Unlocking the potential of digitization with networked construction
More efficient, more transparent, more sustainable—digitization and networking are seen as effective measures that help get a grip on the major challenges facing the construction industry. bauma, the world’s leading trade fair, provides an overview of the latest technology solutions.
Reducing costs and construction times
In networked construction, digital technologies and communication systems are integrated into the construction process. This demonstrably improves collaboration and efficiency. Using intelligent construction machinery and smart attachments, building costs can be reduced by around a third—with significantly shorter construction times. Collaboration between machines, data and software in construction companies makes the construction process increasingly transparent. That improves planning ability and helps further exploit optimization potential.
Digitization delivers a wealth of data
A key element of future-oriented construction is that construction machinery is becoming increasingly digitized. As a result, users gain a growing amount of data, which not only shows them the condition of the machines, but also provides valuable information on their performance and work quality.
This knowledge creates new opportunities in the use and scheduling of construction machinery, for example:
- More efficient refueling routes based on current consumption data
- Reduced idle times as a result of optimized operating times
- Optimized machine deployment based on precise recording of the respective workload
Compliance with standards to ensure a common understanding
Increasing the usability and application possibilities of the condition, process and quality data of construction machinery, requires an understanding of different machines from different manufacturers as well as overarching communication. The international ISO 15143 standard provides an effective basis for that.
Smart attachments with standardized digital language
Attachments are playing an increasingly important role on construction sites. They are also becoming smarter, providing more and more digital process data and communicating with the respective carrier devices. The MiC 4.0 BUS protocol, which was awarded the innovation prize in the field of digitalization at the last bauma in 2022, laid the foundation for a uniform digital language required for this. Version 1.0 of this protocol is now freely usable with full functional security.
Thanks to the MiC 4.0 BUS protocol, the carrier device recognizes, for example, which attachment is to be used, which parameters it needs to function and whether it is suitable for use on this machine at all. This makes accidents caused by incorrectly locked quick couplers, unsuitable hydraulic pressure or incorrectly dimensioned attachments a thing of the past.
The MiC 4.0 working group
In the MiC 4.0 working group, all players involved, such as manufacturers of construction machinery and sensors, software companies and the construction companies using them, agree on a standardized format and a standardized understanding of the transmitted data - regardless of the manufacturer and across all machines. Many of the construction machinery manufacturers exhibiting at bauma are members of the working group.
Valuable support for machine operators
On the basis of digital information, and given the shortage of skilled workers, even less experienced machine operators can achieve very good work results with optimum machine performance, and avoid errors and accidents.
Sensors connect the physical and virtual world
The essential requirement for this is that humans and machines work together safely and effectively on a networked construction site. This can only be ensured with the appropriate type of sensors on the different construction machines.
Further benefits of networked construction and digitized construction machinery:
- Straightforward task management: Site managers can create, prioritize and assign tasks digitally. That allows a clear overview of the construction site, even with a wide variety of machines at the site.
- Simplified documentation: All work steps, changes and decisions in the planning and construction process are recorded digitally in a seamless and uniform manner.
- Efficient and faster construction: Digital data from construction machinery also forms the basis for the precise, standardized and, through the use of robotics, often automated prefabrication of construction modules, produced in digitized building material plants.
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