Area contractors were thrilled with the capabilities of the systems and saw how those will benefit their companies. (CEG photo)

Dobbs Equipment held a GPS Grade Control & Precision Construction Training event April 13 and 14, 2023, in Greenville, S.C.

"We are holding a training session for customers with what we call Grade Management Tools for GPS Fundamentals with Bases and Rovers, all under the John Deere technology umbrella," said Tim Houchens, integrated solutions manager of Dobbs Equipment.

Houchens has worked in construction technology sales, support and training for more than 25 years and for the past 11 years has been at the forefront of John Deere's integration of technology into machine platforms. He is a certified Deere instructor for precision construction.

"The Topcon GPS System brings efficiency, accuracy, self-reliance and the ability to run machines utilizing machine control," he said. "It allows the contractor to not have to wait on a surveyor to do functions on a job site for them and it allows them to check their work in real time."

Day one of the event included instruction on equipment configuration, file and data management, base station setup and placement, localization, measure and stakeout points and calculation for points and surfaces. Day two involved training on volume calculations, working with polylines and alignments, calculations and planer surfaces, 3D office and modeling, and a field exercise challenge.

Walt Liles, vice president and co-owner of Terrain Technology Inc., also provided instruction during the event. He has been in the construction surveying industry since 1984 and was a support and trainer for Topcon machine control for more than 10 years. He has been part of Terrain Technology since 2017 building GPS models and consulting with clients for their modeling needs.

"We are doing our best in a parking lot to mimic jobsite conditions so that the customers get a good representation on how they can use these tools in the field," Houchens added.

According to Houchens, his team at Dobbs Equipment believe training is an underutilized activity for most dealers and their customers. "And we are trying to lead the way in that part of the business," he said.

Dobbs Equipment is the John Deere dealer for South Carolina, Georgia, Florida and southeast Alabama.

For more information, visit www. dobbsequipment.com. CEG

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