CSDS' Blog

It’s no secret that equipment serviced on a routine schedule outlasts equipment that is not. The practice, commonly referred to as preventive maintenance, is meant to avoid catastrophic failures and to help equipment perform better over its useful life.

Yet, despite the many advantages of regular service, many companies still neglect their equipment and find themselves responding reactively to equipment failures. This is unfortunate since the performance of a company’s equipment is often closely tied to its profits. In the Architectural, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industries, for instance, this means the more efficiently a company’s equipment performs, the more positively it will impact their bottom line and vice versa.

Preventive maintenance has a number of benefits that make it worth utilizing:

• It extends the useful life of equipment and decreases the need for capital replacements.
• It enhances the efficiency and productivity of the equipment.
• It enhances performance by increasing overall uptime.
• It contributes to a positive reputation for your company (because the ability to produce products on a reliable schedule equates to a good reputation).

Although routine service may not be at the top of your company’s list of priorities, having a program in place to provide preventive maintenance or services not covered under warranty yields so many benefits at so little cost that it is clearly a wise strategy for companies to adopt.

Below are a few of the available options:

Extended Warranties: Extended warranties cover a specified period, typically outside that of the original manufacturer warranty. These warranties offer the consumer peace of mind because they provide a level of protection for their equipment. Extended warranties can help improve productivity, decrease downtime from malfunctions, maintain performance, extend equipment life, reduce the overall cost of ownership, and give customers fast and easy access to the best service and parts.

Service Contracts: It's typical for equipment to require ongoing maintenance to keep it in good shape. A maintenance agreement provides a plan for this ongoing work to keep devices functioning properly. Service contracts protect customers from charges for service calls, labor, and parts. Optimally the terms of a service agreement will be tailored to fit the specific needs of the consumer to control costs of ownership. As consumers schedule ongoing maintenance per manufacturer recommendations, it's likely that equipment will continue to function at optimal levels. Plans can range to include features such as yearly service, all-inclusive plans, and time and materials service.

If you are looking to protect your surveying, mapping, construction or printing imaging equipment investment by purchasing a preventive maintenance contract or extended warranty, email solutions@csdsinc.com. A member of our service department will contact you with a variety of options to meet your needs and your budget.

In the professional and industrial spheres, we have consistently seen consumer grade devices make their way into everyday use on jobs. Their ease of operability, multitude of applications, and small size has made smartphones, tablets, and small laptops invaluable business tools. Despite their many advantages, applying them to accurate locational data collection has always posed challenges. These challenges are not made obsolete, but are significantly reduced by the newest addition to the Trimble Geospatial family—the Trimble R1 GNSS receiver.

The standard smartphone has a GPS receiver which serves to provide basic location data for navigation and other standard applications (such as guiding your route home). Maybe you’ve noticed that many times your device will tell you to turn right in 400 ft. when you are already making the turn. It is a drawback most of us take in stride, and adjust for in our day to day operations of phones and other smart devices. This particular drawback has rendered most smart devices useless in the collection of accurate location data. Though they might be able to provide accurate location to within about 20-50 feet, if you need sub-meter accuracy, you would typically need a much more industry specific (and much more expensive) tool.

For half or a quarter the cost of some of its locational equals, the R1 GNSS Receiver affectively achieves sub-meter accuracy accuracy, and lends its capabilities to a wider range of applications than a simple smart phone alone. In this blog, we will address how it works, and what types of professional applications are most suited for its use.

So... How Does It Work?

The Trimble R1 GNSS Receiver “partners” with your smartphone, tablet or laptop to provide an accurate GPS position to within 2-3 feet (sub-meter accuracy) of an asset. The R1 simply takes over the “location services” on your device and provides it with an accurate GPS position. The R1 can achieve sub-meter accuracy in real time using either SBAS/WAAS or the new Trimble RTX correction service.

The R1 will work with ANY application running on any of the compatible devices (iOS, Android, WEHH, and Windows 7 or greater), AND it will also work with all current Trimble MGIS software including TerraSync, TerraFlex, and Positions for ArcPad/Mobile. If you run the R1 with one of the Trimble software solutions, then you also have the ability to post process to sub-meter accuracy.

