Our latest news: Vögele Passes DSA Test with Finesse

A Vögele 1600-2 paver has completed the surfacing of a motorcyclist testing course to the most exacting standards demanded by the UK’s Driving Standards Agency (DSA). The learner drivers’ test site at Basildon, Essex, is the fourth to be undertaken by Wisbech-based Finesse Paving and Civil Engineering Ltd. using the Vögele, supplied by Wirtgen Ltd of Lincoln. Following its success and a with a growing workload, Finesse has taken delivery of a second paving machine from the Wirtgen stable, a larger 1803-2, for similar work and for contracts on truck roads and motorways throughout the south and east of England.

Finesse’s latest contract for the DSA was undertaken using the Vögele 1600-2 laying a total of 750 tonnes of macadam base course and 450 tonnes of wearing course designed to main contractor Tarmac’s ‘Masterpave’ specification. Masterpave’s smooth, durable and skid resistant surface features noise and spray reducing qualities and provides a high level of deformation resistance.

The Basildon surfacing, covering a rectangular area measuring 40m by 205m, took just three days to complete. With a 1.6% crossfall and flatness to an accuracy of +/-3mm, the emphasis was on preventing puddling on the site. “We placed the 60mm base course and 35mm wearing course in ten four metre wide rips,” says Finesse site manager Mark Giddings. “It was important to lay all of the wearing course in a single day to avoid any joints. This was well within the capabilities of the Vögele. The tracked machine was ideal for the job, because there was no rutting, while it offered excellent manoeuvrability.”

The Vögele 1600-2’s compact size makes it suitable for a large variety of paving applications. With paving speeds up to 24m/minute, the machine is powered by a low noise, 100kW Perkins engine. Electronic engine management ensures a consistent output to match demand, which in turn guarantees a constant pave speed, a crucial factor necessary to achieve maximum pavement quality. The operator can select one of three different speed ranges – minimum, ‘Eco’ mode and maximum – at the push of a button. Working in the Eco mode further decreases engine noise emission while cutting fuel consumption and wear.

Long crawler tracks with a large area of ground contact provide for maximum tractive effort, allowing the paver to progress at a constant speed even when operating on difficult terrain. The Vögele 1600-2 features large oscillating push-rollers for convenient and shock-free docking of feed vehicles even when the paver is working on tight radii. The large hopper, holding 13 tonnes of material, permits continuous paving for short distances when feed vehicles are unavailable, for example beneath bridges and other structures.

Powerful, separate hydraulic drives for conveyors and augers are installed for high laydown rates of up to 600 tonnes/hour.