According to the Department of Jobs and Small Business, many employers are unable to attract surveyors to fill their vacancies due to a shortage of surveyors in South Australia, Victoria, metropolitan Queensland, and urban and regional NSW. To reduce the impact of this skills shortage on your business, implement the Topcon LN-100 3D positioning system from Position Partners on your site and do the survey work yourself!

The LN-100 layout navigator is a single operator solution for a precise 3D layout that enables you or anyone else you have working on site, to layout construction designs and checks work with survey accuracy! It reduces, or even eliminates, the need for a surveyor for setout tasks and lets them focus on control and other site critical tasks.

Ease-of-use and versatility combine to make the LN-100 layout navigator an ideal fit for Australia’s construction industry, according to Cameron Waters, Geospatial Business Manager, Position Partners.

“All that’s required to begin operation is to place the LN-100 on a tripod, column or the ground anywhere on a project site –– and press one button. The unit self-levels and the operator needs to turn on the wireless controller and get to work,” Mr Waters said. “One-person layout has never been this easy.”

The LN-100 layout navigator combines self-levelling laser level and robotic total station technologies, creating a new way to perform construction and BIM layout. The LN-100 layout navigator has the ease-of-use of a Topcon construction laser paired with the accuracy of the Topcon robotic total station.

The LN-100 layout navigator, with easy one-button self-levelling setup and wireless license-free communication, strips away the complexity associated with advanced surveying instruments. With the wireless controller, an operator can call up simple point layout or CAD drawings anywhere on a site. 

“Display the design point or line that needs to be staked out, touch it, and be guided within millimetres to the exact location, watch the digital design become a reality in real time,” Mr Waters said.

The LN-100 layout navigator can be set up in pillars throughout the building, or on tripods during the foundation pour for a 200m diameter operational range.

The operator can control the LN-100 layout navigator with either the full-capability MAGNET Field data collection software or with MAGNET Construct. MAGNET Construct App is available on both Google Play or IOS App stores, download for free to your smartphone or tablet, and enjoy quick and hassle-free set-out of your project!

The LN-100 layout navigator is ideal for BIM projects and works with a wide range of Autodesk software solutions. “Position Partners is pleased to provide integrated BIM solutions for Australian industries, from the most innovative hardware such as the LN-100 and scanning solutions, through to world-leading design, BIM verification and engineering software,” Mr Waters added.

Topcon Positioning Systems’ exclusive Australian distributor, Position Partners, was awarded top prize for Construction at the recent Topcon Xperience dealer conference held in San Antonio, Texas.

Topcon Positioning Systems’ annual dealer conference brings together more than 500 distributors from around the world to network and learn about new technology for the construction, geospatial and mining industries. At the recent event held in December 2018, Position Partners was awarded ‘Dealer of the Year 2017-2018’ for Construction, along with awards for ‘Top 5 Year on Year Sales Growth’ and ‘Top 5 Excavator Sales’.

“We are privileged to receive Topcon’s Dealer of the Year award amongst all of Topcon’s successful distributors,” said Martin Nix, Position Partners CEO.  “It’s a great reflection of the support our customers give us as they strive to increase productivity and safety by pushing the boundaries with intelligent positioning systems in the construction industry.

“These awards are accepted as a recognition of the combined efforts of our teams and employees, who continually do their utmost to deliver exceptional customer service at all times,” he added.

Jamie Williamson, Topcon executive VP and general manager of the construction and retail groups, said, “The Position Partners team has always exhibited strength and dedication in providing the most innovative technology and service to their customers. That spirit has been notably evident in their performance, which makes Position Partners a superb choice for Dealer of the Year.”

Topcon’s optical instruments are designed to be used in harsh environments, such as at construction sites, and offer a high level of quality and reliability. Topcon aims to always improve upon the quality of its instruments by focussing on improving its processes in design, development, manufacturing, sales and service.  Topcon’s mission is to provide a high level of quality and commitment to their customers by fulfilling the specifications to meet the customers needs at all times.

This focus on quality ensures that Topcon only supplies products of the highest reliability.

To support the continual improvement of its world-class quality instruments Topcon Corporation opened a new highly advanced technology factory in 2017 on the grounds of Topcon Yamagata, as a manufacturing base for its surveying instruments.

