The future of machine control

It is the key to success in construction challenges

Contractors are under great pressure to deliver projects on time and on budget. Added to this is the growing need to work more sustainably, a shortage of skilled personnel and rising fuel and material costs. "Radical changes are needed to make the industry ready for the future," says Marcel Ten Westenend of Topcon Positioning Netherlands. He has been supporting companies in purchasing machines and machine control systems for decades and is convinced that machine control is the key to success.

Shortage of experienced machinists

It is common knowledge that the construction industry is quite traditional, quite averse to change. But according to Marcel, we really are at a turning point: "The sector will have to keep up when it comes to introducing new technologies and automation," he says. "Because before long there will be a shortage of experienced machinists: many of them are retiring. At the same time, the recruitment of new potential machinists is stagnating. So on the one hand it is important to get people excited about the profession and on the other hand it is important that less experienced people can be deployed more quickly as machinists. And machine control can play a big role in that."

Research done

"Topcon Positioning Systems commissioned a survey where we surveyed 1,000 managers, directors and business owners from construction companies across Europe to find out how they currently use machine control, what they think of the benefits, what they believe are the barriers and what their predictions are for the future. We also gathered their views on sustainability, the skills gap and the role of government in automating the industry."

Machine control has the future

The report shows that some 30% of respondents believe that skills shortages are one of the biggest challenges they face. Respondents believe that machine control can contribute positively to this, in addition to helping make the industry more sustainable and improving accuracy and efficiency within projects. Marcel explains, "For example, MC-max, Topcon's machine control system, has been developed in such a way that it can automatically perform operations and help to dig in bounded areas, for example. This means the operator doesn't have to be a very experienced operator yet, but the system can prevent any digging damage by intervening hydraulically. In addition, it is of course the perfect 'education tool' to train people and thus keep the knowledge of the experienced guard on board." Marcel sees that this new generation is quite fond of new techniques. "They are already much more at home with it and pick it up with more ease, just like with smartphones. By offering machine control within your company, it also becomes more attractive to them, of course."

The power of automation

Furthermore, the report shows a growing awareness of the power of automation within the industry and how it can help the sector move forward more. Yet its use in construction projects across Europe remains limited. When asked what they believe is hindering the adoption of machine control, bureaucratic red tape and the lack of government initiatives seem to be the answer. They should promote the adoption of digital technologies and see it as part of reducing CO2 emissions within projects. "Some 70% agreed that legislators could do more to mandate and encourage the adoption of digital technology," Marcel observes. "They now place that concern on subcontractors, while the requirements are becoming more and more stringent. If we want to harness the full potential of machine control and do what's right for the industry, we need commitment across the board. Only then will we be climate neutral, attract the next generation of talent and be more profitable."

Added value

And that's exactly where Topcon's added value lies. "We see it as our job to think along with companies and governments. So we advise decision-makers of construction companies about the possibilities of machine control, because after all, they are the ones who have to manage to secure knowledge, hire new people and let the company work optimally and efficiently to deliver a project within time, budget and with less CO2 emissions. So are you still in doubt about implementing machine control in your company? Then contact Topcon; we will tell you the benefits and help you further."