Warren Fowler Earthmovers excavate the fine line with Topcon machine control

Sean Fowler from Warren Fowler Earthmovers is characteristically straightforward when it comes to his assessment of Topcon’s X-63i excavator grade control software.

“Well if it didn’t work for us, there’s no way I’d keep using it,” he says.

Fowler has invested in two Topcon 3D excavator systems for use on key infrastructure projects his busy Auckland-headquartered company is engaged in.

“They are really very good systems at what they do, but the real value in it for us is how simple they are to use. It was really easy to train our guys up on what to look for on the screen; getting used to working within the parameters of the guide is really straightforward.

“It just means we can achieve all of our tasks faster and take out the risk of re-work. It saves us time and money in the long run.

“These projects are huge and everyone needs to be hitting their targets, so it’s good to have the back-up of this sort of technology. The guys at Synergy Positioning Systems back us up with training support too, although we haven’t had any issues with the Topcon gear,” he says.

Warren Fowler Earthmovers’ fleet of road transport and construction gear is a familiar sight around Greater Auckland. The company has been in business for over 50 years and during that time has also evolved to include Warren Fowler Quarries.

In addition to aggregate supply, this multi-discipline company – which numbers around 30 full-time staff – specialises in excavation and commercial site works, mobile plant and attachment hire, infrastructure construction, rock breaking and underground earthworks.

It’s this last aspect of Warren Fowler Earthmovers’ abilities that has seen them busy on two of the largest construction projects currently underway in metro Auckland.

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The company has been a mainstay of NZTA’s Well-Connected Alliance project, working at both northern and southern portals of the Waterview Tunnel complex in Auckland’s central-west.

While work continues there (with tunnelling complete, activities now turn towards soil stabilisation and paving), a large scale development at one of the city’s busiest intersections, rerouting Kirkbride Road under George Bolt Memorial Drive at the primary entrance to the Auckland International Airport, has also had the company fully committed on a variety of earthmoving responsibilities.

Here the company has been using Topcon’s X-63i GPS grade control system for excavators.

This system combines industry leading GNSS technology with an intuitive GX-60 colour touchscreen operator interface.

The in-cab interface allows the operator to “see” both the machine and bucket positions with absolute accuracy on the site at all times. The final grade and the distance of the bucket teeth from the grade surface are clearly displayed onscreen, with a cut/fill indicator guiding the operator to grade through colour coding; red signifying ‘cut’, green ‘on grade’ and blue ‘to fill’.

Multiple views can be used when more detailed information is required including plan, profile, sectional and dual grade indicators. This means cutting to flat, vertical or 3D surfaces are all easily achievable for operators with varying degrees of experience on the machine.

Supplied by Topcon distributor Synergy Positioning Systems, the Topcon X-63i 3D excavator system consists of two GNSS antennas, four 360° tilt sensors that measure the angles between the cab, boom, stick and bucket, a GNSS receiver and the in-cab GX control panel.

Warren Fowler Earthmovers’ 25-ton Caterpillar 320E excavator fitted with the Topcon X-63i machine control system looks different compared with other systems. The tall mast antennas on previous models have been replaced with two smaller dish antennas, meaning the machine maintains its working profile; especially beneficial on confined urban worksites such as this.

“It’s the way things are going and larger projects like the ones we work on expect this degree of technology from all contractors,” Fowler concludes.

“That we can utilise a system with this sort of accuracy and capability that is still easy to use and doesn’t create any headaches for our guys on the machines, is great.”

For more information contact Synergy Positioning Systems or visit www.synergypositioning.co.nz/products