Wirtgen has launched the "Level-Pro Plus" automated leveling system for its WR series cold recyclers and soil stabilizers. In traditional road base rehabilitation, maintaining a consistent mixing depth is critical for structural strength. However, operators often struggle to maintain depth due to visual fatigue or uneven road surfaces, resulting in "shallow cutting" that affects compaction quality or "deep cutting" that wastes fuel and binder.
The Level-Pro Plus system integrates a GNSS receiver and a laser scanner on the rotor hood. It receives the "3D Design Model" (DTM) of the road from the site server. As the machine advances, the system compares the real-time ground elevation with the design model. The controller then sends precise commands to the hydraulic cylinders controlling the rotor lift, adjusting the cutting depth in real-time.
The engineering highlight is the "Hard-Object Detection Logic." During soil stabilization, the rotor may encounter buried concrete or rocks. If the system detects a sudden spike in rotor torque, it temporarily overrides the depth command and slightly raises the rotor to prevent mechanical damage. Once the obstacle is passed, it automatically returns to the set depth. This system not only ensures uniform mixing depth but also calculates the exact volume of stabilized material, allowing the project manager to precisely control the amount of cement or lime added, reducing material waste by over 5%.
