Position Partners appoints James Millner as National GNSS Infrastructure Manager

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Position Partners has announced the appointment of James Millner to lead the company’s GNSS infrastructure and Continuously Operating Reference Station (CORS) network, AllDayRTK.  

Mr Millner has extensive expertise in GNSS infrastructure and was instrumental in the successful role out of Victoria’s CORS network, VicPos, and commercial positioning services. He has experience with survey equipment having worked for Nikon in Japan, along with Intelligent Transport Systems, an industry that, like civil construction, is seeing productivity and cost saving benefits from positioning infrastructure.    

“We are delighted to welcome James on-board,” said Martin Nix, Position Partners’ CEO. “His experience with survey technology and Intelligent Transport Systems means he has a solid understanding of the impact of geospatial technologies on a wide range of applications. We are confident of the growing success of our AllDayRTK network with James at the lead.”

With coverage across all states in areas of prime use, AllDayRTK is a nationwide, subscription-based service that provides consistent, accurate network RTK positioning for surveying, civil construction, broadacre farming and mining applications. By eliminating the need to setup and maintain their own base station, a GPS user can complete work more efficiently and productively via flexible subscription options.

Commenting on his appointment, Mr Millner said: “AllDayRTK has an exciting future and I am pleased to be a part of its continuing growth and development. We have extensive expansion plans on existing infrastructure throughout regional and metro areas, enabling us to deliver the most reliable and accurate positioning services to more users in more areas, nationwide.”

Mr Millner will lead the AlDayRTK team from Position Partners’ National office in Campbellfield, Victoria.  

Surveying for the World Land Speed Record

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Rosco McGlashan’s life ambition is to become the fastest man on Earth. For almost 50 years he has been working tirelessly towards this dream, which could soon be realised with the help of his dedicated team and the Aussie Invader 5R. This supersonic 16 metre-long structure will be powered by a rocket motor, packing an almighty 62,000 lbs of thrust (some 200,000 horsepower).

The goal is to reach 1,000 miles per hour (1,600 kilometres per hour) to beat the current World Land Speed Record of 763 mph (1,223 km/h), achieved in 1997 by the British team in the Thrust SSC vehicle, driven by Andy Green.

Naturally there are other contenders to the land speed throne: the Brits aim to keep the top spot with a new car called the Bloodhound SSC, while the US and Canada have joined forces to build the North American Eagle. Rosco’s Aussie Invader 5R is the most powerful of the three and indeed the most powerful Land Speed Record car ever built, travelling from 0 to 1,000 mph in 20 seconds!

So where does surveying come into it?

One of the most crucial aspects to achieving the World Land Speed Record is finding the ideal track for the Aussie Invader to run on. For this, Rosco and his team have enlisted the help of Land Surveys, a national survey company that normally specialises in the resources, infrastructure and construction sectors but who couldn’t resist getting involved in a project as exciting as this one!

In addition to being a surveyor, Land Surveys’ Managing Director Peter Rullo is also an avid race car driver and jet boat pilot, so naturally he was keen to accept the challenge. “It would be wonderful for Australia to achieve the World Land Speed Record and take the accolade away from the Brits,” he said. “Land Surveys is happy to help Rosco and his team wherever we can to ensure they have the best track surface that will meet the tolerance requirements for the Aussie Invader 5R. 

To make the record attempt, the team needs a track 31 kilometres long and one kilometre wide. Although prepared to travel overseas for the ideal plot, Mike Annear from the Aussie Invader team spotted a huge clay pan in remote Central-West Queensland during a flight and wondered if it would be up to the job.

Land Surveys UAS Manager Darren Wilkinson helped to organise a reconnaissance trip in November last year so they could discover if the site was suitable.

The technology

“Surveying an area of this size using traditional surveying methods alone would have taken far too long,” he explained. “We approached precision systems specialists Position Partners to see if we could get their Topcon IP-S2 3D mobile mapping equipment out to the site, as it would enable us to survey a large area quickly and accurately.”

