A digital twin is a 3D representation of the physical job site.
Courtesy of Komatsu Ltd.
Real-time job site data supports faster decision-making
The value of project progress visibility becomes clearer when conditions begin to diverge from the job site plan.
Within Dashboard, colour-coded project maps can show where work is at grade and where additional cut or fill is required. That visualization can help supervisors identify trouble areas and determine where work may be falling behind.
A superintendent overseeing several projects, for example, can review progress remotely, identify areas that need attention, and direct resources accordingly without physically visiting every site. The objective is to shorten the time between something changing on the project, someone recognizing it, and a decision being made.
Schwieters says contractors can now opt for hourly machine-data updates, compared with an eight-hour interval previously. Komatsu has also extended access to that information beyond the office with Smart Construction Dashboard Mobile.
Dashboard Mobile extends project visualization to phones and tablets, putting information previously associated more closely with office personnel and technical specialists into the hands of forepersons and other field personnel.
“Instead of just someone in the back office or a fancy technical guy, now the people who need the data have it in real time,” Schwieters says.
Brian Souders, marketing manager for Smart Construction, gives the example of a utility contractor working toward a daily production target measured in linear feet. With project progress available through Dashboard Mobile, a supervisor in the field can see whether the crew is meeting that target and, if not, begin looking at what needs to change.
“Do we put another piece of equipment? Do we add some more crew to this? Why aren’t we making our numbers?” Souders says.
Smart Construction lets contractors scale connectivity over time
Adopting an entire connected ecosystem at once may not be practical or necessary for every contractor. Organizations also vary widely in their digital readiness and familiarity with connected technologies. Smart Construction allows contractors to start with the capabilities that fit their operation and gradually add more as their needs evolve. For many, the starting point remains the machine.
A contractor may begin with an IMC machine or add 3D Machine Guidance to an excavator to allow an operator to work against a digital design. From there, contractors who want to wirelessly send design changes from the office to connected machines can add a Smart Construction Remote subscription.
Dashboard adds another layer by incorporating as-built data from the machines into a digital twin of the project environment for progress tracking, visualization, and reporting. Dashboard Mobile can be added to give that visualization to field personnel.
Other Smart Construction tools extend digital workflows beyond earthmoving. Smart Construction Field, for example, digitizes maintenance and administrative processes, including employee timecards, daily equipment inspections, and reporting. The recently introduced Smart Construction Whiteboard gives contractors a shared digital view of equipment assignments across projects.
This modular approach can make connected construction more accessible to small and medium-sized contractors, who, according to Schwieters, are beginning to look beyond the immediate production benefits of machine technology and pay more attention to the data generated as work progresses.
For smaller teams, the barrier can be the resources required to manage the digital workflow. A larger contractor may have a dedicated 3D manager responsible for files and connected technologies, while a smaller organization may not have the personnel to support that role. Schwieters says that is putting greater emphasis on simplifying the tools so they require less specialized management — but someone in the organization still needs to champion the change to digital.
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