WesTrac has showcased the latest in road construction technology using live machine demonstrations at its recent Road Building Technology Day in Parkes, New South Wales.
Around 70 attendees from local contracting businesses and shire councils gathered at a site in Parkes to witness live road construction with Cat machines equipped with revolutionary 3D technology to simplify stabilising, grading, and compacting of complex road designs.
Three machines were on display to showcase the latest road building capabilities – a Cat Motor Grader with Trimble 3D Earthworks, a Cat CS78B with 3D Compaction Technology, and a Cat RM500B Road Reclaimer.
Using these machines, around 150 metres of dirt road was stabilised, graded and compacted to demonstrate how 3D mapping technology can increase productivity, reduce rework and ultimately, build better roads.
Bland Shire Council Workshop and Plant Coordinator Paul Glennon says it was interesting to see how the technology could be used alongside other construction equipment, particularly the Cat CS76 Roller, not only to achieve optimum compaction but also to identify any issues in the pavement.
“Bland Shire has ordered two Cat 140 Motor Graders which we hope to fit the Grade technology to,” he says.
“We found it very beneficial to see both the grader and system in action as a unit, as well as being able to talk to suppliers about how we can get the most out of the unit."
“I would certainly attend one of these technology days in the future and would recommend it to anyone that was thinking about going.”
Parkes Shire Council Fleet Manager Anthony Davies was also impressed with the event and the technology on display. “The main takeaway for us was discovering that file conversion with Trimble was possible,” he says.
The cutting-edge 3D technology uses global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) and Real Time Kinematic (RTK) positioning guidance to simplify the road construction process, particularly for large infrastructure and commercial projects.
WesTrac Product Specialist Paving and Forestry Michael Kelly says many of the attendees were impressed with the technology and how it could be utilised in their own businesses.
“The important part of these days was to show how easy the technology is to use,” Michael explains.
“When fitted with mapping technology, customers can mill to a design, grade to a design, and compact to design."
“The outcome for the end user means they get a high-quality road, which ultimately means no reworking is required.”
The fleet managers for multiple contractors who attended indicated the live demonstrations helped cement future purchasing decisions.
“Most shire councils had decision makers present and I’m confident everyone found some real value in what we were trying to achieve,” says WesTrac New and Used Sales Representative Dean Cole.
“The compaction technology was of particular interest for many as they were surprised by the data that could be extracted from a crucial but often overlooked component of the road building process."
Attendees also took part in informative sessions with WesTrac and Cat product specialists as well as data analysis forums and presentations from leading technology experts.
Supported by WesTrac, Caterpillar, Sitech, Coates, and Parkes Shire Council, the two-day showcase helped to build awareness around the future of technology in road construction.
To find out more about the next event or to book a demonstration, please click below.
