2D grade control for excavators from $11,995 + GST – no more getting out of the cab to check grade. Your new grade checker is on time and ready to work day in, day out.
iDig’s advanced 2D excavator grade control system works with all makes and models of machine to deliver real-time depth, slope and distance to grade information straight to the cab. With second by second updates and consistent, accurate measurements you can be confident of getting to level faster, more efficiently and without any rework or wasted material.
Get live updates on slope, depth and distance to grade
Quick install with solar powered sensors – swap between machines
Affordable Bucket Position Indication for ALL Excavating Equipment
Product Advantages:
iDig is a technically advanced tool. It was designed and developed to enable easy installation, calibration, and use, to meet or exceed contractors’ stringent needs.
Eliminate Waste fuel and machine downtime waiting for a grade check, and the need for a grade rod: autolevel or laser. Get needed information right in your cab
Easily handles tough jobsite conditions:
compact, heavy duty, water and dirt proof
solar charging means no extra work at day’s end
radio communication means no cable breakage to worry about
Transfer points when moving the machine with a ground or laser reference
Easily calculate slopes
Software updates via USB connector on control box
ONE System for all:
Move your iDig system in minutes from one machine to another
Real-time depth indication
Enter your desired depth
iDig guides you there
Real-time slope indication
Enter your slope, positive (+) or negative (-)°, %, on x:y
iDig guides you there
It can also calculate the relative slope
Real-time distance indication
Place the bucket teeth on the start point
Enter your desired digging distance
Follow iDig’s horizontal LEDS to get there
Why iDig?
No other product will have as a positive impact on improving the bottom line of a contractor’s business than iDig.
This is achieved through:
increasing job site efficiency and effectiveness.
reducing or eliminating labour costs.
reducing machine maintenance and servicing.
reducing fuel costs.
increasing health and wellbeing and reducing H&S compliance through safer worksites.
For the features and capabilities iDig beats all other systems by a significant cost difference of at least 8-12k. The return on investment in iDig can be easily calculated and in most cases is fully paid back in 3-6 months.
What type of Laser do I need to work with the iDig?
Any brand of rotating laser will work. Red, Green or even an Invisible beam, will be able to be used with your iDig. A non-rotating, line laser will not work.
Do I need to use a rotating laser?
No and Yes.
No. The iDig does not require you to have a laser setup on site, a benchmark can be carried across the site using the bucket edge.
Yes. If you are wanting the most accurate benchmark carried across a work site or if you are digging to a Grade, a laser will be required.
Does the iDig automatically pick up the laser all the time?
No.
Before you start digging you just need to catch the laser once and this locks in the benchmark. Simply catch the laser again after you’ve moved.
Do I need to re-bench when I move the excavator?
Yes.
The iDig is most accurate when you are taking an accurate benchmark before you start digging. Preferably catching the Laser or reaching a correct datum point with the cutting edge.
What sized excavator can iDig be put on?
Any.
It’s not about the size, but it’s more about the work that machine will be doing! Any machine that will be used digging to a grade or a level will immediately benefit from having an iDig on board.
There are machines of all sizes around the world using the iDig every day, even 200t monsters in the mines of Western Australia.
Can I install iDig by myself? How long would it take?
Yes.
The iDig system can be self-installed by anyone with some technical knowledge and machine operation experience in around 3-4 hours.
However, it is recommended that an experienced iDig installer is used to ensure a complete and accurate installation and calibration.
Does the iDig need to be recalibrated at any stage?
No.
Once an excavator is calibrated the iDig is set. Recalibration will only be required if the sensors are moved or if the machine is changed physically in any way. Cutting edges of buckets can deform through wear and tear and if inaccuracies appear then a 90 second recalibration of the bucket is required.
Does the iDig use GPS?
No.
The iDig is a 2D guidance system.
Do I need Tilt Sensors?
Only if you have either a tilting bucket, tilting hitch or an Auger attachment. Even then the Tilt Sensors are not mandatory but are highly recommended.
