The Trimble® Earthworks Grade Control Platform for Soil Compactors with Horizontal Steering Control is the industry's first automatic steering control solution for soil compactors—and the next step towards Trimble's autonomous vision. Horizontal Steering Control helps operators achieve higher quality surfaces and consistent compaction. Compatibility with all soil compactor makes and models allows contractors with mixed fleets to achieve a faster return on investment. Trimble Earthworks Horizontal Steering Control automatically steers a soil compactor using a 3D model or compaction pass line. This helps to improve compaction productivity and quality for operators of all skill levels by precisely controlling overlap between passes. Auto steering helps reduce operator fatigue while also minimizing over- and under-compaction, providing a more consistent sub surface for a higher quality, longer lasting finished product. Trimble Earthworks uses the NavController III steering technology from the Trimble Agriculture Division, leveraging the company's 20 years of industry-leading steering technology and applying it to civil construction applications. In 2020, Trimble also introduced Horizontal Steering Control as part of the Trimble Earthworks Grade Control Platform for Dozers, another first in the construction industry. Horizontal Steering Control for Dozers automatically controls the machine to follow any horizontal alignment such as the back of a curb, breakline, roadway centerline or bottom of slope without operator assistance.
Horizontal Steering Control functionality on the Trimble Earthworks Grade Control Platform for Soil Compactors provides an automatic steering control solution for soil compactors.
- Automatically steers the compactor using a 3D model or compaction pass line
- Helps to improve compaction productivity and quality for operators of all skill levels by precisely controlling overlap between passes
- Auto steering helps reduce operator fatigue while minimizing over- and under-compaction
- Provides a more consistent sub surface for a higher quality, longer lasting finished product
- Compatible with all soil compactor makes and models
Trimble Introduces Industry's First Horizontal Steering Control for Soil Compactors
Trimble first introduced Trimble Earthworks Grade Control for Excavators and Dozers in 2017, and Trimble Earthworks Grade Control for Soil Compactors in April, 2021. This major update, announced in January, 2022, is the industry’s first automatic steering control solution for soil compactors - a big step forward on the path to autonomy both for Trimble and for the entire civil construction industry. It's difficult to steer a soil compactor with accuracy and consistency, and over- or under-compaction leads to wasted time and materials and less durable surfaces. Horizontal steering control allows operators to focus on machine performance and safety and deliver a higher quality, more consistent surface, while also making the job of the operator less physically demanding and more enjoyable.
The most noteworthy competitive differentiator is that this is the industry’s first and only horizontal steering control solution on the market. The Trimble Earthworks Horizontal Steering Control functionality allows the machine to follow a GPS designated alignment, automatically traveling according to the site plan without operator assistance. Leveraging decades of Trimble steering technology, this functionality opens the door to even greater autonomy across the construction industry.
