Press Release
3D Stringless and IDBI Classes Part of a Successful 2012 Season for GOMACO University
GOMACO University students gain hands-on training with total stations for machine control during a GOMACO University 3D class. The classes are taught by GOMACO's own 3D paving experts.
A new IDBI trainer is part of the curriculum at GOMACO University. The trainer allows hands-on learning of every aspect of an IDBI system.
A GOMACO four-track GP-4000 paver slipforms a new runway at John F. Kennedy International Airport with a 3D stringless system.
Ida Grove, Iowa -- GOMACO University in Ida Grove, Iowa, experienced a very successful 2012 school season that attracted students from across the United States, Canada, South America, Europe and Asia. Overall, the number of registered students attending classes at GOMACO University in 2012 doubled from last year.
Part of the reason for the successful season was the addition of 3D stringless paving classes to the University’s curriculum. GOMACO equipment has been using 3D stringless paving technology on projects around the world since its inception 13 years ago. In 2011, GOMACO created its own in-house department for 3D controls. The 3D classes, offered for the first time this year, were part of GOMACO’s continuing effort to promote 3D paving and to educate end users about the system. The classes were taught by GOMACO’s 3D paving specialists at their 3D headquarters in Ida Grove. Five 3D classes had to be scheduled to accommodate the student numbers interested in attending.
A new dowel bar insertion (IDBI) class was also added to the 2012 GOMACO University schedule this year to help educate contractors on GOMACO’s system of inserting transverse dowel bars in pavements on-the-go. GOMACO’s Research and Development department custom-built an IDBI trainer for the class. The new IDBI trainer simulates the entire IDBI paving process and has a front pan and the entire dowel bar inserter section. It has been designed so owners of both the older GOMACO IDBI units, as well as the current Independent IDBI Attachments, can train on this one unit. Half of the machine has the older-style IDBI hardware, and one half of the machine has the current-style IDBI hardware. The trainer allows hands-on learning of every aspect of an IDBI system, including the G+ controller with touch screen. It also gave students the chance to learn about the very latest software upgrades to the system.
GOMACO University’s class schedule ran from January through March this year. Each week focused on a specific piece of GOMACO equipment, and the three-day or four-day class covered everything from machine set-up to troubleshooting in both classroom lectures and actual hands-on shop time.