It’s all about getting that design package data and getting it into the machine without jumping through a lot of hoops.”Īnother feature is the ability to present the model in several different layers and provide a 3D simulation of how the terrain would appear from inside the cab. These programs reduce the time it takes to get the file from design to machine control by a matter of days and reduce the cost because contractors don’t have to go an outside firm to convert these files. “They just need something to take the files they already have and get them into the format that the machine needs. “We are realizing that a lot of our customers have CAD programs and it’s not necessary for them to have another extensive design program,” says Reynolds Boyd, product manager for Leica’s Machine Automation division.
#PAYDIRT AND TERRAMODEL SOFTWARE#
Some type of conversion features have existed with traditional CAD design programs, but translation software is relatively new and was designed out of the need to reduce time and the cost of getting machine-readable files to contractors who aren’t trained in CAD programs or don’t want to expend the effort necessary to use CAD to convert files. Easy access to the same digital data creates more productive and accurate performance from the contractor’s perspective.” All of this works together so the contractor can more easily have the data on his side. It is another great tool to keep the job moving and the contractor in the black.
“This translation and partnership allow contractors to realize job progress instantly and, if needed, respond to changes that are inevitable. “Translation programs must balance ease of use and power that speaks the contractor’s language,” says Randy Noland product sales manager for 3D machine control, Topcon. Although translation is a small part of the overall file conversion process, it is an important link between the engineer and the operator. Some companies offer these programs separately or as part of their GPS equipment package. Trimble’s SiteVision Office translates CAD files for use with their Grade Control Systems and works best when used in conjunction with Trimble’s Terramodel and Visualizer programs. Topcon’s 3D Office translates files for its 3D-MC control boxes, creates Triangulated Irregular Network (TIN) files for export and partners with Pocket 3D, the software component of Topcon’s Grade Management System, which facilitates surface inspection and surface management using graphics combined with printable reports such as quantities and cut/fill mapping. Design with Leica GPS systems is usually done with SiteManager before translation to a machine-readable format. Leica’s SiteSmart translates files to use with GradeSmart 3D or DigSmart 3D.
“In a nutshell, these programs are an easy way for somebody who uses GPS machine control to get a plan or AutoCAD file from their engineer or surveyor and quickly create a 3D model to plug into that machine,” says Jason Killpack, product marketing manager for Topcon.Ĭompanies that offer GPS systems each have their own format and you need the software that matches that format. Traditional engineering programs do some type of conversion feature, but translation programs don’t require extensive CAD or drafting knowledge. These translation programs build the views the operator needs to see and insures that everybody on the site is looking at the same data. Once the plans are translated, they are exported to a flash card and inserted into the computer where the operator can view a current version. Department of Transportation’s Microstation program, and converts them to a format readable by the GPS-driven computers inside the operator’s cab. Translation programs take digital terrain models produced in CAD file formats such as Drawing files (DWG), Drawing Exchange Files (DXF), Land Extended Markup Language (LandXML) or the DNG files used by the U.S. But the vendors of GPS equipment have all recently begun offering what’s called “translation programs” that individual contractors can use to simplify and speed up this process.
Until recently most of these conversions were done by engineering firms, or in-house engineers in larger construction firms. The onboard computers that guide GPS-enabled construction machines require CAD files that have been converted to a format the machine can read.
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