ROAD CONSTRUCTION

EQUIPMENT

Levelling basics
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COMMITTED TO SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTIVITY

We stand by our responsibilities towards our customers,

towards the environment and the people around us.
We make performance stand the test of time. This is what
we call – Sustainable Productivity.
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WHAT IS LEVELLING

Levelling is the system for keeping the paving result consistent in

terms of:
 Layer thickness
 Evenness
 Profile
There are different levelling devices available to suit the variety of jobsite
conditions.
The levelling device needs a reference point where it orients. It keeps the
height and the slope of the screed consistent.
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WHAT IS LEVELLING
Using a good reference to control the height: The irregularities minimise layer by layer
2 cm
Top layer: 2 cm
0.4 mm after additional roller
compaction of 20%
Height difference:: 0.4 mm
3 cm
4 cm
Second layer: 3 (4) cm

after additional roller

2 mm compaction of 20%

Height difference:2 mm

Paving direction
5 cm Base layer: 5 (10) cm
10 cm

after additional roller

compaction of 20%
1 cm
Height difference :1 cm

5 cm Foundation:
Height difference: 5 cm
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ANGLE OF ATTACK
Height change
The screed is a “floating” working tool to produce an even surface!

A
C
Angle of attack
The screed (A) is attached to the paver by side arms (B) and tow points (C) located
on each side of the tractor.
Via the tow points the angle of the screed can be changed and cause a slow rise or fall
of the screed.

= tow point is moving up = screed is floating up = bigger layer thickness

= tow point is moving down = screed is floating down = less layer thickness
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ANGLE OF ATTACK
Height change effects
Height changing effects - even if the tow points are not moving

The screed flows up if

- Increase of material feed
- Increase of driving speed
- Increase of material temperature

The screed flows down if

- Decrease of material feed
- Reduction of driving speed
- Decrease of material temperature

The screed keeps its level if

- all factors are constant
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ANGLE OF ATTACK
Summary
To get a good paving result, keep everything constant!

 Use constant driving speed.

 Material feed should be constant.

– Therefore use automatic
Only equal forces generate even
material control. and homogeneous surfaces!

 Pay attention to your screed- and

material temperature.
– Therefore use automatic
temperature control.
 Keep screed floating, load and / or
 The angle of attack should be unload constant.
proportional to the paving thickness.
– Therefore use automatic levelling
control.

 Keep tamper- and vibration speed

constant.
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LEVELLING SYSTEMS
Levelling device location on the paver
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LEVELLING SYSTEMS
Levelling on PLC Controlled Pavers

SD2500WS wheeled paver working

with ground sensing Sonic-Ski and
integrated levelling control.

When Working with a PLC controlled paver, you don't need

the levelling remote control since it is already integrated into
the screed remote control. PLC means Programmable Logic
Control (CAN-BUS).
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LEVELLING SYSTEMS
Levelling on Conventional Controlled Pavers

MOBAmatic MOBAmatic II

Available in the field is now 6

the early model MOBAmatic
and the later model 9.8
MOBAmatic II.
MOBA-matic II
ca. 4 Sek. ca. 4 Sek.
12.3cm
MOBAmatic II display examples. The Remote control recognizes
which side of the paver its being attached on. On the screen you
can always see the current value and navigate in to the program to
make adjustments.
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LEVELLING SYSTEMS
Available levelling systems

The levelling Laser receiver

system on pavers LS-3000
is modular.

That means the Mech. rotary sensor

digital controller DIGI ROTARY
can operate with
different sensor Wire rope sensor
types, suitable
for every
Slope sensor
application.
DIGI-SLOPE
The controller is
recognizing the Ultra sonic sensor
connected sensor SONIC-SKI®
automatically and
is ready to work BIG-SONIC-SKI®
immediately.
3D control
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LEVELLING SYSTEMS Digi rotary grade sensors – contact

Available levelling systems

Sonic-Ski sonic sensors – non contact

Slope sensor Big-Sonic-Ski sensors – non contact 3 sensors

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LEVELLING SYSTEMS
Working with Digi slope sensor

The slope sensor is mounted on the cross bar of the Slope sensor on Large tracked SD Paver
screed.
It is used to control the cross slope of the screed.