The Topcon IP-S2 combines terrestrial laser scanners, GNSS antennas, a Panasonic 360 degree camera, wheel encoders and an inertial measurement unit (IMU) to deliver accurate three-dimensional data for any linear mapping project. This vehicle-mounted system enables data and 360 degree imagery to be captured at normal road speeds, significantly reducing the time it takes to survey large areas.

To complete the survey, the Land Surveys team combined both traditional GPS-based surveying using rovers and the data captured by the Position Partners mobile mapping car, driven by company representative David Low.

Accuracy is paramount

“Our work plays a very vital role in the World Land Speed Record attempt, because with a vehicle travelling at some 440 metres per second, every dip or bump in the surface could have a significant effect on the trajectory, speed and stability of the vehicle,” Wilkinson added.

“It was therefore essential that we survey the track very accurately, so that we can build a precise model of the terrain for the engineers to work with. 

Rosco and the Land Surveys/ Position Partners surveying team conducted an initial site reconnaissance on Day 1, circumnavigating the clay pan and examining the surface for the most suitable track. The Topcon IP-S2 survey, conducted on day two, consisted of three parallel runs, providing an overall swath of approximately 300 metres. Base stations were established with GPS along the proposed track and the logged data used to generate an accurate model. As an independent check, Land Surveys deployed a Leica GS15 on a second vehicle to log data.

“The speed of acquisition and accuracy of results from the mobile mapping survey were impressive, given the flat, featureless terrain that is the Bilpa Morea Claypan,” Wilkinson said. “The 31km track has an RL difference of two metres from one end to the other, and the IP-S2 data clearly captured the characteristics of the clay pan, in terms of micro-relief, texture, and where it existed, vegetation.”

Due to the remoteness of the location, organising the project logistics proved to be far more challenging than actually executing the survey. “Position Partners was willing to help from the outset and we are extremely grateful for their support,” Wilkinson added. “The technical guidance from Heath Low, their National Product Manager for Scanning Systems, has been outstanding.”

Having support for the survey work allowed Land Surveys to concentrate on coordinating the other supporting groups which included land holders and service providers in the district, Shire of Diamantina, Tourism and Events Queensland, Skytrans and Channel 7.

The next steps

With an accurate data set of the current surface completed, the next stage will be to determine the tolerance levels of the Aussie Invader 5R using computer 3D modelling software. Then the earthworks requirements will be calculated and a final design created, which will be loaded onto Topcon machine control systems to accurately grade the terrain and meet the required tolerance levels.

Upon the earthworks completion, Land Surveys will conduct an as-built survey of the track to ensure the Aussie Invader team is fully equipped with relevant and accurate data of the site.

Rosco is very grateful for all the help that went into the recent track recce. “When we arrived at the site I had great expectations (probably unrealistic) to see a lake bed that was all ready to go,” he said.

“Although my hopes were downgraded somewhat by the stone areas and some dead Spinifex here and there, the great news is that thanks to Peter Rullo of Land Surveys and David Low of Position Partners, we now have a viable site to make our world record attempt. 

The team is now engaged in getting approval from the local shire and land leaseholders. Once local support has been gained, the team can start work in earnest to source support for the track preparation.

“A Land Speed Record attempt of this magnitude is an enormous undertaking,” McGlashan explains. “It requires meticulous attention to detail and the help of so many people and companies for their expertise, support, financial backing and will to succeed. As my main man Pete Taylor keeps reminding me, ‘if it was easy, everyone would be doing it!’, so we just keep on keeping on in pursuit of this crazy and exciting dream.”

For more information about the Aussie Invader land speed world record attempt, visit www.aussieinvader.com. 

Position Partners acquires DynaRoad distribution rights in Australia

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Survey and Machine Control specialist company Position Partners has acquired the distribution rights for DynaRoad mass-haulage and scheduling software in Australia. Under the agreement, Position Partners will distribute and support DynaRoad in close collaboration with Dr Russell Kenley, CEO of Location Based Management Systems (LBMS).

The announcement follows the recent acquisition of Helsinki-based DynaRoad Oy by Topcon Positioning Group and the establishment of the Topcon Helsinki Technology Centre. The new centre will see collaboration and integration between Topcon’s positioning and machine control systems and DynaRoad’s construction project planning and scheduling solutions.

