NEWSLETTER13 Modena, 13th February 2012

THE NEW TECNOTEST GYRATORY COMPACTOR

Thanks to a consolidated experience in selling the excellent American-made Superpave Gyratory Compactors, the idea
of designing our own machine, completely Made in Italy, did not strike us as representing too much of a challenge. In
fact, we already possessed the necessary technological expertise while, on the other hand we also realized that it would
give us an opportunity to make improvements and lower costs.

B 100/B92
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A fundamental part of the project, besides strict adherence
to current international Standards, was to safeguard all
the mechanical, electric and electronic components from
damage that may eventually arise through contact with
the liquids expelled from the sample material during the
compaction cycle. Gyratory compactors currently found
on the market rarely respect this basic but essential
requirement, especially those originally designed for
compacting hot mix asphalt.
With these machines the use of emulsified asphalts and
foamed asphalt mixes inevitably leads to components
becoming damaged through contact with the percolate
unless adequate precautions are adopted. Given these
premises, the Project Engineers response was obviously
to have all critical elements positioned above the test
chamber.
Easier said than done! It actually meant having to
concentrate in the upper portion of the machine a number
of parts, such as the loading ram, the motor reduction
unit and relevant drive, the rotating platen, the devices
for generating the gyratory angle and various sensors for
measurement.
The solution was found by integrating the parts in a coaxial
alignment, thus obtaining a particularly compact assembly,
in other words the core of the machine.
As for the mode chosen for generating the gyratory
movement, the more traditional mechanics of the American
school of thought, whereby the mould is forced to describe
a conical surface of revolution around the axis, were
preferred.
Obviously the alternative mode, involving the mould rotating
on its own axis but tilted with respect to the vertical, was
also taken into consideration. We came to the conclusion
however that despite the evident simplicity of design and
various savings in costs involved in this choice, there were
two basic flaws that we deemed too important to overlook.
The first was that this solution would not guarantee a
constant inner gyratory angle, thus causing the thickness
of the sample to vary and the second was that this mode
did not satisfy the principle clearly expressed in the
European Standard which follows the traditional method of
our American colleagues.
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A further specification involved the regulation of gyratory
angle: this angle had to be fixed by the user in a simple
operation that did not involve having to remove any parts
and, in an equally simple fashion, the angle had to be
changed as needed even to the extent of cancelling it so
as to allow the sample to be straightened at the end of the
test thereby obtaining an upright cylinder for subsequent
tests.
Consequently the outer gyratory angle had to be read and
displayed in real time, along with the resulting thickness
of the sample and pressure exerted on it so as to keep all
parameters influencing the results under control.
Finally, being aware of how severe (and, in some ways,
worthy of criticism) the European Standard is regarding
verification of inner gyratory angle and overall rigidity of the
machine, structural dimensions would have to be increased
with machining tolerances and elastic deformations under
stress reduced to minimum.
Tests carried out on the prototype showed that all the
above-mentioned specifications were amply satisfied so
all there remained to do was to build the machine around
this core.
Tecnotest have their own tradition in this respect, which
someone has effectively described as the nothing to hide
tradition.
In our opinion mechanical components should be in view
wherever possible, not only to facilitate maintenance, but
also to show customers what they are purchasing in terms
of materials, machining and components.
A number of our products have been manufactured
according to this principle and the Gyratory Compactor is
no exception.
For high-level controls and user interface we opted for
a commercial PC with Microsoft Windows 7 operating
system, delegating operation routines, readout of analog
and digital sensors and execution of part of the program
in PLC logic to industrial standard cards located in the
machine.
The software enables complete test management
according to the procedures in use (stop on reaching
defined number of revolutions or required thickness for
the sample produced, memorization of partial heights
according to Superpave method).
The monitor updates the values of interest in real time as
well as relevant diagrams dependent on the revolutions,
shows the instructions on how to proceed on a step-
by-step basis during the test and during the movement
required for straightening the sample.
Calibration routines and all sensors may be accessed
using a password.
Test report is memorized in the form of a text file with
sample parameters and measurements taken at every
revolution.
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FEATURES
Dedicated moulds: height 250 mm, diameter 100 mm and
150mm, solid or perforated;
Air supply: dry and de-oiled air at 10 bars (air compressor
and relevant accessories are not included);
Gyratory principle: mould turns on its axis at an angle forming
a cone with relation to loading platen on which it is centred;
Programmed speed is 30 rpm and slows down at pre-defined
position (different speeds may be set)
Specimen height measurement: a magnetostrictive
transducer placed coaxially with respect to the loading ram;
Measurement of external gyratory angle: by means of an
LVDT transducer located in a safe position;
Pressure measurement: by means of a transducer integrated
into control servovalve;
Pressure applied to specimen: may be selected via the
software from between 0 and 900 kPa for specimens diameter
150 mm and up to 1500 kPa for specimens diameter 100
mm;
External gyratory angle: may be set from between 0 and 2
(up to 3 with suitable adjustment);
Gyratory cycles: any number of cycles may be set as needed;
Sample extrusion: by means of a secondary pneumatic ram
located in the work top;
Work top: entirely in stainless steel;
Testing bay lighting: an array of LEDs illuminate the area to
facilitate operations;
Wheels: supports are placed on pivoting wheels so the unit
may be moved with ease the wheels have brakes, or may
even be removed, if a fixed position is preferred;
Safety devices: in accordance with user safety regulations
and to safeguard the unit from damage;
Software: management software is included
Power supply: 220 V, 50 Hz, 1 phase (upon request 110 V, 60
Hz may be supplied);
Electric motor: 750 W controlled by an inverter;
Height: 1620 cm;
Width: 730 cm;
Depth: 1070 cm;
Weight: 310 kg;

Customers may use their own PC (having Microsoft

Windows 7 32- or 64- bit operating system) or purchase
the machine complete with PC (which may be a preferable
solution as software is pre-installed at the factory).
Another option foreseen is that of integrating an off-
center load cell into the work top while locating relevant
electronics in the electric panel: this solution saves the
operator the tedious job of having to transfer the mould
from the machine to the balance every time weighing is
necessary. The software provided already includes the
necessary routines for tare and data storage.

Tel. +39 059 25.20.25 Fax +39 059 25.38.48

www.tecnotest.it E-mail: export@tecnotest.it