Carlson Bucketwheel

BucketWheel is Carlson Software's machine guidance product for bucket wheel excavators.

It enables operators to know their grade and location without the need for stakes and in blinding conditions. Accordingly, when work is done at night, when a surveyor may not be available, production can continue with confidence. The existing surface is updated as the continuous excavation equipment moves large volumes of soft materials. This surface is reported back to the engineers for material tracking and other calculations.

The system is comprised of a single antenna GPS with cm-level accuracy, a tilt sensor, and a ruggedized touch-screen computer. The BucketWheel machine guidance software uses plan view features and design surfaces to aide the bucket-wheel in achieving the desired plan by proper positioning. Operators glance at a screen mounted in the cab and respond to cut/fill and position information. This empowers the employee by giving them instant feedback on their design performance and allowing them to achieve the proper grade with the first pass. This eliminates excessive movement and tramming of the machine, which results in less maintenance and cost.

When working to a centerline, a valuable tool is available in Carlson's BucketWheel software to speed the process and give control where it is needed. The program visually displays centerline, station/chainage, and offsets to the operator. It is simple to switch between design files and almost easier to select a polyline on the screen and have that become your new centerline. BucketWheel does all of this, helping you get the job done quickly and safely.

• Never over cut design limits
• Less rework needed
• Lower dilution
• Increased productivity
• Tremendous time savings over the length of the project
• Real-time "as-built" survey
• Low cost alternative
• Easy to learn
• On-site support
• Level terrain leads to less wear and tear on equipment