Samuel Probst, Head of Materials and Road Surface Plants at Weibel AG, feels relieved. Thanks to the new BLS 4 control system, the asphalt mixing plant in Busswil will continue to reliably produce high-quality rolled asphalt and mastic asphalt.
Technically, the BA 240 from Benninghoven is still in perfect working order. Manufactured in 2008, the asphalt mixing plant at Weibel in Busswil, Switzerland, runs reliably, delivers excellent performance, and is expected to remain operational for around 10 to 15 years. The only weak point: the control system. Although it was still working, its age meant that the software and hardware were becoming increasingly incompatible. This resulted in updates no longer being supported, spare parts being hard to find or not available at all and maintenance work being increasingly difficult. Any type of service task became a real challenge. It was clear to Samuel Probst: There was no way around replacing the control system. The Head of Materials and Road Surface Plants opted for the progressive BLS 4 from Benninghoven. The BLS 4 is subject to continued life cycle management, which keeps software and hardware updated at all times. The hardware adaptations and updates are carried out in regular short cycles to ensure that the plant runs reliably and safely and that is ready for future challenges.
In 2021, the computer on which the control software was running failed. Simply replacing it, however, was impossible because the newer, faster computers were no longer compatible with the control system. When alerted to the problem, Benninghoven reacted quickly and pragmatically. Two decommissioned, but still fully functional computers were available at the headquarters in Wittlich, suitable for installing the control software without any issues. This temporary solution ensured that the plant could continue to run for several years.
Weibel AG runs six asphalt mixing plants in Switzerland, including two Benninghoven plants. The first was commissioned in 1995, at a time when the decision for a non-Swiss manufacturer was still a highly unusual step. “We always like to gain our own experiences,” Samuel Probst reflects on the situation. Then as now, the manufacturer from Wittlich impressed with a technically and economically mature concept, short project implementation times and a comprehensive service package. This laid the foundation for the further collaboration.
This is where Weibel produce mastic and rolled asphalt for different infrastructure projects. The BA 240 offers a high level of flexibility and reliability. The customers’ requirements – primarily the ability to obtain mastic asphalt with a consistently high quality – are fulfilled reliably.
Based on the good experiences and a convincing quotation from Benninghoven, Weibel decided to replace the old plant control system with a new BLS 4 as part of a Retrofit. The project was implemented by the Swiss Wirtgen Group authorised dealer Gurtner Baumaschinen AG. In coordination with the Benninghoven experts, Gurtner took on the full support and implementation of the work on site.
The new BLS 4 control system takes the plant to a new technical level. It offers a number of options, easy and intuitive control, intelligent life cycle management and top IT security.
To start with, the company thoroughly took stock of the existing plant. Which electronic components, e.g. frequency converters, relays and switching modules, were installed, and which of those were compatible with the new control system? Everything was checked and replacements for any parts that were not compatible had to be ordered and delivered.
This thorough preparation period was crucial for precisely determining the scope of the new components and for preparing a reliable project schedule, as not only replacing the control software pre-installed on a computer was time consuming, but also the wiring of each individual new part. As the retrofit had to be done as part of the annual inspection work, Benninghoven/Gurtner had to plan everything around this date.
“The project went off without a hitch – something that cannot be taken for granted.”
Samuel Probst, Head of Materials and Road Surface Plants at Weibel AG
As part of the inspection work during the winter, the plant in Busswil is typically taken out of operation for four weeks. This time window was expanded to six weeks for replacing the control system – a perfect plan! “The project went off without a hitch,” explains Samuel Probst. “Only the frequency converter required a few readjustments, but fortunately these had only little impact on the schedule. A project that is this well organised is not a matter of course.” Also important: The customers of the asphalt mixing plant had been informed about the short-term closure ahead of time and were able to switch to other suppliers.
New functions, new user interfaces: Even though the focus of the BLS 4 plant control system is on functionality and ease of use, the change required some initial adjustments from the operating personnel. Benninghoven therefore offers comprehensive support to ensure that all functions have been understood and can be used optimally – a service that the Swiss company readily made use of. The mixing foreman of the plant in Busswil, Kurt Bongni, travelled to Wittlich for three days to learn about the control system in detail, and returned highly motivated: “Initially, I had some reservations. The user interface looked completely different – that required some getting used to. But I have now adjusted to that and am managing quite well with the control system, because it is to intuitive and clearly structured.”
Fully leveraging the plant’s potential again
“It is a great relief to be able to fully leverage the plant’s potential again,” summarises Samuel Probst. “With the new control system, operation of our plant has been secured again for the years to come and we can reliably supply our customers with the asphalt they need for their projects. And thanks to the excellent 24/7 support by Gurtner/Benninghoven, we can get help quickly whenever needed.”
