Usage Of GPS Machine Control Files For Earthmoving

By Mayra Pierce


Global Positioning System or GPS has been included in earthmoving industries for a certain time already. The heavy equipment manufacturers applied this technology on various procedures. These procedures are land grading, causeways, roads, levees, railway beds, canals, and berms.

A lot of modification and advances in technology, as well as innovation and efficiency with the lesser profit involved, pushed certain kinds of developments. One of these developments is the use of GPS machine control files that are being adapted into earthwork. It can reduce the cost for contractors and would make work faster with the use of these technologies.

A lot of heavy equipment corporations have been dominating this market sector and has been advancing this technology for quite a while already since the late 1990s. The system for machine control simply compared the position of the blade with the current location of the equipment. It can indicate the difference or can make adjustments automatically. This is where the role of the GPS takes place.

3D and 2D software are now being utilized, developed, and being upgraded even further to help with this sort of procedure. The topography map of the area is imported to these software for it to let the operator have a better visualization for the whole area. Leading companies are actually making their own software and constantly making revisions and upgrades to give higher accuracy in the process.

Two types of system are being utilized for the earthmoving procedure in heavy equipment industries. They can be distinguished as either Fully Automatic or Indicate Only. The two of them are systems that can either use one or two receivers. With only one receiver, the guidance system is very limited on the position of the machine. But with two receivers, it allows two points which can also give the angle as well.

In order for accuracy with this use, there should be an accurate site design as well. The design file that came from an engineering firm can be imported into the GPS display. Some guidance systems will also allow the user to define the grade elevation and angle without the specifics of the original design.

The heavy equipment that can be installed with guidance systems are as follows. Motor Graders, Scrapers, Hydraulic Excavators, and Compactors. Having that installed would make the machines more efficient and productive in terms of accuracy and cost effectiveness. Having this can give less manpower or on site workers.

For one machine it has a cost of about one hundred million dollars. If used efficiently, it can be thirty percent more productive than the traditional methods. Due to the high accuracy, there is less materials that are needed and cost. That is why most construction projects have GPS as a requirement in order to lessen the cost.

Although it has limitations to its effectivity due to the environment since it utilizes signals to work. So this should be taken into consideration in the project site where it is located and what are some obstructions that are nearby. Roofs of buildings or any structure close to the site may create a dead zone for the satellite. Although overall Global Position System used in Earthmoving has been the most efficient and productive method and can be also developed even further.




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