Topcon unveils host of new products and upgrades, announces partnership with GOMACO

TP-L5 pipe laser series

The Topcon press conference at World of Concrete was chock-full of new products and a few interesting corporate developments. On the product front the company showed:

LZ-T5 laser transmitter

The new TP-L5 pipe laser series includes five models with clearer and brighter beams and an upgraded operating panel with a high contrast display. The TP-L5 series offers three green and two red beam choices. The top-end models have vertical alignment beams and what the company calls its SmartLine automatic target alignment. All models allow you to set grades from minus-15 to plus-40 percent and are fully automatic and self leveling. Improved battery life has extended operating time for green beam models up to 20 percent.

Topcon’s new LZ-T5 laser transmitter is designed to work with the company’s Millimeter GPS precise positioning system. The LZ-T5 uses zone-beam laser technology to provide high accuracy elevation information in situations where GNSS positioning doesn’t always deliver the accuracy needed for precise vertical work, especially fine grading and paving. The upgraded LZ-T5 features twin handles, 20 percent better battery life, and enhancements that help it maintain performance in high temperatures and adverse weather.

Sokkia GCX2 “bullet” GNSS receiver

Topcon’s sister company, Sokkia has come out with the GCX2, a compact, lightweight GNSS receiver. “The bullet,” as it’s called, is the smallest and lightest receiver Sokkia offers and is designed for applications in the surveying and construction fields as well as landscape architecture, GIS, BIM and forensic mapping. The GCX2 can connect to Sokkia’s S-10 or GHX2 field controllers and features radio-free RTK operation, which eliminates licensing issues. When used as a base station it can support up to three concurrent GCX2 rovers at a range of up to 300 meters.

A handful of existing Topcon products got additional features and functionality as well:

• The company released a new Android app for it’s LN-100 Layout Navigator system using Topcon’s Magnet Construction management system.
• For those of you who work solo, Topcon has added Bluetooth functionality to its LN-100W lasers.  This will give you wireless control of the device and enable you to communicate with the unit with tablets that might not be WLAN ready.
• And Topcon has added imaging capability to its DS-200 total station series. A five-megapixel camera can create images and videos of measured positions.  The video capability allows for non-prism measurements to be aimed and measured to remote objects without having to return to the tripod.

On the corporate news side, Topcon announced an OEM agreement with Gomaco to provide 3D control systems for all of Gomaco’s concrete paving machines including curb and gutter machines, slipform pavers, pacer/spreaders and trimmers. Topcon has also bought the German console manufacturer Wachendorff Elektronik. The Wachendorff purchase will enable Topcon to offer OEM cab mounted consoles for the industrial vehicle market in construction and agriculture machines.