QCells, a prominent name in the renewable energy industry, has rapidly evolved from its roots as a solar energy company to a leading global provider of photovoltaic technology. With a commitment to producing high-quality solar cells and modules, QCells has ventured into utility-scale solar projects across the United States. This expansion brought about the need for meticulous surveying to guarantee the precise deployment of solar infrastructure.
Before adopting CivDot+, QCells relied on traditional surveying methods offered by third-party contractors. The “grueling work” as described by Ryan Rudick, Senior Civil Superindent at Qcells, was marked by inaccuracies, scheduling issues, and the constant worry about the operator’s precision in stakeout tasks.
Upon implementing Civ Robotics’ autonomous surveying system - CivDot+, Qcells experienced a paradigm shift, enabling the company to reclaim control over their project timelines, costs, and surveying precision.
CivDot+ empowered Q Cells to in-house stakeout operations, cutting their dependence on third-party vendors. This transition led to substantial cost savings, with Q Cells now operating at just a third of their previous expenses.
By using a traditional rover setup, Qcells managed a maximum of 250-300 stakeouts a day. Switching to CivDot+, they saw a significant improvement, now accomplishing 700 stakeouts daily. This substantial increase in capacity greatly enhanced their efficiency and quality control while reducing labor demands.
“With the traditional, 2-person rover crew, we were doing 250 to 300 stakeouts a day, and then also having to worry about quality. With CivDot+, I can do like 700 stakeouts with one person using the robot, and not have to worry about quality and consistency." - Ryan Rudick, Senior Civil Superintendent, QCells.
The manual stakeout process was grueling, fraught with the risk of human errors and difficulties in ensuring accurate alignments. CivDot+ offered a reliable solution that consistently provided precise stakeout results. This enhanced precision eliminated concerns about employee errors and made QCells' operations significantly more dependable and accurate.
CivDot+ emerged as a transformative solution for Qcells, addressing the primary challenges in construction surveying. It delivered increased speed, efficiency, and autonomy while significantly reducing costs. This synergy between Civ Robotics and QCells exemplifies the power of innovation in streamlining operations, providing unprecedented control, and delivering substantial savings, making Civ Robotics an invaluable partner in the construction industry.
Qcells is one of the world’s leading clean energy companies, recognized for its established reputation as a manufacturer of high-performance, high-quality solar cells and modules, portfolio of intelligent storage systems, and growing international pipeline of large-scale renewable energy projects.
Use Case: CivDot+
Project Size: < 200MW