“As Topcon’s exclusive Australian partner, Position Partners and DynaRoad’s local supplier LBMS were able to take the opportunity to work together and create an ideal setup for the Australian market,” said Martin Nix, Position Partners CEO.  

“We are thrilled that Dr Kenley has agreed to work with us in an advisory capacity. His expertise with DynaRoad software will be a terrific asset to our customers and employees alike.”

Dr Kenley added: “The synergy between Topcon and DynaRoad from a development perspective will be mirrored in Australia at a distribution level, as I work alongside Position Partners to deliver well supported solutions to our customers.

“Market adoption of DynaRoad has grown considerably in recent years, so it is the perfect time for Position Partners to take on the distribution. As a national company with extensive knowledge of the civil construction industry, they are the ideal fit,” Dr Kenley said.

DynaRoad is a workflow solution specifically designed for major earthworks projects. In addition to traditional project management software, it features mass-haul optimisation, advanced resource-based scheduling and site monitoring. DynaRoad can build powerful models to rapidly calculate and optimise haul distances, reduce the need for stockpiling and plan and control project execution.

The DynaRoad software when combined with Position Partners’ Tokara telematics and Topcon’s SiteLink 3D Enterprise platform will create an integrated machine control and planning solution for all phases of an earthworks project, including estimation and pre-planning, through to construction and completion. 

About Position Partners

With offices in every state and more than 200 people, Position Partners is the largest Australian-owned company that focuses entirely on the distribution and support of positioning and machine control solutions for surveying, civil works, mining and building projects. At Position Partners, we are committed to increasing productivity for our customers and building lasting business relationships around high calibre positioning activities.

Position Partners is Topcon’s exclusive Australian partner for machine control and positioning systems. A full range of leading instruments and systems is backed by superior service and industry expertise to give our customers the support they need for any project.

About LBMS

LBMS is working at the international leading edge of the development of new systems for the efficient production management of construction. We work in cooperation with international developers Vico Software and DynaRoad. These are developing major new systems to support those construction firms who wish to work faster and smarter. Currently we are expanding a suite of procurement tools to deliver work-flow solutions in construction. Right now we can improve productivity, reduce cost and harmonise your projects.

Support like a tyre change at the Grand Prix

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Australasian Construction specialises in all types of civil earthmoving and operates throughout the greater Adelaide region. They utilise an array of Topcon 2D and 3D machine control across their fleet and Director Simon Milutin (pictured above) says it is the backup support and service they receive from Position Partners that makes all the difference. 

For large earthworks jobs, the company utilises Topcon 3D machine control to get 10mm tolerance levels across the project. 

“One of our current projects covers 350 hectares, 1.3 kilometres long by 200 metres wide with a 400 millimetre crossfall across the entire site,” Simon explained. 

“With Topcon GPS, we’ve been achieving 10 millimetre tolerance across the job, as verified by an independent surveyor.” 

Simple, accurate and well supported

When asked why Australasian Construction chooses Topcon across their machine fleet, Simon explained that it is a combination of how easy it is to use, the accuracy of the technology and the support they receive from Position Partners. 

“We have one operator who is eighty years old and he uses both the 2D and 3D grader systems without any problems,” he added. “We’ve had a very good run with our machine control systems and find them to be accurate and reliable.” 

Whenever technical issues do occur, Simon explains that the team at Position Partners, Topcon’s Australian distributor, is very quick to assist. “We likened one instance to a pit stop in the Grand Prix, they were so quick to get onto it and get us back to work. 35 minutes after I’d called, the technician was on site and he swapped the components out so fast and got it working again that we were back to the job within minutes.”

Topcon GPS is fitted to the company’s John Deere 772D graders, Volvo graders and CAT 16H graders. They also run 3D systems on their CAT pull scrapers, saving time on the job by reducing the reliance on graders.

“Although the scrapers don’t have crossfall, the machine control system enables them to accurately spread material without the need to bring in a grader. As each bowl carries 25 tonnes, it would take the grader a lot longer to level out that amount of dirt, so with the Topcon system the scrapers can drop it out to within 50 millimetres and the graders can refine the grade.” 

