Search results for "Communications"
Browse All
Sort by:
By Penelope B. Grenoble You’ve read in these columns that when it comes to machine control, manufacturers warn contractors about one-stop training—give the operator a quick run-through and let her rip. You’ve also heard manufacturers say it’s essential to have a champion, someone who understands the value of the technology, will do what it takes to learn it, and be a resource for the rest of the crew. Mike Wahlin, GPS grading systems engineer at Reynolds Brothers Inc. in Salt Lake City, is just that kin...... continue reading
From: Grading and Excavation Contractor Topics: Communications, Grading, Technology
Written by Paul Hull When you arrive at the job site you should know exactly what you are supposed to be doing and you should have all the people, equipment, and tools you need to do it for a profitable project. Obvious, isn’t it? You’d be surprised how many crews arrive and wait around, sometimes for hours, because they don’t know what to do or exactly where to do it. The technologies of modern communications are amazing but the basic fact remains that, in communication, one party tells another pa...... continue reading
From: Grading and Excavation Contractor Topics: Communications, Equipment, Technology
By John Trotti
Simply put, Moore’s Law, the basis for which was proposed by Intel cofounder Gordon E. Moore in a 1965 paper, says that the number of transistors that can be economically put on a computer chip will double every two years. While it wasn’t until 1970 that the hypothesis was accorded the status of “law,” its performance has shown such incredible durability clear to the present that it forms the basis for financial projections by many of the leading industrial and governmental organizations worldwide, and ...... continue reading
From: Grading and Excavation Contractor Topics: Business Management, Communications, Technology
By Paul Hull
Even the smallest project is made up of several bits and pieces, isn’t it? Equipment, employees, local regulations, and time are some of them. They all combine, like voices in a choir or singing group, to produce a harmony that is pleasing and profitable. When we are considering software that can make our construction projects more efficient and profitable, a most important question must be: “How would these different software programs work together to give me a complete conclusion?” The conclusion for ...... continue reading
From: Grading and Excavation Contractor Topics: Communications, Software, Technology
By John Trotti
I went to lunch last week with a social media guru…an impresario of the arcane reaches of the Twitter/Tweet/In-Your-Facebook phenomenon that has taken over a significant chunk of the universe with the use of tools that can get lost in your shirt pocket and cost little more than a meal for two at a mediocre diner. Still, after too many helpings of rajma chawal—a dish some Indians consider food—I waddled off no closer to an understanding of the situation than before. Perhaps it was the curry that kept me ...... continue reading
From: Grading and Excavation Contractor Topics: Communications, Technology, Telematics
By Paul Hull
Talking and corresponding with contractors and vendors about “the connected job site” has been an interesting and thought-provoking exercise. There are almost as many opinions as people contacted, but there are also areas where everybody agrees. “We must go forward. We must make our sector of the construction industry as efficient—and profitable—as possible.” Some contractors do not see how all the systems and software recommended can bring them more profit or efficiency, because they tally up the hours...... continue reading
From: Grading and Excavation Contractor Topics: Communications, Site Activities, Technology
By John Trotti
Ask most good teachers and they’ll tell you they’ve received more from the experience of teaching than they’ve given. Is this false modesty, or is there something here worth considering? A while back I visited a highway construction site to watch the installation of a large retaining wall, arriving at the same time as a van with its breakfast cargo of coffee, donuts, burritos, and power drinks. Five minutes later, as I licked the last bit of jelly off my fingers, George, the project superintendent, ushe...... continue reading
From: Grading and Excavation Contractor Topics: Communications, Safety
|
|