I've watched a couple CAT produced videos showing how to use CAT Grade Control. Operation seems easy enough to figure out. What I am having trouble wrapping my head around is setting up the system for a job. I have an acre lot on a slight slope and need to grade it level. Will I need to know exact topo measurements from corner to corner, along with exact distance measurements from corner to corner? Is all of this input added to Grade Control in the cab? Or am I overthinking how it works? Does the Grade Control only work where I point the blade? Meaning if I set it to 0% grade I have to make sure I know where I am pointing the dozer... is that the idea?
What kind of grade control is it? GPS or just an automatic slope control?
It's not the basic Slope Assist that comes with some of the newer track type tractors. That one displays grade & slope and does some simple automation. The dealer is offering to let me demo the full on CAT Grade Control system which has more features than Slope Assist. I want to make best use of the demo time by being well read up on how to use the system.
I am not familiar with that setup. Pretty poor sales tec on Cats behalf. You would think if you were doing a demo that someone would have come and set it up and demonstrate all the features. I do know that some of the road systems require GPS coordinates, and elevations from a pre designed plan. I would guess that if you had your highest point, and your lowest point, and your finished grade. It would cut the high points out and fill the low points. I am sure someone on here has used it but if they see it in time
You'd need to have someone come out and set up a base station and localize to your planned site. The full on GPS system will use a satellite to measure your elevation and a local base station on a tripod w/a radio for local communication to your machine. Setting all that up is probably the hard part if you're not already doing it. I can't speak for CAT, but I know other manufacturers have grade control specialists whose job it is to come out and show you how to set all that up when you're looking at a new system. Once that's done, you can program a simple flat design for your lot using the monitor in the machine or a rover. Just drive to the 4 corners of your lot and tap the blade on a few points and you can make a level lot.
Yancey should be able to get someone from Sitech to come out and show the ropes on the demo.