5.5 | Plane Projects & Surface Creation
Plane Project allows you to create simple flat surfaces without surveying the entire area. This Level COMMAND feature supports the creation of up to four plane surfaces that can quickly be swapped between. These four surfaces can be used to define different aspects of a project. For example, a series of pads, various sides of a hill, or even batters of a drain.
Getting Started
To begin designing a Plane, press the "Planes" button at the right side of the screen, then "Create" for one of the available plane slots (1-4). Up to four Plane surfaces can be stored within a project, making it easy to switch between different work areas without creating additional projects. Once pressed, a Plane design area will appear at the right side on top of the Apply View.
Select/Define a plane surface
Start by clicking the "Planes" button on the right sidebar. All four plane slots are then shown on the right. Tap an empty slot to create a plane there, or tap an existing plane to select it or edit its values. Each plane has slopes, an offset, a name and a size that you can edit.
To swap to another planes tap on it. The selected plane has a yellow outline.
To edit an existing plane, select it first, then tap on it again. That is, tap the Plane from the main view, click "Plane 1", then it will swap to "Plane 1". Tap "Plane" from the main view again and then tap "Plane 1" again. Now you will see the edit screen.
To define a new plane click on any unused slot (it will be labeled as "Create") and you will be taken to the edit screen.
Plane Settings
Press "Settings" to view the Plane Name and size (Width and Height). Name the Plane to make it easier to reference within the work area, and adjust the size of the Plane as needed to avoid the entire surface extending past the work area if desired. These settings can be adjusted later if needed.
Setting the Origin Point
Follow through steps 1-3 at the right side. Press Origin to define the Plane origin point. Press "Use GPS" to set the origin point to the current elevation of the implement GNSS receiver. Alternatively, Lat/Lon/Elev coordinates can be entered manually if using a surveyed benchmark for the Plane design. Once set, press "Okay" and a flat-grade Plane will be created with the origin point at the centre.
To quickly move the plane up (e.g. for filling in the work area) or down (e.g. for flattening and removing top soil or undulations) later, an Elevation Offset can be applied to the Plane origin point using the Elevation Offset field and will shift the Plane upward with a positive value or downward with a negative value.
Setting the Primary Slope
The Secondary Slope is applied at right angles to the Primary Slope. Press the "Slope" button to design the primary slope of the Plane. Drive from the Plane origin to a second point on the desired grade surface, place the blade on the ground and then press Use GPS. The slope between the origin point and the slope marker will be generate automatically and displayed as well as the Plane surface updating with the new slope on the map. Direction and slope from the origin point can also be entered manually here. Once finished, press "Okay".
Setting the Secondary Slope
Press the "Second Slope" button to design the secondary slope of the Plane. Drive from the Plane origin to the desired secondary high-point or low-point in the work area, place the blade on the ground and then press "Use GPS" to set the Plane's second slope marker to the current implement height and calculate the secondary slope automatically.
Alternatively, enter the secondary slope percentage manually in the field shown to apply a known secondary slope across the the entire plane, cross-sectionally to the primary slope.
The overall slope and direction of the Plane is then be calculated based on differences between heights at the origin point, primary slope marker and second slope marker. Press "Okay" to finish.
Plane Editor
On the right you can set the Origin (aka anchor point), the Slope (primary slope and direction) and X-Slope (the slope at right angles to the primary slope). Alternatively, you can tap 'Survey' to collect a small survey and use that to set a best-fit plane.
'Settings' lets you change the size of the generated plane, and also set the plane's name.
'Delete' will delete the current plane, allowing it's slot to be reused.
'Ok' will close the editor and allow the plane to be controlled to.
In the top right, a Help button will allow you to quickly reference this help page.
Plane Editor: Origin
This allows one to define where the plane's height and where it is pivoting around when setting Slope and X-Slope.
'Use GPS' Will take the current position of the implement and use that as the origin.
'Use Marker' Will allow you to select a marker to use as the origin
'Elevation/Latitude/Longitude' Defines the position of the origin. Can be set via GPS or a marker by clicking on "Use GPS" or "Use Marker". The "Coordinates Format" will allow one to specify the latitude/longitude in various formats - ie it's only a visual change.
'Elevation Offset' Allows the shifting of the plane up or down relative to the GPS position. Separate from Elevation so it can be clearly adjusted as required - changing the main elevation value would do the same thing but make it harder to reconstruct what was done when reviewing the defined plane after the fact.
'Okay' Will take you back out to the main Plane editor page.
Plane Editor: Slope
'Direction' Which way the slope value will affect the plane.
'Slope' How steep the grade of the plane will be. It uses percentage notation - i.e. 100 × rise / run.
'Elevation Offset' Only shown after using GPS or a marker. Allows the changing of the slope by a fixed elevation. Ie if you know you need to cut 10cm at the current location, enter 10cm here and it will calculate the appropriate slope.
'Use GPS' Will take the current position of the implement, and calculate the heading/slope between that and the Origin. These values can then be edited afterwards if the values aren't quite as desired.
'Use Marker' Will allow the selection of a marker, and calculate the heading/slope between that and the Origin. These values can then be edited afterwards if the values aren't quite as desired.
'Okay' Will take you back out to the main Plane editor page.
Plane Editor: X-Slope
The X Slope is the slope at right angles/90° to the primary slope. It shares a similar behavior to the primary slope UI except doesn't allow specifying direction.
'Slope' How steep the grade of the plane will be. It uses percentage notation - i.e. 100 × rise / run.
'Elevation Offset' Only shown after using GPS or a marker. Allows the changing of the slope by a fixed elevation. Ie if you know you need to cut 10cm at the current location, enter 10cm here and it will calculate the appropriate slope.
'Use GPS' Will take the current position of the implement, and calculate the heading/slope between that and the Origin. These values can then be edited afterwards if the values aren't quite as desired.
'Use Marker' Will allow the selection of a marker, and calculate the heading/slope between that and the Origin. These values can then be edited afterwards if the values aren't quite as desired.
'Okay' Will take you back out to the main Plane editor page.
Plane Editor: Survey
When you are not sure about the slope and heading, you can survey to create a plane of best fit. Once you have your bucket raised, tap the 'Start' button and survey an area. The heading and slope should stabilize as more GPS points are collected. The buttons mentioned below become visible once you have started surveying.
Tap 'Pause' and 'Resume' to exclude unwanted GPS points from your survey.
Tap 'Stop' when you're done, and the plane will be ready to zero against.
To check the heading and slope values of the plane, simply tap on the plane when it is already selected.