Another international Racetrack build with a MOBA Big Sonic Ski leveling system

by Blog, Road Construction, Success StoryPosted on Comments are Disabled
Another international Racetrack build with a MOBA Big Sonic Ski leveling system

The Pertamina Mandalika International Street Circuit, also known as Mandalika International Street Circuit for commercial purposes, is situated in the Mandalika resort area of Lombok island, which is part of Indonesia’s West Nusa Tenggara province. The circuit was inaugurated in late 2021 and hosted rounds of the Asia Talent Cup and Superbike World Championship, followed by Grand Prix motorcycle races in 2022. The project encompasses 120 hectares and includes the development of hotels and other amenities. The circuit is designed with wide run-off areas and is considered a street circuit as parts of it may be opened for normal traffic to access new resort facilities in the future.

The MOBA Big Sonic Ski is a state-of-the-art leveling system that can be used for a wide range of construction applications, including race track construction. With its advanced sensor technology and precise control capabilities, the Big Sonic Ski can ensure a level and even surface for the entire length of the track. This level of accuracy is crucial for maintaining optimal safety and performance conditions for race cars and their drivers.

Equipped with a Big Sonic Ski on each side of the paver, the local paving team is able to achieve unparalleled performance and seamless smoothness of the road.

In addition to its leveling capabilities, the Big Sonic Ski can also help reduce construction time and costs. With its real-time monitoring and feedback capabilities, the system can detect and correct any deviations in the surface level immediately, eliminating the need for costly and time-consuming rework.

Overall, while it is up to each race track to decide which leveling system to use, the MOBA Big Sonic Ski can offer a range of benefits for construction projects, including improved safety, performance, and cost-effectiveness.

Xsite Easy 2.0

by Alexander WahlmannBlog, EarthmovingPosted on Comments are Disabled

XSite Easy 2.0

Xsite Easy - it was never more easy to become independent in your excavation operations.

Xsite® EASY excavator guidance system removes the need for manual grade checking and jumping on-and-off the machine. Xsite® EASY enables doing the work correctly the first time, avoiding over- and undercuts. Work with slopes and planes with centimetre accuracy without unnecessary interruptions. The easy-to-use system guides the operator in achieving the desired depth and/or inclination via easy-to-follow, real-time graphics.

Xsite® EASY can be installed to any excavator. Whether you drive a rubber tracked mini excavator, a medium sized wheeled excavator or a large, tracked excavator, Xsite® EASY will help you at every step of the way. Support for two-piece booms and a variety of tilt rotators gives you countless possibilities to boost your work as a number of tasks can be handled with only one machine. The main benefits are illustrated below.

Benefits of Xsite EASY

  • Work with Foundations: Measure distances, heights and slopes with centimetre precision and maximize your productivity.
  • Underwater Working: In addition to depth and distance, the Xsite EASY system displays your bucket’s position in real-time. With Xsite EASY you’ll always know in which position your bucket is, even if you don’t see it.
  • Level Out Flat Pads: Level out and prepare large flat areas with speed and accuracy. All from the comfort of your excavator cabin
  • Excavate Trenches / Slopes: Take advantage of the easy-to-use laser receiver and achieve the correct grade and slope on the first go

A new display with new opportunities - Xsite easy 2.0

Construction of a new road in Crete Island, Greece

by Erik GeisBlog, Road ConstructionPosted on Comments are Disabled

Construction of a new road in Crete Island, Greece

The New National Road is currently the longest Cretan road that runs along the entire northern coast of Crete. It starts in the port of Kissamos in the west and ends in the port in the city of Sitia in the east of the island. At the moment, it is the fastest route on the island to travel, and at the same time one of the most dangerous roads, where many fatal accidents occur each year. In a few years, however, the current New National Road will go down in history, because it will be replaced by a completely new route, which start allready this year.

A new northern road axis will also connect Kissamos with Sitia, with a total length of approximately 300 km. It will be the largest road project in the coming years. It will be financed by the European Union and the budget allocated for this purpose exceeds EUR 2 billion. According to the Greek Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, it will also be the most difficult motorway to be built in Greece. The project assumes, among other things, the extension to two traffic lanes in one direction and the route of the road with several dozen viaducts and over 30 tunnels over a total length of over 40 km. The mountainous terrain of Crete makes it the only way to lead long straight sections.

