The intelligently networked construction site

Everyday life on a construction site brings any number of challenges. That is why the Wacker Neuson Group is committed to developing digital solutions with the ability to greatly simplify daily work on construction sites. Welcome to the networked construction site.

Smart Connectivity

With so many processes running in parallel on a construction site, timing is critical. Site supervisors need a bird’s eye view of all happenings so they can coordinate and dovetail the various work streams. Having a single point of access to all information can help support effective planning. This is where digital tools like the cloud-based EquipCare Pro software solution from Wacker Neuson can make a difference. This brand- and vendor-agnostic tool allows users to manage all assets within their equipment and machine pool – from building cranes to fencing – and to deploy their human resources more efficiently. “Thanks to EquipCare Pro, we can pinpoint the location of all machines, equipment and supplies, and even see how many hours they have been in service. It makes our daily work much easier and saves us time, too,” explains Jens Briegel, Site Manager at Krämer Bau and enthusiastic user of EquipCare Pro. EquipCare Pro can also be used to document the maintenance history of machinery and schedule and manage service appointments. All of which translates into improved asset capacity utilization and fewer outages, which ultimately increases fleet productivity.

Efficient Planning of Machine Deployment

Another solution that gives customers a useful overview of their fleet and allows them to efficiently plan the deployment of their machines is the telematics solution EquipCare. Wacker Neuson customer Dariusz Materna, who owns the Polish rental company Eurosprzęt Dariusz Materna, is a big fan of the solution: “EquipCare allows us to optimize asset distribution, plan upcoming maintenance and repair windows thus extending hours in service.” On the connected construction site, all it takes is a glance at a smartphone to find out where an EW100 excavator from Wacker Neuson is currently located, for instance, or how many hours of operation it has clocked up.

EquipCare allows us to optimize asset distribution, plan upcoming maintenance and repair windows thus extending hours in service.
Dariusz Materna, Owner of Eurosprzęt Dariusz Materna in Poland

A new era

The new generation of the EW100 mobile excavator is unique in its class, setting new benchmarks for performance, safety, efficiency and ergonomics. To select a new attachment, for instance, the driver simply picks out the one they need on the 10-inch touchscreen display and presses save. In the future, all the driver has to do is press a button and the excavator automatically adjusts to the selected attachment. The EW100 then dynamically regulates the flow of hydraulic oil, for example. The system is also very user-friendly. Each driver is able to enter and save their preferred settings. “This excavator was developed with the smart, digitalized construction sites of the future in mind,” confirms Franz Rimböck, Director Digital Products and New Business at the Wacker Neuson Group. He adds: “It is also future-ready – all it needs is a software update to add new driver assistance features or attachment controls.”

Digital live support with Smart Glasses

On the other side of the construction site, a service technician has arrived to take a look at a dumper. Her kit contains Wacker Neuson’s smart glasses. This mixed reality headset allows her to connect with experts at Wacker Neuson so they can see the machine in need of repair in real time from their own office, and even transfer data from their screen to the smart glasses. “Construction equipment technology is becoming increasingly complex, which means that we have to provide extra maintenance and repair support to service technicians on site,” explains Mr. Rimböck. Thanks to the live support, the service technician is able to quickly identify and repair the fault, and the dumper is ready for service again after just a short delay. Less downtime saves both time and money for the customer.

Construction equipment technology is becoming increasingly complex, which means that we have to provide extra maintenance and repair support to service technicians on site,
Franz Rimböck, Director Digital Products and New Business at the Wacker Neuson Group

A smartphone does it all

Vibratory plates are a common feature on construction sites. Wacker Neuson has developed another smart remote control innovation that makes it easier for operators to work with these plates. In the future, users will even be able to control these plates remotely using a smartphone app. Instead of having to switch remote controls for different plates, all models can be conveniently controlled from a single smartphone. The vibratory plate is just one of Wacker Neuson’s many established products getting a digital upgrade as part of the company’s commitment to continuous improvement.

Digitalization beyond the construction site

For Wacker Neuson, digitalization extends far beyond the walls of a construction site. This mindset is exemplified by the data-based ConcreTec assistance system. This digital tool lets users monitor the compaction progress of concrete structures in real time, giving them maximum process control and reproducible compaction quality. This assistance system captures the data at every stage of the process and documents the results in a transparent report. ConcreTec thus optimizes workflows, accelerates hardening and minimizes quality risks during the manufacture of precast concrete structures.

ConcreTec monitors and documents compaction progress of concrete parts.

Construction site of the future

So what will construction sites look like in the future? They will certainly feature autonomous vibratory plates – something the Wacker Neuson Group is already delivering today. Compact equipment is also becoming more autonomous. “On the development side, we talk more about semi-autonomous equipment or automated collaboration between humans and machines,” says Mr. Rimböck. People will still be needed on the construction site of the future. As things stand, machines are not in a position to assess the complex, dynamic conditions on a site and factor in the countless variables and external impacts at play. One thing is certain though: The Wacker Neuson Group remains committed to developing autonomous innovations that bring real value to its customers.

Meet Connectivity