Samuel Probst, Head of Asphalt Plants and Materials at Weibel AG, can now finally breathe a sigh of relief. With its new BLS 4 control system, the asphalt mixing plant in Busswil will continue to produce high-quality rolled/mastic asphalt for years to come.
The BA 240 plant from Benninghoven is actually still in good shape. The asphalt mixing plant operated by Weibel in Busswil, Switzerland, dates from 2008 and has been delivering reliable, top-notch performance ever since. Although it will probably do so for another 10 to 15 years, the control system was a weak point. While still in working order, its age had made it less and less compatible with newer software and hardware. Updates were no longer supported, spare parts were hard or impossible to source, and maintenance tasks were proving increasingly difficult. Servicing work had therefore become a real challenge. Probst realized that there was only one solution: updating the control system. The company’s Head of Asphalt Plants and Materials opted for the advanced BLS 4 plant control system from Benninghoven. The BLS 4 is part of a lifecycle management process, with software and hardware kept updated at all times. Hardware modifications and software updates are performed at regular, short intervals, to ensure operating reliability and keep the plant performing well into the future.
In 2021, the computer being used to host the control system failed. A simple replacement was not possible, however: the new, faster computers were not backwards-compatible with the control system. When consulted about the problem, Benninghoven had a quick and pragmatic answer: although no longer in service, there were two fully functional computers available from the main factory in Wittlich, which could easily be used to install the control system. This interim solution ensured several more years of operation at the client’s plant.
Weibel AG operates six asphalt mixing plans in Switzerland, including two plants from Benninghoven. The first of these dates from 1995 – brought into service at a time when opting to buy a plant from a manufacturer outside Switzerland was still a very unusual move. “We’ve always gone our own way in this kind of situation,” says Probst, reflecting on their decision. Then as now, the German engineers from Wittlich offered a technically and commercially mature product range, short project turnaround times, and a comprehensive package of services. This laid the foundations of today’s long-standing partnership.
Weibel uses this plant to produce mastic and rolled asphalt for a wide range of infrastructure projects. The BA 240 offers a high degree of flexibility plus rock-solid reliability. All of the customer’s requirements were met in full – most especially the need to produce high-quality mastic asphalt on a continuous basis.
Good experience in the past with Benninghoven and the impressive quote offered by the company meant that Weibel opted for a Retrofit, to replace the old plant control with a new BLS 4 system. The project was organized and completed by the Swiss Wirtgen Group contract partner Gurtner Baumaschinen AG. Gurtner coordinated the project with Benninghoven, and handled all of the support and execution work required on site.
The new BLS 4 control system is a technical upgrade for the entire plant: easy and intuitive to operate, it offers a wide range of options, provides an intelligent lifecycle management, and ensures an optimum level of IT security.
The project started with a detailed status quo report on the existing plant tech. Which electronic components – like the frequency converter, relays, switching modules – were available, and which of these were compatible with the new control system? Everything was checked, with incompatible parts needing to be procured and delivered.
This extensive preparatory phase was instrumental for ensuring the precise identification of the new components to be installed and ensure reliable project planning. After all: replacing the preinstalled control software on a server isn’t complicated – it’s the rewiring of the individual parts that takes time. The retrofit was also scheduled to take place during the annual plant shutdown, so this was also the deadline that Benninghoven/Gurtner needed to work to.
“The project went very smoothly – and that’s certainly not a given.”
Samuel Probst, Head of Asphalt Plants and Materials at Weibel AG
The plant in Busswil is normally taken offline for about four weeks in winter as part of the annual shutdown. For the control system retrofit, this time window was extended to six weeks – a perfect fit for the project. “The project went very smoothly,” Probst reports. “Only the frequency converter needed a little bit of readjustment work – but fortunately, that didn’t have much of an impact on our schedule. A project this well-organized is definitely not something you’d take for granted.” Importantly, the asphalt mixing plant’s customers were also informed of the brief shutdown in advance and could place their orders with other plants.
New functions and new user interfaces. Although the BLS 4 plant control focuses primarily on functionality and user-friendliness, operating personnel need time to become familiar with the new system. Accordingly, Benninghoven offers a comprehensive support package to ensure that all of the functions are properly understood and utilized. This support package was put to very good use by the Swiss customer. To learn the ins and outs of the new control system, Kurz Bongni, mixing supervisor at the Busswil plant, traveled to Wittlich for a three-day operator training course. Which was a total success: “I had a few misgivings at first. The user interface looked completely different – so I had to learn the ropes. But I got up to speed very quickly and now I have no problems with the control system – it’s both intuitive and well-structured.”
Back to full capacity
“It’s a relief to be back to full capacity utilization,” says Probst, summing up the project results. “The new control system puts plant operations on a reliable footing for a good many years yet and we can reliably supply the asphalt that our customers need for their projects. Thanks to the outstanding 24/7 support offered by Gurtner/Benninghoven, we can also count on expert help whenever we want it.”
