Transforming Data Using Trimble Business Center
There are a variety of software solutions in use at the Grootegeluk Mine. Not all of the systems in use support the South Azimuth coordinate system in use on the GCS900 machines or the RPS Earthworks system. In order to use the data generated by those systems in the RPS Earthworks System, the data needs to be transformed into the South Azimuth Coordinate System prior to being transferred to the RPS Earthworks System or the GCS900 Machines or Surveying Equipment.
There are several types of data that you are likely want to transform including the following
- Aerial Imagery provided in .ecw format
- Digital Design models provided in DXF format (Linework and Points)
- Point Clouds provided in .LAS format
Notes:
The mine can generate imagery in JPEG 2000 or ECW formats. We request that for use in the RPS Earthworks and TBC systems the ECW format is used. We have created specific tools that allow you to transform the images into South Azimuth and then upload the converted images at high resolution to the RPS Earthworks Map layers. At this time TBC does not support the JPEG 2000 images.
The mine can generate point cloud data for surveyed surfaces on a weekly basis in a variety of formats. We request that the Point Cloud data be provided in .LAS format for use in Trimble Business Center to get the best results.
The mine can generate the digital design information for the Backfill designs and Capping surfaces in a DXF format. The documentation covers the use of those DXF files to create the models as required by the GCS900 machines and the RPS Earthworks systems. TBC will be used to convert those DXF files into surfaces and where necessary to extend the designs as required by the the GCS900 machines for production operation.
Transformation Procedures
The data type being transformed will dictate the TBC tools to use to transform the data. The following list shows which commands to use to transform each key type of data
- Point Cloud Data: Use the Georeference Scans command (Named Georeference Scans)
- Image Data: Use the Georeference Image command (Named Georeference Image)
- Design Data: Use the Move/Rotate/Scale objects by Points Command (Named Georeference Designs)
We have created a Grootegeluk Menu that puts all of the tools that you will need to use on a daily basis on the same menu ribbon. The menu ribbon can be downloaded from the TBC - Menu Ribbon post. (Click Here)
We have also created a Grootegeluk Project Template that has the coordinate system and coordinate locations pre defined for your use. This project template can be downloaded and installed from the GLK Project Template Post. (Click Here)
Georeference an Image
Images will be provided to you as .ecw format files and they will be defined in the North Azimuth Coordinate System. You will first import the .ecw file into TBC and it will appear in the area of the North Azimuth points defined in the project template (Northern area points).
To import a .ecw image into the TBC project simply locate the image using Windows File Explorer and then drag and drop it into the open TBC project. The image will appear in the Northern Point area of the TBC Project.
Make sure that you turn on the layers in the 99 - SITE DATA Layer Group so that you can see the point data that you will need for the transformation process.
From the GLK Mine Tools menu ribbon select the Georeference Image command. The command dialog will look as follows
- Select the image to be transformed from the image selector pull down list.
- Click the Add button to add transformation pixel and point information. The process requires that you pick at least two pixel locations in the image and the same two point locations in the South Azimuth point data area. We recommend zooming in on two of the North Azimuth point locations until you cannot zoom any further in and then select the pixel location at the points exact location. Once the Pixel Locations have been selected then pick the matching points in the South Azimuth Point Area.
Note: You may find that creating a second Plan View window to show the South Azimuth Point data side by side with the North Azimuth and Image data may speed up the process (the video shows you how to do this).
Note: The points selected have to be within the image area, do not try to select points that lie outside the image area as the transformation will fail.
- After adding two matching pairs click the Compute button to transform the image.
- Check that the points selected in the North Azimuth area now match in the image in the South Azimuth Area. If they do the image has been transformed successfully…
Video Demonstration
The following video shows you how to transform an image using the Project Template and Georeference Image command from the custom menu ribbon.
To learn how to use the Images in the RPS Earthworks System refer to the TBC - Earthworks Work Orders Command Post in the Images Tab section (Click Here)
Georeference a Point Cloud
Point clouds are generated by the Grootegeluk Mine using the PIX 4D software from images collected using a drone. The point cloud output from PIX 4D will be a .LAS format Point Cloud file in the North Azimuth Coordinate System.
To be able to use the point cloud data or any other scan data as the basis for a “Survey Surface” in the RPS Earthworks system or as the “Target Surface” for a Design model in TBC or as the “Existing Surface” in a Work Order for RPS Earthworks the point cloud will need to be transformed into the South Azimuth coordinate system. The transformation process for this type of data is very similar to that of the image data in that it utilizes two point pairs to compute the transformation of the data. The process utilizes the Georeference Scans command from the GLK Mine Tools Menu ribbon.
