New Topcon DS-200 combines compatibility and accuracy

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Topcon Positioning Systems has introduced the DS-200 with superior tracking technology to the Australian market. The DS-200 system sets a new standard for entry-level robotic total stations, providing accuracy, durability, reliability and compatibility with Topcon GNSS hardware.

Position Partners Survey Products Manager Cameron Waters describes the DS-200 as a “feature-rich product, boasting high-end capability without the high-end price tag”. The Topcon DS-200 is the ideal tool across a range of surveying disciplines, including cadastral, engineering and construction work. It also uses the same batteries as the Topcon HiPer GPS series, making them a perfect partner.

The DS-200can be used safely in environments of high dust and water, allowing for greater productivity in the field. It comes with the world’s first remote security and notification system, TS Shield, so users always know the instrument’s location and if it’s up to date with the latest firmware. 

The new Topcon DS-200is fully compatible with MAGNET Field’s Hybrid System, which gives the user flexibility to switch between high precision measurements from the DS-200 robotic total station and GNSS positioning with a Topcon GPS unit. Users can now complete surveys faster no matter what the obstacle!

As a Hybrid Positioning capable total station, the DS-200 offers the use of both GNSS positioning and optical positioning technology designed to increase field efficiency. 

“The unique thing about Topcon’s Hybrid solution is that the GPS and total station are always connected to the software, allowing instantaneous switching between devices,” said Waters. “The software will also automatically co-ordinate your GPS with your total station observations; the productivity gains are very impressive.”

For more information about the DS-200, contact Topcon’s Australian distributor Position Partners on 1300 867 266 or visit www.positionpartners.com.au.  

 

By Gina Velde
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Topcon survey equipment streamlines our workflow

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Craig Miller (pictured above), a Director at Perth-based Vision Surveyors, outlines the increase in productivity and efficiency the company has achieved thanks to the latest in survey technology.

Established in 2004, Vision Surveys specialises in land development and strata titles, employing four survey crews. In recent years, the company has invested in the latest technology from Topcon and is seeing dramatic improvements in time saving and in-field efficiency as a result.

“We’ve undergone major upgrades to our survey equipment twice in the last four years,” Mr Miller explains. “In 2010, we got talking with the team at Position Partners and they were able to demonstrate some of the latest Topcon technology for us, which was a huge improvement on our setup at the time.”

Vision Surveys updated their total stations to the robotic Topcon GPT 9003 series in 2010. “Our surveyors noted a significant shift to their in-field processes as it gave them a lot more independence to complete tasks with a one-man survey,” he added. “The upgrades to field controllers also came in line with the technical abilities of the surveyors using CAD packages. 

“As a company, the upgrade helped us with time management and scheduling of jobs, with more flexibility to work as either a one-man or two-man crew allowing us to take on more work.”

In 2013 Vision Surveys undertook a second major upgrade to Topcon’s latest PS robotic total stations, HiPer SR GNSS rovers, Tesla data collectors and MAGNET Field and MAGNET Office Tools.

Mr Miller notes a number of benefits the new technology has delivered for Vision Surveys. “The feedback I get from the survey crews is great – they really enjoy using the new Topcon equipment and find they are more efficient and get more done in their day,” he said.

Vision Surveys also utilises Position Partners’ national CORS network, AllDayRTK. By removing the need to setup and maintain a base station, AllDayRTK delivers Network RTK accuracy quickly and efficiently.

“AllDayRTK eliminates the need for our surveyors to manually set out control using landmarks, taped distances or ground references,” Mr Miller said. “When carrying out alignments for subdivisions, they can take the Landgate SCDB data out into the field and, using AllDayRTK, quickly orientate themselves and allow for the location of control marks in a much more timely fashion.”

Mr Miller said that he values the expertise and support the company receives from Position Partners. “Over the years we’ve developed an excellent working relationship with Position Partners. They are always prompt to respond whenever we need any maintenance – the service we receive is excellent and goes far beyond what you would expect from an equipment service and supply company.

“As with any survey equipment, it’s always out in the field and subject to tough conditions and tough treatment,” he continued. “Whenever we do have any downtime with a system, Position Partners is always quick to respond with replacement units so that we can carry on working and deliver the project on time for our clients.”

During the upgrade process, Mr Miller noted that the Vision Surveys team has always had good product training from Position Partners to help the transition to run as smoothly as possible “They helped to train our survey crews both in the field and in the office to ensure they are up to speed with the new systems in minimal time.”

Vision Surveys also employs some students who are studying for their licences. Part of their course, Mr Miller explained, requires them to carry out projects with GPS, specific field techniques, or experiment with some of the newer technology such as scanning. “Position Partners has been great in providing their time and knowledge to our graduates. Not only is this hugely beneficial to our students, it is also a great asset to our company as the students develop their learning and experience with the latest technology,” he said. 

