Winslow continues to invest in innovation to ensure a safe workplace for our staff, contractors, and clients.
After 18 months of R&D in partnership with machine safety control specialists Webbair and SITECH Construction Systems, Winslow recently unveiled its pioneering 3D Utility Avoidance technology, which will be a game-changer for the industry.
“Winslow has long been leaders in the machine control technology space,” said Hugh Peck, General Manager of Winslow’s Group Services.
“With over 170 smart machines across our fleet, we continue to lead the industry.
“Through Trafman and SMS, Winslow has been able to produce a system that is unparallel in the industry.”
The 3D avoidance technology allows machine operators to dig closely and safely to existing services in complex Brownfield environments, which have been mapped out by our surveying teams.
Onboard sensors and technology restrict and then immobilise the digger whenever the bucket comes close to mapped-out avoidance zones to minimise safety risks and to prevent expensive damage and project delays.
“We control the process from start to finish. We locate the assets, we model the assets, we put them in the machine,” Hugh said.
The system delivers robust engineering controls to keep machines out of any pre-defined high-risk areas and significantly reduces risk of extremely dangerous and costly sub-surface service strikes.
“What we’ve done on this system is we’ve essentially created a digital twin of the existing site conditions, so we’ve got a digital model,” said Survey Management Solutions’ survey specialist Adam Hammet.
“We’ve used that and all our other models to create a real-world digital version of what’s in the ground.”
Operators also receive real-time updates on underground services from surveyors working remotely, which allows work to continue without needing to wait for new data.
“It just gives me the confidence that whatever’s in the ground is on the computer there in front of me. I can literally look through my files, see what I need to know for the day plan out my works, and be reassured I’m not going to do damage or hurt anybody,” said machine operator Bernie Wholey.
Allowing for the operator or supervisor to add in any new hazards or high-risk areas on the fly without requiring them to be defined digitally is potentially one of the biggest benefits of the system, which was demanded from the market at the start of the due diligence phase.
Winslow Infrastructure superintendent Jason Radley said, “it’s an industry leading machine – nobody’s done it in the past”.
“All our known services that we’ve picked up earlier on in the project we can put that into the machine, and it gives us confidence that we can dig new services without actually hitting them, which will also give the asset owners confidence when we go to do our job.”
“They (asset owners) have confidence that we’re going to stay away from their services which is going to keep people in the industry safe and allow them to concentrate on their actual job instead of coming out to fix damaged services.
“It’s going to take us into the future.”
The new fully equipped machine will be rolled out on to its first project at the Lathams Road Upgrade this month.