18 August 2006 – Leica Geosystems announced the launch of Leica PaveSmart 3D for Curb & Gutter paving applications – another first in machine automation. Leica PaveSmart 3D for Curb & Gutter is the world’s first fully-automated 3D all-track grade and steer control system for concrete paving equipment.
Based on a completely new modular 3D software platform, and utilising Leica Geosystems’ unique X-Function dataflow concept, PaveSmart 3D lays the foundation for Leica Geosystems’ next generation of machine control systems for the paving industry.
Concrete slipform paving techniques to replace slow, costly and labour-intensive fixed-form concrete construction methods were introduced to the market well over 30 years ago. Since then, forward-thinking project owners and contractors alike have been asking for tools to reduce their construction costs and improve jobsite flexibility and logistics by eliminating the problematic installation of stringline reference lines used to control steer and elevation of paving machines.
PaveSmart 3D is for contractors involved in offset slipform paving applications such as curb & gutter, barrier, v-channel and sidewalk paving. Stringline setup involving setting steel pins into the ground, tensioning cables and making a lot of fine-adjustments before they can pave is a survey-intensive, laborious, error-prone and costly necessity. Stringlines are also a significant site safety hazard, which contractors are looking to eliminate from their jobsites.
Utilising Leica Geosystems’ world-leading System 1200 total station and – for certain applications – GNSS (GPS/GLONASS) technologies, Leica PaveSmart 3D extends Leica Geosystems’ revolutionary X-Function data modelling and sharing concept to the contracting world. Leica Geosystems’ 3D technology tracks the position of the paver in real-time, in relation to a 3D model of the jobsite and automatically regulates the steering and elevation hydraulics to produce the finished concrete product directly from the original 3D design.
Project design data needs only to be created once, at the start of the construction project, then can be seamlessly shared between any CAD system, and Leica Geosystems’ System 1200 TPS, GPS and Machine Automation equipment on the jobsite – a truly integrated solution to traditional jobsite data exchange problems.