The R1 is designed to achieve sub-meter accuracy in real time using SBAS/WAAS, RTX, or VRS Network.

The R1 collects data by whichever means you choose to use—perhaps a free or inexpensive application on your smart phone or tablet, or more complex software from the manufacturer or another vendor on your laptop. The detail of the data collection relies on a multitude of combined elements, the R1 itself providing the more accurate locational data needed to supplement items like photos of terrain, assets, infrastructure, or large properties.

Although the R1 can connect and communicate with almost any third part app, when the R1 is combined with the new Trimble TerraFlex on your smart device or tablet/laptop, you have a complete low cost “mapping grade” solution that is perfect for municipalities, state agencies, environmental engineering firms, etc…

With TerraFlex and the R1 you can easily collect detailed attributes about your assets (point, lines, and polygons) which you can then easily export to ESRI shape file, Geodatabase, Google Earth, etc…

The R1 is about the size of a phone or walkie-talkie, which means that just like your smartphone, you can carry it in your pocket when in the field. The design and size make it imminently portable, and suitable for carrying into areas where larger equipment would be prohibitive, or perhaps even damaged by terrain. For a full breakdown of the features of the Trimble R1, please Click Here.

Though extremely attractive for a variety of reasons, the R1 is not a substitute for most of the leading mapping and GIS products currently on the market—it is instead a great tool for industries who have locational needs to within a few feet, without needing down to the decimeter or centimeter level accuracy. Which brings us to our next section...

...Who Benefits most from the new R1 GNSS Receiver?

Though anyone with locational needs will benefit from the R1 receiver, we have identified a few industries that would immediately be able to apply its myriad uses in a beneficial way.

Law Enforcement, Fire Departments and First Responders

An important aspect of each of these is that they rely heavily on their ability to communicate usable, real-time data from their location to their base of operations. The R1 allows their smart devices to capture sub-meter accuracy locational information which they can then post or send in real-time to their station or other in-field personnel. In the case of firefighters, they would be able to communicate within a matter of moments changes that can have a real effect on their fighting a fire. Being able to communicate wind changes and exact locations to redirect personnel can mean the difference between devastation and success. A Sheriff’s Deputy or Highway Patrol officer does not need backup within 400 feet of their location; they need to exactly report where they need assistance to ensure that the situation is contained quickly. A first responder who needs to direct a chopper to land in difficult or uncommon terrain needs to ensure that the locational information for safe landing is provided to the pilot in the most time-effective, and accurate manner.

Property Managers or Large Property Maintenance Crews

The manager of a Homeowner’s Association or golf course needs to know the location of each irrigation controller, sprinkler system, tee, restroom and aesthetic asset on the property to ensure maintenance is performed. Working with a map application (such as google maps), or Trimble TerraFlex, the R1 can provide locational data on each asset to be stored and provided to multiple maintenance crews and individuals.

Property managers can use the R1 to map their assets in much the same way—collecting data on the location of everything from their irrigation systems to community pools to allow stress-free maintenance from both on-site and contracted parties. A mapped location for an asset needing maintenance can simply be texted directly to the contractor who can use their phone’s GPS to find the location without stepping foot inside the office during sometimes limited business hours.

Real Estate Developers or Agents

Large residential real estate in many ways poses some of the same challenges as a large commercial property—you still must know the location of the property’s assets for maintenance and initial—or continuing development. Logging locational data of irrigation, cleanouts, and property characteristics can be useful in navigating a large residential property, as well as being able to provide incredibly accurate information to your contractor, developer or real estate agent. Everyone needs to know where to find things—and usually they need to find them quickly. The real time output provide by the R1 ensures that the person on the ground has the immediate ability to report back locational findings and data to ensure each transaction, tour and development goes smoothly with whoever the client may be.

With its lower price point, the R1 can now be introduced to many industries where more accurate locational tools were in prior years cost-prohibitive. We are excited to introduce the Trimble line of products to new potential customers and are eager to see how this product reshapes current practices!

If you would like more information about the features, strengths and limitations of the new R1 GNSS Receiver, please comment or send a quick email to solutions@csdsinc.com. We are happy to answer any of your questions, and provide a demo of this exciting new product.

