Today, levelling technology in asphalt pavers is an absolute must for many projects – for the construction or renovation of motorways, main or country roads, for example. Which is why some 90 percent of all asphalt pavers in Germany are equipped with levelling technology. Levelling systems provide clear advantages even in smaller projects.

For instance, a case in point is the renovation of the Potsdamer Weg in Emkendorf-Bokelholm in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. For this project, Swecon Baumaschinen GmbH delivered a brand-new Volvo ABG P6820C paver, equipped with the MOBA-matic levelling system and the new MOBA-matic II digital controller.

The Potsdamer Weg road leads from the L255 road to a large agricultural facility. The traffic on the L255 has increased dramatically since the farmer began operating a biogas plant. The machines which drive in and out of here every day weigh 50 or 60 tonnes. That places an enormous burden on the asphalt, of course. Which is why the entire Potsdamer Weg must be renewed and strengthened. The farmer already had part of the stretch that leads to the agricultural tract reinforced with concrete; now, the next step is the asphalt paving of the second part of the Potsdamer Weg. This first entails having the road widened and bolstered along the edges. Subsequently, a six centimeters base layer, and the surface layer, which is three centimeters thick – were applied over a width of approximately four and a half metres.

The renovation of this road is part of a larger order for a total of 25 smaller asphalt paving jobs in the Rendsburg-Eckernförde district. Altogether, they comprise a total length of some ten kilometres and a cost of EUR 1.5 million.

"We always work with a surveyor's level, irrespective of whether it is stipulated in the bid solicitation or not. The reason being that this way we can always maintain the required planarity or inclination without any problems. And, of course, we also save material if we don't lay it on too thick"",

points out site manager Jan Tessensohn.

"The MOBA system is uncomplicated. You have the different sensors and can just decide at the construction site what you would like to use. For example, for small-scale projects such as this one we use an individual ultrasonic sensor on each side; at major construction sites with a milled-off surface where the substrate is very uneven, we like to employ the Big Sonic-Ski with three or four ultrasonic sensors. This way we can practically 'iron out' the irregularities of the substrate and the road becomes very level. We begin with the levelling as early as possible, starting with the base layer. Consequently, we can avoid mistakes right from the start".

Users ask for the new MOBA-matic II digital controller

"We aim to sell 30 pavers this year. All of them are pre-equipped with the MOBA system",

relates Udo Morgenstern, who is responsible for the sale of road construction machines at the Volvo construction machinery dealer Swecon.

"The new MOBA-matic II has been requested by a lot of customers, such as for this project, for example. Therefore, we have decided to equip all pavers with the new generation of the MOBA-matic in future. In particular, the 3.5 inch large display and the innovation that, with a single control panel, both sides of the screed can be controlled from one screen makes it work substantially easier for the user".

And, thanks to the backlighting and the brightness adjustability of the LEDs, it is also no problem whatsoever to work in the dark. What is also new is that a sensor value is shown continuously in the display, so that the most important value is always within view of the operator. The clearly comprehensible symbolic representation and the easy operation of the main functions by means of just four buttons – familiar from the MOBA-matic I – have been retained.

"For me, there is no major adjustment; the operation is easy and understandable, as was the case with previous control panel too. The simpler a unit is designed, the better. Because the more complicated something is, the more likely it is that errors will occur",

surmises grader operator Günter Baier, who gets along superbly with the new MOBA-matic II right from the first day.

The new MOBA-matic II communicates by means of CAN, which means that outlays for cabling on the machine are reduced significantly as all sensors can essentially be connected through one cable via the bus system.

"Old and new CAN sensors can be combined, thus all of them do not have to be replaced when a new control panel is used. That is also an important aspect", emphasizes Morgenstern.