Trimble Business Center

How can I export a 3D linestring (pipe flowline) to Trimble Earthworks?

Woody

To get this to Earthworks you really need a Surface plus 2D Line. To create that I would use the Line that you have for the Invert / Bottom of Pipe and Offset it Left and Right by a distance say 3' or half your target Bucket width (and maybe plus a little extra.

If you have Pipe Invert, and you want to offset to base of Trench (taking out Bedding Material and Pipe wall thickness, then when you offset the lines offset them Laterally and Vertically.

Now make a Surface out of the two offset lines (and include the original pipe line if you want to - but not necessary).

Now you have a Surface of the Elevation you want the machine to cut (provided by the surface) and you have the Line of the Pipe / Trench for Guidance to the operator.

Now you can create an Earthworks Design (DSZ) file from the Surface and Line using the Field Data Menu in the normal way. Select the Surface as your Model and the 2D / 3D Line as your linework. 

You can take the file out to the machine and grade to the surface and line.

Hope this helps- I assume that you know how the Field Data process works - if not let me know and I can point you in the right direction.

Alan

Great. Thank you.

I am very familiar with how it works for GCS900 machines. Is it the same for Earthworks?

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You can also select 3D Linework as a Design type but that was more for cutting Sideslopes than Trenches - however if you only have the 3D Line it may work also - for your model type select 3D Line (but I am not sure that will do what you want since the 3D Line is typically computed from Stations along an alignment and where the sections slice a selected set of 3D Lines (Toe/ Top of Slope etc.)

Mostly the same - however at the top of the Jobsite Manager you have to select where you are going to store the Project Library (this is what Earthworks uses) - you can select a Folder on your PC or on TCC if using Wireless Sync. Once selected - then you go through the Design Manager process to create your design - same as for GCS900. You can send the designs you create here to SCS900 and GCS900 / Siteworks, however for Earthworks there is one more step once you have created the Design Data Setup. You run the "Publish to Project Library command - and that allows you to select Site Level or Design Level data that you have setup for GCS900 / Siteworks and Publish it to Earthworks - that creates the Project and Design Folders in the Project Library that you selected in the Jobsite Manager.

Once you have the data in the Project Library (if you selected Local Folder), you can then use the Copy to USB Stick command to make a copy of the data on a USB Stick to take to the field.

Note that Earthworks Machines all get all of the Designs for a Project - i.e. everyone gets the same data - so one project library satisfies all machines for a Project - whether you write the data to your PC / USB or to a TCC Filespace and Sync through the web.

There are other posts and materials on the Forum on this if you search for Earthworks you should find them.

Alan

Perfect!

Thanks for the info and quick response!

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You can bypass adding the horizontal surface offset in Business Center by using 3D Line Guidance. Use the lines that you have the flow line elevation for and export those specific lines as a VCL file from Business Center. I run the VCL file through File Flipper to create the DSZ file, but from there it can be imported in to Earthworks. 

Once the file is selected from the Job Setup screen, you will notice the icon above the Project selection will change from a surface to a 3D Line file. Tapping the 3D Line Guidance button in Earthworks will allow you to define the width of your surface, and extend the beginning and end of your line if necessary. This allows your machine to stay on design throughout the process of swinging and moving material. Additionally, 3D Line Guidance automatically activates Horizontal Guidance to the center of your pipe, eliminating another step in the process. Tap the 3D Line Guidance button again to select a different line and continue working! 

I, personally, have found File Flipper to be the simplest way to convert files to Earthworks. 

Great!

Thank you very much!

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Thanks for adding value here Tyler

Alan