How Machine Control Systems are Revolutionizing Global Construction Industry
The 21st century has been termed as ‘the age of digitization’. Almost all sectors of the economy are slowly adopting digital technologies to improve the overall efficiency and productivity. In the past few years, this shift towards digital technologies and innovations has been adopted by the global construction sector also. Along with this, the rapid pace of urbanization and industrialization has helped in surging the demand for the construction industry. Both these factors have together played a significant role in increasing the popularity of machine control systems in the construction industry.
Better access to all-round data and information
Machine control systems essentially perform the function of letting the operator know the exact position, direction, and current status of various tools and equipment used in heavy construction industry. Take the example of a bulldozer; the machine control system will provide all the information, the bulldozer operator needs to have. It will give the exact details regarding how much earth has been excavated, how much is yet to be excavated, the direction and depth to which the blade of the bulldozer should go to for excavating the required amount of earth, etc. For this, machine control systems make use of GPS and GNSS systems. These global navigation and positioning systems relay precise data regarding different parameters such as elevation, volume, depth, position, and direction.
Improved safety of construction workers
The global construction industry has witnessed some terrible mishaps and accidents over the years. This is especially true in the case of big projects like skyscrapers wherein construction workers risk their lives while working. Moreover, failure of heavy equipment can cause serious damage or even death of construction personnel in extreme circumstances. Machine control systems are designed to provide full-proof protection to heavy construction equipment and prevent structural failure. Also, since machine control enables automation, the need for continuous engagement with the construction equipment is reduced which further brings down the chances of any injuries.
Greater sustainability and environmental protection
With the growing emphasis on environmental sustainability since the Paris Climate Agreement, the global construction industry has been under radar for its highly polluting nature. Machine control systems indirectly address this important issue. Increased efficiency of heavy construction equipment due to accurate inputs given by machine control systems bring down the overall demand for raw materials like sand, steel, cement, and other metals and minerals. This indirectly brings down the mining activity that takes place near riverbeds and hill ranges, thus reducing the overall carbon footprint. Furthermore, soil erosion is one of the biggest environmentally degrading consequences of the construction industry. By targeting effectively, machine control equipment ensures that only such land is unearthed which is required, thereby preventing unnecessary soil erosion. Reduction in air and water pollution are other subsidiary advantages of using machine control equipment.
Emerging trends in machine control systems
The global machine control system market, which is expected to grow at a significant CAGR of 10.6% in the 2023-2032 timeframe, has seen a lot of technological advancements and market upheavals in the past few years. Several key players of the market such as TOPCON CORPORATION, Eos Positioning Systems, Inc. (Eos), Hexagon AB, etc., have been investing heavily in research and development which has helped in designing state-of-the-art machine control equipment. For instance, Topcon Positioning Systems, Inc., a Japanese machine control solutions provider, announced the launch of MC-Max machine control solution. Powered by a Precise Point Positioning (PPP) service, the MC-Max machine control equipment is suitable for different heavy equipment environments and thus provides a holistic approach to sustainable construction.
Apart from research and development, strategic alliances are another way of gaining prominence in the market. Liebherr and Leica Geosystems, along with Hexagon AB, had entered into a partnership in 2020 to launch their machine control equipment. This partnership has been termed successful, as at the start of 2023, they announced the extension of machine control solution to their Generation 8 crawler excavator models.
Summing up
With the timely adoption of technological advancements like machine control systems, the construction industry has managed to meet the ever-growing global infrastructure demand. With the rise of artificial intelligence and machine learning, the role of automation and digitization is bound to increase in this industry too. This is further expected to magnify the advantages of the machine control equipment in the coming period.
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