MACHINE CONTROL & AUTOMATION ADD TO THE BOTTOM LINE

This is the fifth in a series of articles about how technology can help construction companies optimize performance across their worksites. In our previous articles, we’ve shown how technology can help construction teams use information to save time and money as well as optimize safety. In this article we’re focused on how technologies that enhance machine performance can add to the bottom line.

The introduction of control technologies for grading, compacting and measuring payload has increased construction companies’ ability to get more work done regardless of operator skill levels. With machine control and guidance technologies:

accuracy of work is to exact specifications → Impacts quality
less rework is required → Impacts deadlines
more work gets done each shift → Impacts productivity
reduced wear on machines → Impacts availability

of

Productivity and cost saving advantages come primarily from:

Increased accuracy of computer guided or monitored buckets and blades
Increased speed of automated “assist” features that make the operator faster and more accurate
Reduced man hours because fewer workers are needed to check progress/complete jobs
Increased safe operation because operators are not completely focused on a single task
With good planning, return on the machine control technology investment can be accelerated. Careful monitoring of machine control performance will allow the impact on productivity to be integrated into bids as quickly as possible.