The new road will not only make it easier to move around Crete and improve the comfort of traveling. It will also allow you to shorten travel time and reduce transport costs. It is estimated that it will not take more than 1.5 hours to drive from one end of the island to the other after all the works are completed. Shorter travel times will also allow for lower costs of transporting goods. The convenient road connection will also contribute to the further development of tourism on the island. Those of you who have had the opportunity to travel a lot during your stay on the island know that currently traveling the entire length of Crete is very time-consuming. As a result, most people give up visiting places far from their place of stay. Shorter travel times will allow you to quickly travel to tourist attractions located further away.

An important goal is also to reduce the number of tragic road accidents that are now commonplace on the island. There are so many accidents on the current road that the statistics for this road are kept separately. It is also significant that most of the people who suffer accidents are young people. Improving road safety is therefore one of the fundamental assumptions of this project.

The first small part of Paving Project was the Highway Detour of Iraklion City. The construction company MARIS SA, is a company active in the sectors of production and trade of asphalt mix and other asphalt products, the production and trade of concrete, as well as in undertaking and executing public and private works used our BIG SONIC SKI at a VÖGELE Paver1900/2. Our local dealer MOBACT support and gave a training at the jobsite to the construction company to get a high level of quality during the paving process.

Project facts

  • Length of the Road Project: 13 km 2x lanes =26km
  • Width of the Project is 11 meters on each direction divided by New Jersey.
  • Milling Surface: 80% of the Top layer until 4cm and milling the rest 20% from 4 cm to 8 cm.
  • Paving Project: 1 wedging layer of variable thickness + 1 Surface Course Asphalt layer of 4 cm thickness.
  • Customer: Super happy and excited about the results.

The local authorities considering the whole project to be constructed by setting the use of BIG-SONIC-SKI mandatory.

Motorway construction speed up in Romania

by Erik GeisBlog, Road ConstructionPosted on Comments are Disabled

Motorway construction speed up in Romania

The expansion of the motorways is one of the projects for which Romania wants to attract foreign partners. Funding is flowing from Brussels for this purpose.

  • EU provides 875 million euros for road construction in Romania
  • Expansion projects are not new
  • A lack of staff in the authorities and actions for annulment delay projects

In Romania, the expansion of the transport corridors has not progressed for a long time. The corona pandemic has led to a trend reversal. The government has pulled some long-planned projects out of the drawer and firmly intends to pursue them again. This emerges from the plan for restarting the Romanian economy after the Corona crisis by 2030. The government estimates the investment backlog at 31 billion euros. Around 3,000 kilometers of new motorways and expressways are to be built in Romania by 2030. There are currently 386 kilometers of motorways and expressways under construction, which are funded by the European Union.

The project sponsor is the National Society for Road Infrastructure CNAIR. (Source: National Economic and Investment Plan of the Romanian Government, National Road Infrastructure Company CNAIR)

EU provides 875 million euros for road construction in Romania

The European Commission has released 875 million euros from the Cohesion Fund for road construction. Romania is to use the money to finance the expansion of the first stage of the A1 motorway from Sibiu to Pitesti. This route runs through the Carpathians and is the last major section connecting Romania to the Rhine-Danube corridor. The highway is scheduled to be completed in 2026. Then the port city of Constanta will be connected to Strasbourg in France via the trans-European transport network (TEN-T). 

The 122.1-kilometer Sibiu-Pitesti section was divided into five construction lots. The tender for the third construction lot includes a route of 37.4 kilometers between Cornetu and Tigveni as well as construction projects with a project value of an estimated 1.2 billion euros. The tender was published by the road construction company CNAIR on September 23, 2020, on the state tender platform. It is about offers for the planning and construction of the following structures on this route:

  • 1 motorway tunnel with a length of 1.7 kilometers - Romania's first motorway tunnel
  • 3 motorway junctions 48 bridges and 6 passages over valleys and rivers
  • an approximately 220 meter long ecoduct (serves animals as an aid to safely cross busy traffic routes)

Expansion projects are not new In addition to the tender for the third construction lot on the Sibiu-Pitesti route, the National Society for Road Infrastructure CNAIR is pursuing other motorway expansion projects that have been around for around 20 years. Some of them have failed so far because the feasibility studies were flawed or there was a lack of competent employees in the specialist departments of the authorities. It has also not yet been possible to implement projects in public-private partnerships (PPP). 