By Gina Velde 
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Facilities management made easy

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Combining Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), laser scanning and Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) technology to deliver underground, structural and aerial imagery for accurate asset and property management.

Maintenance of a building over its lifetime is reported to cost more than the building’s original construction. Knowing where underground services and building assets accurately sit is a challenge that can add time and cost to any work carried out. Old plans, many of which are original paper designs or mud maps can often prove unreliable as more often than not, assets are repositioned during the build. Reliable facilities management data that includes accurate location information can help facilities managers better plan their maintenance actions and reduce costs. 

The older the structure, the greater the challenge and the less accurate original plans are likely to be, if indeed they even exist or are still available. In expanding and frequently changing environments such as schools and colleges, where new facilities need to be added or existing structures modernised, the property manager faces added complexity.

GIS consultancy firm OMNILINK provides asset management services for more than 85 schools and colleges in Australia and New Zealand.  By combining data from existing plans and its own data collection, OMNILINK delivers an integrated package to property managers with location information of underground, building and room assets via its well proven AssetWhere™ software (pictured below).

In a ground-breaking pilot project, OMNILINK is working alongside positioning technology experts Position Partners to transform the way assets are identified and managed for buildings and services in educational institutes in particular.  

“Our aim is to make asset and property management easier and more accurate for property managers,” explained OMNILINK Executive Chairman, Edward Garvin.  “School properties are large and complex, where there are a number of structures of varying age on a single site and a lot of missing information.

“With the help of Position Partners, we aim to prove that through a combination of new technologies we can deliver a more accurate and comprehensive result and significantly reduce the amount of time it takes to survey the site.” he added.

Position Partners CEO Martin Nix, explained the increasing demand for Building Information Modelling (BIM) services that do not rely on potentially out-dated plans. “We have been following the BIM trend both internationally and in Australasia, so when the opportunity arose to work with OMNILINK we explored the ways they currently collate asset data for schools and the potential for new technology to automate this process,” he said.

At Sydney’s Saint Ignatius College (Riverview) in Lane Cove, Position Partners provided a combination of Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) to locate underground and subsurface assets, 3D laser scanners to detail internal rooms and façades and Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) to provide aerial photography and 3D models of the site.

“We wanted to understand the impact and cost benefit of using a combination of these technologies to collect a thorough data set that incorporates underground, structural and aerial perspectives,” Mr Nix added.  “The benefits of having live data showing where assets really are, rather than where they should be according to a plan, are enormous.” 

For the Riverview school project, Position Partners undertook a number of sample scans in areas of the college where accurate asset location information is lacking.

3D laser scanning

A Faro Focus3D X330 laser scanner was used to capture data in part of the heritage listed main school building. Ryan Kent, Position Partners NSW Survey and GPS Sales Consultant, was responsible for this part of the project.

“I took 10 scans throughout 26 rooms of the main school building, as well as the façade of the front of the building and some of the archways and courtyard area behind it,” he said.  “The Faro scanner has collected information about the overall building and room structure including room sizes, doorways, ceiling heights and so on, as well as all of the internal assets such as light fixtures, sprinklers, heaters and skirting boards.

All of the heritage-listed detail including the finials, archways and ceilings was also captured, along with all existing artwork and antique furniture in the rooms.

“The Faro scanner is ideally suited to BIM applications because unlike survey grade scanners that capture data in sections, it completes a 360-degree scan at up to 976,000 points per second, to distances up to 330 metres away,” Mr Kent added. “It captures the floor, roof, walls and everything in between so that you can stitch together numerous scans and create a walk through of entire buildings.”

Mr Kent explained there is a 1:1 ratio of time in the field collecting data and time in the office cleaning it and post processing it. “Four hours in the field will mean around four hours of cleaning the data and preparing it for output into other applications such as OMNILINK’s AssetWhere™,” he said.

Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR)

US Radar’s Seeker SPR was used to scan a footpath corridor, small field and parking apron at the school, where underground assets were unknown.

“Currently the school has no plans of the underground services in these areas,” explained Position Partners GPR Specialist Justin Coe.  “The GPR system records underground assets such as pipes made of concrete, plastic or metal up to 4.7m deep with a +/- 15mm resolution.

“Although we didn’t do so it for this sample survey, the Seeker can be modified for different structures to detect assets behind walls or in the ground to depths of 30 metres.  It all depends on the terrain and the application,” he added. 

Position Partners attached a Topcon GR-5 GNSS receiver to the Seeker SPR unit to provide accurate X/Y coordinates for all of the underground services detected, in addition to their depth.