It was the beginning of March and things were warming up in Southern California. Not so much that I needed to carry water with me, but certainly enough for me to be aware that it was about time to think about snake gators when tramping through the brush in San Diego County. Today I would be working with Urban Corps who had been contracted by the City of San Diego for “Brush Abatement/Thinning” in Tecolote Canyon. San Diego’s Parks and Open Space had awarded a contract to Urban Corps to measure 100 feet from all residential structures into the canyon, and remove and thin the brush within that area for fire safety. While doing so they would also report properties that encroach beyond the parcel boundaries and into the canyon.

“Hóla Eduardo! ¿Cómo está?” Eduardo was an Urban Corps employee who lived in Tijuana and commuted across the border each day to work. I shook his callused hand. He has probably worked with his hands his whole life, never heard of GIS, and had no knowledge of mapping grade GPS receivers. My usual banter of “Geo7x Centimeter Edition”, “Floodlight Technology”, “Laser Range Finder Module”, and “Real Time VRS Corrections” weren’t going to get me anywhere.

I handed him the Rod. I had loaded the parcels and abatement polygons that the city provided as background data on the unit. Even if he was not formally educated, Eduardo was a smart man. “You are the ‘X’, that is the parcel, and there is what the city has defined as the abatement area.” He looked closer. “Press the ‘+’ button to zoom in.” he pressed it, and again, and again until he was zoomed all the way in tight. He lifted the rod and moved it a few inches, let it settle, then moved it a few more inches. Now he was right on top of the city’s shapefile polygon. He smiled. “Can this tell me how far we are from the house there?” I showed him how to launch the laser rangefinder. He lined up the red dot on the closest face of the house and moved until he was 100’ from it. What he asked me next astounded me. “Is this the distance including the slope?” If I had to bet I would guess he had never had a trig class in his life, but immediately understood the implications of 100’ down the 30 degree slope we were balancing on, and 100’ horizontally from the house. I showed him how to look at it either way. We would later learn the cities polygons were spot on except for when someone’s property encroached into the canyon (beyond their parcel line). He began to log the vertices of his polygons of “actual abatement areas” and explained to me how much fun it was carrying 100+ burlaps of brush to the access point for removal. It was my turn to learn something.

By the third area he was running the software like a pro. If the 7X could, it would have been purring like a kitten. It was now just a matter of finding his flags or ribbons, and occupying them as vertices. My job had suddenly become to remove the flags and ribbons and make sure we didn’t leave any trash in the canyon! He was on auto pilot. “What kind of music do you like Eduardo?” I asked. I had brought an iPod shuffle and a small speaker. We were on autopilot. Soon we were both singing Marilyn Manson’s version of Depeche Mode’s “Personal Jesus”, talking trash, enjoying good company, and making fun of each other when we stumbled on the steep slopes of Tecolote Canyon on a perfect Southern California day. “When I stand under this tree how does this thing do?” It wasn’t really a question he expected an answer to. He parked it under a pepper tree, full canopy; I saw him watch the real time accuracy drop from 1cm to 10cm. He moved into open sky, then back under the tree. If only my training sessions were this easy I thought to myself.

This was it. We parked the truck, it was the last area. He left the truck running and we basked in the AC for a moment. As a licensed Geologist I realized how much I miss field work, the comradery, the physical satisfaction of a days “work”. Our day was almost over, reality was drawing near. He leaned over:

“Juan, baseball is VERY important in my family. I am one of 9 siblings. In our family we made a promise that whoever leaves this earth first among us will visit the living in a dream and tell them whether there is baseball in heaven or not. Not long ago my father passed away, and last night he visited me as promised.”

“Dad” I asked him, “is there baseball in heaven?”

“Son I have some good news and some bad news”, he replied.

“Please, please give me the good news”

“Son there IS baseball in heaven”

We rejoiced, overwhelmed with happiness.

“So what is the bad news then?”

After a long pause he said “You are pitching tomorrow night!”

