2014 Wirtgen Road Technology Days

The Technology Days organized by the Wirtgen Group held last week is an international gathering at which the Group presened its extensive range of products and services, and gave an exclusive preview of the latest machine highlights. This year's event was hosted by Hamm AG.

More than 3,000 customers and dealers from over 80 countries came to Hamm's Tirschenreuth facility to find out more about the innovative solutions developed by the Wirtgen Group's Road Technologies business sector; at the same time, they gained insight into the extremely productive roller factory, the new lean production line in the assembly area and the new endurance test track. Around 20 million euros were invested in the factory in the year 2013 alone.

The range of construction machines supplied by the Wirtgen Group was as varied as the applications in which they are used worldwide. Live demonstrations were extensively showcased, from soil stabilization through asphalt and concrete paving to road rehabilitation. Even the best machines, however, can only develop their full potential if they are also used for the appropriate job. This is where application experts from the Wirtgen Group were on hand to advise customers whenever needed.

International specialists from Wirtgen, Vögele and Hamm outlined their personal practical experiences in a series of technical presentations. Such topics as "Application and practical use of modern spray paver technology", "HCQ Navigator experience in the USA" or "Wirtgen recycling technology in North America" gave visitors an opportunity to delve deep into the Group's competence in applications and service.

Innovations: World premieres by Wirtgen, Vögele and Hamm

The 2014 Road Technology Days saw eight new machines presented as world premieres, and over eighty machines shown in total. The new machines were shown off by a presentations of Wirtgen's cutting technology and the LEVEL PRO Plus levelling control system through spray paver technology from Vögele and their new "Dash 3" paver generation to the new Hamm operating concept for DV+ with oscillation and HCQ.

Wirtgen: 

The 25 machines exhibited by Wirtgen GmbH were a cross-section from the product divisions of cold milling machines, cold recyclers, soil stabilizers and slipform pavers. This year, attention focused on the new generation of small milling machines, with the models W 50 Ri and W 60 Ri representing the 50-cm class. This new generation of small milling machines stands out through a series of innovative features. They assist the machine operator at every stage of the work process, from intuitive operation through efficient driving and steering to flexibility in milling and loading. This all adds up to a better performance, higher productivity and maximum convenience for the operator, making milling even more cost-efficient. The recycler and soil stabilizer WR 250 "S-Pack" with integrated spreader module and the cold recycler 3800 CR should also attracted considerable attention. Due to their sophisticated machine concept, both machines are particularly flexible in terms of their applications.

Vögele:

Joseph Vögele presented its cost-effective SUPER series of "Dash 3" pavers, the powerful VÖGELE PowerFeeder for supplying mix, VISION pavers for the North American market. One particularly noteworthy world premiere was the brand new spray paver SUPER 1800-3i SprayJet.

Vögele SprayJet technology has been proving its value for many years and is used for rehabilitation and construction projects in many markets around the world. The new SprayJet from Vögele features a large array of innovations. One key feature is that operation of the spray module has been integrated into Vögele's ErgoPlus 3 operating concept. The module is designed as a completely self-contained functional unit. This modular design makes the SUPER 1800-3i with SprayJet module simple to service and allows it to be used both as a spray paver and as an ordinary standard paver. It has a maximum spray width of 6 m. As a standard paver without spray function it can even pave widths of up to 9 m. The paver also includes all the "Dash 3" features, such as the VÖGELE EcoPlus low-emissions package and the handy automatic functions of AutoSet Plus. The SUPER 1800-3i with SprayJet module from Vögele is the world's only spray paver for paving thin wearing courses as well as conventional wearing and binder courses.

Hamm:A world première for compactors and tandem rollers

With 31 compactors, Hamm presented a range of machines for very different jobs and markets. At the Technology Days hosted by Hamm itself, the company presented two world premieres to round off its large range: the compact H 5i and H 7i compactors and the DV+ 70i and DV+ 90i tandem rollers with all-wheel steering.

The new compactors weigh between 4.5 and 8 t, are of very compact design and extremely simple to operate. The two newcomers are not a "scaled down" version of the familiar H-series of compactors: they are in fact a separate series which has been completely redesigned.. In combination with the three-point swivel joint and the short wheel base, this compact design makes for very good driving and handling. As a result, the two compactors are the ideal choice for confined job sites.

With two new basic models the DV+ 70i and DV+ 90i, Hamm has introduced significant innovations in the range of pivot-steered tandem rollers. Weighing 7 t and 9 t, respectively, the rollers are extremely productive machines with excellent visibility and intelligent operation. Both models are equipped with state-of-the-art engines; the two-part water tank and the location of the engines in the middle of the machine ensure a homogeneous and steady distribution of the weight. The innovative "EasyDrive" operating concept permitting intuitive, self-explanatory operation is a brand new feature.