Skip to main content

Silver Star marries a Topcon GPS system to a Power Curber 5700-C

In the US state of Oklahoma, Silver Star Construction has adopted 3D technology for site modelling and stringless machine control The company, based in the town of Moore, recently used a Topcon Millimeter GPS system mounted on one of their Power Curber 5700-Cs to put down nearly 5,500m of curb and gutter in a residential housing addition in south-west Oklahoma City. Once the dirt work and grading was completed, the concrete crew got to work by mounting the Topcon receivers on their 5700-C. The Topcon
January 19, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
The precision of the curb placement can easily be seen from above
In the US state of Oklahoma, Silver Star Construction has adopted 3D technology for site modelling and stringless machine control

The company, based in the town of Moore, recently used a 342 Topcon Millimeter GPS system mounted on one of their Power Curber 5700-Cs to put down nearly 5,500m of curb and gutter in a residential housing addition in south-west Oklahoma City.

Once the dirt work and grading was completed, the concrete crew got to work by mounting the Topcon receivers on their 5700-C. The Topcon unit received the signal from the laser transmitter and set up the Topcon rover to check the vertical and horizontal position of the curb.
With a good concrete mix and steady delivery, the Silver Star crew was able to pour about 1,220m of curb and gutter per day without having to set and remove any stringline.

“It’s very hard for a crew that has set stringline their whole life to watch the machine just take off and follow the 3D guidance,” said Louis Cossey of Silver Star. “For a few times at first we set some stakes just to make ourselves feel better because it’s always been on grade. The advantages of stringless are overwhelming, such as cutting labour costs in half.”

Silver Star does their own 3D modelling to ensure that the model is in correct vertical and horizontal alignment for pouring curb.

“It’s a very basic system once you understand it. Anyone can learn it; it just takes a little time,” said Cossey. “3D is the future and we have several systems. If you’re going to compete in the construction world today, you need a control system. GPS is here to stay and it is constantly changing for the better.”

Over the past 30 years from its founding by one man and a dump truck, Silver Star has accumulated more than 400 machines, including graders and asphalt equipment, dozers, excavators, pavers and slipform machines.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • 3D-MC gets software upgrade at Intermat
    February 3, 2012
    Topcon has written an upgrade to its 3D-MC machine control software, called v10.0 for 3D-MC and it is now available to download.
  • New concrete construction technology at World of Concrete
    January 22, 2020
    New concrete construction technology is being unveiled at the upcoming World of Concrete exhibition in Las Vegas
  • In control, with advanced technology
    August 15, 2019
    Machine control technology continues to advance, with new systems offering contractors major gains in working efficiency The latest developments in machine control technology once again push the bar in terms of advancements. The latest systems allow contractors to work even more effectively and efficiently than before. Doosan has unveiled one of the first uses globally of 5G technology to remotely control construction and quarrying machines. The firm has coined the term ‘TeleOperation’ to describe the
  • Advanced machine control solutions
    February 15, 2012
    Trimble has developed an array of smart solutions for GPS machine control applications, which can now be installed on a wide variety of machines from different manufacturers. The company has long had a close relationship with Caterpillar but can also install units on machines from a range of manufacturers including Case, John Deere, Komatsu, Liebherr, Roadtec and Volvo. The firm's range has developed beyond just the GPS hardware though and includes sophisticated software, which can be loaded onto a hand-hel