Everyone knows that one of the most important things about bidding on a job is being able to deliver the promised result. As a lawyer, engineer, doctor or contractor, you are hired because of your knowledge, expertise and reliability. A big part of what makes up these elements is the tools you use to get from points A to Z.

One of the challenges in an ever-expanding technological landscape is staying abreast of what new products may be available that will save time and money on a job. A second notable challenge may be in how different tools are marketed. Something could be just around the corner, ready to make your life easier but is being marketed to an entirely different industry—never making it onto your radar. The potential savings lost in both time and manpower makes this a concern for any business.

Recently, we were paid a visit from Shane Chang of BMH Equipment, Inc. BMH sells and installs large mobile shelving systems for warehouses and other large industrial spaces. Originally, Shane and the crew from BMH were determining the suitability of a warehouse floor for a shelving system using tools which could not measure the specifications needed for the full space. Their solution was to measure the warehouse in pieces, hoping that the final result would be accurate enough to make an informed recommendation to the business they were working with.

When Shane expressed the challenges they had been facing, he was referred to a CSDS Construction Technology Specialist, who matched the job to a surveying tool (the Trimble RTS655 Robotic Total Station) that could map the area and its specs within a matter of hours, rather than days. Prior to this, BMH would not have thought that a surveying tool could be applied to their warehouse measuring assignment. The outcome of their having the RTS655 was that they saved a staggering 80% on data entry time alone, with another 70% saved in projected man hours.

For the complete customer story, please click here.

When you open up your toolbox, it is important to evaluate the following:

1. Are you able to deliver a bid without losing time and money in the assessment phase?
2. Are you able to deliver information to your customer in a way that they can understand?
3. Are you able to deliver the promised result, in the promised timeframe?

If your toolbox is looking a little shallow, or you are looking for ways to become more efficient on any of these points, it might be time to take a look around for some new technology. Having access to an increased arsenal may allow you to become more competitive both in bids and final pricing.

As a supplier and distributor, we are concerned not only with who is buying the products that we stock, but also with how they are being used. Creatively approaching old problems with new products that have multiple uses is a goal that we carry into our customer interactions. With so many available products and tools, having the right piece of equipment in your back pocket is a decided advantage. It is this advantage that we hope to bring to each of our customers when they walk into one of our stores. Our goal is to not just sell products, but to increase knowledge of available tools and technologies that might make your life a little easier.

If you have come up with a creative solution to an old or persistent challenge, we would love to hear from you. Or, if you have an issue you think we may be able to match with the right tool to overcome it, stop in and let’s have a conversation. We welcome your comments and the opportunity to help you grow your business and gain the technological edge over your competition. 
Don’t bring a knife to a gunfight! Let CSDS match you with the right tool for the job by emailing solutions@csdsinc.com

On December 10th, 2014, the FAA released a statement that granted exemptions for the use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) to four U.S. companies. Previously, UAS had not been approved for flight by the FAA. This approval marks historical change to how large companies conduct business from the air. In anticipation of this approval, this past November Trimble invited 13 representatives from companies around the U.S. to attend a demonstration and training on one of the approved models—the Trimble UX5 unmanned aircraft system.

California Surveying and Drafting Supply representative Cole Moon was pleased to be among the 13 individuals invited to participate in the training, and was impressed not only with the product itself, but the functionality and potential applications of the UX5. From an aerial surveying perspective, the UX5 can be used for viewing boundaries and terrain in areas that may not always be accessible to a ground crew. The images acquired from the UX5 allow you to see potential difficulties without hours of climbing over rough terrain or many square miles.

The UX5 comes complete with software to perform seamless flights, maintains an impressive 50 MPH cruising speed, and has a maximum height ceiling of over 14,000 feet. The top flight time is 50 minutes and it has a range of an astonishing 37 miles. With a sleek look and a carbon frame, the UX5 not only offers incredible practical possibilities, it also looks like something straight out of the Batman series.

Click here for product specifications.

There are a couple of questions that need to be asked when evaluating this product for practical
purposes. First, whether it is possible for anyone to learn to fly it. Secondly, who is allowed under the UX5 FAA exemption to operate it? And finally, how can you purchase one of these incredible machines?

Can anyone learn to fly it?

