About 4,000 customers and road construction experts from more than 100 countries gathered in the Road Technology Days, held by WIRTGEN, VÖGELE and HAMM, in Ludwigshafen am Rhein, Germany, from 19 - 20 April 2018
The three companies of the WIRTGEN GROUP’s Road Technologies business sectors provided practical insights into the latest developments in the fields of cold milling, cold recycling, soil stabilisation, paving and compaction.
In addition to specialist talks by selected experts and technology exhibitions, visitors took part in live demonstrations, factory tours and a machinery exhibition featuring around 70 exhibits.
Domenic G. Ruccolo, CEO of the WIRTGEN GROUP, said that the Road Technology Days provided a platform for exchanging knowledge and experiences among the industry professionals.
At this year’s Road Technology Days, the focus was on the interplay between milling, paving and compaction technologies and the corresponding synergy effects for road construction contractors. WIRTGEN, VÖGELE and HAMM showcased coordinated machine and application technologies in operation, which include a total of 25 machines milled, fed material, placed asphalt and compacted on an area of around 3,000 sq m in two live demonstrations.
Digital measurement and control
“Modern road construction demands high precision, perfect quality and efficient processes – which is why the Road Technology Days also offered insights into digital measuring and control systems,” said WIRTGEN.
The three companies demonstrated the latest 3D solutions in two technical presentations. The SP 15i slipform paver from WIRTGEN shows how to pave even the smallest of radii entirely automatically with the GPS-based Autopilot. The 3D Navitronic Plus solution from VÖGELE allows the layer thickness, the screed's position and the paver's direction of motion to be controlled automatically. The HCQ system from HAMM shows the roller operator directly on the display where more compaction is required.
Intelligent solutions for road construction
Specialist talks by selected experts and technology exhibitions also gave visitors an overview of current and future developments in road construction. WIRTGEN presented precise levelling and advanced recycling technologies, while VÖGELE presented the software-based process management system, WITOS Paving. According to the companies, all the players involved have real-time access to all data such as machine operating data and lorry loading and unloading times, allowing them to coordinate all processes precisely. HAMM demonstrated intelligent solutions for compaction, including the intuitive Easy Drive operating concept and the principle of oscillation.
Quality creates quality
Apart from presenting cutting-edge technologies, machinery and a sector outlook, the Road Technology Days also conducted a tour of VÖGELE’s road paver factory. Visitors were able to explore the production facility, which was built in 2010 and currently being expanded with a dispatch hall and additional production facilities.
An interactive special exhibition entitled ‘Quality Management’ also used display panels, videos and exhibits to demonstrate what requirements the components have to meet and what controls they have to pass through on the way to final assembly and delivery to the customer.
