Further news from bauma 2019 18 Apr 2019

Continuing the bauma themes of digitisation and automation robotics, several exhibitors in the underground construction industry presented developments and new capabilities to meet customer demands.

To complete all-round digitalisation for pumping technology on construction sites, manufacturer Tsurumi presented its smart controller solution that integrates water pumps electronically to make operations as efficient as possible.

Tsurumi Connect links electrical devices on site and an app (right) for control and analysis is included

“Casing, motors, impellers - the time when components like these were solely responsible for dewatering appears to be over,” said Daniel Weippert, Managing Director of the Düsseldorf base of the Japanese pump manufacturer in Germany. The company used its bauma exhibition booth to demonstrate how pumps can be integrated into the networked construction world. Tsurumi Connect is a multifunctional solution that marks the start of the new era.

A small hardware box is connected to the pump via the motor protection plug or a control cabinet. It records and analyses the rated flows, controls the aggregate automatically on request and also prevents wrong direction of rotation or over-current. The box is connected to the Tsurumi Connect Cloud via mobile telephone, WiFi or LAN, either permanently, for special situations, or as a result of an alarm. In case the connection fails, the box is able to record data in an offline mode for 30 days.

The system is not a proprietary manufacturer solution. “Tsurumi Connect is able to monitor and control any electrical consumer,” said Weippert. It is possible for data of various sensors to be recorded, analysed and taken into account by the control logic. “Configuration is easy and it is not necessary to have a separate SIM card for the mobile phone,” explained developers Stefan Himmelsbach and Andre Conraths. Complex applications can be realised and - for the accountants in the head office - invoices can be generated, maintenance intervals can be planned, and failure costs reduced to a minimum. Field test with up to 70 devices connected, are planned to conclude at the end of the year and deliveries of the system - developed and produced in line with German standards - will start at the beginning of 2020.

Formwork company Doka presented innovative products and digital solutions at its bauma campus on the outside area. With the Doka AR-VR app the campus transformed into a digital showroom with the latest digital solutions made available to test.

Doka Concremote makes it possible to draw conclusions about concrete performance and take the necessary construction steps at the right time

Doka Contakt provides intelligent solutions for the construction process. The platform manages activities and provides data insights to identify best practices for construction processes. Material and personnel can also be planned by the app. The sensor system provides live performance data from the site, which is incorporated in planning. This provides construction firms with a target/as-is comparison in real-time and enables them to respond proactively to changing site conditions.

With the mobile app Smart Pouring, the entire order and delivery process for cast-in-place concrete can be optimised and documented. This enables customers to plan their daily concrete allotment, including transparent allocation to the relevant structure unit. Through automated balancing of concrete supply, concrete pump or bucket and formwork, the app ensures that the right concrete is always used for the formwork intended.

The innovative service Concremote is a digital measurement and decision system that determines the concrete strength in real-time on site. The FORECAST feature predicts the strength development of concrete, which supports short-term planning of personnel, equipment and upcoming work steps. Different concrete mixtures can be compared using the SCENARIO feature, so that concrete can be purchased more accurately.

The connectivity and automation of the real construction site will continue to increase. For Doka, this means that thanks to VDC (virtual design and construction) and BIM (building information modeling), formwork solutions can be aligned more accurately with the construction process and thus significantly add to the success of a construction project. In concrete terms, customers can benefit from up-to-date information available at any time and simulations that can be run to measure construction progress, costs and safety.

Condat products on vital TBM operation duty

Celebrating 30 years service in the tunnelling field, Condat displayed its full product range at bauma – from TBM tail seal and main bearing greases, fire resistant hydraulic fluids, main bearing sealing products, foaming agents and polymers, additives for filling grouts, additives for ground consolidation and many others.

Landmark tunnelling projects for Condat across its 30 years in business include its very first, the Channel Tunnel between Britain and France; the Groenehart project in the Netherlands; and the Port of Miami and Seattle SR 99 highway TBM tunnels in the USA. As a leader in TBM specific products, Condat offers certified products with proven technical benefits including fire resistance and self-extinguishing properties.

Condat is one of the few to design and produce its main range of products, mastering the whole process from R&D and raw materials to the finished product, ensuring consistent and reliable product quality. In 2010, it switched its top-selling range of products to meet biodegradable OECD 301 standards to reduce the impact of products on the environment and on the excavated soil. To further this, Condat recently developed a new grease for the main bearing. Fully biodegradable and molybden free, BTG 4602 has been approved by Herrenknecht after a joint program of validation. Launched in 2018, BTG 4602 is used on several TBMs including those working on the Grand Paris Express Metro projects in France. Condat can also supply study and risk assessment of its product toxicology to demonstrate no relevant risks for either the environment or human health.