Over the past 10 years, 3D machine control has earned its place on today’s construction site. Machine operators now use modern technologies to get the best out of their machines.
3D machine control uses 3D GNSS positioning technology and digital design files to steer the machines hydraulics and use internet technologies to communicate with each other. Every construction jobsite is similar to operating a manufacturing process, with different steps and phases, all closely related and the next depending on the previous.
The key to optimising the entire flow of activities in this process, as well as increasing productivity and reducing operating costs, is the automation of the positioning and control work on the jobsite.
Design & Positioning Standard
In almost all industries CAD has long been the standard. Even in construction, it is used to create all site and building plans. This holds true from early stage in tendering, bidding and planning to daily operation, grade checking and job site volume calculations.
Traditionally however, the digital designs are transferred onto site via wooden (analogue) pegs. With this, all available, valuable and flexible digital information filters down to the tip of a piece of wood. Needless to say that not all information can be transferred or gets easily lost or damaged while in progress.
Whilst CAD is the standard in design, GNSS has become the standard in positioning. Nowadays GNSS infrastructures are used on site to ensure that all parties have accurate positions. All machines and surveyors work off the same infrastructure enabling real time positions at centimetre level. Every operator using 3D machine control now has access to all digital design plans that are stored in his onboard computer and can relate himself to it with GNSS.
Project phases:
Each phase of the process has its own characteristics. Clearing, rough grading, excavating, fine grading, finishing and paving – all related to each other even though clearly different types of machines are used. And in spite of having specific needs, technologies and users, the machines work together on one goal: to finish the job as soon and as accurate as possible. The further the jobsite proceeds, the more valuable the resources and the more accurately the machines need to operate. It is logical to use the existing site positioning and data infrastructure for the different project phases.
Site communication: Machines work together in dedicated teams. A simple straight-forward example identifies these teams, as they all work together and the need for communication within the teams as well the insight from site management to overview the entire process. Excavators and dump trucks are probably the best example.
Controlling one machine is already a big step, but what about managing machine teams or even the entire jobsites? It sounds logical to use modern communication technologies to gather data and share this. But keep in mind that sites are large in size and very often on remote locations, with huge, heavy and shaky machines, there is a lot of noise and (nothing negative) the operators are machine operators and not technology driven wiz-kids. All needs to be addressed to create a communication system that ties everything together.
SiteLink
Topcon has tackled this to run all information communications via one central database; SiteLink. Basically each machine control system, surveyor and office becomes a client within the network. Just like any computer network. From SiteLink the different communication-needs can be carried out. Surveyors manage data files to and from machines from the office, surveyors calculate in real time site volumes in the office, informative text messages from office to machine operator or within machine teams, remote access to the machine control display for support and explanations or even spread GNSS RTK corrections over the construction site. All designed and programmed with the user in mind. Machine embedded chat functionality for the operators and automated site-reports for the management.
Dozens of construction companies in Europe now use SiteLink and report that the main feature they are using is the ability to share files back and forth. This creates a lot of additional time for the surveyors and engineers in the office to focus on other parts of their job. With a simple action files are sent to the correct machines without physically visiting them and uploading the same file via a USB-stick. The concept of ‘training-while operating’ gained a lot of trust with machine operators who are normally sceptical on the introductions of new technologies.
SiteLink continues to grow fast, very similar to how internet and social networks have done to our private and professional lives. Machine operators connect themselves with the office and with their teammates, so improving their efficiency and joy of their daily work.