Key data on the highway expansion in Romania

  • Completed kilometers of motorway routes at the end of 2019: 866
  • Motorways built in kilometers in 2019: 43
  • Price range per kilometer in million euros (2020): 3.9-26.8
  • Realized PPP projects in Romanian road construction: 0

Xsite PRO 3D for Dozer

by Erik GeisBlog, EarthmovingPosted on Comments are Disabled

Xsite PRO 3D for Dozer

The new Xsite PRO 3D Dozer boosts your work and set the surface at the right level in one go! The Xsite PRO 3D machine control system makes working out with a dozer more efficient and reduce your surveying, material, time, wearing costs and fuel.

The system guides the operator and control the machine to set structural layers to the right elevation in one go. It works with centimeters accuracy, without unmercenary interruptions. With help of the machine control system the operator will find easy to tackle any task. The large touch screen with clear and illustrative graphics enable the operator to easily monitor the difference in the elevation of the blade and the target surface.

Different functions of the Xsite PRO are designed as easy to use as possible.  For example, selection and changing the active design model can be done by just one touch.

Features:

  • Large 8.4 touch screen display with clear graphics
  • Innovative user interface
  • Highspeed sensor with IMU technology
  • Remote support and cloud connection

1972-2022: 50 years MOBA – a reason to celebrate

by Frank SchneeAbout MOBA, BlogPosted on Comments are Disabled

1972-2022: 50 years MOBA – a reason to celebrate

2022 is a significant year for MOBA – we celebrate the 50th birthday of this impressive company.
50 years – that are 5 decades with powerful innovations, exciting developments and a lot of new solutions for machine automation. 50 years ago Paul G. Harms founded the company in the garage of his house – today MOBA is one of the most important machine automation experts worldwide. But some things did not change during this long time: As it was in the beginning, also nowadays it is the people that take the center stage – staff, customers and fans. Their passion for machines, technology and innovation is what links all of them.

The roots

It was in 1972 that Paul G. Harms founded an engineering office for machine automation in Steinbach, which is 10 km north of Limburg, where MOBA’s headquarters is located today.
An interesting fact is the registration fee, which was 50 Pfennige, roundabout 25 Euro-Cents.

Manifold successes

MOBA’s success story had its beginning with the levelling controller of series Grade Line G 176 & S276, followed by the worldwide known MOBA-matic Controller and some integrated systems for OEMs. Also MOBA’s Big Sonic-Ski is a success story that started long ago and lasts until today. It works reliably on many machines and helps to improve roads all over the world. Another important branch in the first years was weighing technology for agriculture followed by weighing systems for cranes and lifters.

Some of the most sophisticated technologies on the market are made by MOBA, for example DMS-systems for weight control in waste disposal, precise ultrasonic technology for distance control, laser receiver and sender for levelling systems, grade and slope sensors for different applications and systems for asphalt quality control and layer thickness measurement.
All these products and systems are not only working on road construction machines, but also many MOBA products and solutions for crane and lifters, earthmoving and the waste industry help to improve processes and results.

Worldwide expansion

In parallel with technologies and solutions, MOBA grew as a company with more and more people working for MOBA. With many subsidiaries in Germany, Europe and worldwide, a growing global network of distributors and a deep market penetration MOBA gained more and more importance on the markets worldwide. MOBA still develops its technologies in-house as well as in local development departments in its branches in the US, China, India, Italy and Spain. Furthermore, the high manufacturing depth guarantees high quality products. 

So the company developed from a small “one-man-show” to an important global player. And many people – customers, partners and also staff accompanied MOBA for many years, as did Vice President (Development) Alfons Horn, who works with high engagement since almost 40 years for MOBA now and who contributed to many path-breaking ideas and products.

 

What are the drivers of mobile automation?

by Alexander WahlmannAbout MOBA, Blog, StudiesPosted on Comments are Disabled

What are the drivers of mobile automation?

There is a common understanding among some people that (mobile) automation is taking away the jobs of our human workforce. Workers are being replaced by machines because companies and respective clients need to work more efficiently to ensure ever-shrinking global margins in the construction industry. However, when shedding light on this interesting topic, there are more factors that drive global (mobile) automation. One important factor is the lack of a human workforce. Let’s look at one of the leading countries in mobile automation and robotization: Japan.

