In November 2024, Leica Geosystems, a part of Hexagon, and DEVELON, previously Doosan Development Gear, introduced a brand new aftermarket 3D machine management resolution tailor-made for the DEVELON DD100 and DD130 dozers. These dozers are already designed to excel in earthmoving duties, offering superior energy and effectivity. In keeping with the corporate, now, with the addition of the Leica MC1 3D machine management system, the dozers will additional improve operator accuracy and general challenge productiveness. The Leica iCON iGD3 3D machine management resolution, which integrates with DEVELON’s hydraulic controls, permits operators to execute exact grading and earthmoving duties with minimal rework.
To study extra in regards to the collaboration, Gear At the moment (ET) spoke with each Neil Williams, president, Machine Management Division at Leica Geosystems, a part of Hexagon, and Jake Sherman, compact observe loader and dozer product supervisor at DEVELON. Learn on for his or her insights.
ET: Inform us in regards to the newly launched aftermarket 3D machine management resolution for the DEVELON DD100 and DD130 dozers.
Williams: This resolution integrates Leica Geosystems’ superior MC1 3D machine management system with DEVELON’s high-performance dozers, enabling operators to realize superior accuracy in grading and leveling duties. It offers a user-friendly interface and integrates seamlessly with current workflows, empowering operators to work quicker and extra effectively.
Leica Geosystems’ machine management resolution helps each 2D and 3D dozer operations, utilizing laser, complete stations, and blade-mounted or cab-mounted GNSS applied sciences. It communicates with DEVELON’s DD100-7 and DD130-7 hydraulic controls, enabling it to regulate the blade to fulfill the necessities of any reference mannequin. Moreover, the answer helps six-way blade performance, providing improved visibility and comfort for the operator.
Sherman: DEVELON is attentive to buyer calls for and preferences, which is why the DD100 and DD130 dozers make the most of an open structure resolution enabling aftermarket expertise to be simply integrated into the DEVELON dozer lineup.
ET: What are some standout options and the way do they evaluate to present market choices?
Williams: The answer consists of strong {hardware} (show, GNSS antennas, sensors) and a user-friendly software program platform, Leica MC1. Standout options embody:
- Leica MC1 software program — A completely built-in 3D machine management platform that’s intuitive and straightforward to make use of. It’s designed as a one-for-all resolution, offering operation for a variety of development functions, together with grading, excavating, piling and extra. The system permits operators to modify between machines, enabling the activation of various software software program licenses with simply the push of a button by means of a single, easy-to-use interface. One funding – a number of functions.
- Seamless integration — Superior sensors ship real-time knowledge, enhancing precision and lowering rework. Because of the collaboration with DEVELON, the set up and calibration are seamless.
- Six-way blade — Six-way blade performance on the Leica MC1 system gives exact management and flexibility for complicated grading duties. Offering operators with correct, real-time blade positioning knowledge allows wonderful changes to be made, even on difficult terrain.
- As-built characteristic — Operators can robotically log knowledge from the tracks and blade at particular intervals to create correct as-built documentation. This data could be immediately shared with the workplace by way of cloud connectivity, enabling seamless progress reporting. The system’s floor logging performance offers a reside heatmap of the instrument’s edge actions, permitting customers to customise heatmap colours to visualise the instrument’s edge historical past in relation to the goal top distance.
- Cloud connectivity — To reinforce productiveness, operators want entry to real-time challenge knowledge and the power to attach with workplace groups for distant help. Cloud connectivity is due to this fact important for maximizing effectivity. To satisfy these wants, all Leica Geosystems machine management options embody the choice of Leica ConX, enabling the sharing of designs and progress knowledge straight with challenge groups.
In comparison with present market choices, this resolution excels in its ease of use, reliability and interoperability, making it a best choice for contractors seeking to improve productiveness and reduce prices.
Sherman: The Leica MC1 software program permits operators and challenge managers the flexibleness to work with a variety of industry-standard knowledge codecs together with LandXML, DXF, GEO, KOF, L3D, LMD, LIN, MBS and TRM, which allows the shopper to combine the answer to current functions and workflows.
Leica Geosystems takes an open structure method to working with aggressive options on-site to assist make operations run smoother.
Ease of flexibility between machines is a standout characteristic. You may switch main elements between machines as wanted. As well as, the MC1 offers the identical person interface for all relevant machine fashions to make onboarding new and current operators simpler.
Plug-and-play performance is on the market from the manufacturing facility.
The Leica iCON iGD3 3D machine management resolution integrates with Develon’s hydraulic controls, permitting operators to execute exact grading and earthmoving duties with minimal rework.Leica_Develon
ET: How does this resolution assist finish customers in earthmoving enhance the accuracy of their operations?
