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What counts among the best ways to find out if a system is really smart? We know it from our maths lessons: Change the requirements or transfer it to another application.


This is exactly what we have done with our tried-and-tested SDS system:
Together with our ambitious, future-orientated customer Röser Firmengruppe – Betonfertigteile, we quickly turned the Segment Documentation System into a Pipe Documentation System
On their premises in Steißlingen (D) and the tunnelling site in Switzerland, the company applies SDS for documenting and steering the production and installation of DN 1,000/DN 1,200 mm pipe elements.

What was the purpose of this “switch”?

When adapting our SDS to pipe production, the main challenge was to understand the technical details and to reconcile these with the system. Thanks to our visits to the precast factory and the in-depth exchange of knowledge with the customer, this was surprisingly easy.

We are delighted to support our customers in the area of digitalisation and to expand the scope of our SDS.

Due to the special drainage requirement of the Ibbenbühren Mine Dewatering Tunnel (OD 4.7m) in the North of Germany, pea gravel instead of the usual cementitious grout is used to fill the annulus gap between the ring structure and the natural ground.

However, as pea gravel blinding is not as defined as filling under pressure with cementitious grout, it is all the more important to control the clean bedding of the ring indirectly through the minimal or non-existent convergences.

In this case, our Ring Convergence Measurement System is the perfect solution. The sensors are very helpful, especially as in the small and very compact TBM there is rarely a line of sight between the individual points.
Why is this project with our customer Wayss & Freytag and Züblin so important for us at VMT?

Learn more about our automated Ring Convergence Measurement System.

“We have to bring the knowledge to the systems to support the younger generation,”…

…says our Head of Sales Florian Werres, underlining the necessity of pushing automation and AI applications in tunnel construction.

Florian Werres

What does he mean?

Florian compares the first steps that are currently taking place in tunnel construction with the development in the automotive industry: There was a learning curve for a decade, but now car manufacturing is fully automated.

How do these first steps in tunnel construction look like for example?

If you would like to know how AI shocked the operators and why there’s another change in mindset required, have a look at Tunnelling Journal’s “𝗔𝗜 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻”. Link in the first comment.

Learn how AI is improving the way we deliver and operate tunnels here.

Sydney Metro is Australia’s biggest public transport project: by 2030, the sprawling harbour city will have a network of four metro lines, 46 stations and 113 km of new metro rail.


Having the correct support systems in place for tunnelling machines, information handling and segment liner systems is crucial for such a massive undertaking. TUnIS.mono cam, our assistance system for double shield TBMs, has been involved in Sydney Metro City and Southwest and will also be used for the upcoming projects Sydney Metro West & Western Sydney Airport.

Determining the position of the front shield on a double shield machine has traditionally been a pretty complex undertaking, involving lasers, laser targets, inclinometers and cylinder stroke measurement systems, multiple sensors and complicated cabling. In contrast, TUnIS.mono cam works with only one single active component.

TUnIS.mono cam targets

How does it work? Using automatic marker recognition and image evaluation, TUnIS.mono cam determines…

From the combination of both datasets, the absolute data of the front shield is calculated

Read more about TUnIS.mono cam – among others the user report – here: www.vmt-innovations.com

80 years young and still going strong.


A very happy birthday to Dr Martin Herrenknecht, from all of us at VMT!

Our birthday gift is our new „Meating Point MH 80“, an outdoor fireplace built by hand at our Bruchsal headquarters – as well as a portion planned in for you whenever we have a barbecue, and a donation made to the children’s cancer foundation Kinderkrebswerk. We’re wishing Dr Herrenknecht happiness, health, and many get-togethers around the campfire to come.