Reducing financial risk

Simon explains that the accuracy Topcon systems help them achieve on sites is not only a productivity benefit but also a huge money and risk saver.

“On a building site, we can trim the plateau to within 5mm accuracy,” he said. “The advantage of that is that on a 10,000 square metre site, for example, without an accurate system you could be out by 10-20 millimetres and waste up to $40,000 of concrete.

“If you’re the earthworks contactor, you’d likely be back charged for the wasted concrete, so by having a Topcon 2D or 3D system we have peace of mind that our work will be accurate and well within the tolerance specification to minimise that risk,” he added.

You don’t always need 3D

On more straightforward jobs, such as a recent site remediation project where the earthworks began from the natural surface, the company uses Topcon’s System 5 2D machine control system with the Topcon RL-200 dual grade laser. 

“The laser system enables us to accurately control our increments, whether it’s 150mm or 200mm lifts, to meet Level One certification requirements. As it is a simple design, there’s no need for us to use 3D machine control with GPS, so the laser setup is ideal – easy to setup, simple to use and highly accurate.”

He says the company has tried other brands of machine control but Topcon cannot be beaten for ease of use. “Plus, the other suppliers don’t have the support infrastructure that Position Partners can offer – having to go interstate to get support is not a good option for us, so it’s great to have their local SA-based team on hand to help.” 

WARNING! Steep (learning) curve ahead

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Basic 3D machine guidance offering grade (cut/fill) for every, single machine? I can hear the salivation of positioning sales professionals around the world. The goal is ambitions but is it so far fetched?

The benefits of 3D positioning and guidance is well documented yet adoption remains mostly in its’ infancy. This is especially true when considering all of the applications and all of the machines that are beneficiaries of the technology. So if the technology is such a differentiator positively impacting safety, accuracy and productivity, why then doesn’t every machine (or even half) have 3D machine guidance as standard equipment?

Let’s discuss a few of the “challenges.”

Warning! Steep (Learning) Curve Ahead

There is the perception that setting up a job site for GPS site control is difficult. For those that are not familiar with the process (and for some that are) this can be true. As with any technology, there is a learning curve. The day is not here just yet where a piece of earth moving equipment is unloaded on a job site, engine started, with all parameters ready to go. There is technical preparation, but it is getting easier.

A. RTK Correction

GPS is a primary positioning “sensor” for machine guidance. The principals for accurate kinetic positioning (machines and site supervisors moving about a site) require that the GPS receiver at the rover receive a positioning correction. This is usually broadcast by radio and received by radio although there are other methods (see the references at the end of this article for more information). But the real-time kinematic (RTK) correction must be established in order to acquire and maintain a moving position. Challenges may arise if there is a mix of GPS brands between the base station receiver and rover receiver or base and rover radios. Radio channels and message protocol must also be compatible. System developers are making this connection easier and more automatic. I akin this to the past difficulty of connecting a modem by setting up parameters such as baud rate, parity, stop bits. These settings are still required but they are buried under the “hood” so to speak and people just turn on and connect.

Next challenge and critical component, localising the machine to the site.

B. Localisation or Site Calibration

A machine or GNSS rover must be localised or calibrated to the site for which it is about to work. The Texas DOT provides the following definition:

“Site calibration or localisation is a process of computing parameters which establish the relationship between WGS-84 positions (latitude, longitude and ellipsoid height) determined by GPS observations and local known coordinates defined by a map projection and elevations above mean sea level. The parameters are used to generate local grid coordinates from WGS-84 (and vice-versa) real-time in the field when using RTK surveying methods.”

That is a mouthful and intimidating to some. Site calibrations usually include occupying control points, preferably 5, to perform the calculation. This step can be reduced or even eliminated with some RTK network providers but still, you have to know what you are doing. If not calibrated properly, the machine is simply not going to be referenced accurately. Site calibration/localisations are easier to accomplish than years past but the principles are the same. Again, developers are creating easier more intelligent methods along with a simpler user interface.

That brings us to the next challenge, the design or digital terrain model.

