Trimble introduced an innovative new system configuration for the affordable and easy-to-use GCSFlex Grade Control System. The addition of GPS guidance extends the system’s functionality and allows a contractor to work faster and with more freedom than other traditional laser-referenced grade control systems for excavators. With the benefit of GPS guidance and in-field design templates created directly from the cab on the Trimble CB450 Control Box, an excavator operator can now very accurately dig to a desired depth, slope or alignment without creating a digital design in the office. There?s very little prep work before the job and no grade checking after.
The announcement was made at Intermat 2012, the international exhibition of equipment, machinery and techniques for the construction and materials industries.
More Flexibility Without More Complexity
The new GCSFlex system with GPS guidance is a world’s first innovation from Trimble that allows users to create in-field designs in the cab and take advantage of GPS guidance in 2D mode rather than 3D. This capability adds considerably more flexibility to the system without adding additional complexity in its use. Where traditional excavator grade control systems have used a laser plane as a reference for these tasks, the new GCSFlex replaces the laser plane with GPS guidance for position and orientation of the excavator. This configuration gives the operator maximum freedom to move the machine without being tethered to a bench point on the ground or a laser transmitter with range limits.
The latest system configuration is comprised of a CB450 Control Box in the cab; angle sensors on the boom, stick and bucket; a MS972 GNSS Smart Antenna on the cab roof; and a Trimble SNM940 Connected Site Gateway for receiving GPS corrections. Subscription services such as Trimble VRS Now Service or Trimble Internet Base Station Service (IBSS) communicate GPS corrections via a cellular connection to the SNM940 and eliminate the need for a base station.
In-Field Templates Guide the Operator
User-friendly menus on the CB450 Control Box allow the operator to create an in-field template for a particular excavation task and begin working on that project immediately. The display software provides step-by-step instructions to create an in-field design template for excavating to a fixed depth, a depth with slope, an alignment or a profile. For operators with little to no experience with machine control, it is a very easy way to create an alignment similar to traditional methods that use staking and stringlines.
Trimble introduced GCSFlex for excavators in 2011 as an affordable, easy-to-use machine control system for owner operators and small to mid-sized contractors who want to increase their productivity and become more competitive. With several flexible system configuration options available, contractors can select the sensor options that fit their job site needs at a price point that fits their budget.
Availability
The new Trimble GCSFlex Grade Control System is expected to be available in the second quarter of 2012 through Trimble’s worldwide SITECH Technology Dealer Channel.