Williams: Autonomy and digitalization are driving important financial savings in time, prices and supplies, whereas additionally contributing to the achievement of sustainability objectives. This is the reason making operators extra unbiased, autonomous and backed up with digital instruments may end up in important financial savings at every job:
The answer considerably reduces the necessity for guide staking and rework, resulting in extra correct operations. Operators can now work extra independently, eliminating the necessity to await surveyors.
With real-time knowledge and correct visualizations accessible on the run display screen contained in the cab, they will make knowledgeable selections on the spot, adjusting their work as wanted with out delays. This autonomy quickens the workflow, lowering downtime and permitting for extra environment friendly challenge completion, additional contributing to value and time financial savings.
Following the design with ease-of-use leads to much less materials waste — transferring it solely as soon as, proper. Exact management of the blade helps decrease over-excavation, lowering materials wastage.
Sherman: The addition of a 3D grading system is universally accepted as a chance to enhance worksite effectivity. The inclusion of this expertise additionally helps scale back operator fatigue and errors, as it will probably lower operator enter by as much as 80%. Moreover, skilled operators have gotten scarce. Expertise will help much less skilled operators obtain higher worksite effectivity and high quality.
ET: What are the advantages of choosing an aftermarket grade management resolution?
Williams: Aftermarket grade management options present flexibility and affordability for contractors who wish to improve their fleet’s efficiency with out buying fully new equipment. These options could be retrofitted to current gear, permitting customers to increase the lifetime of their machines whereas gaining the newest technological benefits. Moreover, aftermarket techniques like ours are versatile and suitable with a number of manufacturers and fashions, giving contractors a scalable resolution.
Sherman: The benefits to an aftermarket system allow a customer-driven resolution. Clients have the power so as to add expertise as their functions evolve and the potential necessities of their dozers enhance.
ET: What different notable development gear applied sciences does Leica supply?
Williams: Leica Geosystems offers an intensive portfolio of machine management applied sciences that span a variety of functions throughout the development {industry}. These options are designed to reinforce precision and effectivity in all the pieces from earthmoving and floor stabilization to paving and even snow administration. Whether or not it’s optimizing grading, leveling and excavation duties,
guaranteeing the soundness of soil and buildings, or managing paving operations with excessive accuracy, Leica Geosystems’ applied sciences empower operators to finish tasks extra successfully and safely.
Leica Geosystems additionally prioritizes the protection of each operators and infrastructure with a variety of security consciousness options. These applied sciences are designed to reduce dangers and enhance the general security of operations. As an example, Leica Geosystems’ machine management techniques are geared up with options corresponding to collision avoidance, proximity alerts and zone monitoring, which be certain that operators are at all times conscious of their environment and potential hazards. The techniques can detect and alert operators about obstacles or unsafe situations, corresponding to working too near high-risk areas, stopping accidents earlier than they happen.
Whereas lots of our options are aftermarket-compatible, we additionally work carefully with OEMs to ship factory-installed techniques. This ensures that clients have choices tailor-made to their particular wants, whether or not they’re integrating expertise into an current fleet or investing in new equipment. Whether or not retrofitting current equipment or utilizing factory-installed techniques, Leica Geosystems’ choices ship the flexibleness, scalability and precision wanted to reinforce efficiency and save on prices.
ET: Can we anticipate to see extra heavy gear tech collaborations sooner or later?
Williams: Completely. As digital transformation accelerates throughout the {industry}, partnerships between expertise suppliers and gear producers are important to assembly buyer calls for. Leica Geosystems is dedicated to fostering collaborations that drive innovation, improve effectivity, and create worth for our clients.
Sherman: Sure. These following the DEVELON model over the previous few years can attest to the fast growth of the DEVELON product portfolio. A powerful relationship with expertise options is an integral a part of additional DEVELON product portfolio development. DEVELON seems to be ahead to persevering with a robust relationship with Leica.
Leica Geosystems’ machine management resolution helps each 2D and 3D dozer operations, utilizing laser, complete stations, and blade-mounted or cab-mounted GNSS applied sciences.Leica_Develon
ET: What else ought to readers know?
Williams: Leica Geosystems stays dedicated to empowering development professionals by means of revolutionary expertise. By working carefully with companions like DEVELON and listening to our clients’ wants, we proceed to set the usual for precision and effectivity in development.
Sherman: DEVELON is cognizant of the necessity for all our merchandise to include and be suitable with a variety of the newest expertise options. DEVELON has labored with and can proceed to work with industry-leading expertise suppliers to ship the most effective worth for our clients. Moreover, DEVELON has included a number of expertise options as commonplace within the DEVLEON dozer lineup. All DEVELON dozers come commonplace with MY DEVELON fleet administration (telematics), 2D grading functionality and totally digital hydraulics.