Gavin Schrock, PLS, land surveyor, technology writer, and xyHt editor, visited the new production facility on the grounds of Topcon Yamagata for Topcon and Sokkia optical surveying instruments and found that the facility boasted high-tech manufacturing and finely honed production processes.

“This is the newest of the surveying instrument factories I have visited in recent years and I expected the latest in tools and equipment,” said Gavin Schrock Gavin Schrock, PLS, land surveyor, technology writer, and xyHt editor in his article on xyHt.

“But in terms of high-tech manufacturing and finely-honed production processes what I saw inside during the tour was nothing short of astounding.”

To find out more, read the article on xyHt: https://www.xyht.com/surveying/a-fine-line/ 

Click here to view the Topcon’s Quality Assurance Activities: https://www.topcon.co.jp/en/about/quality/ 

Machine control technology is becoming a must-have option on many projects, with a range of systems that utilise laser, sonar, GNSS, total stations or a combination of them to guide the operator to grade accurately, efficiently and cost effectively. However watch out for getting stuck with a system that can’t be upgraded or swapped between machines.

Every job is different and a single machine control system might not cut it for all of them. For example, grading house pads can be done very effectively with a 2D laser or sonar based system, whereas grading a road or larger project may need GNSS or a total station if there is dense tree coverage, overbridges or even tunnels.

Contractors should shop around to find the most flexible solution to suit their needs, one that will grow with their business and can utilise a range of technology to suit the application and the tolerance required.

Increasingly, new machines are coming with integrated systems fitted in the factory or by the machine dealer in Australia, with most graders and now some models of excavators and dozers arriving with basic machine control technology.

The limitation with factory fitted systems is that often they are not upgradeable, so if you need a more sophisticated solution it can be difficult without starting again with a different option.

“Topcon is the most flexible and easily adaptable brand on the market today,” said Joel Seddon, Machine Systems Product Manager for Topcon’s Australian distributor Position Partners. “Customers can easily switch between entry-level systems and the most sophisticated technology we have to offer by swapping components in or out, without having to start again with a whole new option,” he added.

Position Partners also offers comprehensive hire options across the product range, allowing contractors to use the system only when they need it without the capital outlay.

“Another thing to consider is that the factory fitted options will only work on that machine,” Mr Seddon continued. “You can’t swap them between machines as you can with most Topcon systems, so there is a limitation if you are keen to stretch one system between multiple machines.”

Topcon technology is compatible across all machine types, makes and models, making it a highly flexible and customisable solution. A GNSS machine control system can be adapted with a high precision laser receiver that combined will deliver millimetre vertical precision for fine grading tasks, a technology unique to Topcon.

“Topcon’s key differentiator is the adaptability of its components – you can make a 2D system 3D, or vice versa, swap a grader system to a dozer, grader, excavator or even a skid steer,” Mr Seddon said. “The factory fit options are a great way to increase a single machine’s capability to get to grade for basic tasks, whereas a Topcon aftermarket option will help all your machines get to grade, no matter what challenges the job holds.”

Topcon Positioning Group announces an addition to its GM line of manual total stations designed to provide fast and accurate measurements in a cost-efficient package — the GM-50.

“In a compact and sleek design, the GM-50 offers high-end performance and exceptional functionality for jobs such as site layout or as-built survey,” said Ray Kerwin, director of global surveying products.

The beam is designed to offer a rapid distance measurement of 0.9 seconds regardless of the target. “The GM-50 EDM features a prism range of up to 4,000 m and up to 500 m in reflectorless mode with an incredible 1.5 mm/2 ppm accuracy for accurate measurements in most any entry-level survey or layout application,” said Kerwin.

The instrument has received an IP66 certification for operation in tough job site conditions. 

“GM series total stations are thoroughly inspected with dust-proof and water-proof test

chambers. In addition, various tests against vibration, drop, temperature, and humidity were successfully passed to achieve the best environmental specifications,” said Kerwin.

Additional features include Bluetooth® connectivity with the controller, as well as 50,000 points of internal memory, or up to 32GB USB flash drive external support.

For more information, contact your nearest branch or call 1300 867 266 today.