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Dynapac, Trimble travel ‘road to autonomy’ with soil rollers

March 11, 2020  - By

Dynapac and Trimble are partnering to develop commercial-ready autonomy functionality for Dynapac soil rollers.

The companies first demonstrated automation of the soil compaction process at this week’s ConExpo 2020 in Las Vegas, and plans another demonstration during the Trimble Dimensions User Conference Nov. 2-4 in Nashville, Tennessee.

The Dynapac CA3600PD single-drum vibratory roller. (Photo: Dynapac)

The Dynapac CA3600PD single-drum vibratory roller. (Photo: Dynapac)

Dynapac’s “Road to Autonomy” was launched with the introduction of Seismic Soil Rollers in 2019. The Dynapac-exclusive Seismic technology takes the guesswork out of the equation for operators, regarding soil type or frequency settings, the company said.

Dynapac Seismic monitors the soil properties and automatically adjusts the frequency of vibration for optimal compaction and energy efficiency. The Active Bouncing Control System automatically cuts off the vibration of the drum when the material reaches maximum compaction characteristics.

The next step on the “Road to Autonomy” is automatic steering and speed functions on the roller. The operator/site manager can use the machine to map the boundaries of the area to be compacted.

Once the machine is placed in autonomy mode, the system will take over the controls for steering and speed. This functionality will be shown at the Dynapac and Trimble booths during ConExpo 2020.

By automating these functions, operator skill gaps can be bridged, while consistent speed and steering improve compaction quality results.

The autonomous solution is built on Trimble’s control platform and utilizes Trimble’s field-proven positioning technology. Compaction documentation systems, such as Dyn@lyzer or Trimble CCS900 Compaction Control System, work together with automatic speed and automatic steering to provide documentation of the improved quality.

About the Author: Tracy Cozzens

Senior Editor Tracy Cozzens joined GPS World magazine in 2006. She also is editor of GPS World’s newsletters and the sister website Geospatial Solutions. She has worked in government, for non-profits, and in corporate communications, editing a variety of publications for audiences ranging from federal government contractors to teachers.