Wirtgen exhibits its complete new generation of small milling machines at bauma 2016

Wirtgen offers the most comprehensive line of cold milling machines in the industry. The range of applications in this class of small machines accordingly is very broad: From partial road repairs, cutting slots and milling tie-ins, to renovating industrial floors, removing road markings and cutting rumble strips. Practical know-how and core competence in cutting, leveling and control technologies are the solid foundation supporting Wirtgen in its push to constantly innovate and develop new solutions. One example is the new generation of small milling machines, which raise the bar another notch in terms of control technology and user-friendliness.

The new generation of Wirtgen small milling machines – comprising the W 35 Ri as the smallest member, the 50-cm W 50 R/W 50 Ri and W 60 R/W 60 Ri, and the one-meter W 100 R/W 100 Ri and W 120 R/W 120 Ri machines – have a uniform operating concept centered on the ergonomically designed multifunctional armrest. With it, the operator can call up all the important information he needs to see on the color display, including the acquisition and visualization of all job data. Four "favorites" buttons integrated in the armrest can be programmed with any of 20 different functions. The operator can also intuitively control the height of the machine from the multifunctional armrest.

A variety of additional automated functions result in significantly faster workflows. For example, the LEVEL PRO PLUS leveling feature has been fully integrated into the machine control system. Fewer interfaces mean shorter signal paths in the controller systems, faster reactions between them, and thus an efficient and precise leveling process.

Automated height adjustment of the crawler units also supports the leveling and milling process. For example, the machine operator can activate the automatic lowering function to precisely position the machine in a milled cut. When the milling drum assembly reaches the surface which is to be milled, the lowering speed is reduced, and the milling drum slowly penetrates the material down to the set depth The height of the crawler units can also be adjusted in steps of 1 mm or 5 mm using a new millimeter height function to precisely set the milling depth. The most frequently used height settings are automatically stored in three height-adjustment memories and called up quickly at any time at the press of a button.

Automated milling functions promote maximum efficiency for the milling process. For instance, a load limiting controller integrated in the machine control system keeps the machine within an optimum performance range at all times. An anti-stall system prevents the engine from shutting off in the event of sudden overloads by automatically releasing the clutch in a fraction of a second. The amount of water required to cool the cutting tools and control dust is also regulated automatically as a function of the engine load, in order to enable long productive periods while reducing water consumption.

Wirtgen also sets standards with its ingenious solutions for milling and material transfer. One example is the hydraulic function for collapsing the discharge conveyor on the W 50 Ri, which can measure as much as 5.60 m long and 350 mm wide. This function helps to quickly adapt the conveyor for use on confined job sites or prepare it for transport. Assembly and disassembly of the discharge conveyor is greatly facilitated by the compact quick-change coupling for the hydraulic connections

For driving and steering, Wirtgen's small milling machines have a very generous steering angle to both sides, resulting in extremely small turning radii that make working on confined job sites much easier. The automatic tracking function of the right rear wheel on the W 50 Ri when folded in additionally increases maneuverability. The optional driving dynamics packages, for speeds of up to 7.5 km/h in the W 120 Ri or even 12 km/h in the four-wheel version, enable these small milling machines to travel quickly between job sites.