Marco Cecala to Present "3D Machine Control and the Surveyor" Session on April 13th at the CLSA Annual Conference

Summary
The recent advances in technology for use in civil construction are impressive. The broad appeal of GPS, LIDAR, lasers, total stations and computers have provided the contractor with many opportunities. The survey community has been tasked with additional responsibilities during implementation.

Civil Integrated Management (CIM) represents the dynamic aspects of the modern job site. Contractors are tasked with learning new technologies that are at best, confusing. CIM helps to make sense of work flow and strategy.

This interactive presentation will answer questions and provide a strategy for establishing or increasing the role of the land surveyor as it relates to the 3D world.

Equipment
• Brief overview of current equipment types. GPS, Total Stations, LIDAR, field computers and 3D machine control systems.
• Using existing equipment on the CIM Site.
• Application use for this technology and how they converge.
• The anatomy of the connected job site.

Critical to the integration of a connected job site, equipment use is discussed here. Different brands and formats are explored. The contractor’s expectations and use of GPS differs from that of the surveyor, this is explained and defined.
From project inception and design, the attendees will follow a site through the entire process from design to as-builts.

Training
• What training options are available and their differences.
• How to take full advantage of dealer, manufacturer and independent training.
• Training contractors and other users.
• How to identify key staffers for leading the technology push
• How to stay current with training as it relates to hardware and software upgrades.

What training is available to the land surveyor? How does the contractor work with this technology? What role can the land surveyor play in the process?

The contractor may have the same tools as the surveyor in regards to equipment. The disconnect comes in the training received and the knowledge base available to the contractor. This section covers what the contractor needs to know, what the surveyor needs to know and how they can work together to promote better production.

Application
• What to expect from the technology.
• Implementation; gradual or all in?
• Responsibility chain when using technology.
• How the high tech job site differs from traditional grading.
• The connected job site, how it can help profitability.

The CIM site is an impressive application of technology. In order for all involved to be successful, certain steps need to be followed. The land surveyor has the unique opportunity to orchestrate the connected job site. Profits can be increased for the surveyor and contractor.

Work Flow
• How technology changes job dynamics.
• Where does the Land Surveyor fit in?
• How electronic data affects a site.
• How to effectively manage data from the office to the field.
• Meeting requirements for the use of technology.

Communication has improved over the years. the connected job site has its share of anomalies that need to be addressed. When the land surveyor is part of CIM from the beginning, experience has proven the work goes quicker and is more profitable.

We will discuss the work flow and how the land surveyor can help to streamline the process.

About Marco Cecala and Take-off Professionals
Marco Cecala is the President of Take-off Professionals. A Civil engineering consulting firm based in Phoenix, AZ. As the nation’s most experienced and largest firm of their type and are uniquely qualified to work with contractors, engineers and survey firms. The company’s business involves preparing 3D models for machine control, quantity take-offs, training and consulting.