My first homework in almost a decade is done

[sniffa]

I'm taking a course on emerging technology relating to my field (land surveying) and my first homework assignment was to compare 3 of the leading companies latest instruments, and to make a "capital investment" purchase, based on the current project you're working on, and your company in general. The professor is quite hands' off, and gives next to no direction (he intimates he grades that way as well - show up, do the assignments - A), and this assignment was just to be quite general, and no longer than one page. He didn't even mention he wanted it in paper form (I thought he might want a hand written word cloud and chart). It's one part research, and x parts bullshit as this technology might as well be Greek to me right now. Please tell me what you think, after you wake up. :P





The purpose of this discussion is to compare and contrast the capital purchase of three current Total Station models - Leica TPS1200+, Trimble S8, and the Topcon IS - with their opportunity costs. The amount of money invested in new equipment needs to be justified by the potential to increase revenue using the new equipment, whether it be by decreasing man-hours, or opening up job opportunities that are not accessible using older equipment.

All three models are robotic stations, which eliminate the need for a typical 2-man (and in some cases, 3-man) field crew. Assuming the typical 2-man hourly rate will be applied, the company will immediately begin to accumulate the pay grade of the Instrument Operator for every hour billed. This should more than make up for the extra time required for one person to set-up and break down. The one man crew also eliminates field errors due to miscommunication between crew members. Each of the models also incorporates Bluetooth technology, which enables the field engineer to transmit field data to the home office. This ability to communicate with the home office eliminates the travel time associated with manually downloading field data, which should negate the extra time associated with one person setting up, and breaking down. Instant home office communication can also lead to quicker turn around for problems that may arise in the field, as well as eliminate errors due to verbal communication. The wireless communication also allows a seamless transition of data for clients who wish to process the field data themselves, or via another party. These common features make each instrument a potentially, valuable capital investment, so their individual capabilities must be addressed to make the proper investment.

The Trimble S8 offers an engineering package that allows instant visualization of field data as overlaid onto design data. This is valuable for construction as-built surveys that require a quick turnaround, as the surveyor can quickly inform the contractor whether any items constructed are correct or beyond tolerance, as opposed to the typical one day turnaround of data processing and plotting. The engineering package also decreases the man-hours associated with long-term deformation monitoring. Once the initial round of targets are set and located, the S8 memorizes their locations and the robotic station will monitor the targets without the manual turning. This monitoring program (once the first round is completed) also allows for the surveyor to complete rounds of deformation monitoring at night, which can be invaluable for active, and disruptive, daytime sites. Another factor to consider with purchasing the Trimble S8 is their claim to have less wear and tear due to its "frictionless motion" so the life of the instrument is prolonged, and the cost of typical maintenance is mitigated.

The Leica TPS1200+ has a large, and user-friendly graphic color display which is ideal for the project I'm currently working on - obtaining horizontal, and vertical data in the field and calculating the new design in the field to meet all minimum slope requirements, as well as adequate drainage. The graphic representation of the data I obtain will eliminate the errors of visualizing a 3-dimensional representation of what is current, and the effects of what my design will produce. The TPS1200+ can work with GPS as well, making many projects for a one-man crew that much faster (eliminating the closed traverse control usually required to get onto a set coordinate system, sometimes from a prohibitively long distance), and in some cases, more accurate.

The Topcon IS offers an updated version of laser scanning which is ideal for my company. We were at one time, ahead of the curve when laser scanning first came into the surveying industry in a meaningful way, and were one of the leading "Scanners" in the country (to the point, that we were getting inquiries/projects from overseas). Our aggressiveness in marketing this capability has waned, and it may be due in part to our not upgrading our equipment. We still do an occasional scan job, but it does not generate the revenue it once did, so an investment in Topcon's latest scanner may be the jump-start that is needed to propel my company back to top echelon it once enjoyed. The Photo Fieldbook of the IS also offers near, instantaneous imaging while collecting data so an errors, or missed data can be readily noted and corrected.

