2. Trimble® GradeMax™
What is grade max

3. Objectives Objective 1: Objective 2: Objective 3:
To understand how good GradeMax can make your dozer
Objective 2:
To learn simple, effective tuning methods
Objective 3:
To know of the extra options for difficult situations

5. What is GradeMax
New software to improve your performance with no extra hardware
How:
Doubled the update rate
Tweaked some settings
Improved some code
Use CAN1 at the nose on Dual GNSS systems
Requires
CB460 or CB450 Control Box
MS992 GNSS Smart Antenna
Latest firmware

6. What do I get Smooth surfaces at full speed second gear
Fastest recommended grading speed
Automatic recovery from disturbances
Hit a dip or a rock and the control system will quickly recover and keep grading smoothly
Happy operators
Less stress and less operator intervention
VPAT – Variable pitch angle tilt blade

7. What do I do to get this? NOTHING! Upgrading will turn this feature ON
If you have the latest GNSS receivers and control box with the latest firmware
Upgrading will turn this feature ON
If you swap to old receivers:
MS990 – get a small part of the improvement
Requires v4.19 MS990 firmware
MS980 – No improvement
Back to MS992 and get the improvements

8. Dozer Tuning On The Fly New method of tuning the valve speeds
And more
More user friendly
More productive
More values to tune
Easier to use
Dozers only
All other machines & Cat Grade Control dozers get the old Valve Speed dialog

9. How?
Load you design and offsets as normal
Tune while operating

10. Best Practice While tuning: Keep your speed constant
Keep your blade load constant
Work in the same material
Same compaction and moisture content
Otherwise you don’t know what caused the change
¼ to 1/3 blade load

11. Inc /Dec Switches
The Increment / Decrement Switch will change the Valve Tuning Parameter
Not the Vertical Offset
Unless you highlight that option
And it Auto Repeats 

12. Lift Speed Same as the old Valve Speed Adjust this first!
Nearly
Adjust this first!
Controls the speed that the blade reacts to the correction
Like the accelerator

13. Lift Speed Treat as a % Adjusts the kPs and kDs equally
Default Values are now 100
Linear scale – changes are all the same size
Treat as a %
Adjusts the kPs and kDs equally
Range 0 – 400
Value speed on the fly

14. Lift Speed Parameter Graphical Picture Brief Instructions
Quick Increment
Quick Decrement
More Instructions
Set Default
Ground Speed
Manual / Auto Status
Status Bar

15. Lift Speed Change this value first
Often this is enough
For short, choppy waves – decrease the speed
For long rolling waves – increase the speed
Try changing by 5 or 10

16. You’re Done! Unless The surface is still not acceptable
You are confident that you can
You should be able to feel the changes in the seat of your pants
There is always the default button 

17. Tuning While Stopped Like the old Valve Speed dialog
You can still do this
Place the blade 0.5 m in the air
Create a Level Design
Now you can tune in the air while stopped

18. Balance Adjust Lift Speed first!
Controls the balance between raise and lower
Like adjusting weights either side of a scale

19. Balance Tune the Lift Speed first!
This is the ratio between raise and lower commands
Only if you have to

20. Balance Increasing Balance makes the blade raise faster
And lower more slowly
Decreasing Balance makes the blade lower faster
And raise more slowly
May need to tweak Lift Speed after Balance
Range 0 – 200

21. Stability Adjust Lift Speed first!
Stability controls the speed that the blade stops at when reaching design
Like the brake

22. Stability Manager Mode only by default
Alters the Derivative Gains (kDs) only
kDs are the brakes in the control system
Range 0 – 400

23. Stability Tune the Lift Speed first!
Increase the Stability if the blade overshoots the design
Decrease the Stability if the blade is jerky when driving to design
Maybe best to tune this in the air, while stopped

24. Tilt Speed
Controls tilt speed
Usually does not require adjusting

25. Tilt Speed Increase Tilt Speed to Tilt blade faster
Decrease Tilt Speed to Tilt blade slower
Usually don’t need to alter this…
Range 0 – 400

26. Vertical Offset The normal vertical offset
The Increment / Decrement switch is used for adjusting the highlighted value
Not just Vertical Offset
Allows Vertical Offset control without leaving Valve Tuning dialog

27. Vertical Offset
So you can change the Vertical Offset without leaving this dialog
To keep your blade load at the optimal level

28. Tuning Tips
On screen instructions to help operators

29. Best Practice Bad practice will cause problems!
Keep your speed constant
Keep your blade load constant
Work in the same material
Same compaction and moisture content
Otherwise you don’t know what caused the change

30. Tuned Dozers Some dozers have specifically tuned control values
Selected in the Machine Settings Wizard
Valve Tuning still uses the same defaults

31. Upgrade Details
On upgrade (or restoring an old MCH file) the Valve Speed will be translated to the corresponding new value
NOTE: Valve Speed used a 0 – 100 logarithmic scale
50 = default
Valve Tuning uses a 0 – 400 linear scale
100 = default

32. Questions ?