Cole from CSDS was invited to a hands-on training by Trimble to determine just that. The training goal was to teach each of the 13 representatives to use the product, and for each of them to earn product certification for field use. Another goal of the training was to show performance in the very cold November weather of Boise, Idaho.

Days one and two of the training involved learning the mechanics, software, capabilities and systems of the Trimble UX5. Day three started the practical training, beginning with launch demonstrations. With weather at twelve degrees below zero, the trainers were able to demonstrate how to adjust launch protocols as needed to achieve flight in adverse weather conditions (demonstrating the Trimble statement of “all terrain and all weather performance”).

Day three wrapped with everyone having completed 3 test flights in preparation for their final testing for product certification.

On the final date, Cole was tested on the following criteria:

1. Familiarity with the aircraft and safety standards associated with safe flight.
2. Pre-flight safety checklists.
3. Safe launch (Launch achieved by catapulting the craft into the air)
4. Manual evasive maneuvers without auto-pilot.
5. Holding patterns for safe flight with other aircraft nearby.
6. Successful safe landing.

In short, simply purchasing the product and expecting to be able to learn how to operate it on your own is not possible. The complexities of this craft necessitate professional training not just for the UX5, but also in safety and regulations related to airspace and other craft. The good news is that training is available, and certification is attainable. After demonstrating proper use and knowledge in accordance with all regulations, Cole Moon is now the first Trimble certified UX5 pilot in California.

Who is allowed to operate the UX5, or other FAA exempted UAS?

At this time, the FAA is still evaluating all of the guidelines for operators of Unmanned Aircraft Systems in national air space. The current exemption allows individuals who hold private pilot licenses and are certified by Trimble to operate the UX5. For new developments, please visit Trimble’s UX5 FAQs page on the FAA’s Trimble UX5 333 exemption. You can also keep an eye on the FAA.gov page, or check in with CSDS for changes.

How Can I Buy One?

Trimble will currently only accept orders from individuals who are qualified to fly the UX5 as stipulated in the Trimble UX5 333 exemption. If you meet the criteria, please follow the instructions for placing an order directly through Trimble as indicated on their FAQs page.

In conclusion...

Unmanned Aircraft Systems represent a new and incredibly exciting future for our industry as well as countless others. FAA approvals for hovering drones, flyover aircraft and various other unmanned small craft may change how we receive news, data, photos and information. With practically unlimited potential applications, CSDS will be following this developing industry closely, and will bring you updates as they become available. Stay tuned!

If you have any comments on this new and exciting industry, please feel free to share them with us! Comment below, or email your story to solutions@csdsinc.com

Only after I sat down to write a blog on 3D printers did I realize that, despite how much I know on this subject, there’s still so much more I have to learn.

Maybe you have come to the same realization now that you’ve begun researching your options. The different brands, models, technologies and applications are endless. I am a man who has spent the majority of his life in the printing and reprographics industry and I have served the AEC communities, specifically, for more than 20 years. Staying at the forefront of technology has always been a priority for me. So I pride myself on being one of the best, most experienced and knowledgeable people in this field. The payoff for my dedication has been that many, if not all, of our customers trust me and my team completely. You allow us to guide you in the direction that we believe fits your needs, and that of your company, best. With that being said, I’ve made it my quest to learn as much as I can in order to be able to serve AEC professionals with the expertise they have come to know and expect from CSDS.

If you are in the market for a 3D printer and have already begun your search, you have undoubtedly found that there are literally hundreds of choices.

Models range in price from $200 (DIY) to well over a $1,000,000+, and there are countless different printing mediums ranging from plastic to chocolate, and metal to rubber. There’s even a plan to ship a 3D printer to the moon which will use moon dust to create the very first lunar colony:http://sservi.nasa.gov/articles/building-a-lunar-base-with-3d-printing/. Lunar Colonies? Really? Wow!

While I know that the majority of you are not ready to build a lunar colony, I would venture to say that many of you are considering bringing 3D technology into your workflows.

