How many operators use Electronic Grade Control or Monitoring on their machines?

[Will-Power]

Just wondering how many operators use Electronic Grade Control or Monitoring systems on their machines? Dozers, Hoe's, and Graders? Now that my interest is peaked on this subject, I can see real benefits. Up here, doesn't look like many companies are doing it, and when you look at what they are doing, you can see waves and dips in the grades.

What do you think?

Will

 

[Shimmy1]

I use it on my tractor-pulled pan. I clean field drainage and do an occasional building pad. I used to use a laser with a grade indicator on the scraper, a few years ago I upgraded to GPS. Quality of work is exceptional, and you can put in longer hours because you're not mentally and physically exhausted from cutting grade at the end of the day because the computer is doing the final grade for you. I could still do it without GPS, but not be nearly as productive.

 

[Will-Power]

Thats really interesting Shimmy1, I wouldnt have thought grade control would be applicable to towed implements like scrapers, but there you go. Thanks for the insight. Just out of curiosity do you have any pictures?

Cheers,

 

[grandpa]

I took delivery of a Cat 277D with a Level Best system.... It sure takes the work out of work. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-jydW-0D7s

 

[Will-Power]

That is pretty darn cool Gramdpa, do you get more work because of it, or are you competing against the low-ballers out there?

 

[Shimmy1]

Here's a couple, and a link to my scraper thread. https://www.heavyequipmentforums.co...-the-water-run&highlight=making+the+water+run

 

[Will-Power]

Thats great Shimmy1, I can see why GPS would be better than laser in your case because the large tracks of land you are dealing with.

 

[Shimmy1]

Thats great Shimmy1, I can see why GPS would be better than laser in your case because the large tracks of land you are dealing with.

No kidding. I used to have to move the laser 6, 8, 10 times, sometimes even more. Average length of the ditches is 1/2 mile. Besides killing production (at $240/hour, production is important), it's also detrimental to accuracy.

 

[Will-Power]

Wow, Ill bet the gps system paid for itself quickly then.

 

[Dozerboy]

I'm a little old school and was reluctant to back GPS equipment. After quite a bit of time on them the problem isn't the equipment assuming you have a good and tight machine. The problems seem to be who builds the gps models. I'm meticulous as a finish hand, and while when I was done everything look nice when I was done. A regrade was always necessary. The last job I was on my GPS read the grade was perfect and the concrete guys surveyor was telling us we were at 10th off in the same spot. The next biggest issue was having your operator be a strong enough leader. That he knew how to run all the other guys that didn't have GPS and didn't have stakes to go off of. I can't count the number of times I've had 5 scrapers following a dozer around like a lost puppy dogs because he couldn't communicate where the fill was.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

 

[td15c]

shimmy got a question for you. I do the same kind of work you do I think farm drainage and erosion control and we still use laser and like you say your moving your laser all the time. so I was wondering what gps system and what software your using. we were looking at intellaslope because it wood work on are tiling machine it looks to me like it wood work for grade control on dozer or scraper with out a model if all your care about is depth and grade of the cut. I'm gps dumb so any info would be grate thanks

 

[Shimmy1]

I use DitchPro by A.G.P.S.(advanced geo-positioning systems) on the scrapers. If I had a dozer, I think a laser would be fine for what I would do with it. If the area was so big that I'd be moving the laser around the dozer, I'd be using the scraper anyway. After I established grade with the laser, of course.

 

[td15c]

thanks shimmy. we do 1000' to 2000' all the time were the real problem is the curves and grade changes. we do a lot of N.R.C.S waterways that the specs may call for 5 grade changes in a 1000' so it would be nice to be able to go 200' on one grade then push a button and go the next 400' on a different grade and so on.is that possible without a designed plan or am I stuck with laser.

 

[Shimmy1]

You would just have to make a survey pass for each leg, and have your minimum slope set for whatever that particular leg requires. Do you cut each leg to slope, or do you cut and fill? By what you're describing, I'm thinking you start at the top and adjust slopes to work with the existing ground?

 

[grandpa]

Im getting more work out of it, but that's not the reason I purchased it. It is making me more money. Im in, out and the job is correct. A lot of my work is bid work, so if I can do a job in half the time of my competition, guess who gets to keep the savings. I use it mostly for laying out gravel in tight areas and when my trucks are lined up waiting to dump at a site that's costing me money. My operator on that machine is a good one,, we have radio communications between the 277D and every truck I own. When a truck shows up to dump the operator can direct him without getting out, the truck dumps and is gone. This makes me happy.

 

[Jagjan]

Glad to know about that this making you too happy. Carry on!