Tony from Kodi Civil took time out from his busy day to write to us about his recent experience on-boarding Topcon GPS and 3D excavator machine control. 

Sydney-based Kodi Civil recently invested in a Topcon HiPer SR survey rover, having seen it used by Campbellfield City Council for kerb, gutter and road set-out on a road construction job Kodi was contracted for. “It was like magic,” Operations Director Tony Dimcevski said, adding “the capabilities of the unit were amazing. From set-out to spot levels, everything was so easy!”

“That same day I called Aptella for a consultation,” Tony continued. “The sales representative was very professional and explained the capabilities of the system on offer and I was so impressed I went ahead with buying a HiPer SR straight away.”

When receiving his system, Tony was given basic operating training. “As part of the handover I was given a half day training session of the gear – it was a thorough run-through of both the basics as well as some of the more advanced features,” he said.

Tony, who has a background in surveying, spent some time exploring the other features before deciding to take a Aptella Campus training course. “My experience with the trainer on that day and to this day have been awesome. He has a vast knowledge of the Topcon products and his training abilities are first class,” Tony said. “I have also contacted the support centre with queries on task-specific issue, each and every time whoever I talk to has answered my query in a timely and professional manner.”

Since purchasing the Topcon survey rover, Tony says “the amount of time and money saved on surveyors, waiting for surveyors and lost/damaged survey marks has been reduced dramatically.” Tony explained he has full confidence that the GPS is accurate within the required tolerances to complete a given project’s tasks, using simple daily checks when working on pits, drainage, base, kerb and gutter, retaining walls and various other structures.

Four weeks ago, Kodi Civil made a second purchase, an excavator machine control system that the company will predominantly use as a 2D solution, with the option to upgrade it to 3D through hiring additional components.

Tony described the solution as “an amazing system, where a machine operator can undertake various required tasks with unbelievable ease and efficiency,” He added: “the Aptella team that fitted the unit where quick and did an immaculate job on site.

For a recent job, Kodi Civil required 3D positioning so the company hired the additional components. “A technician then came out to calibrate the system and demonstrate its capabilities,” he added. “As usual he was easy to understand and showed me everything I needed to know. The following day another technical specialist arrived on site to talk us through using the solution in 2D, which is what we’ll use the system for most. His ability to explain the system was again, second to none. There was a technical problem with the unit which he was able to sort out there and then.”

Tony concluded by saying “I would like to commend the Aptella team on extraordinary service and I would not hesitate to recommend them to anybody in the industry. I have been in the civil works industry for 25 years and the amount of time and effort we have saved, the accuracy we have been completing the works with and the ease we have been getting the job done, has been amazing.”