C. Digital Terrain Model

A digital terrain model (DTM) is the digital representation of the of the site design. The design communicates grade elevations, slopes, building corners, etc. and traditionally is delivered as blue prints (paper). The blue prints are read and the information is transferred to the ground by driving and marking stakes (pegs) which offer a physical reference for the machine operator. This is a crude method “guessing” between stakes when compared to using a DTM and 3D machine guidance system.

The DTM files must be compatible with the 3D machine guidance system. The files are imported and the site calibration (described above) aligns the machine(s) on site to design. This is a simple enough process but often the DTM is provided from various sources thus can be in different file types. Typically, a machine operator or site supervisor will use a data prep service or hire the expertise to operate within the company. Again, simple enough but these are critical steps required in order to be sure your machine is beginning accurately.

The importing or loading of digital files is a fairly easy process. But building the model and checking its integrity before getting to the site is a key to 3D machine control. I would recommend using a professional until you get the hang of it. Remember, expensive earthmoving equipment and machine control systems are powerful, productive and even sexy to watch. But they are like printers, they just sit there waiting for data. If the data is bad, they print gibberish.

Initial Cost for Basic 3D Machine Control

The initial investment may just be the biggest challenge to having higher adoption. There are different configurations for different applications that can increase the cost. For example, for fine grading or paving applications, you likely will augment laser or robotic total station technology that will cost in addition to the basic system. Hydraulic controls for 3D machine control and faster axial sensors with 100mhz+ update rates cost extra. But their productivity benefits are easily justified if you have the right kind of work that requires these extra features.

But GNSS prices have been coming down over the last 6 years. Other factors such as system providers recognising basic systems have their own applications have sparked a lower system cost that is sure to continue. For basic grading for dozers, graders, wheel loaders, scrapers and compactors, pricing starts at around 50K per machine not including the base station. There are rumblings that new systems will be available in 2014 that start just below the $35,000 price point. This is serious technology at never before seen price points. This increases the value proposition not just by the lower , more affordable cost but also by easier to use, simpler systems. These types of systems will surely make 3D machine guidance more accessible to more machines and to more applications. No longer is it just the “big companies can afford machine control” or “only complex applications require machine control.” This is approaching standard equipment.

Summary

3D machine control offers the same task that manual staking and grading has provided for years. The primary difference is paper plans become digital terrain models and an operator’s view of a grading stake has become a digital grid referenced on a computer display. The operator recognises a grade reference and moves the cutting blade to work towards the design cut. While adoption challenges remain, 3D positioning is maturing and with that maturity comes a more affordable, simpler to use value proposition. Let us pose the question again:

“If the technology is such a differentiator positively impacting safety, accuracy and productivity, why then doesn’t every machine (or even half) have 3D machine control as standard equipment?” The answer is it surely will and that day is soon approaching.

By Randy Noland – www.randynoland.com
Reprinted with permission from MachineControlOnline.com 

References:
Texas DOT Glossary
http://onlinemanuals.txdot.gov/txdotmanuals/ess/glossary.htm

Internet RTK-A Changing Model by Joe Sass
http://machinecontrolonline.com/joe-sass/2701-internet-rtk-a-changing-model

Why Standards? Interoperability through RTCM and NMEA by Joe Sass
http://machinecontrolonline.com/joe-sass/2700-why-standards-interoperability-through-rtcm-and-nmea

Internet RTK-A Changing Model
http://machinecontrolonline.com/joe-sass/2701-internet-rtk-a-changing-model

Construction GPS-Animated Overview by Sitech SE
http://machinecontrolonline.com/general-industry-videos/4724-construction-gps

Position Partners wins leading international Topcon award

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Position Partners was selected as the dealer of the year from the Topcon Positioning Systems (TPS) region, which includes all Topcon positioning and machine control dealers in the Americas and Oceania.

The award was presented at the Topcon Xperience event in Arizona in early November. In attendance from Position Partners were CEO Martin Nix, Harry Katsanevas (Business Area Manager for Machine Control) and Joel Seddon (National Product Manager Machine Control).

In addition to being announced as 2012-2013 Topcon International Dealer of the Year, Position Partners also won a Top Three Dealer Award for Emerging Business and a Top Ten Dealer Award for Construction.

