Information Management

In the past year, Bosch, the well known manufacturer of power tools introduced a new line of "digital power tools" designed to help construction professionals manage information in electronic form.

In an exclusive partnership with Austin, Texas-based software developers Strata Systems, Bosch introduced the Punch List application for the Palm PDA operating system.

Designed for use by field project managers, Punch List is a Palm and desktop PC software tool driven by familiar drop-down menus that allow users to manage task lists and distribute updates and task assignments. Punch List, which lets users establish authoritative updatable sources of job site information, allows users to manage task lists and punch list items, divide them by projects and subproject and assign them to the proper people. Punch List can also tag list items with outbound reminder messages that get launched via email, fax or print as soon as the Palm "syncs" with the desktop PC. Punch List also communicates with popular scheduling software packages and can be configured to download from and update to these packages. Punch List is downloadable from www.PunchList.com; or it can be installed via CD.

Survey Equipment

The latest field controller from Topcon features a full-color display, dual removable storage media, and Windows® CE.NET operating system. The compact field controller is able to handle large-scale work.

At its heart is a powerful 400Mhz Intel X-Scale processor and 128Mb of built0in RAM. Easily accessible dual storage slots provide the option of using compact flash and SD removable media, allowing the user to run a Bluetooth™ wireless technology card in the CF slot without losing the ability to off-load or import new data in the field.

Power is supplied by a conventional, widely available lithium-ion "camcorder" battery.

In addition to Topcon's TopSURV™ software, the FC-100 will currently run Carlson SurvCE and conventional Windows CE software. For more information go to:
www.topconpositioning.com.

Directional Drill

Vermeer Manufacturing has introduced the D300x500 Navigator horizontal directional drill. The D300x500 combines a powerful large rig with mobility and transportability in many types of utility work.

The D300X500 integrates the power pack, operator's station and crane with a rack and pinion design offering 50,000 ft. lb. of rotary torque and 300,000 lb.

of thrust and pullback capacity. All functions, including transport, drilling controls, crane and drilling fluid controls are operated from the operator's station.

To supply fluid needs, Vermeer also offers custom stand-alone fluid pumping systems and fluid recycling systems. The D300x500 rack will accept drill steam up to 34 in. length and upset diameters up to 10 in.

The D300x500 seeks to meet the needs of the industry for increased flexibility and ease of transport. For more information go to, www.vermeer.com.