Product Release.. MC-Mobile

Let’s take a dive into Topcon’s latest machine control system, designed specifically for smaller excavators and compact machines – MC Mobile. MC-Mobile has been created to be your perfect partner as a smaller company looking to embrace new, groundbreaking technologies (pardon the pun!). MC Mobile gives you the opportunity to remove one of the antennas from the machine to attach to a pole, so survey and setting out work can also be completed with this versatile system. It also features a swing boom function which standard machine control systems don’t have, as they’re intended for machines which are too big for a swing boom.

A user-friendly interface –

The jump from v13 to v15 of 3DMC completely changed Topcon machine control in my opinion! The interface has always let Topcon down when you put it up against the likes of Trimble Earthworks. Using 3DMC with MC Mobile now gives the operator a modern and interactive display where they can customise how surfaces are displayed, and benefit from a ‘two-touch’ display which allows users to zoom and pan around the screen to view the machine from different angles. Users can also customise the screen to display as much or as little information on screen as they like, but still benefit from on-board features that Topcon MC users all know and love; like creating surfaces from the screen and using ‘steer to’ functions. The latest version of Pocket3D has been built almost entirely the same as 3DMC – which means when taking the GR-i3 from the roof and putting it on the pole, the operator doesn’t need to learn two entirely different softwares.

Introductory to comprehensive build –

MC Mobile can be as basic, or as advanced as you like. Your MC Mobile basic configuration is a 2D system, designed to work with a laser level and a Topcon LS-B20W machine receiver for accuracy. From there, we can add GPS receivers or a Prism to experience 3D machine control. MC Mobile has been designed to cover every eventuality of machine configuration – that’s why Topcon have added additional sensors and third-party communication to use tilting and rotating attachments, as well as the swing-boom feature.

Less components than a traditional machine control system –

Keeping in mind that MC Mobile was designed for smaller machines first – Topcon have stripped back the amount of wiring and hardware on the machine. The tablet which runs the software is powered by its internal battery, so there are no requirements for costly screen cables which can take up a lot of space in the belly of your excavator. Also, the SIM card for internet connection can be housed in the controller as opposed to having a separate modem to house the SIM.

Sitelink Connectivity

Topcon has enabled MC-Mobile to utilise Sitelink3D - their online, cloud-based data management and productivity platform. By adding Sitelink into your workflow, you can add and remove designs on the machine via the internet, reducing downtime spent uploading from a USB, fewer trips for engineers to make to the machine = helping to reduce carbon footprint, and keeping people off the ground, therefore helping to eliminate potential health and safety risks! We believe that the Sitelink is the key to maximising the productivity of your machine control fleet. 

 

The not so good bits…

Network only rover –

So, the MC Mobile system has an optional radio – however, if you’re planning to take the GPS receiver off the roof and use it as a rover, you might want to stick to network corrections only! A GR-i3 doesn’t have a built-in UHF (radio) modem – so you run the risk of having discrepancies between machine and rover if you’re swapping between radio corrections on the machine and network corrections on the rover.

Direct connection to machine components –

In a standard machine control system there is a cable which runs from the screen harness directly to the CAN line on the system – this means that from a configuration point of view, it's very easy for us to access the MC-X1 (comms box). As we already know, the MC Mobile system doesn’t have a screen cable – so to access the MC-X1 we need to connect to it via its internal wifi. Not a huge issue for the end user, but for those trying to set up/troubleshoot the system it's an extra step which we’d ideally like to avoid! Although it's only a few extra button presses it does feel like a step backwards from the easy-to-use MCXConfig App which we’re accustomed to.

Cost – 

Unfortunately, the price of an MC Mobile system comes up almost directly in line with a standard Topcon MC MAX system. So although the system is designed for more compact machines, the components are just as expensive. Yes, you do get a machine control system and a network rover in one, but with additional wiring kits priced at over £6,000, MC Mobile is priced out of the market for smaller businesses looking for a machine control system that they can interchange on a variety of their machines. We hope that as time goes on, Topcon will be able to make some amendments to their pricing as we believe that when the price is right – the MC Mobile system will thrive in the UK for the smaller companies who are looking to dip their toes into the machine control pond!

 

So, all in all, MC Mobile is a brilliant system which carries market-leading features but like anything definitely has its downfalls (cost being the biggest one). As an approved Topcon dealer, we work very closely with both Topcon GB and Topcon Europe – we’ve provided our feedback and will continue to do so until we believe the system is right for the UK market! There are already some exciting future releases in the pipeline, so keep your eyes peeled for information on further developments in the software!

To find out more about MC Mobile, or to discuss which machine control system is right for you - contact us at Sealand today at 01244 821777 or fill in our *contact form*.