| “Our GPS applications have been an effective marketing tool. It shows the customer that we are committed to delivering the best value possible for our services. In addition, it reflects our commitment to the engineering community and our own company," Ruelle says. |
Within three days of using the first system in the field a recommendation was made to purchase more systems. McAninch plans to work with more SiteVision GPS systems. Stakeless earthmoving is now a reality.
The Principal of McAninch, Dwayne McAninch, believes that it is imperative to identify alternative applications that will further enhance their business—it's much harder to catch up than it is to keep ahead. He is determined to keep his people and his company on the cutting edge of innovation in this industry. This determination is paying off...because now, with the SiteVision GPS system, McAninch can achieve centimeter results.
GPS as a Marketing Tool
In the competitive environment in which McAninch operates, the SiteVision GPS system provides an advantage when bidding and preparing work. As Pat Ruelle from the McAninch Corporation explains: "Our GPS applications have been an effective marketing tool. It shows the customer that we are committed to delivering the best value possible for our services. In addition, it reflects our commitment to the engineering community and our own company."
In the future, McAninch plans to add more grade control capabilities. The company's goal is to continually find and use technologies that will help them manage their resources better.
"Our GPS applications have been an effective marketing tool. It shows the customer that we are committed to delivering the best value possible for our services."
Improved Safety
Additionaly, the greater return obtained from machine and operator, the SiteVision GPS grade control system also improves safety onsite. Ruelle says, "The SiteVision grade control and guidance system allows us to spot problems in the engineering documents early, thus avoiding expensive rework. In addition, since we do not need stakes, we eliminate the dangers associated with placing surveyors and grade checkers in the traffic of a busy earth-moving project. Safety concerns are becoming more and more of an issue in our work environment."
Increased Efficiency and Accuracy
By placing the site plan in the cab, the SiteVision GPS system enables operators to achieve grade in fewer passes, with less rework. The result is better machine utilization and fewer hours per volume of earth moved, equating to lower fuel and maintenance costs. The reduced reliance on surveyors also decreases downtime of machines and manpower. The operators can be more productive because they don't have to work around stakes and they don't have to wait for new stakes to be placed on the job as the work progresses.
The system provides each operator with a current view of the job. They know exactly where they are and what needs to be done, even before the foreman knows. "This construction season we will have a minimum of eight SiteVision systems running. This will provide us with an even better evaluation of the considerable efficiencies that can be gained with the product. As we acquire a critical mass of data, I am confident that we will opt to increase our commitment to both SiteVision and the ancillary infrastructure that is needed to derive the most benefits from this emerging technology," says Ruelle.
Ease of Use
Machine operators find the SiteVision GPS system very easy to learn and use, because it is simple and intuitive. At the beginning of the shift, the foreman puts the day's design on a data card, and inserts it into the front of the display unit. This provides machine position versus site plan directly to the operator.
Ruelle illustrates how quick it is to master: "We have a dozer hand by the name of Kenny McCleod. He has been operating equipment since the mid 1950's. Within 10 minutes of showing him the product and how it worked... he virtually threw Kurt (the Trimble expert) off the machine and said, ‘Let me work on this and I will give you a ring if I have any trouble.' Within two days, he was the resident expert on the screens and how to use the technology efficiently."
With the SiteVision GPS system, precise grading of a site is faster, safer, more efficient and more predictable.
Related Information
View Product Information: Dozer Systems
|