Do I need extra sensors to use an Auger with the iDig?
You will need the XD529 Tilt Sensor Kit for use with an Auger. If you have the Tilt Sensor kit already, then you do not need extra sensors for your Auger. You will need an additional Triangle Tilt Mounting Bracket to be installed onto the Auger, this will allow the sensors to be swapped from the Tilt Hitch to the Auger.
What do I need to use the iDig on another machine?
For each additional machine you need an “Extra Machine Kit”. Depending on what model of iDig Touch you have this kit number could be either an XD527 (Small Combo) or an XD528 (Large Combo).
If you also have Tilt Sensors that you’d like to swap along with your main iDig System, you’ll also need an extra Tilt Sensor Mount (XD429).
If you have the Dozer Blade upgrade option, you’ll need an extra mount for the blade sensor. This is an XD422.
If you have multiple machines that have a second boom, an additional XD422 Sensor Mount will also be required.
Can I use the iDig on a Skid Steer or Dozer?
No, the iDig is an excavator only system. With the new Dozer Grade function, why use another machine when your excavator can do it all?!
Can I leave the sensors on the machine?
No.
It is not recommended that you leave the sensors on the machine overnight or for extended periods. While the sensors are Solar Powered and will constantly charge while left on the mounts, they will still be on and there is a risk that they do not receive enough sunlight to recharge and therefore reduce the batteries capacity. Forgetting them and leaving them on over a weekend is fine and won’t damage them in anyway, just leave them out in full sun to recharge fully before use.
How long will a “full charge” last for and what’s the best way to charge the sensors?
As the sensors are solar powered and exposed to some sunlight when in operation, they’re unlikely to fully discharge. If operating in the dark on full charge, the sensors will give up to 40 hours of operation in optimal conditions.
It is recommended that the sensors are left in open sunlight, not behind a window, to fully charge. If the batteries have fully discharged for whatever reason, they may take 1-2 days in sunlight to fully charge again.
What attachments can I use the iDig with?
The iDig can store up to 100 individual attachments. Buckets, Augers, Rippers, Levelling Bars, Brooms…. Almost any attachment you can put onto your quick hitch can feasibly be calibrated to be used with the iDig.
I have a “double-boom” machine, how does the iDig work with this?
Double or Two Boom machines, such as the Eurocomach ES60 TR work extremely well with the iDig. All that is required is an extra mini sensor for the boom and to be calibrated as a double boom machine.
I have an excavator with a knuckle boom, can I use the iDig?
Only if you have a Kobelco excavator. iDig and Kobelco have worked together to enable seamless installation and calibration of the iDig onto Kobelco machines. A XD406 Radio Sensor kit is required.
Can I use the iDig to draw profiles or shapes?
No.
While the iDig can simultaneously dig to a set depth and reach, you cannot create profiles or shapes with the iDig.
Can the onscreen units be changed to mm?
No.
The minimum unit of measurement is 1cm and this is reflected in the onscreen measurements. There is a Metric option available which will show an onscreen number as 0.01m for example.
Can I change the ‘resolution’ of the LEDs on the light bar indicator?
Yes.
Each individual LED can represent a customised measurement, down to a minimum of 1cm (10mm).
Will iDig control or limit my excavator?
No.
iDig is an indicate system only and is not plumbed into any hydraulic or control systems of the excavator.
I’m used to the sound indications of my laser receiver, can the iDig give me similar alarms?
Yes. The audible alarms can be customised in any number of ways. The frequency, tone and time and usage can all be changed and set up to your discretion.
Can the sensors work under water?
Radio waves don’t travel very well under water and so can have a significant impact on accuracy. However, the iDig does have a “River Mode” where you can dig underwater without receiving a signal from the bucket sensor.
What other functions does the iDig have?
There is a Tape Measure. You can place your bucket in one spot and move it anywhere in space to another spot (as long as the excavator doesn’t move) and it will give you measurements from point to point of – Height difference, distance, degree of slope and the length of that slope.