Japan’s population has been declining since 2009. In 2009, the population was 128.56 million and since has decreased to 124 million today in 2022. The population is expected to fall below 100 million by 2058. The main cause of Japan’s population decline is the rapidly decreasing number of births, which is currently at the lowest it has been since data started being collected in 1899. The fertility rate in Japan is 1.4 births per woman – far below the population replacement of 2.1. (Source)

Already 6 years ago, Japanese leaders decided to tackle their population growth challenge and subsequent loss of workforce in their earthmoving sector by introducing ICT – Intelligent construction technology. The Sectors include planning, construction & maintenance related to Railways & Roads, Airports & Harbors, Flood control & daily infra (Energy & Utilities etc) Without the support of mobile automation, Japan would already face a severe shortfall in qualified workers and human resources

If you remember the first Terminator movie, Sarah Connor gets chased by a robot- Arni, the terminator, sent from the future to kill her and consequently her son John Connor. In fact, the leading countries of mobile automation have a different problem. They don’t have enough workforce to literally do the job. E.g. looking back at “The Terminator” – Sarah Connor did not make enough John Connors to cover for future jobs. We need Arni to help us dig foundations, pave our roads and survey our farming fields. (Inspired by Source) 

Next to the challenges of having less (qualified) workers to, JETRO – Japan’s External Trade Organisation has identified that” people’s activities are expected to move from physical space to cyberspace”. That means qualified people will be expected to work their job remotely and with increasing investment in augmented and virtual reality, this outlook in the working environment of tomorrow is closer to reach than ever before.

Mobile Automation and remote technology appliances will ensure that future work safety standards will raise to a new level. If Humans can work in hazardous environments without actually being there, the risk of Injuries and death can be completely avoided. It also enables to centrally support of decentralized locations. If physical appearances of service & product experts are no longer needed, humans have the chance to develop places that are yet in no physical reach.

Summarizing the findings above, we can identify 3 main factors that drive global automation; increasing efficiency, lack of qualified staff & change of the workplace.

Finally, let’s all hope the future of mobile automation is more positive than painted by James Cameron’s original Terminator.

“Digital intelligence” pavement, miracle of ingenuity, quality on-site observation meeting of Zhejiang communications construction group Co.,Ltd.

by Blog, Road Construction, Success StoryPosted on Comments are Disabled

"Digital intelligence" pavement: Quality on-site observation meeting of Zhejiang communications construction group Co.,Ltd.

In order to improve the quality management level and physical quality of highway asphalt pavement construction in Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang communications construction group Co.,Ltd. held an asphalt quality observation meeting at section tj03 of lin’an-jiande section of Linjin Expressway on the afternoon of June 29. As the leader of the global road leveling system, MOBA（Dalian）Mobile Automation Co., Ltd. is honored to be invited to participate in this observation meeting. MOBA’s products were highly praised by most of the participants. MOBA products displayed at this meeting include:

MOBA 48 beam high precision BIG-SKI adopts MOBA unique high-frequency ultrasonic probe, cooperates with the visual graphic controller, and is connected with diamagnetic shielding cable to realize high-precision paving.

The MOBA PAVE-IR system is equipped with high-precision infrared probe, and cooperates with the weather station and GNSS antenna to determine the temperature segregation area, which can realize the remote monitoring function. It is a right-hand assistant for digital pavement construction management.

MOBA 48 beam high precision BIG-SKI

MOBA 48 beam high precision BIG-SKI

MOBA asphalt paving temperature management system- PAVE-IR

MOBA asphalt paving temperature management system- PAVE-IR

MOBA asphalt paving temperature management system- PAVE-IR

MOBA asphalt paving temperature management system- PAVE-IR

MOBA roller compaction system- MCA3000

MOBA roller compaction system- MCA3000

MOBA Xsite Pro Excavator with Tilt bucket in Korea

by Alexander WahlmannBlog, Success StoryPosted on Comments are Disabled

MOBA Xsite Pro Excavator with Tilt bucket in Korea

In recent years, construction margins are declining globally, and companies must adapt to this new price/cost environment. More and more research suggests that new business models need to focus on achieving the highest rate of productivity by saving money, costs, and time. 

An interesting research paper: “The development of a machine control technology and productivity evaluation for Excavator” from Korea in the Journal of drive and control of 2020 confirms that: ”(…)it was possible to confirm productivity improvement compared to manual digging and leveling work. In the future, further research to improve the accuracy of the hydraulic precision control and collaborative work with heterogeneous construction equipment such as dump truck and automated collaboration tasks technology could be developed.” 

The construction industry in Korea is preparing for an area of machine guidance and machine control leading toward full automation processes to make their construction site more efficient, increase safety and counteract lost margin gains.