Mr Coe completed 20 runs over the three areas in 45 minutes. He explained a major differentiator of the Seeker series is the ability to store and process data for use in BIM applications.

“Most GPR systems are spot locators that do not store the data, they just show up any anomalies when you are out on site,” he said. “With the Seeker series, you get the benefit of both: you can see the data on screen as you walk the run, but you can also bring it back to the office and stitch together a number of runs to a single file, for use in BIM work.”

Mr Coe believes the use of GPR will increase rapidly in the coming years. “Underground mapping is the final frontier,” he said. “There is extremely limited information about underground services and the mud maps that are currently used are often inaccurate or don’t even exist.”

Unmanned Aerial System (UAS)

For the aerial mapping stage of the project, Position Partners used the Falcon 8 rotary-based UAS by Ascending Technologies to complete a small survey of an oval on the grounds.

“We chose to use a copter UAV because we are only surveying a small area of the school and the Falcon 8 delivers the perfect mix of portability, precision and ultimate GPS position hold,” explained Gavin Docherty, Position Partners UAS Manager.

Mr Docherty flew the Falcon 8 at a height of 80 metres, with 60% photographic overlap. “This will give us a pixel size of around 1.5cm with a vertical accuracy of 45mm and horizontal accuracy of around 30mm,” he added.

Setup and flight time totalled no more than 20 minutes and covered an area of around 20 acres. “Most of the flight planning was done on site where I could do a reconnaissance of the area and assess wind speed and direction, potential hazards and so forth,” Mr Docherty said. “The flight took about 10 minutes and I just packed up the UAV into its custom back pack and headed back to the office for post processing.”

Although only a small sample survey was taken at the time of writing, Mr Docherty explained that soon he would undertake a comprehensive aerial survey and model of the entire college, including fences, solar panels and other roof assets, tree coverage and topographic information.

Mr Garvin added that it was the potential to combine the three technologies and their various data outputs into a single homogenous package in OMNILINK’s AssetWhere™ software that would really deliver results for OMNILINK customers.

“The combination of these technologies can provide more detailed and accurate information for property managers than ever before,” Mr Garvin said. “With more detail, captured faster and more efficiently, the property manager has all the information at his or her fingertips. This enables them to ensure minimal service disruptions when work is being carried out, get accurate building quotations, better plan for new facilities, landscaping and so on, to name just a few examples.” 

 

By Gina Velde

How to lower material handling costs

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There is much written about lower productivity levels in construction compared with other industries. Manufacturing is acknowledged as more productive and much of its productivity gain is attributed to IT adoption driving automation. There are also claims that around 20% of construction costs go to waste. As a result, global construction is expected to become an industry that will benefit significantly from improvements in collaborative practices and technology innovation.

In addition to the general uptake of technology in the construction industry, one key area for improvement is to connect various aspects of a project from initial design and mass haul planning through to haul progress and reporting, enabling different disciplines, contractors and subcontractors to collaborate across the job.

According to Standing and Fulford (International Journal of Project Management, Feb 2014) excessive fragmentation, together with disparate project management processes and non-standardised information, is impeding efficiency gains.  Improvements in collaborative practices are cited as the key to increasing productivity. An important aspect is to connect various technology components together to streamline information between the various collaborating parties involved in a project.

“At Position Partners, we share the construction industry’s vision for a new impetus on productivity,” said Martin Nix, Position Partners CEO. “Innovations that support collaborative practices can benefit our customers beyond single machine control systems. Working closely with global technology innovators, we are investing great time and energy into making various platforms connect across a construction project to improve efficiency.”

Design Flexibility

How can you choose the best design if you can’t review all of the options? Because DynaRoad reduces initial project design from the traditional two to three weeks, to two to three days, it enables contractors to go to tender with an array of design options. Alternatively, the various design possibilities can be reviewed in order to tender with the most cost effective and optimal version.

Specifically designed to optimise the planning, cost and design of major civil projects, DynaRoad calculates the optimal earthworks balance, haul distances and mass usage. It also includes sophisticated comparison metrics that compare earthworks optimisation with other disciplines such as structures, to optimise the total cost of the project and weigh up risk scenarios with various material types. 

“DynaRoad gives contractors more choice in the designs they put forward to tender and the ability to make informed decisions that will have a significant impact on the productivity and deliverability of a project,” explained Harry Katsanevas, Business Manager of Machine Control at Position Partners. 

Scheduling

In addition to overall project design optimisation, DynaRoad contains advanced resource and location-based scheduling functionality to make project management tasks more efficient and productive.

“Project managers can fully visualise every stage of the project with both Gantt timeline views and colour coded map views,” explains Mr Katsanevas. “With a clear picture of what each stage looks like in terms of traffic flow, road closures, cut/fill levels and so on, project managers have more information at their fingertips, allowing them to do their jobs as efficiently as possible.”