The downsides of each capital investment is the initial high cost, which can be regrouped if it decreases man-hours and opens up new job opportunities, and the billable time lost to training. The current state of the economy indicates that this winter will be a reprise of the stagnant/negative revenue stream of the winter of 2007. If the initial cost can be taken on, along with carrying the core workers during the winter, this "dead" time will be the opportune moment to train our workers with the new equipment and software. The Trimble S8 is the most intriguing to myself out of the three models, reviewed and if I were to start my own company I would most likely invest in this model. The Leica TPS1200+ appears to be the most compatible instrument for the current project I'm working on. The project, however, is only scheduled to last 5 years, so that alone should not be my criteria for choosing to invest in this model. For my company, I would choose to invest in the Topcon TPS1200+ to get us back on top of the scanning side of the industry, and also because our familiarity with Topcon equipment may ease the transition during the training, "down time."

[Gormy Cuss]

1. Whatever you do, don't

let Milk-Chan pee on your homework.

[sniffa]

12. She seems to be very well, box-trained

She's also sooooooooooo friendly/lovey. I think she's a bit jittery, but it hasn't stopped her from being extremely active, cuddly, and head-butty. :D

I'm inpatient to introduce the cats though. x(

[KG]

2. definately snooze worthy for those not in the biz.

:boring:

[sniffa]

11. I'm in the biz and it made me sleepy

Granted, there a few aspects that made me horny. :o

[AlCzervik]

3. The Trimble S8 had me at "Frictionless motion".

good work Sniffa, its like reading cnet.

[sniffa]

13. Is that anything like the Bush Doctrine?

Cuz, I have no idea what that means.

[flvegan]

4. Whatever it costs to get the proper survey. I have to insure that, you know.

Great reviews, though.

[sniffa]

9. ALTA/ASCM surveys should be all the rage in the coming year

*hint hint*

:D

And my reviews look like total BS to me. :rofl:

[flvegan]

10. Well, from your last paragraph, I smell a Leica/Topcom lawsuit

as they have the same name. :P

Is that Leica topographical? From the description, it sounds it. Amazing.

[billyoc]

5. There's just one thing I don't understand, and that one thing is

every mother fucking word you just said.





:rofl:

Just kiddin', sniffa! I'm an ironworker and I know exactly what you're saying. :hi:

If you're looking for a critique(and even if you're not, I read the damn thing)

"which should negate the extra time" implies to me that the "extra time" will still be needed, and will somehow be "negated" somewhere else. I would substitute "eliminate the need for" for "should negate the extra time associated with"

Also, bluetooth can only transmit data a few yards, so you'd need something to "transmit field data to the home office", I'd mention that.

aNd remEmbeR to tYpe in SniFFaVisIon

[sniffa]

8. Good point

I have a couple of hours after work tomorrow to touch this up, and that line sounds better, and more accurate.

As for the Bluetooth.. I didn't mention that one of the instruments also employs wifi, so there. :P

Thanks.

:hi:

[Lyric]

6. What I read:

All three models are robotic stations, which eliminate the need for a typical 2-man (and in some cases, 3-man) field crew. Assuming the typical 2-man hourly rate will be applied, Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. This should more than make up for the extra time required for one person to set-up and break down. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Instant home office communication can also lead to quicker turn around for problems that may arise in the field, as well as eliminate errors due to verbal communication. The wireless communication also allows Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. These common features make each instrument a potentially, valuable Zzzzzzzzz......ewkfy32fueufhoevihewvnevknewwvewvewjnb jmn jmhhjiujwefp9
:yoiks:

Congrats, though!

[sniffa]

14. That's almost Greek

Thank you. :hi:

I've been rather overwhelmed with trying to be a student again. My first homework (once doing it, and finishing it) gave me some confidence.... even if I'm still totally f'n clueless about this. The textbook we're assigned to read for each class, and the syllabus haven't matched up with the actual lectures. I haven't touched the 3 chapters that go with tomorrow's lecture as the first two lectures had close to zero to do with their corresponding lectures. My homework was based entirely on a thick stack of handouts, and the teacher's lecture.

That's fine though, as the book is the most dry, boring, confusing thing I've ever read... and I got a degree for some of this, and have been in this field for 8+ years.

[bettyellen]

7. wow that kinda made me hot.

blibida blibbeda blib.... what was the question again?
:blush:

[sniffa]

15. How hot?

:loveya:

[bettyellen]

17. well, not just under the collar, okay.

but elsewhere.
:blush:

[sniffa]

16. First edit - grammar/spelling only

The purpose of this discussion is to compare and contrast the capital purchase of three current Total Station models - Leica TPS1200+, Trimble S8, and the Topcon IS - with their opportunity costs. The amount of money invested in new equipment needs to be justified by the potential to increase revenue using the new equipment, whether it be by decreasing man-hours or opening up job opportunities that are not accessible using older equipment.