Jamie Williamson, TPS Executive Vice President and General Manager, said that without a doubt, Position Partners was one of Topcon’s best global dealers and partners.

“That is saying something, given that the Topcon distribution network is one of the best in serving construction industry end-users around the world,” he said.

“Position Partners’ staffs’ dedication to advocating advanced technology to their customers throughout Australia – coupled with their record of providing exemplary sales and service support – created the opportunity for Position Partners to be named International Dealer of the Year for Construction.

“It is an outstanding award to recognise the accomplishments of an outstanding dealership,” said Williamson.

“We were delighted to receive these awards and are particularly proud of our dealer of the year accolade,” said Position Partners CEO Martin Nix.

“Position Partners has enjoyed a long and successful partnership with Topcon and we look forward to working together with even greater success in the years to come,” he said.

“Our winning of these awards is largely thanks to the energy and expertise of the entire Position Partners team, who consistently work to exceed customer expectations and add value to the Topcon product range.”

Following the announcement of the award in Arizona, TPS President and CEO Ray O’Connor was keynote presenter at Position Partners’ internal sales conference held in Noosa, Queensland in mid November.

At this event, O’Connor formally presented the award plaques to Position Partners.

Caption: Presentation of the Topcon International Dealer of the Year Award to Position Partners, from left: Greg Frankish, TPS Regional Manager Survey Australia & NZ; Bob Highfill, TPS Regional Manager Construction Australia & NZ; Martin Nix, Position Partners CEO; Richard Jackson, TPS Vice President, Machine Control; Ray O’Connor, TPS President and CEO.

Position Partners introduces innovative ground penetrating radar solutions from US Radar

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Under the agreement, Position Partners has become the exclusive distributor for US Radar’s Seeker SPR range in Australia and New Zealand.

Ideal for utility mapping, accurate as-built data and structural applications, the Seeker SPR range is suited to a number of industries, including survey, construction and local government.

“We are delighted to announce our partnership with US Radar,” said Ben Davis, Construction Business Area Manager at Position Partners. “The Seeker SPR range compliments our existing GPS, laser levelling and machine control solutions, enabling more efficient and accurate construction via underground mapping.”

According to US Radar President and CEO, Ron LaBarca, underground mapping represents the future for the surveying and construction industries. “The world above ground has been mapped quite comprehensively, but beneath the surface we often have the original plan but not the accurate as-built information,” he said.

“Position Partners has the ideal industry experience and customer base to deliver this technology to our core target market and we look forward to working with them to deliver a valuable solution to the industry and a more responsible approach to construction through accurate utility mapping,” LaBarca added.

US-RadarAvailable in a wide range of configurations, the Seeker SPR series can be customised to suit the surface, accuracy and depth requirements of any given application. From ultra-fine measurements at 2,000MHz that can capture fibre optic in concrete, to 100MHz for geophysical investigations up to 30 metres deep, the Seeker SPR range is flexible and modular.

Accurate location information can be recorded simultaneously, by connecting the Seeker SPR device with a Topcon GPS receiver. Mounting options include hand-held, cart-based or pole mounted control to suit the task at hand.

Unlike other GPR systems that require post processing back at the office, the Seeker SPR series delivers on-the-go processing for an accurate, real-time, 3D view of the area being mapped.

“Having worked as a surveyor, I’ve experienced the frustration of getting back to the office and realising something has been missed,” adds LaBarca. “The Seeker SPR range saves the user considerable time by having all the information at their fingertips and no need for additional software.”

The Seeker SPR range is available for sale or hire nationwide. For more information contact Position Partners on 1300 867 266.

Tokara awarded Technology Release of the Year 2013

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Position Partners took home the ‘Technology Release of the Year’ award at this year’s Earthmover & Civil Contractor awards. The accolade was given to Position Partners for its remote support and telematics solution, Tokara.

“Tokara was developed specifically for Australian contractors,” said Tokara product manager Aaron Krenske. “We recognised our customers’ need to get fast, remote support wherever they are working and we engineered a solution to meet that demand. We are thrilled to win this award as it confirms we are doing the right thing by our customers.”

