SSI’s model CSX50 mobile surveying system offers a high capacity topography mapping system on a lightweight or standard vehicle platform.  The CSX50 features an embedded high resolution GPS system (with L1/L2 RTK corrections) for fine grain topography mapping and site design capabilities.  An Overview of the CSX50 system is below, along with details about the Mobile Surveying Vehicle Platforms, the CSX50’s capabilities for Rapid Surveying & Topography Mapping, Project Design, as well as detail on the system’s Hardware Features, Software Features and Operator Interface Computer.  The CSX50’s data collection system can also be used for Machine Control Options.  Contact SSI for further information, pricing and availability of the CSX50 system.

CSX50 Mobile Surveying Tool (Lightweight Vehicle Configuration)	CSX50 System Base Unit with RF Radio and AC/DC Power Supplies	CSX50 Mobile Surveying Tool (Standard Vehicle Configuration)

OVERVIEW

SSI ‘s CSX50 mobile surveying system allows high resolution topography mapping in a fraction of the time taken by conventional surveying methods to generate a terrain map containing far fewer points.  The SSI mobile surveying system has been developed through a technology partnership between SSI and The AMW Group, experts in GPS surveying and precision machine control applications for over twenty years. 

The CSX50 system can be moved among high speed or lightweight vehicles, or integrated with SSI’s inertial profiling system on a dedicated host vehicle that is also capable of rapidly measuring longitudinal surface profile with sub-millimeter accuracy.   The CSX50’s mobile GPS unit is paired with any of (1) a static RTK corrected base station supplied by SSI, or (2) many models of customer-owned GPS base units, (3) always-on network reference stations.

The CSX50 system is supplied with on-screen instructions and full featured software for survey instrumentation set-up and project site topography mapping.  A site design software module is also supplied for using the data files from the CSX50 or other survey files for planning cut and fill areas, and automatic jobsite grade planning according to numerous user selectable design criteria. 

MOBILE SURVEYING VEHICLE PLATFORMS

The SSI Model CSX50 Mobile Surveying System for construction site applications features a high resolution GPS subsystem embedded within the instrumentation of ultra-precision inertial surface profiling system.  The roving GPS system is paired with a stationary high resolution GPS base station with L1/L2 RTK corrections communicated via RF radio.  The inertial profiling and GPS subsystems can be operated together or separately according to the project conditions, user requirements and the CSX50 system’s specifications.  The system is available in several vehicle mounted configurations: (1) on board a supplied Ingersoll Rand (Club-Car) industrial utility vehicle, (2) with attachment hardware to mount to customer specified lightweight or all-terrain vehicles, and (3) as a portable module that installs onto passenger vehicles by attachment to a standard 2” towing receiver with a typical 12 volt power supply.  The core components are portable and, with available mounting and quick-release hardware, the system can be moved among several host vehicle platforms. The CSX50 system is operated on a supplied military grade Panasonic Toughbook 19 or Toughbook 30, which serves as the operator interface device for mobile surveying, design and optional site preparation and machine control functions.  Touch-screen controls and menu-driven software ease operator training and recurring work with the system by non-dedicated personnel.  The CSX50 is designed to be a cost effective, one-person operation.

RAPID SURVEYING & TOPOGRAPHY MAPPING

The SSI CSX50 Mobile Surveying System’s software uses high resolution GPS instrumentation with RTK corrections.  The CSX50’s surveying, topography mapping, and site design capabilities are enabled through a technology partnership with the AMW Group, experts in GPS surveying and machine control applications for over twenty years.  The AMW Group’s software is a suite of custom applications for surveying, site preparation and machine control.  Each software module is easily accessed on the Windows based Toughbook computer from the top level menu:

Figure 1:  AMW Works Software Dashboard

The AMW Topo software subroutine on-board the mobile surveying platform enables more detailed and rapid terrain mapping than conventional land surveying methods or aerial topography mapping systems.  Setup is easy and computer aided, as shown on the Measuring Instrument Menu: 