Resource management

DynaRoad calculates task duration based on volume and production rates of all available machines on site. It enables plant to be estimated and priced more accurately, with production rates and machines changed to suit the application. If additional plant is required to complete work on time or catch up after a delay, online technology can make the plant hire process faster and more convenient.

Online plant hire search site iSeekplant connects project managers and civil contractors with machine owners and contractors Australia-wide, based on their capabilities and availability.

“The old ways of paper- and phone-based plant sourcing are time consuming for project managers and can add delays to the project,” explained iSeekplant CEO Matthew Peters. “In contrast, our customers average a turnaround time of between 48 and 72 hours, with the ability to search from over 15,000 pieces of machinery either on our website or via our mobile app.”

Position Partners recently formed an alliance with iSeekplant, creating new solutions for the companies’ mutual customers. “In 2004, the Australian Bureau of Statistics indicated that the construction industry ranked last on all four key performance indicators in relation to e-business uptake in comparison to all other industries,” explained Mr Nix. “We’re encouraged to see that over the last 10 years many of the barriers inhibiting e-business uptake have lifted – it’s a good time for the industry to embrace online technology that can save time and increase productivity.”   

Earthworks progress

In the earthworks stage of a major project, contractors can further improve productivity with the use of machine control systems. Although the benefits of machine control are widely accepted for saving time and improving accuracy, many sites continue to use the technology only for final trim work.

“The benefits machine control can bring to a project can be seen across all plant on site, including bulk earthworks applications,” explained Mr Katsanevas. “We now offer customers a new range of Topcon indicate-only 3D systems, that ensure bulk earthworks are completed right the first time, eliminating over cut and ensuring operators are always working to the latest 3D design.”

Remote support and site management software enables project managers to get real time information on the earthworks progress, with live cut/fill information from all machines on site running machine control. Machine downtime is drastically reduced as surveyors and managers can update the design file on each machine from the office, sending the latest design file instantly and without having to visit the machine in person.

“With Tokara remote service, our technical support team can log in to the operator’s control box to give instant support,” Mr Katsanevas said. “Often they can resolve the problem remotely through configuring settings or updating software, to get the machine back to work in minutes. If there is a hardware issue, we are able to gather more detailed diagnostics with Tokara that will make the on-site support visit as efficient as possible.”

Haul reporting

Topcon’s new HT-30 system for haul trucks is an extremely simple yet highly efficient solution that connects real time haul count information with project management software, for live haul reporting across the site.

“In addition to eliminating human error and saving time by automating the haul count process, this new haul system enables project managers to get instant updates on the haul progress,” Mr Katsanevas said. This reporting can be connected to DynaRoad to update task progress information for each stage of the project.”

According to Mr Katsanevas, DynaRoad is a must-have tool for a wide range of project deliverables, which can be complemented by an array of additional online and offline software and technology solutions throughout the life of the project. 

“It is an ideal time for contractors to explore the technology options that are available to them, technology that can drastically improve day-to-day work, save huge amounts of time and have a significant impact on the bottom line,” he added. 

 

By Gina Velde 

New automatic haul count system from Topcon

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Topcon’s new HT-30 is a simple yet highly efficient system that automates haul counting and facilitates the management and tracking of material payloads across a project. The system features a small, portable, GPS-enabled control box that mounts into the haul truck cab.

As the truck is loaded, data including material type, driver details and load quantity is input into the system. The load is then integrated into Position Partners’ remote site management interface, Tokara Site (powered by Topcon SiteLink3D). Using Tokara Site, engineers and construction managers can track each load in real time for scheduling, rerouting and recording once delivery is made.

“Topcon’s HT-30 system eliminates the need for manual counting and paper-based haul progress reporting,” explained Joel Seddon, Machine Control Product Manager at Position Partners, Topcon’s Australian distributor. “Engineers have live haul information delivered straight to the office in real time, allowing them to monitor progress more efficiently and make proactive decisions.”

Topcon HT-30 is extremely user-friendly, with a bright full colour screen and simple one-button operation to record new a new load or report a delivery. Operators can view a map to see where they are on site, check cycle times and average distances or time of hauls. 

Haul truck operators and engineers can send and receive messages to one another using the in-cab control box and Tokara Site office software. 

“Traditionally engineers and construction managers don’t know what material has been moved and where until the data is manually entered at the end of the day or week,” Mr Seddon said. “By removing the two step process of manual recording by the operator and manual data entry in the office, they know if the project is on track, running behind or ahead of schedule.

“Real time data eliminates human error and enables better planning,” he added.

By connecting haul trucks to Tokara Site, project managers and engineers can view all trucks and all Topcon machine control enabled machines in real time. “If you can see where plant is in real time you can make informed decisions on how to reallocate resources as required,” Mr Seddon said. 

