Stuart Dawson
Feb 06, 2005, 05:11 AM
I'm a site engineer (US: construction surveyor) - I lay out work for
construction, using a Leica TCR110 total station with reflectorless
distance measurement and a laser pointer.
I've been playing around, experimenting with a Nikko M1A1 RC tank, as a
sort of "robot assistant". To set out a point, usually a pile position,
I direct the tank to the required point using bearing and distance, walk
out to it and mark the point using a spray-paint marker, walk back to
the instrument, and go to work on the next point. One-man operation.
This works reasonably well in the right conditions, but the little Nikko
tank obviously isn't big enough for the job, so I'd appreciate any
suggestions for a more suitable bit of gear. Some observations:
a. Despite the tracks, it just isn't big enough or heavy enough - rocks,
wheel ruts and so on defeat it on all but the most favourable sites. It
gets stuck, and I have to walk out and free it up before continuing.
b. It's performed well in wet conditions, but it isn't designed for
them, and I fear the wet (and dirt) will kill it sooner or later.
c. Range is a problem. Effective working range for the method is 40 to
50 m - beyond that the walk out and back takes too long, and it's time
to move the instrument. But I lose RC response at about 20 - 25 m - not
good enough.
d. It's too slow. Sometimes, up close, it's quicker to walk out, lift it
and move it close to the next point - which kinda defeats the object.
e. If I could mount some sort of dispenser to carry a 2-lb. can of
spray-paint I could eliminate the walking and just drive the tank from
one point to the next - big efficiency gain. The Nikko is nowhere near
big enough for this.
f. I think it has to be tracks, not wheels, for two reasons. The rough
terrain (see (a) above); and the need for fine movement to get the
gadget exactly onto the point.
I'd be grateful for any suggestions.
PS. The boys on the site fall around laughing when they see it. My
feelings are hurt when they call me "Rommel". I need a few witty
comebacks.
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Stuart Dawson Dawson Engineering
sd@dawson-eng.demon.co.uk Belfast, Northern Ireland
neXus construction layout software for Texas Instruments calculators
http://www.dawson-eng.demon.co.uk/nexus/
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construction, using a Leica TCR110 total station with reflectorless
distance measurement and a laser pointer.
I've been playing around, experimenting with a Nikko M1A1 RC tank, as a
sort of "robot assistant". To set out a point, usually a pile position,
I direct the tank to the required point using bearing and distance, walk
out to it and mark the point using a spray-paint marker, walk back to
the instrument, and go to work on the next point. One-man operation.
This works reasonably well in the right conditions, but the little Nikko
tank obviously isn't big enough for the job, so I'd appreciate any
suggestions for a more suitable bit of gear. Some observations:
a. Despite the tracks, it just isn't big enough or heavy enough - rocks,
wheel ruts and so on defeat it on all but the most favourable sites. It
gets stuck, and I have to walk out and free it up before continuing.
b. It's performed well in wet conditions, but it isn't designed for
them, and I fear the wet (and dirt) will kill it sooner or later.
c. Range is a problem. Effective working range for the method is 40 to
50 m - beyond that the walk out and back takes too long, and it's time
to move the instrument. But I lose RC response at about 20 - 25 m - not
good enough.
d. It's too slow. Sometimes, up close, it's quicker to walk out, lift it
and move it close to the next point - which kinda defeats the object.
e. If I could mount some sort of dispenser to carry a 2-lb. can of
spray-paint I could eliminate the walking and just drive the tank from
one point to the next - big efficiency gain. The Nikko is nowhere near
big enough for this.
f. I think it has to be tracks, not wheels, for two reasons. The rough
terrain (see (a) above); and the need for fine movement to get the
gadget exactly onto the point.
I'd be grateful for any suggestions.
PS. The boys on the site fall around laughing when they see it. My
feelings are hurt when they call me "Rommel". I need a few witty
comebacks.
--
|>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Stuart Dawson Dawson Engineering
sd@dawson-eng.demon.co.uk Belfast, Northern Ireland
neXus construction layout software for Texas Instruments calculators
http://www.dawson-eng.demon.co.uk/nexus/
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<|