Dozers use technology to hone competitive edge

Written by Dan Gilkes

Created on Wednesday, 08 April 2009 10:27

Those buying dozers now expect much more than just the base tractor, which is why machine control technology such as GPS is becoming the norm. Dan Gilkes reports.

The dozer market in the UK has, like many sectors of the plant business, been very healthy over the past couple of years. Record orderbooks meant that customers were having to wait for their machines, or at least plan well ahead to avoid delays.

With the downturn in the construction industry, followed by the global meltdown in financial markets, it will come as little surprise to find that manufacturers have now caught up with demand, with some dozers even available from stock.

There have been some big orders for larger tractors recently, with a number of Cat D8 and D9 machines going into service in coal mines and two of Liebherr's PR754 machines entering service with Westfield Shovels at the Port of Immingham. However, the bulk of sales remain in the mid-size market, where manufacturers such as Komatsu, Liebherr and New Holland have to compete with Caterpillar's dominant D6 range.

Though orders for new dozers have slowed, it would appear that there is still plenty of work for those tractors that are in service. Olympic projects, rail, infrastructure and government promises of continued road spending are boosting confidence among both hire companies and contractors.

"In the next 12 months, we are expecting more road infrastructure work, rather than big building projects," says Hawk Plant Hire's director and general manager Paul Allman.
Hire firms have been working hard to satisfy demand for dozers, and should continue to find work as contractors hold back from machine purchasing. However, to compete in today's market, you have to be able to provide more than just the base tractor.

Machine control systems, already popular in the USA and in parts of Europe, are becoming an increasingly important part of the package in the UK. As contractors move ever more towards computerised mapping and 3D GPS solutions, so the machines that are doing the earthmoving are having to keep pace.

"The market certainly seems to be adopting this technology," says Finning's mid-size dozer specialist Sam Mosley.

"One in five of our tractors now go out with GPS or laser equipment fitted, with two in five having the necessary wiring pre-installed at the factory."

There are a number of suppliers of this kind of technology, Trimble and Topcon being among the most well-known. Trimble introduced its Grade Control System (GCS) family of products in 2005, as a result of the first Caterpillar Trimble Control Technologies joint venture.

However, Trimble systems are not limited to Caterpillar machine applications. You can have mounting brackets and prewiring fitted in the factory to dozers and graders from Cat, Komatsu, Liebherr and Volvo, reducing the fitting time on site and meaning that there is no need for paint-wrecking welding on new machines once they have arrived.

That said, the company admits that in the past there has been some confusion in the market about whether to purchase from a Cat dealer or from a Trimble supplier, as Cat's Accugrade and Trimble's GCS are very similar. In future, the post-factory installation responsibility for both systems will rest with Trimble and its Sitech dealers.

Trimble says this will result in lower pricing and a number of advantages to contractors, particularly those with a mixed fleet of equipment.

Control systems
Topcon, meanwhile, has been working closely with Hawk Plant Hire, to supply a range of machine control systems for hire customers. The contractor discusses their requirements with Topcon and the company converts any digital site layout and mapping into a format that can be read by the Hawk machinery.

"Our machines are fitted with the Topcon Plug & Play system," says Allman. "The level of sophistication depends on the customer's requirements, a simple 2D or full 3 dimensional system for complex designs. Most large modern job sites have a digital terrain model with the engineers using GPS to carry out survey works."

Of course, laser and GPS equipment is not cheap, and hire companies will be looking for a return on their investment. That means that Hawk will require at least a four week hire before installing the Topcon kit. There is also a considerable increase in the hire rate.

"It can be as much as the machine rate plus 100% for a full 3D system, or the machine plus 50% for a 2D system. But that can be reduced depending on the hire term," says Allman.
While that might sound expensive, there are big savings to be made on site. A GPS equipped machine will save on engineer costs, and will also will save on wasted materials as it is far more accurate. Perhaps most importantly, it will complete the job much more quickly than conventional marking out. There are also health and safety considerations, as the machine control system means less operatives walking about near machines on site.

"The efficiency is site specific, however contractors that have used the system see a significant increase in site productivity," says Allman.

