For our latest article, we interviewed Greg Avery from Precision Layout Solutions, a company embracing technology and specialising in providing digital construction site layout services.

Why did you set up Precision Layout Solutions? As a Builder by trade, I spent years on the tools and experienced first hand the amount of time and energy that goes into trying to accurately layout walls, openings and service points. Our business aims to solve the common problems builders face with set out errors and costly rework. – Greg Avery, Director – Precision Layout Solutions

I have always been interested in construction technology and how it can improve the build time and save cost in reworks and work flow for the whole crew on site.

I’ve often thought there has to be a better way than traditional chalk lines and manual measurement. When I saw the automated robotic printer from Hewlett Packard, it just made total sense to me – why would you want to struggle with printed plans onsite when you can print them on the ground. It’s a genius idea!

Why is accurate construction layout important?

It’s incredibly important to lock in accuracy at the beginning of the build process, because small mistakes at this stage can really add up to expensive problems later. The frustration and delays caused by errors is a very real problem on most sites, and of course that all erodes the building company’s margins. It’s about getting everyone involved on the same page with the end goal of making site coordination easier for the Builders, Electricians, Plumbers and of course Clients.

How does this technology work?

We offer the full service from CAD to pad, taking the time to go over the drawings and create a file that means no hold ups onsite, making sure all trades have a clear path and a great visual to follow directly on the pad. Once the CAD layers are set up the way you want them, you can choose how much detail to print – walls, doors, wiring plans, plumbing, even text – it will print as much or as little as you need.

In practical terms, the digital CAD data is uploaded to the HP printing portal, where a simulation can be run and printing time estimated. Onsite, the Total Station is calibrated to site control or to the constructed slab, before it locks on to the HP SitePrint, providing mm guidance to the printer.

The HP SitePrint takes account of known obstacles as it reaches them, it determines the best path and prints the design directly onto the slab. It’s most efficient if we can work on the site before other materials are placed on the slab, but the printer adapts to site conditions, sensing and working around temporary obstacles as it comes upon them.

We usually do a few test prints beforehand to make sure everything is calibrated and working, then we press go and stand back as the robot gets to work.

How much faster is it to layout a building?

It’s project specific of course, but we’ve seen it often knocking days off the timeline. On the larger projects you’ll save the most as these are very time consuming to layout with manual methods and more prone to mistakes – that’s also where the high accuracy is important as there are more complex shapes and lots of details to print.

One of the main problems in construction is human error and lack of skilled staff. We need to be making the most of the technology available to solve these issues. Time saving is one of the big benefits, but also using robotic layout means fewer people are needed for set out, plus the markings are correct the first time.

How did you find dealing with Global Survey?

Global Survey supplied the HP SitePrint and Leica iCON total station and Richard Harrison from their Christchurch office provided the hands on training and ongoing support. As a surveying equipment company their technical knowledge is really excellent, and after trialing it on some live projects and getting training, I had a high level of trust in the technology and the benefits it brings onsite.

Richard has helped make all this happen for us with his guidance right from the start, his knowledge of the equipment and also the CAD setup side of things, which has really helped with the whole set up of Precision Layout Solutions.

What lessons have you learned?

Apart from learning the technology itself, this experience has taught me that innovation isn’t something to be scared of!

Good things happen when technology enhances practical experience, it exists to bring us efficiency and the ability to do better work faster than before. I see this everyday on construction sites, that wow moment when they see the CAD plans printed out on the ground is really powerful. A client said to me the other day “Man, you’ve got a cool job”, and he’s not wrong!

Find out more about Site Layout Services from Precision Layout Solutions.

Contact our team for expert advice on construction and surveying technology solutions.