Machine Control
Advanced 3D and 2D Machine Control Solutions
Did you know that utilising machine control technology can reduce on-site fuel usage and machinery wear by up to 66%? Operating plant blind without real-time height and design data leads to excessive over-excavation, unnecessary material waste, and constant manual grade checking. It leaves your projects vulnerable to costly rework, delays, and tighter margin erosion.
Our comprehensive Leica and Topcon 2D and 3D machine control solutions arm your plant operators with real-time, precise guidance directly inside the cab. Delivered and supported by factory-trained technical experts, our technology ensures your earthworks, grading, and drainage operations are executed with absolute precision from the very first pass.
Why Choose PQS for Machine Control Technology?
- Independent Authorised Industry Partners We supply and support advanced 2D and 3D machine control hardware from world-leading brands Topcon and Leica Geosystems.
- Dedicated Machine Control Division Access direct field support from our team of dedicated machine guidance experts who handle full system setup, calibration, site installation and trouble shooting, calibration and repair.
- Drastic Rework Reduction Operators work directly from precise reference targets or uploaded digital terrain models, ensuring grading and cutting are completely accurate without relying on traditional profiles.
- Enhanced Site Safety By putting depth and design data directly onto in-cab screens, you remove the need for engineers to constantly stand near active plant to check levels.
- Flexible Fleet Logistics We maintain a substantial stock of machine guidance components within our hire fleet, making it simple to scale technology up or down to suit individual contracts.
- Seamless Data Workflows Easily update models, track live progress, and manage design changes remotely using integrated cloud platforms.
Hardware and Field Support Capabilities
Our machine guidance proposition is structured to deliver complete system reliability, keeping your heavy plant moving efficiently across all phases of development:
- Excavator Guidance Systems Real-time bucket position tracking for precision trenching, batter creation, and deep foundations without over-digging.
- Dozer and Grader Automation Direct hydraulic integration to automatically adjust blade levels, maintaining exact tolerances across large-scale bulk earthworks.
- Hybrid Positioning Setup Seamlessly blending optical tracking from robotic total stations with high-accuracy GNSS satellite rovers for uninterrupted field coverage.
- Digital Model Integration Expert data preparation to ensure your 3D CAD models and digital terrain files transfer flawlessly into your onboard guidance screens.
- On-Site Operator Training Tailored, practical coaching to ensure your plant operators are fully confident using guidance displays, navigating menus, and checking tolerances.
- Full Workshop Calibration Rigorous testing and sensor calibration handled by our workshop engineers before any components leave our depots.
Overcoming the Reluctance to Adopting Machine Control
It is entirely natural for traditional site teams and plant operators to feel hesitant about moving away from proven, manual practices. Relying on an onboard screen can feel like a leap of faith when you are used to seeing physical profiles, pegs, and engineers with level staff on the ground.
We address this hesitation directly by supporting your team through every single step of the transition. We sit in the cab alongside your operators to show them exactly how the system mirrors their real-world movements, building trust in the technology from day one. Once your team experiences how much pressure it takes off the operator, eliminates manual rework, and speeds up the job, the reluctance quickly fades.
2D Systems: The Perfect Gateway to Machine Control
If your team is hesitant about diving straight into full 3D digital terrain models, a 2D machine control setup offers an excellent, accessible starting point. Using a combination of laser receivers, sonic trackers, and slope sensors, a 2D system allows operators to accurately regulate depth, elevation, and cross-slope relative to a local reference point like a rotating laser beam or a physical kerb line.
Implementing a 2D solution acts as a fantastic gateway for your business. It allows your plant operators to get comfortable with in-cab displays and automated sensor feedback without the complexity of managing large 3D GPS or total station data files. Because many entry-level 2D setups are designed with an upgrade path in mind, you can easily scale the hardware up to a full 3D system as your team builds confidence and your project demands grow.
Hire the Kit Before You Invest
Do you need to add machine control capacity to a short-term project or evaluate the technology before making a capital investment? We maintain a complete range of Topcon and Leica MC products within our fleet, fully calibrated and ready to deploy straight to your active machinery. Can we help by putting together a flexible, low-risk machine control hire package to suit your next major earthworks tender?
Arrange Your Machine Control Consultation Today
Take control of your site productivity and protect your project margins by adopting advanced machine guidance. Get in touch with our specialist team today to discuss compatibility, fleet hires, or upcoming site installations.
- Call us 03300 245125
- Email us hiredeskmc@pqs-survey.co.uk
- Visit us Contact your nearest regional depot to arrange an on-site machine control consultation with our technical team.