MOBA wants to support Korean operators with their 3D guidance and machine control systems and walk the path of automation together. We are proud to have installed another Xsite Pro system in Korea with our Korean distributor JUHYUN – another happy customer. Our end-customer Mister Kim especially welcomed the idea that MOBA Xsite system enables the operator to include the use of his JUHYUN tiltrotor. Another feature that simplifies the work for the operator is the simple way to create your own basic designs for trenches and groundwork. Having worked with systems from the opposition, Mister Kim highlighted, that the Xsite Pro interface is the most convenient and simple for performing optimum also on difficult tasks.

MOBA Xsite is connected to Xsite Manage – our cloud solution for documentation and troubleshooting. Our team can access your 3D system with remote support and assist in case of questions and support. 3D is a support business and that is our strength!

Highway construction in Poland: success with the super ski from Budimex and MOBA

by Erik GeisBlog, Road Construction, Success StoryPosted on Comments are Disabled

Highway construction in Poland: success with the super ski from Budimex and MOBA

OEM manufacturer MOBA, dealer Bellator and construction company Budimex provide an example of the innovative power of the construction industry: thanks to the Super-Ski from MOBA, the Polish road construction expert achieved maximum evenness and efficiency when asphalting the A1 highway. The quick installation and robust construction of the Super-Ski were particularly impressive.
The construction industry, especially road construction, faces numerous challenges. Nowadays, roads not only have to be as even, robust and durable as possible, but also built as quickly and preferably with as little material consumption as possible. This means that (most) new roads are the result of a feat of engineering, preceded by highly precise, complex and demanding surveying.
Poland’s leading construction company, Budimex, was therefore looking for innovative solutions to make these processes more efficient. In particular, the laborious and time-consuming setup of conventional levelling systems, which require meticulous manual adjustments, was a problem for the company. The company found a solution in the form of the Super-Ski from MOBA.

The super ski solution: game changer on the A1

The Super-Ski was used as part of a project to renew the asphalt pavement on the A1 highway. Budimex, supported by Bellator, the MOBA dealer in Poland, mounted the system on a DYNAPAC SD 2550 paver. The result: extremely precise leveling – with uncomplicated, fast handling and maximum efficiency. “The Super Ski represents a technological leap forward and offers a solution that significantly increases productivity – without compromising on quality,” says Paweł Radecki from Bellator.

New standards in road construction

The Super-Ski was used as part of a project to renew the asphalt pavement on the A1 highway. Budimex, supported by Bellator, the MOBA dealer in Poland, mounted the system on a DYNAPAC SD 2550 paver. The result: extremely precise leveling – with uncomplicated, fast handling and maximum efficiency. “The Super Ski represents a technological leap forward and offers a solution that significantly increases productivity – without compromising on quality,” says Paweł Radecki from Bellator.
  • Exceptionally even results: The Super-Ski achieves outstanding IRI longitudinal evenness, setting new standards in terms of evenness.
  • Efficiency redefined: The quick and easy assembly has drastically reduced set-up times. “The simplicity and innovative power of the Super-Ski have fundamentally changed our approach to leveling,” says Slawomir Szak from Budimex.
  • Rugged and user-friendly: Specially designed for harsh construction site environments, the Super-Ski is particularly robust and offers users trouble-free working.

Partnership as a guarantee of success

In addition to the product, the constructive collaboration between MOBA, Bellator and Budimex was crucial to the success of the project. “This cooperation once again underlines our commitment to driving innovation in construction technology,” says Erik Geis, Director Sales EMEA at MOBA. “It is a prime example of how cutting-edge technology, supported by strong partnerships and outstanding customer support, can lead to exceptional results.”

Shaping the future together

The Super-Ski project with Budimex and Bellator marks an important step forward in the road construction industry. It shows how innovative approaches can overcome traditional challenges and set new standards in terms of efficiency and quality. This partnership therefore promises not only long-lasting and sustainable roads, but also a future in which the construction industry becomes more innovative and efficient through collaboration.

Budimex: As one of Poland’s leading construction companies, Budimex has a long tradition of delivering high-quality infrastructure and construction projects. Their focus on innovation and efficiency enables them to overcome complex construction challenges and ensure the sustainability and longevity of their projects. Budimex Website
Bellator: Bellator, the official distributor of MOBA in Poland, specializes in the supply of advanced construction technology solutions. Thanks to its expertise in the local market and strong support, customers like Budimex have access to the best tools and innovative technologies. Bellator Website