Hamm's Smart Compact Pro integrates real-time density measurement into automated compaction, enhancing road surface quality, reducing costs and ensuring regulatory compliance. This technology simplifies the compaction process, increases efficiency and benefits construction companies by providing accurate results and minimizing financial deductions.
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Hamm introduced Smart Compact Pro during World of Asphalt 2025.
Hamm introduced Smart Compact Pro during World of Asphalt 2025.
For the first time, real-time density is used as a decisive parameter for qualitative assessment and integrated into automated compaction, said Hamm. Smart Compact Pro therefore makes a decisive contribution to extending the service life of road surfaces and reduces construction and renovation costs as well as potential additional expenditure at the contractor's expense. The innovation is initially available in North America for tandem rollers from the HD+ series.
Automated Compaction With Smart Compact
Despite advances in digitalization, asphalt compaction has been heavily dependent on empirical data and the experience of the driver. Consistent double passes and the correct use of dynamic compaction often depended on the driver's knowledge. Since 2022, the digital compaction assistant Smart Compact from Hamm has been simplifying the compaction process in asphalt construction by automatically and separately controlling the compaction modes and forces for both drums based on the selected course type — base course, asphalt binder course or surface course. The physical properties of the asphalt, such as the temperature and stiffness, as well as the complex cooling behavior of the material, are continuously taken into account to achieve homogeneous compaction by using the optimum compaction energy and modes in each case. Local weather data can also be included as an option, according to Hamm.
Smart Compact Pro With Real-Time Density Measurement
Hamm is now expanding Smart Compact by adding a central measured value — the real-time asphalt density. Industry experts agree that it is the decisive parameter for qualitative assessment during the compaction process and is becoming the key parameter for precisely meeting regulatory requirements and minimizing financial deductions, according to Hamm.
Smart Compact Pro closes this gap by integrating the new "Realtime Density Scan" sensor into the automated compaction process. This determines the asphalt density in real time by measuring the dielectric conductivity of the asphalt mix to be compacted, forming the basis for the correlation with the asphalt density or the void content. Both parameters are decisive for self-monitoring or control testing. With the help of real-time density, Smart Compact Pro is able to provide construction companies with a decisive advantage by accurately implementing regulatory requirements, according to Hamm.
"This can significantly reduce possible financial deductions due to insufficient quality in the construction work, and save costs for early refurbishment measures," said Hamm. "The use of Smart Compact Pro also significantly reduces the effort involved in removing drill cores."
"All in all, the initial integration of real-time density into automated compaction represents a significant step forward in the development of asphalt compaction," added Hamm. "Even inexperienced operators can achieve optimum compaction results with Smart Compact Pro without any prior knowledge. This also is crucial support for construction companies in times of an increasing shortage of skilled labor."
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