Komatsu Ltd. and California-based Trimble Inc. are joining forces to improve their customers’ ability to exchange 3D construction site data.
The collaboration, announced mid-July, aims to make managing mixed earthworks fleets easier and allowing for a more holistic view of site operations between Komatsu and Trimble construction software.
As part of the partnership, Trimble and Komatsu are working to develop an application program interface (API) to enable compatibility between their software platforms.
Komatsu’s KomConnect platform and Trimble Connect software, a cloud-based collaboration ecosystem, will share digital construction data that may benefit contractors and project managers.
Customer demand
According to a joint media release, the collaboration is in response to customer demand for mixed fleet interoperability.
As well, the partnership aims to support for Japan’s i-Construction initiative that was announced in 2015.
The initiative is a plan to drive innovation and revolutionize productivity on construction sites through the use of information and communications technology (ICT) promoted by the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. Komatsu introduced SMARTCONSTRUCTION, an Internet of Things (IoT) solution for construction site operations, in Japan in 2015.
The solution enables customers to visualize site operations using ICT about workers, machines and surfaces on the KomConnect cloud-based platform to create a safer and more productive site.
So far, the solution is in use at 3,300 jobsites. Trimble Connected Site solutions provide contractors a complete view of site productivity. This includes materials quantity and movement, volume and compaction data as well as fleet and asset management information, regardless of machine make or model.
Trimble Connect is a collaborate environment allowing customers to combine and share data from multiple sources, including those from outside of the Trimble system. Komatsu will continue its efforts to extend openness of KomConnect platform to respond to customer demand in collaboration with SMARTCONSTRUCTION partners.
