CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY: THREE TOOLS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

What could be more fun than learning about some of roll forming machine the great gadgets available on the market to make construction go more smoothly? Technology specific to the industry is becoming more and more available as vendors begin specializing in tech specifically for construction. Both specialized hardware and software applications have been developed to help keep the construction project on track while not getting destroyed by the environment in which you work.

Take a look at these three products and let us know about any you are using that you couldn’t do without.

DEWALT CONSTRUCTION SMARTPHONE
Dewalt is getting into the smartphone business with a toughened phone for construction and outdoor sports enthusiasts. (Dewalt isn’t the first construction equipment maker in the market; it is competing with Caterpillar, which also has a smartphone out there.)

The Dewalt smartphone is an Android-based phone built to survive a two-meter drop onto concrete and operates at temperatures from -4 degrees F to 140 degrees F (-20C to 60C). It went through some rough testing, being tumbled around for long periods of time among other things. It is also waterproof and dustproof.

Since it has a nice big, sturdy casing, there is room for a bigger battery. You have eight hours of talk time on this phone. In addition, it comes with built-in Qi (pronounced Chee) wireless charging, unique for mobile equipment in the construction industry.

Finally, the touchscreen is built of Gorilla Glass, which is an extremely robust yet thin glass that will work with gloved fingers.


The entire handset is built in collaboration with Purlin Roll Forming Machine Global Mobile Communications, a company specializing in ruggedized phones.

MICROSOFT HOLOLENS
Move over, Virtual Reality. Microsoft® has developed an augmented reality headset capable of overlaying a hologram over a real-world area, such as a room or a construction site. The display is transparent, so you still see your physical surroundings but overlaying it in 3D is a projection of the construction plan.

What is so cool is that you can walk around “inside” the display and interact with it. You can open doors, create components to leave “in the room,” and even add notes. It looks a little goofy to see someone writing or drawing in the air, but it’s so handy you won’t care.

CDM Smith, a construction firm that specializes in large-scale infrastructure projects, is in the process of adopting it. The company feels augmented reality will greatly improve collaboration and prevent mistakes.

Potential uses include:

Overlaying a 3D model of a project over the entire construction site
Showing the crew where walls and equipment will be placed
Determining whether heavy machinery will fit into and work in a particular room. A hologram of the equipment can be created to compare whether all the bolt holes line up properly before the machine is craned in.

Blueprints and plans are flat; those viewing them must make the transition to 3D in their heads. With a HoloLens, everyone can see exactly how the plan will look upon completion and how it fits into the jobsite. In other words, it acts as much more than a hologram-assisted tape measure.

Streamlined collaboration and communication on the jobsite are the areas with highest potential gain with this device. Everyone has access to the same model; they can make notes, adjustments, and corrections directly on the model; and they can even talk to each other through avatars that appear on the hologram for each person using a HoloLens device.

Your avatar moves with you including showing your head turning and drawing a line to show your field of vision to others. It’s much better than trying to talk to a pointer or a cursor.

The HoloLens should reduce the number of errors, omissions, and rework because you have a better vision for how things fit together.

Some examples of tools that use HoloLens technology come from companies such as Object Theory, Oculus Rift (which was acquired by Facebook in 2014), HTC Vive, and the DAQRI Smart Helmet. In fact, DAQRI had this wearable device made specifically for the construction industry and has partnered with a number of other companies including Intel, Autodesk, and Topcon Positioning Systems.

The biggest challenge in marketing and adoption is that augmented reality and virtual reality are changing so rapidly, obsolescence will be quick. Interoperability issues will need to be worked out with the early models so the device can keep momentum in the market.

GETABLE APP FOR IPAD
Getable was designed for industries like construction where about 50% of equipment is rented. It simplifies the process of finding a cost effective rental and for tracking the construction equipment itself. Since nearly 90% of contractors use a smartphone on the jobsite and iPad usage is over 60%, this app has a wide audience.

Getable recently received $5 Million in funding from a group of investors that includes Pacific Structures, Zachary Construction, and Brick & Mortar Ventures. The company was founded in 2010 with the express purpose of making it easier for contractors to find and rent needed equipment.

It is available as a free-to-download application that you can use to track equipment you already own and to manage orders for equipment from rental agencies. Before Getable, finding and getting rental equipment transported was a highly inefficient activity. Pricing was invisible and availability a crapshoot.

With Getable, you have more choice of vendors to rent from. You can narrow your choices to those with whom you have an existing relationship, a negotiated pricing scheme, or one that offers volume-based incentives. Getable makes its money on a 10% commission on any equipment that is ordered through the app.

Getable adds transparency to assets you already have under management for any job as well as the costs associated with those assets and where they are being used.

Until recently, the company operated primarily on the west coast but within the last year has begun to open up to a nationwide marketplace.

These are three pieces of technology that could revolutionize the way construction and contracting is done. With a smartphone that will survive the jobsite, a helmet that shows you what everything will really look like, and an application that helps you find the best deal on equipment rental, you could get a jump on the competition and build a reputation as a tech-savvy and efficient contractor.