Does the 3D Office have ANY CAD ability or is it just to convert files to the TOPCON formats?
What did you use as your CAD software before AutoCad 2010?
Do you find you need to generate a lot of the 3D Surface Data or do the Engineers give it to you and if so is it any good.
We've found that most engineers 3D data is wrong or out dated to revisions so we need to create it ourselves anyway. We may use some 2D linework but sometime I wonder if it just would be easier to regenerate everything from scratch, so at least we knew it was good.
It's like doing the check of plans anyway.
Newbee,
I can honestly say that in the 7 years of doing data prep that I've never received a correct surface or one that I can "plug-n-play" from the engineers. Some have been better than others, but always something in the surface grossly wrong, incompleted, or else breaklines crossing all over, point density too tight with huge file sizes, or just too damn many revisions to merge, not to mention they don't generate stripped down background linework files, they have never had to look at the operators or surveyors screen. They have only been responsible to make rough surfaces to cut some sections and generate estimated quantities.
With the past two contractors I've worked for, it has been their policy to go through and re-do everything according to the legal contractural binding paper plans, using the engineers surface in the background as a reference. This allows us to go through with a fine tooth comb and make sure everything is in there surface wise, and also all the underground, storm drainage, sanitary, waterline, gas, etc. With this, you are able to know the project like the back of your hand and catch many errors that would cost $ out in the field, especially important for time restricted jobs. The project I'm now currently working on is a trial to use the Engineers EED, but so far, it's not really working out very well. I am saving a little time, but then again, is it really, I still have to go and enter in all my Hals, Vals, alighments, supers, etc and push templates and do site modeling for the transistions to create the SG surface.
ointhead
Here in New York State, they are recognizing the importance of the EED and are pushing toward the "hand over" design. They may also come to the point where either a liscenced engineer or liscenced surveyor will be responsible for the EED used for machine guidance and payment data. The biggest problem is the Engineers are creating surfaces and that's all. For goodness sake, Hellen Keller can create a surface. They have not had any experience in using that data downstream for machine guidance, or other, to know what you need and don't need, and know how the field systems work and their capabilities. I can go on an on about this, for now, I see it as job security.
Newbee, I am in the same boat as you with only using Trimble products to create surfaces and/or design files, and I only use this data for Trimble systems (Blade Pro 3d, Sitevision 5.0 and 5.5, GCS900 10.x and 11.x, SCS900 1.0 through 2.61 (some with the Roading module), Survey Controller v9.x through 12.x, etc) Each of these systems have different capabilities and handle different types of data formats, keep that in mind when creating surfaces and background/ foreground linework.
The only constant that I know of is that all system manufacturers can use XML surfaces, XML alignments/ roadjobs (with hal, val, equalities, x-sections, etc), csv points file, and a dwg linework file.
Please correct me if I'm wrong! The only catch that I know is for the linework files, the color pallete conversion for the different systems is different (sometimes even within the same system mfg. ie Spectra and Sitevision/GCS), and also, some systems are limited to description character lengths. I don't think one software package to create the data is better than another, it's up to the one sitting behind the desk to know the software inside and out to make it do what needs to be done. I believe that all packages will export a XML, csv, and dwg, that's really all you need for all systems as far as I know (with a few exceptions such as survey controller, but that's why Trimble is splitting survey from site layout). Afterwards, each system manufacturer has it's own specific software to prepare the machine design in its format to use in the system. I know it's free for Trimble, TBC HCE, SCS900 PC, and SCS900 Data Manager are free downloads off the Trimble website. I'm sure somehow you could get Topcons software, if not provide the customer with the xml and dwg and have them convert, or let them use theirs to convert.
Bottom line, every year, things are getting better and there's always a "back door" to do what you need to do. Whow knows what this spring will bring after all the con. expo's, etc. I do know one thing, I'll be updating all my computer and field software/ firmware, I'm sure you know how that goes! Another thing for certain, Trimble support will be getting an ear full from me with why didn't they add something I've requested for years or why they took a feature out of the software. I think I'm beginning to get too old and have too much going on with my family to stay up to date with everything.:drinkup It's a lot "funner" running my backhoe.
freakz, how long have you been at this for, what's your background?
Do either one of you rely on tml's at all for your dataprep work?
Thanks and happy modeling, Larry