The Topcon HT-30 system can be used as a standalone haul solution with Tokara Site. Alternatively, haul reporting can be integrated with DynaRoad scheduling software for seamless project reporting and planning.  

 

By Gina Velde

Try 3D GPS – there’s no looking back!

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Brendan Cornfoot from Somerton-based Cornfoot Bros in Victoria, says they use a wide range of Topcon 3D GPS technology on the company’s two CAT D6 dozers, two CAT compactors, two CAT H Series graders and one M Series grader, two CAT and one Komatsu excavators. The business specialises in a wide range of earthworks applications, including final trim, bulk work, civil projects and landfill construction and capping.

“We purchased our first GPS grader system around eight years ago from Topcon’s Australian distributors, now known as Position Partners, and we haven’t looked back since,” Mr Cornfoot explained. “These days it’s a standard part of our business and every time we get a new machine, it gets fitted with Topcon.”

When asked why Cornfoot Bros is a ‘Topcon-only’ company, Mr Cornfoot explained that it was the customer service and support provided by Topcon’s Australian distributor, Position Partners, that made the difference.

“We tried a competitor brand once and the system worked OK, but we didn’t have the same level of service and support that we were used to with Position Partners,” he said. “We made the decision to be Topcon-only after that, because we are thoroughly looked after by Position Partners’ local team in Melbourne.

“Whenever we need a new installation or any sort of technical advice, their field service technicians are out on site very quickly and we know we can rely on them,” he added.

The company also utilises Position Partners’ remote service tool, Tokara Service, which enables technicians to login to the machine control system remotely to change settings, calibrate the system, update software or train the operator. “Tokara is a great time saver and it’s especially useful when we’re working on a remote site,” Mr Cornfoot said.

Mr Cornfoot describes the key benefits to their GPS equipment are time saving and elimination of rework. “We put the material down once and move on, there’s no rework with our Topcon systems, which saves a lot of time.”

Cornfoot Bros first ventured into machine control solutions more than 14 years ago with indicate-only Topcon systems. “The indicate-only technology worked very well for us, but once we upgraded to fully automated 3D GPS the difference was unbelievable and there was no going back!”

Cornfoot Bros also uses 3D GPS technology for bulk earthworks on dozers. In recent years they have been using Topcon’s state-of-the-art 3D-MC2 dozer solution, which has a unique sensor that updates the blade position up to 100 times per second for faster, smoother operation. “Topcon 3D-MC2 is a truly revolutionary solution, we have been very impressed by the grading accuracy  and the speeds we’re getting from our dozers with it,” he added.

Mr Cornfoot explained that the addition of 3D machine control saves them an average of 20% in time saving for every job. “The safety element is also key for us, as it removes the need for guys to put pegs in the ground near machinery,” he added.

Feedback from Cornfoot Bros operators is also positive: “Our operators say they have a greater sense of achievement and ownership of their work thanks to the machine control they have on board,” Mr Cornfoot said.

“If they’re digging a trench, they can get 200 metres into the job and get guys in to lay the pipe straight away – knowing that the bedding is correct – so they can move on with the next section,” he added.

The company ensures its employees attend regular training courses with Position Partners Campus. “Our rover guy goes to courses a couple of times a year to learn about the latest developments and new functionality that’s available, plus our operators are given in-field practical training out on site.

“All in all we highly recommend Position Partners,” he added. “Their customer service is good, their support is good, their training is good and we have a great relationship with their local team here in Melbourne.” 

 

By Gina Velde

100% Topcon, 100% CAT graders

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Now celebrating their 10th year in business, David Kais founded Kais Contractors in 2004 with a single grader. Today the company owns 23 graders and has become the largest Caterpillar grader hire business in the state, specialising in final trim work using Topcon GPS and LPS technology.

“We have had a close working relationship with Topcon’s Australian distributors Position Partners from the very beginning,” Mr Kais explained. “We operate both LPS and GPS Topcon machine control across our range of CAT 140H, 140M and 14H, 16H and 16M machines. We’re 100% Topcon and we’re 100% CAT.”

When the company first started out, LPS and GPS machine control was not as common on job sites as it is today. “We’ve seen a huge change in machine control adoption in the last 10 years, now its pretty much a requirement for all major projects we work on in the North West and we’re beginning to see it come fitted with machines as standard from the factory.”

Mr Kais explains that although new Caterpillar graders come factory fitted with machine control, they prefer to retrofit Topcon systems. “We purchased some new M series machines late last year, which are fitted with a basic machine control system,” he said.

