Wirtgen is looking back on 30 years of developing smart 3D-machine control systems for the road construction sector. The company continues to set standards in precision and automation. What began in the mid-1990s with the development of the first 3D interface for slipform pavers is today an integral component of the digital construction process.
Wirtgen’s intelligent machine control began as a necessity
Developments like Wirtgen AutoPilot 2.0 and Smart LEVEL PRO began in 1999 with the construction of the new ICE high-speed rail link between Frankfurt and Cologne. The track was to be laid entirely without conventional pre-stressed concrete sleepers and ballast. For the construction of the required slab track, concrete surfaces had to be paved with a previously unheard-of degree of precision.
Then, Leica Geosystems and Wirtgen collaborated on the development of a new measurement and control system for this purpose, which, for the first time, integrated measurement technology and machine control via a 3D interface.
“At the time, there was no measurement and control system that could truly satisfy the extremely high precision requirements of slab track construction. The development of the 3D interface between the measurement system and the machine was the decisive breakthrough, and formed the basis for all subsequent developments,” recalls Matthias Fritz, application manager 3D Control Systems at Wirtgen GmbH.
Smart machines enable more automation for construction crews
With the introduction of satellite-based GNSS technologies and the increasing integration of machine control into vehicle control systems at the time, ongoing developments raised the system to a new level. The goal was to further simplify working procedures, reduce setup times, and increase process reliability on the construction site.
“The decisive step in the further development was the replacement of the conventional physical stringline with a virtual stringline and the integration of the control system in the machine. This enabled us to increase precision, productivity, and operator comfort in equal measure,” says Matthias Fritz.
Wirtgen presented the Wirtgen AutoPilot at bauma 2013 as a hybrid control system for slipform pavers which went on to win the bauma Innovation Award at the event.
The current generation, AutoPilot 2.0, enables high-precision paving of offset and inset profiles such as curbs, concrete safety barriers, or road surface slabs -without laborious surveying or having to set up and break down physical stringlines.
“The purpose of technology is to make things easier for its users, not more complicated. That is why we develop solutions that are aligned with our customers’ needs and create real added value on the construction site,” emphasizes Matthias Fritz. Today, standardized CAN bus interfaces support the flexible use of a wide range of different measurement solutions. Depending on their requirements, customers can use systems from other providers and simultaneously enjoy the benefits of deep integration in their Wirtgen machines.
The milling process becomes digitalized
With “Smart Automation in Roadbuilding”, the Wirtgen Group offers innovative solutions for the precise removal and paving of asphalt on the basis of digital terrain models. One core component is Smart LEVEL PRO, which enables automated control of the milling depth and cross slope on Wirtgen F series large milling machines. Smart LEVEL PRO is ideally complemented by the Work Planner in the John Deere Operations Center. The Work Planner visualizes key performance indicators such as the milling area, the milling volume, and minimum, maximum, and average milling depths.
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