Making grade with a small skid steer loader used to be up to operator skill and a set of stakes and string, but no more. Small skid steer OEMs, and familiar industry tech companies, have brought grade control down to the smallest machines with the help of attachments such as blades.
Skid steer technology
Caterpillar has five models with rated operating capacities at 2,200 pound or under (226D3, 232D3, 236D3, 242D3, and 246D3) and all are compatible with the company's Smart grader blade and Smart dozer blade.
The new external control kit for GB120 and GB124 smart grader blades give users the ability to run smart blades on previous-model units. The blades automatically detect whether they are being operated on a D3 Series or a machine equipped with the external controller.
The 3D grade control kit uses existing connections to add automatic blade control to the Cat smart dozer blade.
Previously, these smart blades were available only for customers with D3 Series skid steer loaders and CTLs. The new external control kit provides customers with a means to run smart grader blades on all D Series and select older Caterpillar machines.
The new external control kit includes a third joystick for operating blade raise/lower, tilt, angle, and wing functions like smart control for D3 series machines. It includes the wiring harnesses, a RAM mount, brackets, and all the necessary hardware.
The external control is compatible with Cat Grade and Earthworks GO! Systems and features selectable modes for left, right, and tandem control. Standard cross-slope assist and full proportional control of all functions are meant to improve operating efficiency.
Caterpillar has other smart attachments for its D3 Series skid steers, including backhoes. They feature plug & play attachment recognition, special display screens, and tailored machine controls.
Smart Attachments technology automatically converts machine controls to align with the operational and informational needs of the attachment. Return-to-Dig and Work Tool Positioner assist operators with repetitive tasks and are bundled with the dual-direction self-level feature.
Bobcat's automatic grade control laser attachment features both laser-guided systems and sonic/slope systems. Fingertip controls are mounted on the steering levers that enable the operator to make elevation changes or switch the automatic function on or off. While in automatic mode, if the operator pushes a switch to move the blade up or down, automatic mode is momentarily interrupted. When the operator releases the switch, the system immediately returns to automatic mode.
The laser receivers deliver a 360-degree range and provide a visible indication of where the blade is relative to the ground. There's also an automatic mode indicator. Grade can be moved up or down in 0.1-inch increments up to 2 inches in either direction, making it easier for the operator to make adjustments on the fly without leaving the cab to raise or lower the transmitter.
Tech company help
The Trimble Earthworks Grade Control platform for compact equipment also covers small skid steers in a subscription model with flexible terms. The idea is to be able to modernize existing equipment without a large initial cost. It features Android UI and a 10-inch touchscreen. It offers GNSS-based systems as well as a universal station and laser options.
Earthworks GO! 2.0 allows users to install and move the system. It has iOS and Android capability with the user's mobile phone, and its technology requires no mounting hardware. Trimble SiteCheck is a dedicated software application that makes site check-ins easier, allowing machine operators to check in their machine control systems on pre-loaded Trimble Earthworks Grade Control System control points, or field-generated control points and save these check-ins for later reference.
The company also offers 2D and 3D grade control for compact grading attachments.
Topcon's 2D-MC Machine Control for CTLs and skid steers is mounted directly to grading attachments and transfers between machines and applications. It uses rotary laser technology to minimize the need for manual tools and grade checking. Users can choose a dual-laser receiver setup or use a single laser with a tilt sensor to determine elevation and slope. Progressive grade arrows and an intuitive display show the work completed or remaining to reach grade. Topcon says the system supports major brands such as Cat, Bobcat, Kubota, John Deere, and more. It also supports attachment manufacturers such as Level Best, Land Pride, SharpGrade and others with box blade or grader blade attachments.
"You just get in...click, click, and go. Then you don't get out until the job's done," says Chase Sweeter, equipment operator, Sweeter Excavating, Flagstaff, Arizona. "It's just so much easier than [grade] check, run, check, run. It takes out the guesswork."
The latest development is an optional global navigation satellite system (GNSS) is now available on Topcon’s MC-Mobile product for compact machines. The GNSS option allows users to integrate their compact machines into fleets already powered by GNSS technology.
“We initially built MC-Mobile with the smaller or mid-size contractor in mind,” says Murray Lodge, EVP and general manager. “Working with a prism pole and our 3D robotic instrument, the LN-150, users easily measure, design and build right on-site, all with one 3-in-1 solution—expanding their capabilities and growing their business.
“This new GNSS option allows fleet managers to easily integrate compact machines into much larger, more complex workflows, with the same machine-to-machine modularity and ease-of-use that has made MC-Mobile one of our most talked-about products of the last year," Lodge says. "Both the local positioning system (LPS) and GNSS versions are made possible thanks to the MC-X platform.”
The MC-X architecture combines multiple communication technologies, such as the Sitelink3D connectivity platform, support for numerous elevation sensors, IMUs and GNSS receivers, to tailor solutions directly to a contractor’s workflow—with the goal of maximizing return on investment (ROI) at every phase of an operation.
Attachment providers are also in the small skid steer grade control game.
Level Best offers three main components: a box attachment, the hydraulic valve, and the laser controls.
Its operation is fairly basic. A rotating laser is set for a desired grade, the rotating beam is read by the laser receiver mounted on a mast pole. The beam’s location is sent to the grade control panel that interprets where the beam of light is in relation to grade.
The control panel then tells the hydraulic valve to adjust the grading box attachment up or down to keep the receiver on grade. This same sequence happens many times per second.
The Level Best system has been used for jobs such as concrete subgrade, parking lots, fine grading, golf course tee boxes, athletic fields, indoor arenas, railroad ballasts, preparing explosive beds for mining, and placing material at curbs and gutters.
