Learn more about concrete paving at the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association's Web site at www.concreteparking.org.

The Somero 3-D Profiler System® is a technological breakthrough which allows concrete to be placed over contoured sites automatically using a Somero Laser Screed®. The highly accurate screeding of concrete, until now restricted to single and dual plane applications, is now available to meet the demands of real 3-dimensional paving.

Concrete paving is a multi-billion dollar market and gaining momentum. A great opportunity exists for Laser Screed® equipment owners to capitalize by expanding services to include concrete paving. The 3-D Profiler System is ideal for use on parking lots, loading dock areas, service ramps, and driveways. It's also being used to white top and repair roadways, runways, taxiways, and bridges. Slope and elevation changes are now completely practical and cost effective to achieve.

The Somero 3-D Profiler System is easy to learn and use. It is compatible with all of the latest Laser Screed models (including large line and small line machines), is adaptable to earlier models and is also now compatible with the PowerRake 3.

The 3-D Profiler System comes complete with all necessary components to get you profitably paving right away.

System Usage

To achieve the desired results of the Somero 3-D Profiler System, additional planning and setup is required. These steps may be a bit confusing or overwhelming at first, but following a fixed procedure in setup and operation will make this second nature in no time at all.

Let's go through the steps one at a time.

• Step 1 - Planning
• Step 2 - Acquire Job Site Information
• Step 3 - Analyze Job Site Information
• Step 4 - Set Up Screed
• Step 5 - Screed Concrete

Step 1 - Planning

This portion of the job will take 10-15 minutes.

A little extra work in the planning phase will make the job go so much more smoothly. Take some time to think the job through and lay out the work site in the terms that will make the 3-D system easier to operate. There is a blank "site planning" worksheet included with every operator's manual. Make some extra copies of this sheet to have on hand and make notes about the job site.

Make sure your equipment is ready. All of the batteries are charged and all of the components are in the cases.

Determine the way the site will be poured – such as where screeding will start and finish. Consider the direction the screed will be positioned when pouring concrete. Also, consider where trucks and equipment will be entering and leaving the site. Avoid locating the Geodimeter in a location that is prone to being blocked by equipment or obstructed by the flow of concrete trucks.

Pick a location for the Geodimeter so that the view of the tracker target will be least obstructed. Ensure the Geodimeter will be at least 50 feet from the job site.

Draw a sketch of the job site. To help get your bearings, face in the same direction as the screed will be positioned when screeding concrete. Sketch a picture of the site on the "site planning" sheet.

Pick 2 reference points on the job site. It is imperative that these points can be found again later—so choose some forms or reference stakes that point to known locations. Select these points along the left-hand edge of the job site. Try to find points that are a fair distance apart. The increased distance will increase accuracy.

For convenience sake, we will call these points #1 and #2. Point #1 is the point more toward the back left corner of the site. Point #2 is the point more toward the front corner.

In order to give the computer a reference to start from, we are going to arbitrarily define a location. Position yourself at setup point #1 facing in the same direction as the screed will be positioned when screeding concrete (Facing setup point #2). Estimate how many feet to the left is the left most point of the floor. Add at least 20 feet to this number. This is the X value of point #1. Record this number to enter it into the computer later.

Without changing position, determine roughly how many feet to the back (behind) is the rear most point of the floor. Add at least 20 feet to this number. This is the Y value of point #1. Record this number to enter it into the computer later.

We arbitrarily define the Z value of point #1 as 0.

In this example the direction is 90. (The direction from point #1 to point #2 is in the forward or +Y direction) If your points lay out in a different orientation, use the axis information to determine the proper direction.
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Step 2 - Acquire Job Site Information

This portion of the job will take between 30-90 minutes.

A good job of doing the planning in Step 1 will greatly simplify this step of the procedure. First, set up the Geodimeter to prepare it to take measurements. This varies by model of Geodimeter, but essentially requires a series of buttons to be pressed to initial the instruments control

Once complete, the Geodimeter will track the target as you move it around the job site. By placing the target at locations around the job site and pressing a button on the computer, you make a map of the entire job.

Throughout this process, you have the ability to modify and edit the coordinates of the points as you survey them.
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Step 3—Analyze Job Site Information

This portion of the job will take between 15 to 45 minutes.

Once the data has been acquired from the site, you are ready to create the mesh using Profile Maker. Only the 3-D PC is needed for this step.

This process consists of reviewing all of the points in the map that was created and connecting them in some fashion. The software assists you in connecting the points, but you can override the automatic decisions at any time.
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Step 4—Set Up Screed

Setting up the screed is essentially the same as conventional Laser Screed equipment. In addition to standard preparation, the equipment needs to be set up in the same fashion as in the surveying application described above.
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Step 5—Screed Concrete

From this point forward, screeding is as simple as it has always been. The left hand side will follow the forms or existing screed pass while the right hand side gets it's position controlled by the computer.

At the end of the day, remember to put the batteries in the chargers to be ready to go again the next time.
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