The addition of GPS guidance to the GCSFlex Grade Control System extends the system’s functionality and allows a contractor to work faster and with more freedom than other traditional laser-referenced grade control systems for excavators. With the benefit of GPS guidance and in-field design templates created directly from the cab on the Trimble CB450 Control Box, an excavator operator can now very accurately dig to a desired depth, slope or alignment without creating a digital design in the office. There’s very little prep work before the job and no grade checking after. The new system is said to be a world’s first innovation from Trimble that allows users to create in-field designs in the cab and take advantage of GPS guidance in 2D mode rather than 3D. This capability adds considerably more flexibility to the system without adding additional complexity in its use. Where traditional excavator grade control systems have used a laser plane as a reference for these tasks, the new GCSFlex replaces the laser plane with GPS guidance for position and orientation of the excavator. This configuration gives the operator maximum freedom to move the machine without being tethered to a bench point on the ground or a laser transmitter with range limits.Contact Mark Smith, CLM Positioning Solutions, Tel 011 708-7206, msmith@clmps.com