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Digger Man Blog

by Nick Drew  |  Tue 14 Jan 2020

SharpGradeX grading attachment for excavators

New Zealand based manufacturer SharpGrade has launched its new SharpGradeX grading attachment for excavators which provides fully automated 2D/3D grading on a standard excavator.

SharpGradeX grading attachment for excavators

More well known for thier grading attachments for skid steer loaders and compact wheeled loaders, SharpGrade part of the Progressive Group have now launched its new excavator mounted machine control attachment the SharpGreadeX. Accuracy is is said to be within +/-6mm (1/4"). All the operator has to do is position the attachment and draw the stick towards the base machine the SharpGradeX does the rest. The boom and bucket functions are not controlled by the operator.

In the video below the SharpGradeX is being controlled by an iCR80 Leica Total Station.  The Total Station tracks the orange prism on top of the left hand pole. According to SharpeGrade this is the first excavator attachment driven directly by machine control.  This increases the accuracy by a factor of 3, as there are no other sensors involved, just a direct link between the attachment and the control system.

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