Creating a surface to export to machine control

[gadler]

I am looking for any help and guidance on this topic. Our company is ready to purchase a machine control gps system for our dozers. I am a beginner when it comes to creating surfaces on AutoCAD (Currently running 2012 Civil 3D) but I am not sure if the ones that are creating models for the machine control are using AutoCAD or the Topcon, Trimble etc programs to create the models.

Any help on this topic would be greatly appreciated. I do not want to waste time and effort training for something that I will not use.

[Michael.Shurgalla]

It depends, some folks use Civil 3D, some use other software like agetech. As far as I know the Machine software only reads it, not creates it. Trimble, has an exclusive deal with Cat. I talked to a couple sales and they are supposed put me in touch with their software people. Don't know much about what Trimble can do. I went to the Topcon booth at AU this year and they impressed. They can upload ACAD directly, they do cloud so updates and spots can come from field to office in a few minutes. I also attended a couple roundtables at AU on the AMG and the only two contractors that showed up one used civil the other relied on the models provided for them from Texas DOT engineer under contract. The guys using civil 3D were more wanting feature lines of face of curb, ep, gutter. Once they go to top of curb they would pull tape and grade on percent slopes whatever was specified for that section. Another place to look is Wisconsin DOT they are heavy Civil 3D users and have guidelines/requirements for 3D models as a delieverable for the use with AMG. Hope this helps

[BlackBox]

Back when I worked for a contractor, I used AGTEK Earthwork 3D to produce our models for use in our Trimble site control equipped machines (i.e., graders, dozers, excavators, etc.). Trimble has their own proprietary software (which sux by comparison IMHO). AGTEK is cost effective, and easy to use, without all of the design criteria aspect that Civil 3D is dependent on (and that's said as a production guy who uses C3D daily now). You just need the engineers to supply you with the CAD for their sites, and AGTEK can whip up a 3D model in no time.

On the GPS side, I liked the Trimble equipment. The only real trouble you may find yourself in is initial site setup (i.e., base station, and control points, etc.). It can be quite time consuming for you to specify the control points outside the extents of site work, the surveyor(s) to setup the base station for each-and-every-single site, and then check in all of the control points. The trick I used then, was the knowledge that once you've checked each control point into the base station, you're accurate to within 0.10 FT across your entire 'site'... So instead of requiring a cost prohibitive base station ($30K a pop?) for each-and-every-single 'construction site' you work on, or transporting them from site to site as needed (and implicitly checking each control point back in), in critical path (see Primavera, LoL), all you really need to consider is how many different counties (aka 'sites') you're working in.

More specifically, we ended up dedicating a single base station for each county in which we worked, checking in control points as far to the county's limits as possible, so one base station could support multiple ongoing sites, and be accurate to 0.10 FT across the entire county, as it were... Not sure of today's hardware/software limitations, or enhancements, but if that trick still works, enjoy.

HTH

[Mythraven84590524]

Hi,

Currently we are making the transition from Terrramodel (Trimble) to C3D 2014.
We use Trimble machine control gps for as long as i can remember.
The systems work well with Land-XML and DWG/DXF.
Beside ower Trimble machines we rent equipment and manpower from different companies and some use Topcon.
The problem we are having is that there is no easy way to export the 3D models we make to the machine system files.
The tools like Trimble Link are just a disaster
In the transition we get to much junk / fails triangulation we don't want.
Lately we export the models as XML , clean it up in Terramodel/Business Center, before exporting it to machine system files (.tp3/.svl/.svd).

Maybe its just me and some of the other people here have tips about the exporting.
Concluding: The GPS systems are both great, its just what do you prefer and easiest is to stick to one brand.

[dgordon.68443]

gadler,

you don't necessarily have to figure this all out on your own. The company I work for Prein&Newhof provides a service to contractors where we create the digital model and provide the needed files to the contractor. We also have surveyors with gps units who can set up control for the contractors use on site. We provide this service to several contractors who are very satisfied with our arrangement. We have the experience to help make the transition to gps equipment a much smoother process for excavating contractors.

Sincerly,
Dan Gordon