All three models are robotic stations, which eliminate the need for a typical 2-man (and in some cases, 3-man) field crew. Assuming the typical 2-man hourly rate will be applied, the company will immediately begin to accumulate the pay grade of the Instrument Operator for every hour billed. This should more than make up for the extra time required for one person to set-up and break down. The one man crew also eliminates field errors due to miscommunication between crew members. Each of the models also incorporates Bluetooth technology, which enables the field engineer to transmit field data to the home office. This ability to communicate with the home office eliminates the travel time associated with manually downloading field data, which should negate the extra time associated with one person setting up and breaking down. Instant home office communication can also lead to quicker turn around for problems that may arise in the field, as well as eliminate errors due to verbal communication. The wireless communication also allows a seamless transition of data for clients who wish to process the field data themselves, or via another party. These common features make each instrument a potentially valuable capital investment, so their individual capabilities must be addressed to make the proper investment.

The Trimble S8 offers an engineering package that allows instant visualization of field data as overlaid onto design data. This is valuable for construction as-built surveys that require a quick turnaround, as the surveyor can quickly inform the contractor whether any items constructed are correct or beyond tolerance, as opposed to the typical one day turnaround of data processing and plotting. The engineering package also decreases the man-hours associated with long-term deformation monitoring. Once the initial round of targets are set and located, the S8 memorizes their locations and the robotic station will monitor the targets without the manual turning. This monitoring program (once the first round is completed) also allows for the surveyor to complete rounds of deformation monitoring at night, which can be invaluable for dealing with active and/or disruptive daytime sites. Another factor to consider with purchasing the Trimble S8 is their claim to have less wear and tear due to its "frictionless motion" so that the life of the instrument is prolonged, and the cost of typical maintenance is mitigated.

The Leica TPS1200+ has a large and user-friendly graphic color display which is ideal for the project I'm currently working on - obtaining horizontal and vertical data and calculating the new design in the field to meet all minimum slope requirements, as well as adequate drainage. The graphic representation of the data I obtain will eliminate the errors of visualizing a 3-dimensional representation of what is current (existing conditions that violate code) and the effects of what my design will produce. The TPS1200+ can work with GPS as well, making many projects for a one-man crew that much faster (eliminating the closed traverse control usually required to get onto a set coordinate system, sometimes from a prohibitively long distance), and in some cases, more accurate.

The Topcon IS offers an updated version of laser scanning which is ideal for my company. At one time, we were ahead of the curve when laser scanning first came into the surveying industry in a meaningful way, and were one of the leading "Scanners" in the country (to the point that we were getting inquiries/projects from overseas). Our aggressiveness in marketing this capability has waned, and it may be due in part to our not upgrading our equipment. We still do an occasional scan job, but it does not generate the revenue it once did, so an investment in Topcon's latest scanner may be the jump-start that is needed to propel my company back to the top echelon it once enjoyed. The Photo Fieldbook of the IS also offers nearly instantaneous imaging while collecting data so that errors or missed data can be readily noted and corrected.

The downsides of each capital investment are the initial high cost, which can be recouped if it decreases man-hours and opens up new job opportunities, and the billable time lost to training. The current state of the economy indicates that this winter will be a reprise of the stagnant/negative revenue stream of the winter of 2007. If the initial cost can be taken on, along with carrying the core workers during the winter, this "dead" time will be the opportune moment to train our workers with the new equipment and software. The Trimble S8 is the most intriguing to myself out of the three models reviewed and if I were to start my own company, I would most likely invest in this model. The Leica TPS1200+ appears to be the most compatible instrument for the current project I'm working on. The project, however, is only scheduled to last 5 years, so that alone should not be my criteria for choosing to invest in this model. For my company, I would choose to invest in the Topcon TPS1200+ to get us back on top of the scanning side of the industry, and also because our familiarity with Topcon equipment may ease the transition during the training, "down time."



Thank, you, Bi-Baby, for, your, patience, and, stellar, proof,-,reading.