There is also a Height Alarm. You can set a maximum safe working height using the boom and dipper and have the iDig visually and audibly alert to when you reach that point. It’s not a lockout system and is only a guide but can be handy working under a roof or powerlines.
There are additional upgrade options, such as – Tilt Sensor Kits, Dozer Blade Control, Auger Compatibility, Tilt Rotator Compatibility and Kobelco Offset Kits for Kobelco knuckle boom machines.
5 reviews for iDig Touch
Rated 5 out of 5
Greg Molan –
Now we can send one person out to operate the machine to complete site cuts, dig drains & auger holes, without needing someone onsite to check depths or grades. The system is very easy to use so you just set your grade and away you go, it’s so much more productive. As with any new technology, you’re always a bit nervous to begin with, but we’ve found you really can’t go wrong with it. We’re self-sufficient and can work anything out without additional support.
Rated 5 out of 5
Marty Dench –
The iDig solution is too easy really – I just establish my level, dial it in and off I go! It really has saved us so much time and easily paid for itself in a short period. Getting in and out of the cab to check grade may not sound like a big deal, but anyone in the business knows it gets old pretty quickly
Rated 5 out of 5
Ricky Ireland –
For the jobs we do, there’s no engineered 3D design that you need for more advanced machine control systems to work. We have the reduced level and the batter ratio, as required, so I needed a system that could suit the type of work we do. We can do everything with this system including batters, level sites, depths, falls, culvits and water troughs or tanks on farms. The team at Position Partners has been great – we’re a pretty technologically disadvantaged bunch and they can help us out with everything either on the phone or coming out to see us.
Rated 5 out of 5
Andrew Blake –
We went for the iDig system because if at any stage we change our equipment over, the system is portable, and we can just take that off and take it with us. We also found that it was the most economical on the market. The system is easy to learn, there haven’t been any hold ups with training, the guys have taken up the technology very quickly. The back-up and support from Position Partners has been great. They’ve been there to take the call straight away and we’ve had the problem sorted out immediately and we’ve continued with our work
Rated 5 out of 5
Billy Biletic –
I have been using the iDig system for work such as house cuts, driveways, graded footpaths, subsoil drainage and stormwater drains. I would absolutely recommend the iDig from Position Partners, it’s an overall great product and is also very user friendly.
Greg Molan –
Now we can send one person out to operate the machine to complete site cuts, dig drains & auger holes, without needing someone onsite to check depths or grades. The system is very easy to use so you just set your grade and away you go, it’s so much more productive. As with any new technology, you’re always a bit nervous to begin with, but we’ve found you really can’t go wrong with it. We’re self-sufficient and can work anything out without additional support.
Marty Dench –
The iDig solution is too easy really – I just establish my level, dial it in and off I go! It really has saved us so much time and easily paid for itself in a short period. Getting in and out of the cab to check grade may not sound like a big deal, but anyone in the business knows it gets old pretty quickly
Ricky Ireland –
For the jobs we do, there’s no engineered 3D design that you need for more advanced machine control systems to work. We have the reduced level and the batter ratio, as required, so I needed a system that could suit the type of work we do. We can do everything with this system including batters, level sites, depths, falls, culvits and water troughs or tanks on farms. The team at Position Partners has been great – we’re a pretty technologically disadvantaged bunch and they can help us out with everything either on the phone or coming out to see us.
Andrew Blake –
We went for the iDig system because if at any stage we change our equipment over, the system is portable, and we can just take that off and take it with us. We also found that it was the most economical on the market. The system is easy to learn, there haven’t been any hold ups with training, the guys have taken up the technology very quickly. The back-up and support from Position Partners has been great. They’ve been there to take the call straight away and we’ve had the problem sorted out immediately and we’ve continued with our work
Billy Biletic –
I have been using the iDig system for work such as house cuts, driveways, graded footpaths, subsoil drainage and stormwater drains. I would absolutely recommend the iDig from Position Partners, it’s an overall great product and is also very user friendly.