The advantages of using laser and/or GPS equipment guidance systems are many. With an advanced system, contractors can increase productivity up to 50% compared to traditional methods. This is accomplished by removing expensive reworking of the site and the need for most operational surveying. In doing so, material use is optimized, and the number of actual productive hours during the working day increases.
Increases in overall efficiency allows contractors to deal with any labor shortages by maximizing the use of available personnel. It eliminates the need for physical ground stakes, string lines, and grade checkers. As a results, costs are reduced and contractors can finish projects quicker. Throughout the projects, operators are empowered to check grades and elevations from their cabs, reducing their downtime.
This empowerment is just one aspect of an overall increase in employee satisfaction that comes with laser and/or GPS guidance system usage. Employees are given more responsibility, and can see real-time results of their efforts along with real-time feedback on their progress. These systems eliminate guess work which reduces worker stress. The additional training an operator receives on these systems is a wise investment. And overall job-site safety is enhanced with safety interlocks for park brake, system health, and idle time.
Utilizing laser and/or GPS guidance systems results in significant mechanical upgrades to the equipment itself. Equipment is operated more efficiently, and this increases reliability by reducing wear and tear and while minimizing maintenance requirements. Equipment control configurations are modified to allow foroptimized on-board electronics, easy to use joystick controls, and hydraulic systems. Systems with plug and play connections allow fast conversion from laser grade control systems to GPS and then back to manual control.
Each type of equipment guidance system has it strengths and weaknesses:
- Laser: Works with either open sky or blockage (e.g., over hanging trees) of the open sky. It builds flat, level, or sloping surfaces, but not complex surfaces. It has an effective operating range of about 1,500 feet, and can build surfaces without a 3D model.
- GPS: Works only with an open sky without overhead blockage. It builds flat, sloping, and complex surfaces. It has an effective range measured in miles, but requires a job-site plan loaded onto the machine.
- Sonics: Works in both open sky and blocked sky. It builds roads with string lines (which limit its effective range).
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