Think You Can Drive a Bulldozer?

[jmc]

An odd article for the Wall Street Journal that talks about bulldozer technical advances so operators don't need as much skill. Best part is some of the reader comments from the Wall Steet crowd.

Think You Can Drive a Bulldozer? - WSJ.com

 

[rekees4300]

My Brother-in-law is a dozer operator. He says the day isn't too far away that the "operator" will be eliminated and a dozer will be computer/GPS controlled.

 

[Ed of all trades]

My Brother-in-law is a dozer operator. He says the day isn't too far away that the "operator" will be eliminated and a dozer will be computer/GPS controlled.

Yes, that is what the companies want to say BUT.. when something goes wrong, even a little thing, and it will, the company owner will be pulling his hair out wishing for a good ol boy who knows how to get things done and what not to do.

 

[mjw357]

My Brother-in-law is a dozer operator. He says the day isn't too far away that the "operator" will be eliminated and a dozer will be computer/GPS controlled.

For large projects, yes. For small sites, way more efficient to have a skilled operator.

 

[rustyshakelford]

Computers would have a hard time underbrushing or clearing land. Doing the big dirt projects on the side of the road is doable but get them in the woods and it would be a train wreck.

Brett

 

[Bob Rooks]

Computers would have a hard time underbrushing or clearing land. Doing the big dirt projects on the side of the road is doable but get them in the woods and it would be a train wreck.

Brett

I concur. A trainwreck at every dropoff covered by heavy brush, and every tree. No Roomba-dozers in the woods.

 

[Ken45101]

I concur. A trainwreck at every dropoff covered by heavy brush, and every tree. No Roomba-dozers in the woods.

and, of course, what happens when the computer control gets the "blue screen of death" or "abort, retry, or ignore?" LOL

 

[RedNeckRacin]

There is also a big difference between driving around and making piles and being able to operate and achieve anything proficiently and profitably. I only briefly read the article and it was somewhat entertaining that they took a guy who had trouble starting a lawn mower and threw him in there.

 

[paulharvey]

Gps and laser controls have a place, but I've seen there short comings as well. At some point the plotted points, grades, ect run out and its the operator who needs to be able to tie into whatever is there. I also have seen a grade crew sit and do nothing for two days waiting on there tech guy to set up the system. With grade stakes that wouldn't have happened. I also have seen a GPS dozer cut subgrade 6" too low, rocked the road 6" low. Well guess what, contractor had to eat an additional 6" of limerock, because the road has to be on grade. They blindly followed the gps.

The strengths are slope control and ski's on pavers/mills, gps on a pond saves a lot of time, and curb tracers on a grader.

I don't lump pipe lasers into this same group, I can't imagine anyone laying more than a couple hundred feet of storm or gravity sewer working with out one.

 

[300UGUY]

I don't know anything about dozers, but I know a bit about cnc machining. It took years, but cnc developed and got more capable. Now even very small shops use cnc machines. It will get better, probably faster than we think.