Wirtgen marks 30 years of 3D machine control

For the past 30 years, Wirtgen has developed smart 3D machine control systems for the road construction sector and continues to fine-tune its precision and automation technology. In the mid-1990s, Wirtgen developed its first 3D interface for slipform pavers; today, that innovation is an integral component of the digital construction process. 

Integrated Machine Control builds the world 

Wirtgen AutoPilot 2.0 supports construction contractors globally to realize demanding infrastructure projects. Developments began in 1999 with the construction of the new ICE high-speed rail link between Frankfurt and Cologne. The track needed to be laid entirely without conventional pre-stressed concrete sleepers and ballast. Concrete surfaces had to be paved with a previously unheard-of degree of precision. Wirtgen called on Leica Geosystems to help develop a new measurement and control system, 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.

On that project, multiple slipform pavers worked simultaneously without physical stringlines and were instead guided entirely by a 3D control system. Soon after, Wirtgen cold milling machines were equipped with the new technology, which has since been continuously revised and upgraded.

Wirtgen has continued to innovate its integrated machines 

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 an entirely 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 Fritz.

Wirtgen presented the Wirtgen AutoPilot at bauma 2013 as the first hybrid control system for slipform pavers and 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 wasting time on surveying or setting up and breaking 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 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 deeply embedded integration in their Wirtgen machines.

Today, Wirtgen has Autopilot 2.0 for practice-relevant control of offset slipform pavers without a physical stringline. With the future integration of further systems via the Work Planner in the John Deere Operations Center, other areas of the Wirtgen universe will also benefit from these developments.

A continued focus on practical benefits

Even after 30 years, the precise control of height, grade and slope, milling depth, and steering remains a core area of focus for Wirtgen. The company continues to engage in the continuous development of its automation solutions and digitalization of construction sites.