Operators confirm Topcon's claim of 200% faster dozer fine grading

[CEwriter]

Leveraging the established Global Positioning System (GPS) technology for location, Topcon's 3D-MC2 system introduced at Conexpo-Con/Agg 2008 adds new sensor technology — a combination of inertial sensors and gyros — that calculates and updates such information as blade tilt, machine position in every direction, and instant change in direction, at a rate 10 times quicker. The result is what Topcon Positioning Systems has touted as an increase of 200 percent or more in smooth grading speed for dozers. It earned Topcon not only a Construction Equipment Top 100 Product award in 2008, but also an Editor's Choice award.

Construction Equipment went out to a Topcon demo to talk with operators who were experiencing the 3D-MC2 system for the first time and report their reactions (http://www.constructionequipment.com/article/CA6706466.html).

[JDOFMEMI]

200% increase.

Wow, now they might only be half as fast as Trimble.

[AtlasRob]

The % increase is directly related to the productivity of the operator prior to using the system, so does a boss who gets a greater than 100% increase in production assume that his operators are better or worse than the employer who sees an immediate 200% + increase in productivity. :popcorn

As such would a contractor who only gets a 50% increase in production feel he is being conned by statistics :stirthepot

[aglasergps]

....but is it accurate at the increased speed.......................or is it simply just smoothing out the blade responses. Does this mean that the practical reality of a hydraulic response latency becomes a non-issue?

[Marketeer]

I have spent my entire career (28 years) working for either Trimble or Topcon. Both companies have their strengths and weakesses. I must say that the 3D-MC2 from TPS is the most exciting product in the industry in years. I have run it on a D6, and the JD 650, 750,850 and new 764. No other Machine Control company has anything that can touch the speed and accuracy of this new system.

[grunk36]

200% increase.

Wow, now they might only be half as fast as Trimble.

200 % speedincrease??? dont think so how about the undercarriage
200% increase will mean that you will drive with topspeed (3rd)and every operator know what that will do to a undercarriage!!!
if it normally last 3000 hours it will be gone with this speed in 1000 hours so rentable to go in that speed(IF its true) no way

[Vantage_TeS]

200% increase in production speed, not machine speed. As in getting it done right the first time, rather then having to go over it two or three times.

[EGS]

200% increase.

Wow, now they might only be half as fast as Trimble.


True Dat!:)

[grunk36]

200% increase in production speed, not machine speed. As in getting it done right the first time, rather then having to go over it two or three times.

thats true vantagetes but in every ad or video with the 3dmc they talk about speed of the machine and if you go that fast with a dozer you wont win anything you probably will loose money in faster wear of the undercarriage
but if the 3dmc is put on a machine like the john deere high speed dozer thats very different because of the rubbertracks

but yes its still impressive how far the machine control system has come,i run a d6t with trimble with trimble dual glonass gps and has used it for almost 5 years and it has worked every day without any problems saving both money fuel and production time