For the past 30 years, Wirtgen has been developing smart 3D machine control systems for the road construction sector, setting new standards for precision and automation along the way. What began in the mid-1990s with the development of the first 3D interface for slipform pavers has since become an integral part of today’s digital construction processes.
With Wirtgen AutoPilot 2.0, Wirtgen supports construction contractors around the world in successfully delivering demanding infrastructure projects. The story began in 1999 with the construction of the new ICE high-speed rail link between Frankfurt and Cologne.
The track was designed to be built entirely without conventional pre-stressed concrete sleepers and ballast. Instead, the required slab track called for concrete surfaces to be paved to an unprecedented level of precision. At the time, Leica Geosystems and Wirtgen worked together to develop a new measurement and control system that, for the first time, integrated measurement technology and machine control through a 3D interface.
“At the time, there was no measurement and control system capable of meeting the extremely high precision requirements of slab track construction. Developing the 3D interface between the measurement system and the machine was the decisive breakthrough and laid the foundation for all subsequent developments,” recalls Matthias Fritz, Application Manager 3D Control Systems at Wirtgen GmbH.
The technology was first used on the ICE high-speed rail project in 1999. Several slipform pavers worked simultaneously without physical stringlines, guided entirely by the 3D control system. Shortly afterwards, Wirtgen cold milling machines were also equipped with the technology, which has been continuously refined and upgraded ever since.
The introduction of satellite-based GNSS technology, together with the increasing integration of machine control into vehicle control systems, took these developments to a new level. The aim was to simplify working procedures, reduce setup times and improve process reliability on the construction site.
“A decisive step forward was replacing the conventional physical stringline with a virtual stringline and integrating the control system directly into the machine. This allowed us to improve precision, productivity and operator comfort at the same time,” says Fritz.
Wirtgen presented the Wirtgen AutoPilot at Bauma 2013 as the world’s first hybrid control system for slipform pavers, subsequently winning the prestigious Bauma Innovation Award. Today’s AutoPilot 2.0 enables the high-precision paving of offset and inset profiles, including kerbs, concrete safety barriers and road surface slabs – without time-consuming surveying or the need to install and remove physical stringlines.
“Technology should make life easier for its users, not more complicated. That is why we develop solutions around our customers’ needs, creating genuine added value on the construction site,” emphasises Fritz.
Today, standardised CAN bus interfaces enable the flexible use of a wide range of measurement solutions. Depending on their individual requirements, customers can use systems from other providers while still benefiting from deep integration with their Wirtgen machines.
Wirtgen AutoPilot 2.0 now provides practical, stringline-free control for offset slipform pavers. With the future integration of additional systems via Work Planner in the John Deere Operations Centre, other areas of the Wirtgen universe will also benefit from these developments.
Even after 30 years, the precise control of height, grade and slope, milling depth and steering remains one of Wirtgen’s core competencies. Building on decades of expertise and experience, the company continues to advance its automation solutions, helping to drive the ongoing digitalisation of construction sites.
