Technology integrated in compact milling machines of the F-Series

The new Wirtgen W 100 Fi did a great job in a very confined space. It took only two passes with the 1 m wide milling drum to remove the entire asphalt package.

Small to medium-sized construction sites in inner-city areas often give rise to challenging situations in terms of navigating obstacles and offloading material. In the rehabilitation of an almost 2 m wide cycle lane in Aachen, the new W 100 Fi did a great job in a very confined space. It took only two passes with the 1 m wide milling drum to remove the entire asphalt package. The construction site project was completed in a very short time, allowing the lane to be quickly reopened for cycling traffic.

On the narrow cycle lane, the W 100 Fi compact milling machine from Wirtgen proved both its power and flexibility. The F-Series technology, previously only available for large milling machines, provided support for the operator and made working on the site easier and more convenient.

Optimum visibility of the area in front of the milling drum unit enabled close navigation up to and around objects built into the surface to be milled, with flush milling up to the edges of unpaved verges. Thanks to the milling drum at the rear of the machine, the operator was able to position the start of each cut with ease and precision. The laterally adjustable operator’s platform and the movable roof allowed the machine to approach the lampposts along the route particularly closely and safely from the side. The discharge conveyor with a large slewing angle of 65 degrees to each side made offloading between lampposts and wayside bays much easier. A real benefit for truck transport logistics: material loading in the direction of travel.

In automatic mode, the innovative Mill Assist machine control system always selects the operating strategy that strikes the best balance between performance and costs. Process optimisation functions automatically adjust the engine and milling drum speeds, the travel drive, the water spraying system, and the machine’s advance speed. By pre-selecting the ECO operating strategy, the operator was able to concentrate entirely on the working environment, steering the machine and offloading the milled material. The semi-automatic Active Conveyor slewing angle control system also helped by reliably aligning the discharge conveyor in the direction of the transport truck when the milling machine had to steer around obstacles in its path.

Working closely with John Deere, an engine was adapted specifically for use in a road milling machine for the first time. The six-cylinder in-line engine runs in an extended speed range. The engine already delivers sufficient torque at engine speeds of 1,200 rpm, achieves maximum torque at 1,500 rpm, and offers a very wide working speed range of between 1,200 and 2,100 rpm. All in all, this guarantees lower fuel consumption and fast, productive work, even at maximum milling depths.

Thanks to the compact dimensions of the W 100 Fi, it was easy to transport the milling machine to the job site in Aachen. Another advantage lies in the ease of access for servicing work. All service and maintenance points are conveniently located within reach from the ground, and the new, ergonomically designed footstep considerably increases operator comfort. The Wirtgen compact milling machines of the F-Series represent a new generation of economical and sustainable cold milling machines for a wide variety of applications on small to medium-sized construction sites.