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Laser guided machine control for my Deere 650K LGP - Absolutely amazing!

HighFlyerAK

HighFlyerAK

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2015
Messages
77
Location
Alaska
Folks!
Let me tell you…

This has been a bumpy road for the past two years, but finally I made some progress and wanted to share this journey, and will be happy to answer any questions. I know I was searching for others to give me as much help and do’s & don’ts as possible - especially since I am a one man owner/operator and not doing giant projects for state or municipalities.

After some months of research, looking to purchase a machine control system for my newly acquired excavator (Wacker ET90, which I equipped with the R3 Rototilt) and my dozer, I settled for LEICA before Trimble, Topcon, and iDigit.
It basically came down to have my swing boom and tilt rotator being supported by the system, which, at the time only LEICA was able to do.

There were certainly hick-ups, and delays. Mostly because I am very remote and being a one-man show, obviously not a priority.

Fast forward to today - I did my first test of the system for a 100’x60’ pad, taking off top soil, and it went better than I could have anticipated it.
After some head-scratching, two phone calls and working through setting up the system three times, I did this pad in about 20min.
Never over-excavated soil.

LEICA’s and Four Point Solutions LLC‘s support has been amazing, given the fact that I am very remote (southeast OK) and needed to have things taken care of on site.

What I have now - a full automatic machine control, 2D laser guided system on my Dozer.
What is coming - also going fully automatic machine control, 2D laser guided on my excavator, (after having only laser guidance without machine control)

It’s expensive, but it is amazing to work with. Accuracy gain and time saving, especially for a single operator is paying off quicker than some might believe.

Happy to go more into details if someone is interested.

Cheers,
Andy

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J

Jdbillin

Member
Joined
Dec 18, 2018
Messages
7
Location
Central Ohio
It's definitely a game changer! Assuming a taller tripod is next on the list lol

What's the reasoning for having one mast in the center?
 
J

Jdbillin

Member
Joined
Dec 18, 2018
Messages
7
Location
Central Ohio
Shimmy1 said:
Simpler for laser control. GPS is able to do more calculations and adjustments per second. Hope I'm explaining it well enough.
Click to expand...
Gotcha, just curious I haven't seen many systems with one receiver on the edge of the blade and one in the center. Most either have one in the center or two on the outside edges didn't know if there was a specific reason.

HighFlyerAK was that dozer set up from the factory with the hydraulic valve or did you have to add one on it?
 
HighFlyerAK

HighFlyerAK

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2015
Messages
77
Location
Alaska
Yes - Already ordered a bigger and taller tripod with center lift

The two masts are essentially for height and cross slope control.
In my case, the center is for cut/fill (height control) and the right one is for x-axis cross slope control.
I also have a cross slope sensor installed which allows me to run it without laser setup, which is really cool.
So the machine controls a pre-defined cross slope, and I control the cutting height manually.
Is pretty neat to do for quick small jobs.
When running the laser setup, it’s all hands-off for me, unless I want to interfere of course.
 
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skyking1

skyking1

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 3, 2020
Messages
7,676
Location
washington
I may get 8K yds of topsoil for cheap to free and would love to have that for cuffing it down on a profile on the lower 2.7 acres.
If they really do make me a good deal I will hustle and get the native stuff moved around a bit and hammered. Rent a D3 and a roller. Then burn a forest of lath with a 2' ribbon. Poor man's grade control :)
 
HighFlyerAK

HighFlyerAK

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2015
Messages
77
Location
Alaska
Jdbillin said:
Gotcha, just curious I haven't seen many systems with one receiver on the edge of the blade and one in the center. Most either have one in the center or two on the outside edges didn't know if there was a specific reason.

HighFlyerAK was that dozer set up from the factory with the hydraulic valve or did you have to add one on it?
Click to expand...
No pre install on hydraulic control valve from the factory, unfortunately.
But Chad (technician) and Cory (sales) from Four Point Solutions came out to install it all. It was a one day job for them, and pretty straight forward.
The extra valves and hoses were pretty much plug-n-play.
I installed/welded the columns myself.
There are a
cross slope sensor (not needed really for 2D), which is installed on the blade,
a junction box for the cables coming from the sensor and the two laser receivers
a small switch by the right joystick for manu/auto switching
a control panel (MCP80 in my case)
the hydraulic valves
and the wiring harness as an antenna on the roof

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KSSS

KSSS

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 27, 2005
Messages
4,336
Location
Idaho
Occupation
excavation
So with no cross slope, is that an X axis only system only, or can you do dual grade at the same time?
 
HighFlyerAK

HighFlyerAK

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2015
Messages
77
Location
Alaska
KSSS said:
So with no cross slope, is that an X axis only system only, or can you do dual grade at the same time?
Click to expand...
Without the cross slope sensor, either single or dual axis is possible, as long as the laser receivers are being used.

One does NOT need to have the cross slope sensor installed, especially since that sensor is south of $5k.

Before running it dual slope laser controlled, you would have to level the blade horizontally (manually, since there is no cross slope sensor installed), adjust the laser receivers on the mast to the laser, and then you can run it full auto controlled on both slopes (x and y axis)

cross slope is the x axis on the dozer
cut & fill is the y axis

The cross slope sensor is permanent installed on the back side of the blade, measuring how ”level” the blade is on the x axis, the level/angle of the blade

I can run the dozer in manual or auto mode using only the cross slope sensor for the x axis control only and NO laser receivers and laser level setup.
 
skyking1

skyking1

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 3, 2020
Messages
7,676
Location
washington
Another alternative for a simple plane is use a dual plane laser and run it as level. Like when you are doing quadrants around a catchbasin, only as big as you want.
 
CM1995

CM1995

Administrator
Joined
Jan 21, 2007
Messages
13,382
Location
Alabama
Occupation
Running what I brung and taking what I win
skyking1 said:
I may get 8K yds of topsoil for cheap to free and would love to have that for cuffing it down on a profile on the lower 2.7 acres.
If they really do make me a good deal I will hustle and get the native stuff moved around a bit and hammered. Rent a D3 and a roller. Then burn a forest of lath with a 2' ribbon. Poor man's grade control :)
Click to expand...

The D3 next gen dozers have a very capable 2D slope system built in the machine. If you just want to grade a consistent slope.
 
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