VÖGELE present smart solution for digital job-site documentation

Road construction 4.0 in focus: at Bauma 2019, road paver manufacturer VÖGELE will be presenting their latest developments for digital job-site documentation and software-based process management. With the latest innovation, WITOS Paving Docu, the global market leader is complementing its two existing job-site solutions: RoadScan, the non-contacting temperature measuring system with which the paving temperature can be monitored across the full pave width, and WITOS Paving Plus, the telematics solution that enables all processes from the mixing plant to the paving process to be coordinated and actively optimized in real time.

WITOS Paving Docu fills the gap between them: the solution is aimed squarely at contractors that want to record and analyse other data in addition to the paving temperature, but who do not need the full range of WITOS Paving Plus functions including process optimization. With WITOS Paving Docu, site managers and foremen can get started directly on the job site without any prior planning and record a wide array of additional paver and paving data, such as working widths, pave speed and interruptions to the paving work and the effective paving time Delivery notes can also be scanned in using a QR code or entered manually, allowing paved areas, paved material quantities and areal densities to be calculated continuously. At the end of a day's paving, job-site reports are sent automatically by e-mail to selected recipients. The app and the paver are networked via WLAN, so information can be exchanged between the machine and the foreman’s smartphone even where there is no mobile phone connection. “WITOS Paving Docu is an extremely practical and reliable solution when it comes to the rapid, straightforward yet comprehensive documentation of a job site”, says Dr Stephan Weller, Head of Software Products at VÖGELE. “It is ideal for small or mid-sized construction jobs where precise data recording is required, but there is no need for active process optimization on site.”

Simple handling, secure server connection

WITOS Paving Docu also gives smaller contractors who want to plan their job sites by largely conventional means, but would like digital documentation, the possibility of automating the recording and analysis of job-site data without great expense. They just need to install the corresponding app – the necessary hardware, the telematics module, is fitted directly in the paver. The app offers clear and intuitive menu navigation, so users can familiarize themselves with the application quickly even without specific prior knowledge or extensive training. This allows contractors to make the job-site site documentation processes much more efficient without lengthy introductory phases. Another advantage is that the application functions even in rural areas where there is no mobile phone connection, making it an absolutely reliable option for all jobs. The paver creates a WLAN network with a range of about 50 m and acts as the server on the job site. “This autonomous solution allows processes to run smoothly even if there is no network coverage,” Dr Weller says.

Upgrade to WITOS Paving Plus possible

Should requirements change, for instance when handling a large project, and if the processes are to be planned in advance and monitored and optimized in real time on the job site, contractors can upgrade to WITOS Paving Plus at any time. By the same token, contractors who have already acquired the full version have the option of just using the Docu version for smaller jobs. The full version of WITOS Paving Plus is the software-based process management solution from VÖGELE that networks all players, from the mixing plant to the paver operator It consists of five modules in total and allows job-site planning (Control), supply of the mix (Materials), transport of the mix (Transport), asphalt paving (JobSite) and subsequent analysis of the processes (Analysis) to be controlled in real time using a single system. This enables site managers and paving teams to respond quickly and appropriately to possible faults and to make processes much more efficient. The dynamic logistics and machine control system with corresponding controlling also leads to higher quality. “That's why many public-sector clients are now demanding the use of intelligent process management systems. With WITOS Paving Docu and WITOS Paving Plus, we are now giving our customers two extremely flexible solutions that enable them either to document process data for later analysis or optimize processes actively, as appropriate to the particular job,” says Dr Weller.

Ludwigshafen / April 2019