AJAX WORKS WITH SAKAI TO MAKE ECHELON ROLLING SAFER

BY TY JOHNSON
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

One of SAKAI America’s latest innovations came from listening to safety-minded highway contractors.

“Contractors were coming to SAKAI and saying, ‘Can you build an auto-braking technology like on cars that can add that extra layer of safety?’” SAKAI Southeast Sales Manager Nick Zessack said.

Though such a technology was already in the field in Japan, where SAKAI’s global headquarters is, Zessack said he wanted to run it by some of the company’s U.S. customers before bringing it to this market.

He arranged to bring a demonstration to NAPA member Ajax Paving Industries of Florida to see if there was demand for the Guardman Automatic Brake Assist System, which first emits audible and visual warnings to alert the operator about personnel or objects like the paver screed in the path of the equipment before automatically stopping if necessary. Sensors in the rear, and in front for highway-class rollers, detect obstacles, while the warning alarm sounds from a speaker at ground level, as well as one at the operator station in combination with a visual alert on the display.

Two sensors in the front and two sensors in the rear detect objects in or around the paver, while the warning alarm sounds from a speaker at ground level, as well as one at the operator station.

“The most important part for us was adoption, because you can build the fanciest safety technology that was ever invented, but if it’s hard to use, if it doesn’t work with what’s already being done, people aren’t going to want to adopt it. Contractors say this is a great idea because it builds in that safety layer but doesn’t force their crews to completely change the way they have to operate a piece of equipment, so they’ll use it.”

– Nick Zessack, SAKAI Southeast Sales Manager

“So not only does the operator hear it, but the guy on the screed and the quality control manager all hear that alarm as well right at ground level with them,” Zessack said.

If the operator does not take action, the warnings get more urgent until, at the last moment, the machine stops itself to avoid a dangerous collision. The sensors work through dust and steam while an intelligent controller accounts for machine speed and distance.

Not long after the demonstration on smaller class rollers, Zessack said Ajax Fleet Manager Dan Maitland came to him and said when the technology became available on bigger machines, it might be a good fit for the Ajax fleet.

At World of Asphalt 2024, the first highway-class Guardman equipped SAKAI roller debuted on the show floor, and Maitland said he wanted Ajax to be the first to try the new application.

While effective at detecting potential collisions with equipment and crewmembers while using pavers in a linear train, the technology was less helpful when circumstances called for two or more rollers to run simultaneously in overlapped proximity, otherwise known as an Echelon pattern.

Because Zessack was familiar with the highway work Ajax does in Florida, he knew that the proximity warnings would be constant during these close rolling patterns, since the initial detection area at working speeds is as much as 30 feet.

In November 2024, Zessack said he brought this application to SAKAI to solve internally.

“An alarm that alarms constantly is not an alarm. We still need this technology to detect, but it has to work the way the crews expect it to work,” he said. “Because the most important thing is adoption. They have to want to use it.”

Engineers in Japan took the feedback on Echelon rolling applications to heart and developed a selectable “Echelon Mode” that suppresses initial alerts so that operators can follow more closely to the lead roller while preserving the ability to automatically brake in an emergency.

Zessack said Ajax appreciated the effort when he brought the finished product back for them to review.

“What I like about the Guardman system is its intuitive design, specifically, ‘Echelon Mode’ said Ajax Fleet Manager Dan Maitland. “The challenge with proximity sensors and audible alarms is that they can be set off almost constantly on a jobsite. This can lead to desensitized operators, and what was once used to get attention has turned into white noise. Echelon mode changes the cone of detection so it’s not constantly beeping when running alongside another roller, or up against a barrier wall. Bottom line: more flexibility to keep alarms meaningful and less likely to be ignored.”

“We listened to highway contractors who expressed the need for a solution that would allow for closer, more efficient tandem rolling while still allowing the benefits of Guardman’s automatic braking, if necessary,” said Brad Belvin, SAKAI manager of sales and marketing. “Echelon Mode is the result of that feedback, and we’re proud to offer this advancement to the industry.”

“The challenge with proximity sensors and audible alarms is that they can be set off almost constantly on a jobsite. This can lead to desensitized operators, and what was once used to get attention has turned into white noise.”

– Dan Maitland, Ajax Fleet Manager

“Safety is our top priority at SAKAI America,” said SAKAI VP Operations Kevin McClain. “Echelon Mode is a testament to our commitment to continuous improvement and our dedication to providing our customers with the most trustworthy compaction equipment.”

Ajax purchased the very first two Guardman 79″ SW884ND rollers that were built in time for a project on the Howard-Franklin Bridge in Tampa.

“What I love about the paving industry is that we designed this technology not only to fit the job, but to be very easy to use and quick to pick up,” Zessack said, explaining that he personally trained the operators on the morning before the job and within 15 minutes they were up to speed.

“The most important part for us was adoption, because you can build the fanciest safety technology that was ever invented, but if it’s hard to use, if it doesn’t work with what’s already being done, people aren’t going to want to adopt it. Contractors say this is a great idea because it builds in that safety layer but doesn’t force their crews to completely change the way they have to operate a piece of equipment, so they’ll use it.”

MORE ON GUARDMAN

Depending on the model, Guardman utilizes millimeter-wave radar or 3D LiDAR to detect potential collisions with personnel or equipment, warn the operator progressively, and automatically brake to prevent accidents if needed.

Echelon Mode allows two SAKAI SW884 (79″) or SW994 (84″) asphalt rollers, equipped with Guardman, to operate in close proximity without generating false alarms but still protecting against collisions.