Tackling road maintenance is not an easy job as road construction workers and machine operators face a myriad of challenges. It becomes more difficult when the road is a bridge where the vibrations caused by traditional demolition machines can be intense, and where construction naturally sways ever so little without anyone trying to break loose concrete. Conjet, a manufacturer of advanced hydrodemolition robots offer demolishing machines that, instead of force and vibrations, use high pressure water jets. Using this method, water travels up to 3000bar over the concrete surface at a constant high speed creating an overpressure in the permeable concrete. 

Redefined hydrodemolition with precision remote control

The robot’s work area, water pressure depth, as well as position, width and length of the surface to be demolished is set either on the robot itself, or via the radio remote control developed in collaboration between Conjet and remote control developer Scanreco. “Scanreco is committed to empowering machine operators and enabling them to perform their best,” said Jason Looman, president Scanreco North America. “After taking the time to learn about the challenges that hydrodemolition operators face, we designed our platforms to address their challenges head on. We always work to provide the operator with a tool that they don’t have to spend a long time learning but can focus on their work.”

The platform (basically the hardware and some fundamental software and well-sufficient functional safety level) that Conjet uses, is one of Scanreco’s most tested and rugged. It provides protection from dirt and water (fundamental in hydrodemolition), as well as a reliable radio link where the control won’t accidentally set another machine on the site in motion. 

Intuitive controls for enhanced performance

With different operators using the machine in shifts, the ruggedness, long term reliability, and not least design and programming of the remote control, is crucial for operational effectiveness and machine maintenance, regardless of who operates it. Scanreco’s approach to design and configure controls that are intuitive, easy to use and to understand proved to be an excellent choice for Conjet. Tim Best, customer success manager North America at Conjet explains: “Scanreco’s ergonomic design and rugged construction with dependable components, including an almost indestructible display, help to keep Conjet hydrodemolition robot operators happy and running day after day.”

Scanreco’s display software is also modifiable, which allowed Conjet precise ‘Qt’ coding according to requirements. In collaboration with Scanreco’s design engineers, the transmitter levers, buttons, and joysticks were programmed specifically for Conjet’s machines and for the operations at hand. A feature that is appreciated on the highways.

Meeting the demands  

By manoeuvring the robot using the Scanreco control, operators also gain a better overview of the operation, its efficiency and of the site at a whole. The steam surrounding the hydrodemolition robot is very hot as it is under such high pressure, and although the operations are perfectly controlled, people surrounding it may want to stay clear. The water serves as dual agents, braking down the concrete and binding dust and smaller debris. Hence a professional remote control minimises the need to approach the machine while in action unless necessary for very specific adjustments. 

With Scanreco’s remote control, operators manage the movement of the robot from one area to another and configure parameters such as water pressure and demolition depth. Whether it’s a partial removal, or the full exposure and cleaning of armouring before applying new concrete, the demands of road maintenance remain constant as the job needs to be done efficiently with minimal disruption to traffic. Hydrodemolition, combined with cutting edge remote control technology, is helping to meet these demands, ensuring that vital infrastructures can be maintained without compromising safety or efficiency.