“We choose to remove those systems straight away in favour of Topcon, to ensure that our clients and ourselves get the next level up and have everything setup to the highest standards so we achieve the tight tolerances and budget requirements that the job demands,” he added.

When asked why Kais chooses Topcon, Mr Kais explained that it is largely due to the back up service provided by Position Partners, alongside the reliability and ease of use of the Topcon systems for his operators.

“Whether it’s a new install, site setup or technical problem, the service and support team at Position Partners give me peace of mind that whenever we need them they will jump onto it as fast as is humanly possible,” he said. “That is of key importance to our business as we need to keep the machines humming along day in, day out and keep our clients happy.”

When quoting for new work, Mr Kais always recommends the use of Topcon machine control. “We find it is the market leader in terms of reliability and ease of use – certainly that’s the feedback we get from our clients. It’s a cut above the rest!”

However advanced technology, Mr Kais says, is only one half of the equation. “Position Partners really forms the backbone to our LPS and GPS capabilities. If their team wasn’t able to keep it running at an optimal level and support it, the technology wouldn’t be half as valuable to us or to our clients.”

The company chooses to hire all of their machine control systems from Position Partners – which offers an extensive hire range across their product lines – as it gives Kais the flexibility to tailor the machine control systems to any given product or specialist application.

Kais also makes good use of Position Partners’ remote service capabilities with Tokara Service. “In a region like WA where a lot of the work is in remote areas of the North West, Tokara enables the team at Position Partners to support the machines from their office in Perth, whether it’s to configure the machine on site, upload software, troubleshoot an issue or train the operator.”

Feedback from Kais’ operators on the Topcon systems is very positive. “Some of our operators have 30-40 years experience and have been using Topcon for many years. It’s the system they are comfortable with and they find it easy to use, plus the remote service capability is a great tool for them to solve any problems they might run into.

“With the younger generation, we give them in-depth training with Position Partners’ Campus training courses so they learn about the latest technology early on.

 

“We believe regular training for all our operators is essential, even if it’s just a refresher course to learn some new features, because when they’re out operating the machine the more they can handle the system themselves and feel confident with it, the fewer problems we will run into. Training is a cost cutting exercise, both for us and for our clients.”

In closing, Mr Kais summed up his experience with Topcon machine control by saying that they simply couldn’t complete the jobs on time without it. “I also couldn’t ask for more from Position Partners, we have a fantastic business relationship and I value the backup support and technical expertise they bring to our company.” 

 

By Gina Velde

Mine Surveyors Take Off with UAS

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Following extensive market research and testing, one of Australia’s largest coal mines is set to increase productivity and safety by deploying Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) technology. 

Gary Robertson is a registered surveyor and senior engineer at a large coal mine in Central Queensland. His working teams have been nominated for Delivery Improvement Awards the past three years running, while he has been awarded ‘Young Professional of the Year’ at 2013’s Queensland Spatial Excellence Awards and nominated for the ‘National Individual Award’ at the upcoming Asia-Pacific Spatial Excellence Awards. Mr Robertson has a unique ability to discover ways in which the latest technology can be adapted and intertwined to benefit mining productivity. 

For example, he recently worked with technology suppliers to devise solutions for real-time reconciliation on draglines by combining scanning systems and dragline monitoring systems to improve productivity. He has also taken part in multiple ACARP & CSIRO projects in mobile mapping and GIS functionality. “I enjoy learning about new technology and exploring ways to adapt it to improve mining operations,” he said.   

He’s been keeping an eye on the development of Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) technology since 2000, when the first military drones were released and hobbyists were designing their own remote-control aircraft and has become a UAS controller himself. “I could instantly see the potential for surveyors to use an unmanned aircraft for a wide range of applications on a mine site. It was just regulations and computing power that let us down,” he said. 

How UAS benefits mining operations

Because UAS can carry different payloads, such as an infrared camera or even gas monitoring equipment, Mr Robertson explains that they can benefit a wide range of mine applications, including:

  • Reconciliation: using photogrammetry techniques for monitoring stock pile volumes and design comparisons for excavation and dumping equipment (where a fast turnaround of data is essential so that mining operations can take action while the machinery is still in the area)
  • Rehabilitation and environmental: using infrared and multi/hyperspectral payloads for vegetation mapping and topsoil monitoring
  • Geology and geometric applications: UAS can cover a large area that could previously only be mapped with manned aircraft
  • Gas monitoring and spontaneous combustion: fly aircraft into the area to monitor sulphuric gas levels. Without UAS the monitoring is ‘hit and miss’, as it involves setting out monitoring devices based on wind direction in the hope something is collected
  • Imagery: multispectral 3-band imagery for use in presentations, data analysis, and QA of GIS layers
  • LiDAR: use for volumes, excavations and dumping, reconciliation, dig versus design, ramp grades & width compliance
  • Geotechnical monitoring: detect movement in the spoil piles by comparing UAS data to scan data 

As the first UAS designed for surveying and mapping began to appear around 2008, Mr Robertson explained that they were hindered by computer processing power and the lack of post processing software capable of handling the huge amount of data that a UAS collects.

