Bobcat has launched a new integrated depth check system that allows compact-excavator operators to track depth, grade and slope.
Displayed on its E38 mini excavator at World of Concrete 2026, the updated system adds a fourth sensor for slope measurement. In the video above, Senior Product Specialist for Excavators Eric Dahl gives Equipment World an in-depth breakdown on how this technology has changed.
“You can do that one [fourth sensor] to whatever degree slope that you wanted,” says Dahl. “Before that, you really couldn't do an accurate slope.”
“And then it also allows you to get the pitch and yaw measurements, even if you're not digging and you just want to make sure that your machine is perfectly flat,” he continues. “You can use those readings to level your machine and continue to dig.”
The new fourth sensor — tucked inside the mini excavator on its frame — joins the three other sensors on the machine’s bucket link, arm and boom to compensate as the machine works to maintain the operator’s chosen grade.
He says the other key upgrade is the new user interface, which makes it easier for operators to navigate and offers a simpler setup and real-time position refresh. The system’s response time has also been improved for faster feedback while digging.
The system’s efficiency can be boosted with an optional laser receiver, allowing operators to benchmark against that laser repeatedly instead of marking an established depth every time after moving.
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00:00:00:00 - 00:00:14:22
Eric Dahl
Today we'll be talking about our new depth check system. Step check has been around on our equipment for about ten years now, but we just recently upgraded it to a new version. With a lot of exciting new features.
00:00:20:18 - 00:00:41:23
Eric Dahl
Really, what is depth check? It is an indicator system to give you accurate grade measurements for various applications. Very good for foundations. Septic guys anytime where you would really need to use a grade stick. Depth check is going to be a very valuable asset to you. So the improvements with our new system over our old is our old system.
00:00:41:24 - 00:01:00:15
Eric Dahl
Leverage just three sensors on the work group. We added the fourth sensor on the machine. So that's what really allows you to get accurate slope measurements. So you can do that one to whatever degree slope that you wanted before that you really couldn't do an accurate slope. And then it also allows you to get the pitch and your measurement.
00:01:00:16 - 00:01:25:05
Eric Dahl
So even if you're not digging and you just want to make sure that your machine is perfectly flat, you can use those readings, level your machine and continue to dig. Along with that is an upgraded interface. It just makes it much easier to use and navigate the system. So how it works is like most indicator systems, it uses sensors at various positions on the workgroup and on the machine to be able to calculate the actual depth that you're at.
00:01:25:05 - 00:01:51:29
Eric Dahl
So we have a sensor here on our bucket link, a sensor on our arm, a sensor on our boom. And then we have a fourth sensor that's tucked inside the machine on the frame. So those four sensors work together. And they allow you to not only get an accurate depth measurement, but you can also set a slope as well with that frame sensor, because it knows your pitch and your, and it will take all that into account.
00:01:51:29 - 00:02:13:11
Eric Dahl
So if you needed to do a 1% grade, you plug that into the machine. And now as you're digging, it will compensate for that. And it will always be keeping you, on, on grade, whatever you have plugged in, you can run it with or without a laser. Without the laser, you just do manual marks, either a known depth or inside the trench.
00:02:13:11 - 00:02:35:15
Eric Dahl
Once you have established the depth and as you move, you just keep benching. If you connect it with the laser, it's just going to further improve the efficiency and the accuracy because as you move, you just bench through the laser, which is going to be fixed and you know, that exact measurement at all times. So laser is going to be an upgrade, but it really does help improve the efficiency and the accuracy of your system.
00:02:35:15 - 00:02:53:02
Eric Dahl
With our depth check, it is integrated into the display. And then you either get an audio tone or beep to indicate when you're on grade. And then it also will indicate on the display using different colors. So you can use your peripheral vision to see if you are approaching your target, your grade from an operator or owner.
00:02:53:02 - 00:03:14:16
Eric Dahl
The benefits really are going to be improved efficiency, because again, you're not having to get out of the machine or have somebody take a manual measurement for you. You get real time measurements on the display in the machine. And then the other part is going to be accuracy. So over digging cost people a lot of money either through rework of materials or having to just go back and rework the site.
00:03:14:17 - 00:03:22:29
Eric Dahl
Having an indicator system with again, real time measurements really improves your efficiency and your ability to hit your grade every time.
00:06:56:15 - 00:07:20:26
Eric Dahl
So the ideal end user customer really? Again, it's going to be your foundation, guys, if you're pouring any type of concrete, that's even if you're off by a half inch, over dig and you have to fill that in with concrete that isn't a very expensive, fix that you have to make, septic guys or plumbers are another big application for this because they have to maintain that slope.
00:07:20:28 - 00:07:42:15
Eric Dahl
But even, landscapers or anybody that are doing, like, flat work, where you're grading a pad and you want to minimize the amount of material that you have to use, and you want to have a perfectly flat grade. This works very well with, with a great, yeah, grading bucket to also make sure that you have proper drainage and slope and all that, for the system.
00:07:42:15 - 00:07:50:29
Eric Dahl
So again, it really works for anybody that is needs to have precise, trench or grade, measurements.
