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Mastenbroek’s Magic Eye aims to minimize gravel waste

Mastenbroek has launched a new product this month to help contractors save money and improve the accuracy of backfill levels when installing drainage schemes or utilities.

Developed and refined over a six-month period, Mastenbroek’s Magic Eye package combines a radar sensor with a software application to control the amount of gravel or sand that is dispensed by the hopper when backfilling.

Available now as an optional extra on Mastenbroek’s trenchers and retrofittable to any machine with a suitable hydraulic variable height gravel hopper, the Magic Eye regulates itself to the ground level ensuring the optimum amount of gravel is dispensed.

Mastenbroek developed the Magic Eye in response to customer requests for an automated way of minimizing wastage. The issue was first raised with Mastenbroek by Darren Cotton of Les Cotton Contractors. Operating in Suffolk and undertaking agricultural and sports field drainage across East Anglia, Les and his team also helped test the Magic Eye as part of the development process. Gravel is increasingly expensive, according to some contractors, and can result in wasted aggregate.

The Magic Eye control can be fitted to Mastenbroek trenchers such as the CT12 crawler truck. Currently, Mastenbroek is working with contractors to also adapt the technology to work with a front-mounted gravel hopper on the CT12.