Figure 2:  Measuring Instrument Setup

From start to finish, setup usually takes less than one-half.  Digital plans are loaded into the computer, the RTK base unit is set-up off the cut, and rover unit’s position is verified on the cut.  Once a site control point is provided to the system, or automatically determined using the menu-driven AMW Base software routine, the operator can undertake staking and grading determinations with greater speed, accuracy, and computer aided efficiency than is possible with alternate surveying methods.  The Topo software program can automatically or manually capture and record dense, high resolution topography data.  Points are captured at user-selectable intervals as the mobile surveying vehicle is driven across project areas without stopping.  For example, on operator can survey 200 vehicle passable acres and collect about 20,000 points in a single day.  In addition to automatic collection of points as the system moves within the project site, specific points can also be entered and labeled manually.

Figure 3:  Sample Active Screen While Surveying

Subsequent initializations of the system are quick and simple, as the AMW Base® program uses previously collected data to automate the remobilization of the system on existing jobs. 

The CSX50 terrain data files can be easily exported to text or design formats (e.g. DXF, DWG), or used with the AMW Surfer® software for instant Topo or 3D surface maps, volumetric calculations and other design outputs based on user-selectable parameters.  The speed of the SSI mobile surveying system allows more frequent surveys for enhanced project management, reporting and cost control. 

Figure 4: Sample Screen of Topography Map Drawn by AMW Surfer® Software

The CSX50 is capable of measuring open area topography speeds of 5 to 15 mph, creating a 3-D topography map of better than survey quality.  The system generates topography maps with tighter triangles in far less time than conventional survey methods.  This topography data, within the AMW Dirt Pro software, can then be used to design a new surface, or to develop a machine control plan to achieve planned or specified grade.

The figure below illustrates a terrain map generated on a 400 ft x 400 ft test surface in thirty minutes by the SSI CX850 mobile surveying unit with the AMW Tops software.  A manual survey of the same area would take four hours or more to collect far fewer points.  The mobile surveying unit generated five times as many data points (~1000 shots) than the manual survey (~20 shots) and consumed 80% less time (30 minutes for the CSX50 versus over four hours or more for the conventional survey.

CSX50 Survey Unit/AMW Topo Software (3.67 Acres)	Conventional Survey Terrain Map (3.67 acres)
(~1000 Shots in 30 Minutes)	(~200 Shots in 4 hours)

Figure 5:  Mobile vs. Conventional Survey Data Comparison

PROJECT DESIGN

The AMW Point application allows efficient management and display of terrain points using either an existing survey data file or a new one generated with the AMW Topo program.  Points of interest can be quickly recorded on the system’s computer.  Subsequent relocating of particular points is automated, as previously recorded points can be located within the design file, with current positioning also displayed for comparison to the intended position.

Numerous site design functions are available with the AMW Works® software subroutine, including an array of user selectable design criteria, cut and fill areas, and automatic jobsite grade planning.  With an existing survey data file, or a file collected with the CSX50 mobile surveying tool, intermediate and final surface designs can be generated according to the parameters entered by the user.  Figures  6, 7 and 8 show samples of the existing (surveyed) surface with the proposed milled and paved surface, as generated by the AMW Works® software. 

Figure 6:  CSX50 Mobile Survey Data Used to Design Proposed Milled and Overlay Surfaces (~3850 ft View)

Figure: 7:  Mobile Survey Data With Proposed Design of Milled and Overlay Surfaces (~500 ft View)

Figure 8:  Mobile Survey Data With Proposed Design of Milled and Overlay Surfaces (~100 ft View)

With the SSI-AMW Machine Control Options, the same survey and design date file content can be used for precision machine control applications to build the surface according the design.

MACHINE CONTROL SYSTEMS

The core components of the SSI CSX50 Mobile Surveying System can be disconnected and reattached to numerous types of equipment for used precision machine control.  The CSX50’s data collection system is paired with compatible valve and hydraulic control hardware and the AMW Works software suite for a variety of sub- grade and paving equipment.  For further information on machine control capabilities available from SSI and the AMW Group, Click here.

Pictures:  (click to enlarge)

 HARDWARE FEATURES

SOFTWARE FEATURES

OPERATOR INTERFACE COMPUTER