So for those of you in the AEC industry, I’d like to share my knowledge about what to look for in a 3D printer, as well as what to avoid. I started looking at 3D printers as far back as 10 years ago when CSDS was researching whether or not to bring 3D printing into our Reprographics Department. We wanted to offer this service to our clients as a means of printing architectural models without the expense of purchasing their own printer. I recall walking into many architectural and engineering offices and seeing beautiful, handcrafted balsa wood models and thinking, what a beautiful work of art and what a fantastic tool to show existing and potential customers your firm’s vision, and their dreams, in a very tangible way. Then I thought about the business end. How many hours did that take to build? At what cost? Could we produce a similar model with a 3D printer that would save our customers time and money?

Back when we were considering 3D printing technology, the choice in manufacturers was very limited.

There really were only a few options. Early in my search, I discovered a company by the name of Z Corporation. ZCorp was the leader in the 3D printing world (especially as it pertained to the AEC market). The printer I looked at used a gypsum powder material with an HP print head(s). One print head was used to spray a binding solution (super glue) another sprayed ink. The printer created beautiful, full color models in just a few hours (okay, maybe 8 or so). But more importantly, these models could be built right from a 3D CAD file. The hurdles? Back then, entry level printers were $50,000+. These printers also required a true 3D software and, more importantly, someone who understood the software and how to handle 3D files. Fast forward ten years and I have found that while you still have to invest in the right people, software and equipment, once all that is in place 3D printing is far simpler than the balsa wood and Xacto knife route. While some would argue that it is not as creative as, they would have to agree that this process is far less tasking when it comes to time expended and the ability to meet a deadline.

As for production costs, 3D models generally cost $20 - $30 a cubic inch when considering material and labor cost.

Many models are far more labor intensive than I would have ever guessed. Depending on the technology, obtaining an acceptable model requires more than just the push of a button. For example, with the inkjet/powder technology we chose (we found this the best choice for full-color architectural modeling), the final model must be printed, vacuumed and hardened using a variety of processes. It also requires baking, sanding and color enhancements. That’s if it is a simple model. If your model happens to have any moving parts, the post processing required is extremely tedious and requires hours of patience and an even greater attention to detail. One mistake can result in a broken wall, gear, roof, etc. Or, Even worse, if the model is dropped it can set you back to the beginning, resulting not only in increased printing cost but also the time it took to print the model or prototype and all the labor it took to reach the finishing stage.

So as you can see, understanding the 3D printing process and all it entails with regard to the benefits it brings to your business is just a portion of what we need to consider. The staffing required and the financial investment necessary are also critical to making the determination as to whether you should purchase your own 3D printer or outsource for this service. Do you have a need today for 3D printed models? Do you see a need in your company’s future for 3D models? If so, where do you see the future of 3D printing going as it relates to the AEC industry? We welcome your thoughts and comments before our next blog focusing on the direction CSDS has chosen to take with 3D printing and the manufacturer we have selected to be our partner.

What is mapping grade GPS?

This is a question often asked by our customers? Is it defined by the accuracy? The functionality? The hardware? The software?

Today, mapping grade GPS or MGIS (mapping and GIS) hardware and software from Trimble is defined by units that can accomplish 2-4 meters accuracy (Juno’s, Nomad’s, YUMA's) all the way down to 50cm, 10cm, and now CENTIMETER LEVEL accuracy. So it is no longer the accuracy alone that defines mapping grade vs. survey grade GPS. In years past that was a very easy distinction to make, so you really didn't have to define the differences any further. Survey grade GPS was centimeter and sub-centimeter and mapping grade GPS was sub-meter, a big difference. For quite some time, the very best mapping grade GPS units were sub-meter. However, now that has changed. The Trimble Geo 7X centimeter edition runs the Maxwell 6 chipset and offers a 220-channel GNSS receiver dual frequency carrier and centimeter level accuracy, in real time!.

For end users, this means accuracy alone is no longer the defining factor. It is now really more about the functionality and workflow of the software. Of course survey is still survey, and mapping is still mapping, so in most cases a licensed surveyor will be required to verify (sign, seal and deliver) centimeter level accuracy, but the Geo 7X allows for non-surveyors (and surveyors alike) to achieve very high accuracy with an attribute rich GIS workflow running MGIS software with an MGIS workflow.

So, how do you define mapping grade GPS?