Knowledge base

All about 3D models for machine control

Practical explanations for contractors and site managers: how a model is built, which system you need and what to supply.

What is a 3D design model?

A design model turns your drawings into a digital surface that an excavator, grader or dozer can work to. What it is, how the machine uses it and why it is not the same as the existing ground.

Linework and breaklines

Breaklines define where the surface changes direction. Without correct breaklines, the triangle mesh cuts straight through kerbs and slope edges. Why linework matters so much, both for the model and for the operator.

Coordinate reference systems and height datums

A model is only usable when it is in the same system as the machine. The coordinate systems and height datums commonly used in each country, what a local site calibration does and what happens when the wrong system is chosen.

Files by brand and system

Every machine control system reads its own files. How we handle the different brands, which exchange formats are widely accepted and why you always check the file on your own system.

What should you supply?

A good model starts with complete drawings. An overview of what we need, in which form, and which information is often forgotten.

Checks and tolerances

A model is checked before it is delivered and should be checked again on site. How that check is done and which tolerances are common in practice.

Frequently asked questions

Answers to the questions we hear most often: turnaround, billing, multiple systems, revisions, delivery and responsibility.

From PDF or paper drawing to model

Not every project comes with CAD files. A model can also be built from a PDF or a paper drawing, but that takes extra information and extra checking. How it works, where the limits are and what you should check yourself.

Earthworks and volumes

A design model does more than guide the machine: it also helps you understand the earthworks — where material is cut, where it is filled and how much. What such a volume calculation tells you, and what it does not.