From The Editor: Rings of Opportunity
This year has been a fast start right out of the gate as we arrive at ConExpo 2014. Has it really been 3 years since the last one? ConExpo is the premiere American construction and agricultural show, drawing more than 125,000 attendees from around the globe. Manufacturers look forward to and prepare for ConExpo like athletes look forward to .... Read the Article

NewTech
• Carlson CBx6 Control Box: For the rugged environment of mining, landfills and construction. • Topcon X-63i: Fully automatic excavator systems. • Spectra Precision® LT56: Automatic self-leveling laser. • Carlson MC Pro Vx6 & Carlson MC Pro VSx6: New GNSS Sensors .... Read the Article

Data Flow
There's an old joke told by politicians that if you take all of the economists in the world and place them all end to end, they will still all point in different directions. It's a funny joke, to be sure--well, depending on whether you're a politician or an economist--but the same situation can be used to talk about data too, when it comes to the myriad of users .... Read the Article

Crummy Weather... No Problem
Rain. It sure makes stuff grow... crops, flowers, lawns, and, unfortunately... construction schedules. "When we started the project we were confidently planning on completing it in 45 to 60 days," states Kevin Grant, project manager with Envision Contractors LLC, Owensboro, KY. "With the persistent rain we've had for the past month, our schedule .... Read the Article

Machine Controlled Excavation Makes Short Work of a Long Canal
Canal maintenance is a high priority for Jefferson Parish in Louisiana. The parish, which contains most of the New Orleans suburbs with a population of about 430,000, was one of the areas hardest hit with flooding in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Parish officials don't want to see a repeat. One of the most troublesome canals in Jefferson Parish .... Read the Article

Can You Ever Have Too Much of A Good Thing?
Sometimes a very simple question can generate a very complex answer. Have you ever wondered if you can have too much of a good thing, I believe the answer to that question is fairly simple--yes and no. I would like to take a look at this question as it relates to modern construction site and more specifically as it relates to machine control on .... Read the Article

Technology's Impact Anything but Median for Albany-area Contractor
For decades, a section of the New York State Thruway between Exits 23 and 24 has been a major headache for Albany area commuters. Drivers seeking access to downtown or the I-87 Northway are in unanimous agreement that this nearly seven-mile section of the Thruway is badly in need of an upgrade. In one of the largest single projects undertaken .... Read the Article

Virtual Reference Systems—Setting Machines Free to Run
It is early in the morning, the shopping center parking lot was empty as the flatbed hauling a D5 Dozer equipped with a Trimble GCS900 System pulled up next to a 1.5 acre square plot of grass. We all have seen these infill lots in strip-malls across the country, a vacant plot waiting for some commercial venture to pounce. In this case it is an auto .... Read the Article

The Cost of Technical Support and Training—Expense or Money Maker?
Most companies that sell technical products must provide support and training. Rates for on-site support from technology companies hover between $1,000 and $1,500 per day plus expenses. A small percentage of companies willingly choose to pay these rates because they see a return on their investment through increases in productivity and .... Read the Article

New to Machine Control? A Model Start
Are you new to machine control? Don't be embarrassed, we all have to start somewhere. Shoot, the first time I heard about the opportunity to build models for machine control I figured it would be for factory equipment being moved precisely around on the shop floor. There is no reason that anyone should not have an all-around positive first job .... Read the Article

The Technology Driven Job—Beyond a GPS base and rover
We all struggle to keep pace with this modern world in which we live. This is an exciting time in all phases of our lives, from the autos we drive to how we build our projects. I would like to address the concept of how the most advanced construction sites look now, and what you can do to capitalize on the technology that can help make you money .... Read the Article