Tokara Service enables instant remote support for 3D GPS machine control systems, allowing project managers or Position Partners technicians to log on to the control box in the cab to format settings, update software, or provide further training to the operator in real time. This saves critical downtime by reducing the need to call out a support technician and empowers the project manager by giving him more control at his fingertips. 

Tokara Site, powered by Topcon’s SiteLink 3D, gives project managers and surveyors even more control over the job site with real-time connectivity to all machine control systems and survey rovers in the field. All machines can be kept running on the latest design file using instant file transfer from the office, improving safety by eliminating the need for a surveyor to physically walk over to the machine with a design file on a USB drive.

The manager can get real-time reports on cut/fill volumes from each of the machines and keep track of the earthworks progress on a daily basis.

Now Tokara Service offers more sophisticated support than ever before, with the ability to keep track of the machine’s historical position data and firmware versions. By knowing the machine control system’s history, support technicians can proactively diagnose the system and resolve potential problems before they arise.

By tracking the serial number and historical positioning data, Position Partners is able to accurately track a device’s last known location to improve site attendance efficiency and to find any lost or stolen equipment.

GPS is key to Australia’s construction industry

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Global Positioning System (GPS) technology is used in many areas of our daily lives, from car navigation systems to smartphone location services. For the construction industry it benefits two key applications. It gives surveyors highly accurate positioning information for design and as-built reference points, while advanced GPS-based machine control systems provide accurate grade information to operators to complete earthmoving tasks quickly and accurately.

If you ever feel that you can’t keep up with the constantly developing technology that surrounds us, don’t worry you are not alone: an interesting forecast predicts that the rate of technological change in the next 10 years could be equal to that of the last 100 years. 

Along with mobile Internet accessibility, genetic engineering and nano technology, space technology is a key area of technological growth. It has already changed the way construction projects are completed and will continue to impact the future of the industry in coming years. 

Following the release of a report by the Senate Standing Committee on Economics in November 2008, the Australian Government recognised the importance of space technology and is taking strategic steps to support its use and development in Australia. Navigation satellites (GPS/GNSS) along with communication satellites and Earth observation satellites combine to put space technology at the forefront of this Australian national space strategy.

Here we will outline the current and future economic impact of GPS for Australian construction, along with a few key benefits, changes and challenges of the Government’s strategy for our industry. 

What is GPS?

Although GPS is commonly understood to include all satellites orbiting the Earth to deliver positioning information, GPS is in fact only one of a number of constellations that together make up the Global Navigation Satellite System or GNSS.

The United States’ GPS constellation and Russia’s GLONASS constellation are two fully completed systems, while Europe’s Galileo and China’s Beidou constellations are still in the early phase of release. Japan’s QZSS and India’s IRNSS are similarly in development, although their purpose is for regional rather than global positioning services.

How does GNSS help construction?

ACIL Allen Consulting released a report in 2008 about the economic and social benefits of GNSS for the construction sector. The report highlighted a number of direct benefits for earthworks and surveying tasks, including:

  • Time savings from elimination of survey pegs and survey peg maintenance
  • Accuracy improvements – tasks are done right the first time, with fewer errors and repeat work
  • Machine control systems can assist less experienced operators complete more complex design work
  • Reduces double handling of materials by approximately 60%
  • Passes required by graders and excavators reduced by around 70%
  • Less machine wear and tear, maximises machine utilisation
  • Reduces capital costs by completing work with fewer machines
  • Fuel savings of around 25% (kinder to the environment)
  • Improves safety by removing the need for people to work near machines
  • 30% savings in survey labour costs with one-man survey crews
  • Improved quality control for surveyors through consistent and repeatable data recording
  • Improved data exchange between design and construction, with surveyors and machine operators working to the same design 

An economic impact

In the 2011-2012 financial year, the gross value-added contribution of the Australian construction industry was approximately $105.7 billion or around 7.9% of total GDP, while total output was $300 billion (ABS).

The Productivity Commission’s analysis of ABS data found that multifactor productivity in the construction industry was no higher in 2000-2001 than twenty years earlier. In contrast, the latest ABS data on productivity shows that construction industry multifactor productivity accelerated to rise by 14.5% in the nine years to 2010-2011 (Independent Economics, 2012).

