There was a time not that long ago when it was hard to imagine that a satellite orbiting the earth could tell an operator exactly where he or she was in proximity to a grade. For some companies, such as Brubacher Excavating, of Bowmansville, PA, that have utilized GPS technology, there’s no turning back to the days of over and under cutting.

Recently, the company has been working on two projects using the Leica Geosystems Gradestar 2000 for dozers. Equipped on Brubacher’s two Cat D6s, D8 and D5 dozers, the Gradestar 2000 has proven highly efficient by reducing the time it takes to make grades.

Brubacher, an earthmoving, utility and paving contractor, is using its GPS system on a 250-acre golf course/housing development on the border of Lower Pottsgrove and Limerick, PA. There, the company recently has been cutting the streets to grade and constructing the building pads.

According to Chris Lamison, assistant survey manager of Brubacher, the GPS system has cut into the amount of time it once took to make grades. “With the Gradestar, we spend much less time performing the survey field layout and it also helps our operators work more efficiently because they don’t have to get out of the dozer and check stakes and move them,” he said.

Brubacher also is employing its GPS system on a project in Reading, PA. There, in addition to doing utility work and site prep, the company is performing grading for a parking lot, which will be adjacent to a 609,000-sq.-ft. warehouse.

Brubacher first purchased its Gradestar 2000 GPS system approximately a year ago when it was installed on its Cat D8 and D6. Since then the company has installed the system on its other D6 dozer, along with its D5. All GPS systems were purchased from Precise Positioning Products, of Harrisburg, PA.

The Leica Geosystems Gradestar 2000 for dozers can be used for precise grade control in construction, landfill and earthmoving applications, and also can be fitted on graders, scrapers and compactors.

So that contractors in southeastern Pennsylvania can get an up close and personal demonstration of how the Gradestar system works, Precise Positioning Products has scheduled an Automation Field Days Seminar on April 23 and 24 at its Service and Supply branch in Ephrata, PA.

For more information, call 800/832-0983.

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