipment they have tied up, I can't imagine an excavator not using it if it keeps their dozers working faster and more accurately. Cuts way down on overdigging - does really amazing work.

[drewsledz]

I was actually just reading an article about the GPS systems. They are accurate to the point where they have to be re-calibrated for blade wear.

I'm lucky to get my Garmin within 12'...

[bkerley]

Johnny

They also had a box blade system with machine control for a bobcat advertised with no price. It was shown as a hands off guided system. ..... I think you can get box blades for most skid steers, one of the excavators we use has a Bobcat with one.

Now if I can attach that to one of their new remote control models with a cellular link I will be able to sit in my recliner and grade the site. I gues I would still need a driver to get it there though.


All kidding aside, total station is great when it is on and terrible when it is off. We had a set of concrete double stairs leading into an auditorium that was poured before they discovered the control points were off (coding error) and it was a nighmare to correct. (that was several years ago when it was still a very new technology)

[drewsledz]

Now if I can attach that to one of their new remote control models with a cellular link I will be able to sit in my recliner and grade the site. I gues I would still need a driver to get it there though.


All kidding aside, total station is great when it is on and terrible when it is off. We had a set of concrete double stairs leading into an auditorium that was poured before they discovered the control points were off (coding error) and it was a nighmare to correct. (that was several years ago when it was still a very new technology)

Have you seen the remote control system by Bobcat? I've had visions of plowing snow from the comforts of the living room.