Equipment World Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/816123
EquipmentWorld.com | May 2017 47 Trimble has announced it is joining the ranks of manufacturers that of- fer "mast-free" aftermarket 3D GPS systems for dozers. The hardware for Trimble's Earthworks for Dozers uses three inertial measurement units (IMUs) to locate the blade of the dozer in space and two GPS/GNSS receiv- ers mounted on the cab of the machine. Contractors and opera- tors told the company they wanted a simple software interface, so Trimble built its Earthworks grade control application on an Android operating system. A new Trimble TD520 touch-screen display for the cab is customizable and can be confi gured for a variety of work- fl ows and jobsite requirements. For digging applications, the Trimble Earthworks for Excava- tors includes 3D aftermarket grade control automatics. In the auto mode, the operator controls the stick, and the system controls the boom and bucket, ensuring that every cycle cuts to the exact grade specifi ed on the plan. You never overcut the trench or stray from the plan, resulting in faster produc- tion, no backfi lling and no need to put a worker in the trench with a grade rod. For fl eets in the ready mix and aggregate materials industry, Trimble unveiled a new ruggedized mobile computer, the Connect- edTablet. A little bigger than an iPad, the tablet snaps into a holder mounted to the dash of your ce- ment or dump truck and connects wirelessly to the Trimble Vehicle Gateway. Turn it on and you get a suite of information such as in-cab navigation, Hours of Service data, vehicle tracking with real-time updates, load and unload counts, machine technology | by Tom Jackson | TJackson@randallreilly.com ConExpo pro- vided a wealth of technology products that can empower your machines to work smarter, better, faster and more accurately MACHINE TECHNOLOGY Trimble now has 2D/3D GPS machine control without the need for GPS receivers mounted on the dozer blade. F or the past several ConExpo shows, "machine technology" almost exclusively meant GPS- guided automatic blade control. In 2017, however, technology companies are looking at the entire universe of construction machines and applica- tions and coming up with all kinds of interesting ways to turn digital capabilities into contractor profi ts. Here's a sample of what we saw. Trimble eliminates dozer masts for GPS, puts a full-featured tablet computer in trucks and partners with new OEMs