Feb. 4, 2015 – Building the best road to the tightest
specifications used to involve measuring tapes and stringlines, with extra
workers on the jobsite to test that correct distances were maintained and
straight lines were created.
Feb. 4, 2015 – Building the best road to the tightest
specifications used to involve measuring tapes and stringlines, with extra
workers on the jobsite to test that correct distances were maintained and
straight lines were created.
But the emergence of GPS, GNSS and laser technologies are
making hitting specs on road construction sites easier, and more accurate.
Topcon made headlines on day one of World of Concrete with
the announcement of its new partnership with Gomaco. Topcon will provide 3D
control systems for Gomaco concrete pavers moving forward, which will be
integrated during the manufacturing phase of machine construction, rather than
being a secondary add-on after the machine is built. Topcon will also provide
solutions for Gomaco’s existing fleet of equipment.
That announcement was then followed up by a media conference
on day two that discussed some of Topcon’s newest innovations, including a new
version of the Millimeter GPS laser transmitter, a new version of the LN-100
one-operator layout system which includes Bluetooth technology, imaging
capability for the DS-200 total station series, and an Android app for the
LN-100 layout navigator.
There was also a follow up on the announcement from November
of 2014 that Topcon had acquired Wachendorff Elektronik GmbH and Wachendorff
Electronics Inc. Wachendorff, a German with a U.S. subsidiary, is a
manufacturer of in-cabin mounted consoles for the OEM agriculture and
construction market. Murray Lodge, senior vice-president and general manager of
the Topcon Positioning Group Construction Business Unit, raved about the
importance of acquiring the technology for Topcon, and how the German facility
will help strengthen the company’s presence in the European market.
One of Topcon’s rivals in the geo-positioning industry,
Leica Geosystems, also had a large presence at the show, with one of the
biggest booths in the show’s Central Hall. Leica’s booth provided a vast array
of solutions for all phases of the concrete building, bridge and road
construction markets.
Included in Leica’s new releases was the introduction of the
DISTO 7500E measuring system, a simple tool for measuring distances on road
projects and building sites. Using laser technology, the DISTO incorporates
video and Bluetooth capabilities to provide accurate measurements on jobsites.
It carries a 500ft. range and 1mm accuracy.
New technology is making it easier for Canadian road
builders to meet tighter specifications introduced by provincial transportation
departments across Canada, which helps build better roads for all Canadians to
drive on.
For more information on new product releases from World of
Concrete, visit www.rocktoroad.com.
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