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AMS Contracting installs Trimble 2in1 guidance system

AMS Contracting has put a Trimble Siteworks Machine Guidance system, supplied and supported by SITECH UK & Ireland, to work on an attenuation pond project serving a sports pitch in Redhill.

The system combines surveying and machine guidance, allowing AMS to assess existing ground levels, calculate cut-and-fill quantities and then carry out excavation and grading to a digital design.

Established in 2011 by brothers Ashley and Myles Strange, AMS Contracting undertakes earthworks, drainage, sports field construction, site clearance and other specialist work, often requiring its equipment to move between different sites.

Siteworks uses a handheld GNSS receiver and tablet to survey the site and record existing levels, which are used to create a digital ground model. The same receiver can then be mounted on the excavator, with the design displayed in the cab to show the bucket's position relative to the required levels, providing centimetre-level guidance.

On the Redhill project, AMS used the system to compare existing ground levels against the proposed finished surface. This allowed the contractor to calculate cut-and-fill volumes, assess which material could be reused and identify where additional fill or excavation would be required, helping to produce more accurate project prices. Myles Strange, Director at AMS Contracting Ltd, said: “We get a much clearer view of a project before moving material. We can measure existing levels, understand the balance between cut and fill and use that information when preparing our price." He continued, “Having the same information in the excavator means we can work from the design rather than rely on separate level checks. If something changes, we can see the effect on the job and adjust accordingly.”

SITECH installed the machine-mounted equipment and wiring on a LiuGong 913FCR excavator. AMS had previously relied on 2D laser guidance, which meant repeatedly moving and resetting the laser whenever the working area or required grade changed. Isaac Brown, Technical Sales Consultant at SITECH UK & Ireland, said: “GPS technology has proven to significantly improve AMS’s efficiency by eliminating the need to repeatedly reposition and reset laser equipment, while also removing the risk of human error and allowing the machine to work to more complicated designs “AMS were seeking a solution that combined both survey and machine control capabilities. Siteworks machine guidance met these requirements, delivering both technologies within a single, integrated platform.

“It’s also significantly more affordable. A typical package for the 2in1 system costs around £16,500, compared with about £35,000 for an equivalent fully machine-mounted system. That gives smaller contractors a more affordable way to start using GNSS guidance.”

SITECH demonstrated the system to AMS before purchase, then supplied and configured the machine equipment, alongside operator training and ongoing technical support.

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