You should use the Grrotegeluk Mine TBC Project Template to carry out this process - for more details on the Project Template and ho to use it (Click Here)
The process steps to transform a point cloud are as follows
- Locate the .LAS point cloud file using Windows File Explorer
- Drag and drop the .LAS file into the TBC project.
- On import the process will ask a few questions using the following dialogs
- Select Meter and click OK
- Select the appropriate option from those offered - the most likely options will be Georeferenced Point Cloud or Point Cloud from unknown source for drone based point cloud data. Click OK
- Now select the Georeference Scans command from the GLK Mine Tools menu ribbon. The command dialog will look as follows
- In the same way that we showed you for the Image data, we recommend creating two plan views and splitting the graphics view vertically into two panes to make the georeferencing process simple.
- Select the scan that you wish to georeference to the South Azimuth coordinate system from the pull down list
- In the Define Transformation area, you can now define two or more point pairs to define the transformation. For each pair of points you will select one of the control points in the North Azimuth Point group and its matching point in the South Azimuth Point Group. Pick points that lie within the area covered by the Point Cloud data.
*Once you have selected two pairs click the Georeference button to compute and apply the transformation.
The point cloud should now be in the correct place in the South Azimuth Point Data area.
Video Demonstration
The following video shows you how to transform a point cloud using the Project Template and Georeference Scans command from the custom menu ribbon.
To learn how to use the Point Cloud data in the RPS Earthworks System refer to the RPS Earthworks - Work Orders Post (Click Here)
Georeference a 3D Design Model
Design Models are generated by the Grootegeluk Mine using the Vulcan software. The design data output from Vulcan will be a .DXF format file in the North Azimuth Coordinate System that contains point and line or 3D face data of the surface as designed in Vulcan.
To be able to use the 3D design data as the basis for a “Design Surface” in the RPS Earthworks system or the GCS900 machine control system the design data will need to be transformed into the South Azimuth coordinate system. The transformation process for this type of data is very similar to that of the image and point cloud data in that it utilizes two point pairs to compute the transformation of the data. The process utilizes the Georeference Designs command from the GLK Mine Tools Menu ribbon.
From the design data examples provided the naming convention for backfill designs are similar to those shown below
860_move16_ds_dozer.dxf
860_move16_ts_dozer.dxf
The numerical value 860 refers to the backfill design level at the mine. They are currently running three separate backfill design levels at 860m, 900m and 940m elevations.
The move16 value indicates that this is the 16th design strip for the 860 backfill level in this example.
Each backfill strip is designed and provided in this format as a ds or ts design. the DS is the Design Backfill top surface and the TS is the Top of capping surface that is placed on top of the design surface to seal in the backfill material to prevent self combustion. The Backfill designs look like this over time.
The process steps to transform 3D Design data are as follows
- Locate the DXF Design Files using Windows File Explorer
- Drag and drop the design files into the TBC project. The design data will appear in the area of the North Azimuth control points.
- To transform the data we will use the Georeference Designs command from the GLK Mine Tools menu (this is a renamed instance of the Move/Rotate/Scale objects by Points command). The dialog will look as follows
- Select the design object data that you wish to transform to the South Azimuth coordinate system
- The transformation process like each of the other methods used requires two point pairs to compute the transformation. Pick two points from the North Azimuth System and two points from the South Azimuth system to determine the transformation parameters. This will determine a rotation and scale - the Rotation should be exactly 180 degrees and the scale should be equal to 1. Make sure that you uncheck the 3D move checkbox so that elevation values are not adjusted in the transformation process. We recommend that while selecting the design data that you switch off the transformation points so that you do not inadvertently select data that you do not wish to transform.
Video Demonstration
The following video shows you how to transform 3D design data using the Project Template and Georeference Designs command (Move/Rotate/Scale by points command from the custom menu ribbon.
To learn how to use the 3D Design data in the RPS Earthworks System refer to the RPS Earthworks - Work Orders Post (Click Here)
Example Data Files For Training
Image File
Pit_Backfill_20211103.ecw (496.1 MB)
Point Cloud File
Backfill_20211004.las (23.7 MB)
Design Files
860_move16_ds_dozer.dxf (32.8 KB)
860_move16_ts_dozer.dxf (33.3 KB)