5.5 | Plane Projects & Surface Creation

Plane Projects allow simple design surfaces to be created without first surveying the entire work area. They are commonly used for creating flat pads, graded surfaces, drain batters and other simple earthworks. Each Plane Project can contain up to four individual Plane surfaces, making it easy to switch between different work areas or design surfaces without creating additional projects.

Creating a Plane Project

From the Apply View, press More > Start Plane. Once the Plane Project has been created, a Planes button will appear on the Apply View. When a Plane surface is selected, the button will display the name of the active Plane.

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. In the top right, a Help button also allows you to quickly reference this help page.

Selecting and Managing Plane Surfaces

Press Planes on the right side of the Apply View to display the available Plane slots.

Up to four Plane surfaces can be stored within a single Plane Project. Each Plane can have its own:

• Name
• Size
• Origin Point
• Primary Slope
• Secondary Slope
• Elevation Offset

To create a new Plane, select any unused slot labelled Create. Alternatively, to switch between existing Planes, select the desired Plane from the list. The active Plane is indicated by a yellow outline.

To edit an existing Plane, select it and then select it again to open the Plane Editor. The Plane Editor is used to define and modify all Plane properties, including origin, slopes and survey-based Plane generation.

The Help button in the top-right corner provides a shortcut to this reference page.

Plane Settings

Press Settings within the Plane Editor to configure the Plane name and dimensions. Assigning a meaningful nameName makes it easier to identify different work areas within a project.

Plane Width and Height determine the visible extent of the generated Plane surface. These values may be adjusted at any time without affecting the calculated grade of the Plane.

The Delete button removes the currently selected Plane and makes its slot available for reuse.

Setting 

 

Defining the Origin Point

The

FollowOrigin throughPoint steps 1-3 atis the rightreference side.position Pressused Origin to define the OriginPlane (akaelevation and calculate all Plane slopes. It can be thought of as the anchor point).point of the Plane.

Press "Origin within the Plane Editor to define or modify the Origin Point.

The Origin may be defined using:

Use GPS" to– setSets the Origin point to the current elevationimplement ofposition and elevation. Use Marker – Uses an existing marker as the implementOrigin GNSSPoint. receiver.Manual Alternatively,Coordinates Lat/Lon/Elev– coordinatesAllows canLatitude, Longitude and Elevation values to be entered manuallydirectly. if using

Manual coordinate entry is commonly used when creating a Plane from a surveyed benchmark foror known control point.

Once the Origin has been defined, press Okay to return to the Plane design.Editor. OnceA set,newly press "Okay" and a flat-gradecreated Plane will initially be createdflat, with the Origin pointpositioned at the centre.

centre

'Use Marker' Will allow you to select a marker to use asof the Origin.surface.

The

Elevation "Coordinates Format" will allow one to specify the latitude/longitude in various formats - ie it's only a visual change.Offset

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 canallows the entire Plane to be appliedshifted vertically without changing the underlying Plane definition. This is commonly used to thequickly Originraise usingor lower a design surface when filling, trimming or removing surface irregularities while preserving the Elevationexisting OffsetPlane fieldslopes.

Positive values raise the Plane. Negative values lower the Plane.

Coordinate Formats

The Coordinate Format setting changes how Latitude and willLongitude shiftvalues are displayed. This is a display preference only and does not affect the Planeactual upwardposition withof athe positive value or downward with a negative value.Plane.

SettingDefining the Primary Slope

PressThe Primary Slope defines the "Slope"main buttongrade to design the Slope (primary slope and direction)direction of the Plane.Plane Driveand fromdetermines how the Originsurface rises or falls across the work area. Press Slope within the Plane Editor to define the Primary Slope.

The Primary Slope may be created automatically by using a second point on the desired grade surface,surface:

place

Position the machine at the desired second point on the Plane.

Place the blade on the ground andor thenat pressthe "desired design elevation.

Press Use GPS".

The

Level COMMAND will calculate the slope and direction between the Origin pointPoint and the slopeselected markerlocation, willthen be generate automatically and displayed as well asupdate the Plane surface updatingautomatically. withAlternatively, the new slope on the map. Directionpercentage and slopedirection from the Origin can alsomay be entered manually here.if the desired grade is already known.

Once finished,the desired slope has been defined, press "Okay". to return to the Plane Editor.

Direction

Direction determines the heading along which the Primary Slope is applied.

Slope

Slope determines how steeply the Plane rises or falls along the selected direction. Slope values are expressed as a percentage:

'Direction'Slope Which(%) way= 100 × Rise ÷ Run

Use GPS

Calculates the slope valueand willdirection affectautomatically the plane.

'Slope' How steep the grade of the plane will be. It uses percentage notation - i.e. 100 × rise / run.

'Use GPS' Will takeusing the current implement position of the implement, and calculate the heading/slope between that and the Origin. ThesePoint. The calculated values can thenmay be edited afterwards if the values aren't quite as desired.required.

'

Use Marker'

Will allow

Calculates the selectionslope ofand direction using a marker,previously andcreated calculate the heading/slope between thatMarker and the Origin. ThesePoint. The calculated values can thenmay be edited afterwards if the values aren't quite as desired.

required.

SettingDefining the Secondary 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. Press the "Second Slope" button to design the Second Slope (X-Slope) defines the cross-fall of the Plane at right angles to the primaryPrimary slope)Slope. This is commonly used when creating crowned surfaces, side-falls, drain batters or other surfaces requiring grade in two directions.

Press Second Slope within the Plane Editor to define the Secondary Slope. As with the Primary Slope, the Secondary Slope can be generated automatically using a second reference point:

Position the machine at a point representing the desired cross-fall of the Plane.

Drive from the Origin to the desired secondary high-point or low-point in the work area, place

Place the blade on the ground andor thenat pressthe "desired design elevation.

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.

Level COMMAND will calculate the Secondary Slope relative to the Origin Point and update the Plane surface automatically. Alternatively, a known Secondary Slope percentage may be entered manually.

Unlike the Primary Slope, direction does not need to be specified because the Secondary Slope is always applied at 90 degrees to the Primary Slope.

Once the desired Secondary Slope has been defined, press Okay to return to the Plane Editor.

The final Plane surface is calculated using the Origin Point, Primary Slope and Secondary Slope together to define the overall slope and directiongrade of the Planedesign is then be calculated based on differences between heights at the Origin, primary slope marker and second slope marker. Press "Okay" to finish. surface.

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.