“Recently there have been great improvements in both, so I re-instigated the process of investigating the best setup for our mine site in earnest,” he explained. “Finding a system that would do imagery and photogrammetry was easy enough, but finding something that would satisfy the company’s rigorous health and safety guidelines, approvals process, and be capable of holding various sensors for different site tasks, all with limited impact on current resource requirements for site was another matter entirely.”

Finding the best option

Mr Robertson began a comprehensive Critical Analysis and Job Step Analysis (JSA) to determine the best solution for the company, which has now been sent to corporate so that the findings can be reviewed for other sites and as a corporate business improvement review article. “We reviewed every option available on the market, comparing fixed wing UAVs with multi-rotary systems, petrol-run versus battery-operated, large versus small, payloads, targets versus RTK. We looked at systems from America and New Zealand as well as those available locally in Australia.”

“We dismissed systems that used a catapult launch because of the energy the catapult stores inline with company HSEC guidelines and also petrol/combustion crafts due to the maintenance side of the regulations & certification,” he added. “We also needed a solution that had semi-autonomous control so that you could take over either mid-flight or during landing to avoid any potential obstacles. Larger aircraft often needed some sort of catching device or descended by parachute – there was too high a risk of them getting blown off course and landing in the wrong area. RTK systems appeared to reduce turnaround time compared with conventional target placement systems.”

In addition to the analysis of the hardware itself, as a CASA approved UAS controller Mr Robertson explored the possibilities of owning and operating the UAS outright, or contracting a service provider that will conduct the flights and post process the data. “Because of the CASA requirements to become fully certified, we thought the best option was a service provider who was experienced and had all the required qualifications in the short-term, until the business sorts out the CASA UOC, Chief Controller & Maintenance Controller requirements. It can’t just be a buy and fly approach as some people think due to the aviation regulations.”

A Mining solution …

Mr Robertson has worked with a local service provider to explore and test a potential mining solution. Matt Ewing, director of UAS service provider company Airmap3D, recently conducted a demonstration flight and data analysis over the mine with his SIRIUS and SIRIUS Pro UAV.

“The hardware met all of our safety requirements, as it is launched by hand just above the operator’s head and it has semi-autonomous control options to ensure a safe landing,” Mr Robertson said. “The data it supplies is well within our accuracy requirements and the SIRIUS Pro has the unique ability to map accurately without setting out ground control points through GPS RTK solutions. This has the added safety benefit of removing surveyors from the active mine site environment while also reducing job request turnaround times.”

Mr Ewing has extensive experience with UAS technology, having conducted more than 160 flights since his company launched in 2013. Like Mr Robertson, he saw the instant appeal of unmanned aircraft for mining, having worked as a mine surveyor for ten years.

“For me, the appeal in UAS technology is that it gives you the perfect vantage point for conducting surveys,” he said. “All terrestrial systems face two main challenges on a mine site: covering a large enough area and getting a good vantage point where you can capture the right data. UAV systems are the ideal solution to both of these problems.”

Mr Ewing also did his homework before committing to a UAS. “I was starting my own business that was completely centred around this technology, so I had to make the right decision,” he said. “As with any complex technology venture, I also needed to buy from a supplier that would be able to support me.” He opted for the SIRIUS UAV, distributed in Australia and New Zealand by Position Partners.

“The accuracy, ease of use and reliability of this UAV is astounding,” he said. “I carry out quality assurance on every job that I do and consistently achieve a mean accuracy of around ±50mm xyz, with a standard deviation of less than 100mm. But I can often get ±20mm mean accuracy, with only a 50mm standard deviation.” 

Mapping like a pro

Before purchasing the newly-released SIRIUS Pro, which eliminates the need to set out ground control points, Mr Ewing faced the challenge of getting site access to the mines in order to set out. “Organising the logistics to get out and set out the ground control points was a long process that would add up to a whole day to each job,” he explained. “But now with the new Pro system, I am able to achieve the same if not better accuracies, without having to go through the ground control setup at all. 

“That means I can deliver a job to a mine site, from start to finish including data processing, in half a day,” he added.

Mr Ewing has said the response he has received from mine surveyors has been very positive. “Because I can supply them with a wealth of accurate data in a short period, they can focus on data analysis and other tasks and not spend time manually walking the site to collect data. Having stood out in the scorching Queensland sun myself collecting data with GPS for many years, I can understand why they love to see me arrive on site!” 

