Tag: construction technology: Page 16

Technology

Trimble deal with Propeller Aero brings drone-based site survey system to U.S. contractors, engineers

Trimble has announced it is collaborating with Australia’s Propeller Aero to distribute that company’s drone-based site survey and analytics technology. We got our first glimpse of Propeller Aero’s system in March at the Trimble booth during ConExpo. The system uses drones, also known as UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles), to survey a jobsite from the air. The […]

July 20, 2017

Technology

Komatsu, Trimble software platforms will soon share 3D construction data

Komatsu and Trimble have announced that the two companies are developing a bridge between their respective software platforms that will allow for easy exchanges of 3D construction site data between the two. The companies say the primary focus of the effort are customers operating mixed earthmoving fleets and aims to provide “a more holistic view […]

July 19, 2017

Construction Equipment

Perkins intros the SmartCap, an engine oil filler cap that sends service alerts to your phone

Imagine a diesel engine oil filler cap that reminds you when it’s time to change the oil. That’s what Perkins showed us in June at its new factory in Seguin, Texas. Just north of San Antonio, Seguin is where the British-based Perkins put its headquarters for the Americas and has co-located an engine manufacturing operation […]

July 14, 2017

Technology

Wearable construction tech: The dawn of the bionic worker is coming

The dawn of the bionic construction worker is not quite here yet, but it’s coming. At ConExpo this year, “Wearable Technology” was the subject of one of the show’s Tech Talks, and while most of this technology has yet to make it into the field, in the next two to three years wearable technology products […]

June 30, 2017

Technology

Parrot intros thermal imaging drone package aimed at construction, trades

Less than two months after announcing an affordable drone package aimed at allowing real estate and construction professionals to quickly create 3D models of jobsites and properties, French drone maker Parrot has announced the launch of a new business unit that will focus on commercial applications. As part of that announcement, Parrot has also introduced a new […]

May 10, 2017

Technology

New construction tech course is training drone pilots, preparing Ga. Tech students for industry’s future

Five years ago, you would have been hard-pressed to find anyone that would call construction a transforming industry being reshaped by technology. The ‘T-word’ is looked on with a fair amount of skepticism by those in this industry, as it typically means higher cost and, oftentimes, less power or efficiency than the way a task has been […]

April 27, 2017

Technology

How Hensel Phelps carefully deployed drones on its construction sites

Twenty seconds in, DJI’s most recent promotional video for its Matrice 200 series shows an operator in a hard hat and safety glasses flying a drone outside of a glassy high-rise building set against a brilliant blue sky. Like most DJI videos, this one provides spectacular footage to highlight the Matrice’s capabilities and specs—the viewer […]

April 17, 2017

Machine control

Side-By-Side: Comparing Cat, Deere, Komatsu and Topcon mast-less dozer GPS systems

GPS* machine control started out as a tangle of aftermarket products all bolted on and wired up as retrofits to existing dozers. These systems revolutionized the operation of dozers, but there were a lot of parts to track and maintain. In the past 18 months, however, several major manufacturers have begun integrating these systems into […]

April 7, 2017

Construction Equipment

Cat intros 950 GC, a lower-spec loader developed using telematics data

With the North American and European launch of the 950 GC wheel loader, Caterpillar says it is bringing a machine stateside that has proven itself to be a high-performing, reliable and budget-friendly machine in lesser regulated countries. Telematics played a big part in the development of the 950 GC, Cat says. In addition to helping customers […]

April 5, 2017

Technology

Volvo launches ActiveCare Direct 24/7 machine-monitoring and analytics service

Your machines are equipped with telematics but what do you do with all the data? Volvo Construction Equipment introduced its answer at the ConExpo show in Las Vegas earlier this month. ActiveCare Direct is the company’s new machine monitoring and monthly fleet analysis service and it’s available for various Volvo models. Data analysts staff the company’s new Uptime […]

March 27, 2017

Technology

Topcon unveils ZPS concrete paver automation, bigger machine control monitors alongside slew of upgrades and updates

Topcon unveiled a slew of new products, product improvements and upgrades at the ConExpo show earlier this month. The most significant of these is the new ZPS concrete paving system. The system is a robotic total station that operates using less hardware than a traditional local positioning system or LPS. For tracking and guidance, the ZPS […]

March 27, 2017

Construction Equipment

Parrot Bebop-Pro 3D Modeling drone package offers contractors autonomous flight, data capture/processing at a very affordable price

As the market for commercial drone solutions continues to accelerate within the construction industry, an established player in the civil/hobbyist market has announced its first aerial imaging package aimed squarely at industrial use. And it is definitely worth a strong look from any contractor considering getting started with the technology. Drone manufacturer Parrot is introducing […]

March 22, 2017