The screed plate apparatus and method has a road paver/finisher, screed plate, and material matting apparatus having a power source and structural/conductor plate. Paving material is loaded into the material matting apparatus and applied homogeneously as a paving mat to a road surface in a road paver/finisher travel direction. The structural/conductor plate is attached to the road paver/finisher and to the screed plate to provide indirect heat to the screed plate. The screed plate bottom side has differing forms of textured surface impacting the paving material, by differing corrugations of differing patterns, into a more homogeneous consistency. The corrugated pattern may be oriented parallel or perpendicular to the paver travel direction, and/or progressively flattening or set in a crisscross rhombic pattern. A vibrating and oscillating mechanism operates horizontally and vertically upon the screed plate providing a homogeneously sorting on the paving material.

The screed plate apparatus and method has a road paver/finisher, screed plate, and material matting apparatus having a power source and structural/conductor plate. Paving material is loaded into the material matting apparatus and applied homogeneously as a paving mat to a road surface in a road paver/finisher travel direction. The structural/conductor plate is attached to the road paver/finisher and to the screed plate to provide indirect heat to the screed plate. The screed plate bottom side has differing forms of textured surface impacting the paving material, by differing corrugations of differing patterns, into a more homogeneous consistency. The corrugated pattern may be oriented parallel or perpendicular to the paver travel direction, and/or progressively flattening or set in a crisscross rhombic pattern. A vibrating and oscillating mechanism operates horizontally and vertically upon the screed plate providing a homogeneously sorting on the paving material.

A smart steering control system a paving or texturing machine receives path elements corresponding to current and future positions of the machine. By comparing the current and future elements, an expected completion time is derived for exiting the current position and entering the future position; the smart steering control system synchronizes adjustments of the machine's steerable tracks from the current path to the future path. The smart steering control system functions as a virtual tie rod, preventing damage, enhancing the traction control and pulling power of the machine, and preserving the operating life of its components.

A system and method includes a paving machine, a vehicle, and one or more controllers. The paving machine includes an engine for powering the paving machine and the vehicle is associated with the paving machine. The one or more controllers are configured to determine an estimated time of arrival for the vehicle at the paving machine based on a location of the vehicle; identify a startup time for the paving machine, wherein the startup time comprises a time period between starting the engine of the paving machine and an operational parameter of the paving machine reaching a threshold value; and generate an indication to shut down the engine of the paving machine if the startup time for the paving machine is less than the estimated time of arrival of the vehicle associated with the paving machine.

A system and method includes a paving machine, a vehicle, and one or more controllers. The paving machine includes an engine for powering the paving machine and the vehicle is associated with the paving machine. The one or more controllers are configured to determine an estimated time of arrival for the vehicle at the paving machine based on a location of the vehicle; identify a startup time for the paving machine, wherein the startup time comprises a time period between starting the engine of the paving machine and an operational parameter of the paving machine reaching a threshold value; and generate an indication to shut down the engine of the paving machine if the startup time for the paving machine is less than the estimated time of arrival of the vehicle associated with the paving machine.

A road finisher is provided for producing a paving layer on a subgrade on which the road finisher is movable along a paving direction during a paving run. The road finisher is adapted to use distance measurements to the subgrade, which can be provided to a leveling system of the road finisher, equally as measured values for determining the thickness of a layer. A respective method for determining the layer thickness is provided.

A road finisher is provided for producing a paving layer on a subgrade on which the road finisher is movable along a paving direction during a paving run. The road finisher is adapted to use distance measurements to the subgrade, which can be provided to a leveling system of the road finisher, equally as measured values for determining the thickness of a layer. A respective method for determining the layer thickness is provided.

A method of determining optimal frequency to load haul trucks can include a central controller receiving an indication of the amount of paving material at a paving machine, and an indication of production rate of the paving machine. The central controller can then determine when more paving material should be provided to the paving machine. Based on this determination, the central controller can provide alerts or triggers to a paving material plant to indicate when haul trucks should be loaded to provide additional paving materials to the paving machine.

A paving machine includes an implement, an elongated structure, a sensor arrangement, and one or more breakaway couplers. The implement modifies a surface during a movement of the paving machine. The elongated structure is coupled to a side portion of the paving machine and extends along a direction of the movement. The sensor arrangement includes sensor units arranged sequentially along the elongated structure. The breakaway couplers correspondingly normally retain the sensor units to the elongated structure. Each breakaway coupler includes a mounting structure and a retainer unit. The mounting structure is secured to one of the elongated structure or a corresponding sensor unit, while the retainer unit retains the other of the elongated structure or the corresponding sensor unit to the mounting structure by a retention force, which is adjustable.

A paving machine includes an implement, an elongated structure, a sensor arrangement, and one or more breakaway couplers. The implement modifies a surface during a movement of the paving machine. The elongated structure is coupled to a side portion of the paving machine and extends along a direction of the movement. The sensor arrangement includes sensor units arranged sequentially along the elongated structure. The breakaway couplers correspondingly normally retain the sensor units to the elongated structure. Each breakaway coupler includes a mounting structure and a retainer unit. The mounting structure is secured to one of the elongated structure or a corresponding sensor unit, while the retainer unit retains the other of the elongated structure or the corresponding sensor unit to the mounting structure by a retention force, which is adjustable.