Steve Simmons, technical director at Sinbad Plant, agrees. "We are trying to add value for our customers. We are able to produce a better finish in a quicker time," he says.

"There is still checking involved, but it takes less time for the engineer. There is a premium rate, but it's expensive equipment, and you're doing the job right to start with."
 with Trimble and its Sitech dealers.
Trimble says this will result in lower pricing and a number of advantages to contractors, particularly those with a mixed fleet of equipment.
Control systems
Topcon, meanwhile, has been working closely with Hawk Plant Hire, to supply a range of machine control systems for hire customers. The contractor discusses their requirements with Topcon and the company converts any digital site layout and mapping into a format that can be read by the Hawk machinery.
"Our machines are fitted with the Topcon Plug & Play system," says Allman. "The level of sophistication depends on the customer's requirements, a simple 2D or full 3 dimensional system for complex designs. Most large modern job sites have a digital terrain model with the engineers using GPS to carry out survey works."
Of course, laser and GPS equipment is not cheap, and hire companies will be looking for a return on their investment. That means that Hawk will require at least a four week hire before installing the Topcon kit. There is also a considerable increase in the hire rate.
"It can be as much as the machine rate plus 100% for a full 3D system, or the machine plus 50% for a 2D system. But that can be reduced depending on the hire term," says Allman.
While that might sound expensive, there are big savings to be made on site. A GPS equipped machine will save on engineer costs, and will also will save on wasted materials as it is far more accurate. Perhaps most importantly, it will complete the job much more quickly than conventional marking out. There are also health and safety considerations, as the machine control system means less operatives walking about near machines on site.
"The efficiency is site specific, however contractors that have used the system see a significant increase in site productivity," says Allman.
Steve Simmons, technical director at Sinbad Plant, agrees. "We are trying to add value for our customers. We are able to produce a better finish in a quicker time," he says.
"There is still checking involved, but it takes less time for the engineer. There is a premium rate, but it's expensive equipment, and you're doing the job right to start with."

Latest technology
It's not just the established independent hire companies that are offering the latest technology either. Liebherr-Rental has a full range of machines for rent in the UK. The firm has also entered into a partnership with Topcon for the supply of a 2D laser system that is fully upgradeable to GPS.

The Topcon system provides the operator with a total capability for accurate and consistent blade setting for optimum level and grade control. But that in itself raises a question. While Sinbad insists that its machines go out with its own fully trained operators, both Liebherr and Hawk will put the machine out on self-drive hire.

"Our drivers set the site up with the engineers," says Simmons. "We train our own people, carrying out all the additional training on top of the CPCS card, for GPS and laser systems."
However, it would appear that there is plenty of expertise out there. "We have had to train some operators to use the systems," says Allman. "But the majority of our operatives are already experienced and keen to use the system, and they find it simple to operate."
Specialist contractor and plant hirer Greyhound Plant is in no doubt about the future of dozer work and trains its operators, with the assistance of Scanlaser, to use 3D GPS and laser guidance systems. The firm intends to fit these systems across its extensive dozer fleet as demand grows.

Sales manager Gary Perks says: "Every now and then, new products come along that can have a radical effect on what we do and the way we do it, and GPS technology is one of those examples. We started to look at GPS systems about 18 months ago and fitted one to the dozer of one of our best operators, Medwyn Roberts."

Roberts loves the 3D Scanlaser system fitted to his machine. "It's a great deal quicker as you don't have to wait for somebody else to come and check the levels," he says. "And that means you're not constantly worrying about where various people are standing each time you select reverse."

He also makes the point that the system checks the ground every centimetre and not just every few metres where there is a post.

While direct comparisons for time and materials savings have not been collected, Perks says several unexpected benefits have come to light.

"If the engineer has been delayed, we've used the dozer's system to mark out cut lines and check cut/fill levels for other machines. And Medwyn has also carried out a three-dimensional contoured landscaping job that would be very difficult using traditional methods," he says.

"When designers and architects see the freedom these systems provide, I'm sure they will embrace the technology. And when that happens, there will be no choice but to use GPS and laser systems, so we are making sure we are ready and showing others in the industry what can be achieved."

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