Brendan Walsh and his team at Ground Technique have been working on a 20-lot Tran Civil development in Diamond Creek, Victoria. This project is on a large sloping block that is very undulating and requires a substantial amount of cut and fill. To complete this project, Mr Walsh installed the Topcon 3D GPS+ machine control from Position Partners on his Hitachi Zaxis 13-ton excavator.
“The Topcon 3D GPS+ system has meant that we have no people on the ground for starters and I think we’ve saved ourselves up to maybe four blokes on the ground. It means we can use smaller excavators if required because we’re so much more efficient with what we do,” said Brendan Walsh, Director, Ground Technique.
“It also means there’s no human error. The only human error will come down to the surveyors and designers, and you’re always going to have surveyors and designers involved. There’s a lot less material coming out because you’re pulling out only the exact amount.”
Mr Walsh also pointed out that using the Topcon 3D GPS+ 3D machine control system increased safety on site because there were no workers around the machine.
“I believe it’s the way of the future and people who aren’t using it, I think, are really living in the past now,” Mr Walsh said.
For the Diamond Creek Project, the other option Mr Walsh had considered was a rover on the ground but he was concerned about downtime.
“Often blokes forget to charge batteries and what not on those things so there’s a lot of downtime,” Mr Walsh said.
“Number two, someone has to read the screen and interpret it, and in the meantime the operator is sitting there waiting on that bloke on the ground.”
The Topcon 3D GPS+ machine control system from Position Partners was appealing to Mr Walsh because it reduces downtime, and increases site safety and efficiency.
Mr Walsh was also interested in a 3D system over a 2D system because the Topcon 3D GPS+ machine control system meant that he and his team didn’t need to re-bench the equipment each time they moved the machine.
“The screen on the new system in particular is very big and easy to see, and because it is 3D it’s plug and play essentially once the machine’s loaded,” Mr Walsh said.
“There’s no recalibrating once the machine moves, with a conventional 2D system every single time you move the machine you have to re-bench the machine.”
Prior to implementing the Topcon 3D GPS+ 3D machine control system from Position Partners, Ground Technique would have used the string line, lots of spray paint, lots of pegs, a surveyor on the ground, more people and a lot of interpreting plans. Mr Walsh has found that implementing the Topcon 3D GPS+ 3D machine control system has increased efficiency and site safety.
“Obviously, efficiency being the main one, minimising the people on the ground so it keeps things safe as well. Safety is a big one on these job sites and the lack of human error,” Mr Walsh said.
This partner content is brought to you by Position Partners. For more information, visit www.positionpartners.com.au.