Most of the productivity gains from geospatial and augmented positioning were achieved over the past 15 years due to the commercial emergence of GNSS positioning and the rapid improvement and cost efficiency of GNSS technology, which is distributed commercially to the construction industry.

The economic benefit to the construction industry from high accuracy positioning technology is forecast to increase from $12 billion to $21 billion over the next 20 years.

 

Current and future development

Permanent GNSS base station networks known as Continuously Operating Reference Station (CORS) networks are a relatively new development in GNSS technology. They offer a number of benefits over traditional single reference station positioning, including increased accuracy and reliability.

CORS networks result in less distance dependence to a single reference station, allowing users to work over a larger area. Additionally, access to CORS networks is highly cost effective, with subscription-based services and no need to own or maintain a personal reference station. 

Interestingly, the ACIL Allen 2008 report highlighted the importance of CORS networks for future adoption rates of GNSS technology in the construction industry. Maximum adoption rate for precision site surveying work in 2030 is predicted to be 90% with a standardised national network, but only 72% without such a network. For machine guidance systems, adoption is set to rise to 60% with a standard CORS network but only 40% without.

Developments in related industries

The mining and agriculture industries are advanced users of GNSS technology for machine systems. Developments in these related sectors can provide a good indicator for what could be adapted to suit the construction market.

Broadacre farmers use GNSS for auto-steering tractors, increasing the accuracy of sowing and harvesting applications to give maximal crop yields. Due to the large acreage of many farms and the difficulties posed by line-of-sight and reference station range, farmers are major users of CORS technology for high accuracy 2cm positioning.

Continuous development in auto-steer technology for agriculture could see driverless, fully automated or remote controlled tractors become reality in the not too distant future.

Likewise, automation in the mining industry offers future possibilities for construction. Collision avoidance systems and autonomous haul trucks and drills are already being deployed in Australia and offer substantial productivity and safety benefits by reducing manual labour in and around heavy machinery.

GNSS is key to Australia’s construction future

Australia’s construction industry is already a major beneficiary of high precision GNSS technology. CORS infrastructure developments, communication system improvements and advances in augmenting technology will further enhance its use in the coming years.

The Australian Government is committed to a long term, successful spatial policy and it is rolling out a strategy to enhance the use of GNSS and lift productivity and competitiveness across many industries, including construction. 

We’ve tried other brands but Topcon wins every time

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Based in the Adelaide Hills, South Australia, Hunter Bros Earthmovers is a third-generation family business that specialises in a range of earthmoving services including residential, commercial and civil projects.

The company uses Topcon lasers to achieve the tight accuracy tolerances that are now required on a lot of jobs. 

“Nowadays, our clients are specifying higher accuracy requirements,” said Hunter Bros’ Managing Director, Scott Hunter. “We are often asked to achieve a plus or minus 5mm tolerance, so we use a range of Topcon laser and GPS equipment to ensure we meet those targets.”

Hunter Bros uses the Topcon RL-SV2S dual grade laser for a number of applications, ranging from small plots such as tennis courts right up to large substation projects.

“The RL-SV2S is extremely accurate,” Scott said. “It was recently used on a 90 metre-wide by 180 metre-long substation job and at first we were a little concerned about its ability to achieve the high accuracy required on a large site. It came through with flying colours and the as-built survey when we’d finished showed we were well within the tolerance levels.” 

Scott says that although the company has tried other brands in the past, the Topcon lasers can’t be beaten for reliability, accuracy and ease of use.

“We did a direct accuracy comparison between a Topcon laser and another brand on a surveyed site, it was amazing to see both how accurate the Topcon laser was and how far out the other brand was,” he said.

Although the Topcon lasers all come with a five-year warranty, Scott can’t remember a time they have had to send one back. “Despite strong winds, torrential rain and harsh sun, they just keep going and never let us down.” 

“I suppose the saying ‘if you pay for peanuts, you get monkeys’ holds true,” he adds. “We’re purely Topcon from here on in.”