New machine control range for bulk earthworks

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Topcon’s new range of 3D GPS systems specifically designed for excavators, scrapers, compactors, loaders and dozers 

A new range of ‘indicate-only’ 3D GPS systems from Topcon offer greater flexibility for contractors to add machine control to all plant on the job. Topcon’s i-33 system for dozers, scrapers, compactors and loaders and X-63i system for excavators have been designed specifically for bulk earthworks. They combine state-of-the-art 3D positioning technology with a price point that is around $20,000 less than 3D GPS systems designed for high precision work such as grading. 

“Although 3D machine control for bulk earthwork machines has been available for some time, it was originally designed for higher tolerance work,” explained Harry Katsanevas, Business Manager of Machine Control for Topcon’s Australian distributor, Position Partners. “Now, instead of adapting high precision systems to a scraper or compactor, a dedicated system is available that’s been tailor-made for these machines.” 

As a result, contractors have greater choice and can opt for the right level of accuracy in their machine control systems depending on the type of machine and the application. All machines across the site are working to the same 3D job design, all can be connected to the site office with Tokara and SiteLink3D remote management software. 

Benefits for bulk earthwork tasks

The assumption has always been that there is no need to add machine control to plant that is carrying out bulk earthworks applications, because accuracy is less critical than with finish grade work. However, the time and productivity gains can be significant. Adding machine control to an excavator, grader, dozer, compactor or loader, has a number of important advantages. These include: 

  • More control – operators have an accurate, real-time knowledge of cut/fill levels
  • Greater accuracy – eliminate overcut and get to grade faster
  • Consistent results – bulk earthworks machines and final-trim machines working together off the same design
  • Increased productivity – optimised machine use resulting in reduced material costs, machine costs and survey costs
  • Enhanced safety – reduce the interaction between people and plant
  • Quality finish – a combination of all of the above resulting in a job well done – first time, every time

Because 3D machine control gives you accurate, live information on cut/fill levels for bulk earthworks, contractors can avoid overcut errors and have the peace of mind that they are getting to grade faster and more accurately.

“You may not need millimetre accuracy for bulk earthwork tasks,” Mr Katsanevas added, “but when big mistakes happen at this stage, it still costs big money and this risk can be eliminated with 3D machine control.” 

RPMS Engineering extends company capabilities with Topcon GPS

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Queensland engineering firm RPMS Engineering specialises in project management, civil engineering and construction supervision services throughout Queensland and New South Wales. Recently, the company has adopted the latest in GNSS survey technology in order to extend its capabilities to regional councils by offering asset management and other surveying services. 

RPMS Senior Project Manager Ken Laughton explained that the equipment the company had been using previously had become dated and that the time to upgrade was overdue.  He said that it was imperative that during their transition to their new Topcon HiPer V GNSS base and rover kit, that the company didn’t suffer much down time with their existing project work.  “It was important that we chose a supplier that we could rely upon to get us up to speed as quickly as possible and provide any technical support that was needed.”

In addition to offering engineering surveys, construction site set-outs and topographic survey data with their new GNSS equipment, RPMS also intends to offer asset management services to regional councils.

“Regional councils can obtain funding from the State Government for the maintenance of critical infrastructure, however it is dependant on the provision of an updated asset register that a lot of Councils struggle to complete due to a lack of in-house resources,” he said. “Some Councils have survey equipment that we can utilise to complete their data collection, but many don’t, so by purchasing the latest technology and getting trained in how to use it effectively, we can offer the councils a full end-to-end asset management solution.”

When it came to choosing the right system, Mr Laughton says that they did their research and contacted the major survey suppliers for advice. “We chose Position Partners and the Topcon equipment because of the backup support and training services they are able to provide.”

The system RPMS decided on was the Topcon HiPer V GNSS receiver, complete with Panasonic FZ-G1 toughpad and MAGNET Field on-board software.

When RPMS first took delivery of the system, a group of employees were given comprehensive classroom and in-field training by Position Partners. “The training that was provided to our staff was excellent and having the opportunity to put into practice what we had learned in the classroom with some hands on experience in the field was invaluable. The equipment is very easy to setup and the software is intuitive, so it didn’t take long for us to get the hang of it.”

Mr Laughton went on to explain that they had recently completed their first project with the new equipment, collecting stormwater infrastructure data for the Central Highlands Regional Council.  He said it wasn’t until they were in the remoteness of rural Queensland, that Position Partners’ support proved invaluable. “Whenever we had questions we were able to contact a technician from Position Partners who was able to guide us through the system processes. The ability for Position Partners to log into our system remotely also proved very useful. The knowledge and support that was provided by Position Partners has been exceptional during our transition over to the new equipment.”

For more information about RPMS Engineering, visit www.rpmsengineering.com.au