The slope sensor with its special measuring unit is

designed for the paver application.
That means high accuracy even if operated with high
vibration / tamper and high temperature.

Note – Slope sensor!

At working width’s more than approx. 6.5 m two
height sensors should be used instead of a slope Slope sensor on Compact tracked Paver
sensor, because of tolerances due to the long
mechanical arm of the screed. To long reaction time.
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LEVELLING SYSTEMS
Working with Digi rotary sensor

Mechanical sensing from string line Mechanical sensing from ground

The Digi-Rotary sensor is still the most

accurate sensor. But compared with the
Sonic-Ski it has some mechanical
disadvantages (bearings, ski gets sticky).
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LEVELLING SYSTEMS
Working with Sonic-Ski sensor

The Sonic-Ski sensor is the first device equipped with

multiple ultrasonic oscillators. Five sensors are
measuring the distance to the reference, while a sixth
is used for temperature compensation.

The Sonic-Ski sensor is used for contactless sensing

from the ground, string line or curb.

Maximum flexibility by using different references.

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LEVELLING SYSTEMS
Advantage of Sonic-Ski sensor: String line sensing

Sonic-Ski

rope

25 cm sensing
width
Asphalt layer

accuracy: + / - 2mm

In string line sensing the Sonic-Ski sensor use the measurement of the oscillator
nearest to the rope. Thus the measurement value is accurate to within +/- 2mm at the
full sensing width of 25 cm.
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LEVELLING SYSTEMS
Sonic-Ski sensor: String line sensing

SD2500CS working using the Sonic-Ski

levelling system with string line reference

String line is prepared very carefully before the paving job

starts. It takes a lot of time and precision. Therefore this is a
big cost factor on the jobsite.
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LEVELLING SYSTEMS
Advantage of Sonic-Ski sensor: Ground sensing

Averaging Single sensing

S1 + S2 + S3
3
Reference
Reference
Asphalt layer Asphalt layer

Fade out errors Copy all errors

In ground sensing the five ultrasonic heats are measuring simultaneous. Two of them
(with the most pos. and neg. difference) are excluded, the three others are used for
the calculation of the average. Due to this reason small irregularities, or stones, will be
taken out of the calculation and will not have an influence to the paving result.
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LEVELLING SYSTEMS
Sonic-Ski sensor: Ground sensing

The Sonic-Ski sensor is sensing the already paved layer as a level reference.
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LEVELLING SYSTEMS
Working with Big-Sonic-Ski

By combining of three (3) Sonic-Ski sensors mounted on a bar, the Big-

Sonic-Ski is able to calculate an average value from these
measurements.
The Big-Sonic-Ski is available with a max. length of 13m. This average
line is used as an virtual reference level.
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LEVELLING SYSTEMS
Advantage Big-Sonic-Ski: Ground sensing

Ski1 + Ski2 + Ski3

3

Asphalt layer

Uneven surface as a reference (e.g. road waves) will easily be

smoothened out through the average calculation.
Therefore the system works even more efficient then a single Sonic-Ski
sensor.
Maximum evenness without a string line!
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LEVELLING SYSTEMS
Big-Sonic-Ski

SD2500CS laying the 2nd layer in a large Highway project, using the Big-Sonic-Ski levelling.
The material is filled via a Dynapac Feeder MF250
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LEVELLING SYSTEMS
Working with Laser sensor (LS3000)

The Proportional-Laser receiver

is used for large areas, e.g. sports fields,
airport or parking areas
The laser receiver operates with most
conventional rotational laser transmitters.
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LEVELLING SYSTEMS
Working with 3D levelling system

The Total station is measuring a reflector (prism) on the paver and transmits
the position data to an on-board computer. The computer compares the
received position with the street design. Every deviation will be controlled
and corrected by the levelling system.
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LEVELLING SYSTEMS
3D levelling components
Machine Screed Slope
Radio Sensor
Mast Slope
Sensor
3D Control Box

Total Station
+ Prism
Machine
Prism

2D Control
box
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COMMITTED TO
SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTIVITY.