Hey everyone.. I own an excavation company and just bought a GPS-controlled Dozer (Komatsu DX65pxi). To go with that we also purchased a base and rover setup. That is Topcon Hiper VR and an FC6000 data collector. We are using it as a base currently and it works great.?ÿ
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But we also dig basements and i would love to use the GPS to layout the lot and dig corners. I know how to enter the points manually but I'm looking for a more streamlined option.
I draw all the basements in Sketchup. Is there any way to get that into something the GPS system will read??? Or is there a good software that i can get that i can draw up simple projects that i can then import into the GPS?? creating slopes would be awesome, but simple points so i can at least layout a basement would be the bare minimum.
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I know i can do it with AutoCAD, but I'm looking for something that is a lot cheaper considering i won't be using it all the much or often.
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Thanks for any help you may have.
I own an excavation company and just bought a GPS-.... and i would love to use the GPS to layout the lot and dig corners.
Loading coordinates in your GPS and staking lots is relatively easy. Knowing what coordinates to load is the tricky part.?ÿ?ÿ
Your type of questions yields many questions in return. Appears you may need more knowledge, before investing in software as Mark has eluded to. Some of us on this board provide such training (such as me for $$$)?ÿ ???? to contractors like you and specifically in Topcon products. Most likely you already have the software or access to it, just don't know it yet. However, much more important than getting the data properly formated for your equipment is how to utilize the data properly.?ÿ
- Where are your control points coming from??ÿ
- How are you establishing onsite control and has it been verified by a professional?
- How often are you checking these control points during the project?
If you purchased Topcon GNSS equipment for machine control, especially the data collector, then you??re usually entitled to creating a log in thru Topcon??a website using the serial number off the FC6000 as a proof of purchase if memory serves me correctly. From there you can download the free versions of Topcon 3D Office and the free versions of Magnet. I think you can create quite a bit in Magnet but 3D Office is very limited from what I have discovered.
You could also create the control points files from the surveyor in excel in the proper format (typically PNEZD comma delimited) & then save them as a .csv & change file format extension to .txt before importing the points file for machine control control into Topcon 3D Office. From there export them as a .gc3 file for control as well as your linework & TIN files (or just a TP3 file which encompasses all of that for the most modern equipment).
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I did this briefly before buying my own subscription of Autodesk Civil 3D. but Lee is right - training here is absolutely critical. If you??ve never surveyed utilizing GNSS then you most likely won??t understand any of this gibberish?ÿ
I suppose software and training would be a lot cheaper than digging a basement in the wrong location, but you should totally go for it.?ÿ ?ÿI call that the surveyor's "full employment" act.?ÿ ?ÿ?ÿ
Where are you getting the info for using your GPS on your dozer??ÿ Is someone providing a dwg that's in state plane coordinates??ÿ What kind of file are you uploading, a dwg or tin, or something else??ÿ
I know nothing about machine control GPS.?ÿ But if you're being provided an ACAD drawing, and sketching your basements in there, then you can use that for staking on your site.
You'd need some kind of surveying/CAD software.?ÿ C3D or Carlson Survey.?ÿ There are others too.?ÿ I suppose that you can just list the coordinates in ACAD or ICAD, and then punch those into your GPS.
There are many ways to do it, just make sure you know what you're doing, or as others have said, you may be causing yourself a lot of problems.
