The best of Birmingham05 April 2012

Transport Engineer picks some of the highlights to be seen at the CV Show 2012, coming to the NEC, Birmingham on 24, 25 and 26 April

The future could be brighter
At the CV Show, off-highway vehicle component supplier Britax plans to demonstrate a range of commercial vehicle lighting, particularly its growing range of LED solutions. The company will highlight advantages offered by LEDs over bulb-based products – including lower maintenance costs and lower current consumption. As LEDs do not need to be replaced in difficult locations or by the roadside, they give reduced health and safety risks – and lights can be left on for longer periods, without flattening the battery.

Landing on its legs
Plastecnic Accesorios will use the CV Show to appoint UK dealers for its products. The company is best known in Spain, and produces accessories for industrial vehicles. Its main products are onboard precision weighing systems, and aluminium landing legs and landing gear for vehicles with pneumatic suspension. These legs provide the same strength as iron legs, with a loading capacity of up to 25.000kg per pair, reducing the tare of the vehicle by 110kg.

Weight watchers
Vehicle Weighing Solutions intends to show its onboard weighing systems at the CV Show 2012. These include the new axle overload protection system VOPS2, described as an innovative solution to the problems of safely loading lighter commercial vehicles.

VOPS2 can be retrofitted in three hours, and is suitable for any four-wheeler in the 2.8 to 18 tonnes gvw range. Weights are displayed to the driver on a bright, clear in-cab M350S indicator. For larger vehicles with air suspension and fifth wheels, VWS also supplies Air Weigher.

Also on the company's stand will be Tradeweigh, a legal-for-trade chassis weighing system, and Envioweigh, an integrated dynamic and approved wheeled bin weighing and RF identification system for charge-by-weight and bin monitoring. VWS vehicle trackers and telemetry systems interface to back office software so operators can scrutinise bin weights and load capacity in real-time – so reducing vehicle overloads.

Coupling solutions from VBG
VBG Group will be debuting the New Ringfeder ball coupling, designed for the car transporter industry, at the CV Show. Also new from Ringfeder is the NATO range of couplings and a range of modular mounting beam assemblies.

These latter are designed for short overhang and tipper chassis, to make installation easy. All of them have been type approved for upcoming legislation, and the range of VBG couplings covers 40mm, 50mm and 57mm.

VBG will also have new and approved kits on show to help not only drawbar users, but also the growing rigid vehicle market. And the company promises news of Onspot, a traction assistance system, activated automatically by pressing a switch within the cab. Onspot has been a standard feature for many years on emergency vehicles, but is also available for trucks and buses.

Be safe and be seen
Brigade Electronics' demonstration truck will be on display at the CV show this year, with all its latest vehicle safety products, including its wireless camera monitor systems.

These have been on the market for several years but have suffered from poor quality pictures, caused by electrical interference. However, Brigade says that new digital technology has vastly improved the stability of picture performance and, following product testing, the firm is launching its new wireless system at the CV show. The system eliminates the need for suzie cables, saving up to two hours' fitment time. A re-pairing button on the receiver also allows for interchangeable trailers, making it suitable for multi drops.

Also on display will be Brigade's mobile digital recording system (MDR-304) that captures CCTV images – ideal for fleet operators frustrated by knock for knock claims, false claims and rising insurance premiums. The MDR-304 has been upgraded, now with 500GB hard disc and improved download speed, making it 10 times faster than before. A G sensor has been added to the specification, enabling recording to be triggered when excessive force is registered, such as the driver slamming on the brakes, or hitting a kerb or object.

Plough on to Taubenreuther
At the show, Taubenreuther will showcase its 4x4 mounted snow ploughs and gritters from SnoWay, which are controlled from inside the cab. The plough has its own inbuilt down-pressure system, and the firm claims it is the only intelligent plough on the market.

Adapted to fit most European 4x4 vehicles, the ploughs offer an economical and adaptable solution to winter weather challenges, with full European vehicle type approvals.

Taubenreuther's range of globally approved OE roof rack systems and accessories will also be on display, both on vehicles and display racks. The company manufactures its own winch mounting solutions for Warn winches that are all TÜV approved and custom-made for each model.

It also offers a variety of accessories that can make vehicles more useful workhorses. These include upgraded suspensions and clutches, pick-up hardtops, underbody protection plates and secure storage systems from TruckVault.
Sister company EnvVeh will be demonstrating green solutions to keeping workshops clean and tidy. Many of these products are re-usable, recyclable and help to reduce waste and exposure to chemicals.

Scheduling upgrade at CV Show
Paragon Software Systems will launch an upgrade of its routing and scheduling optimisation software (Version 5.6) at this year's show. Transport operators who want to cut operational costs, make better use of their fleet resources, while improving service levels, should challenge the Paragon about its new transport planning system.

New features and functionality include enhanced automatic routing, which allows users to target fleet reduction as a key cost-cutting objective. With many options available to make optimisation work harder as it searches for efficient solutions, there is also an option to stop routing before completion and keep the current result. It is also now possible to store job specific macros, filters, tables and reports together.

Trio of technologies from Vigo
A provider of Windows-based software to the logistics and warehousing sector, Vigo Software will be displaying three new products: MIPs (management information portal), Deditrack (dedicated customer consignment tracking) and HeliosHub web-based multi partner/depot solutions.
The company services a growing network of organisations that enjoy seamless data transfer. Developed, supplied and supported by skilled technicians in-house, this end-to-end solution provides for real-time management reporting.

Grote makes CV Show bow
Grote Industries, a manufacturer and supplier of lighting products and safety systems, will be exhibiting at this year's CV Show for the first time. Its latest news concerns the opening of a European headquarters – a state-of-the-art lean manufacturing facility for LED products.

"The opening of our new Niederwinkling offices is a major step towards providing local service and support for our European and global customers," says Grote president and COO, Dominic Grote.
"This new location will enable us to service our growing list of European customers with the latest in high quality LED lighting technology."

Third generation Wastemaster
Bandvulc says it offers an environmentally sustainable tyre solution, encompassing all aspects of commercial tyre requirements. Among its range of tyres at this year's CV Show will be the ever-popular Wastemaster MKIII, designed for use on waste vehicles.

These tyres have been improved over the last 20 years, in cooperation with Bandvulc customers, and are used extensively by cost-conscious councils in the UK, Germany and Holland. A new tyre compound and design developments apparently provide the tyre with even greater protection and grip. Wastemaster is available in 11R22.5, 295/80R22.5 and 315/80R22.5 sizes.

Commercial clean-up
Find out how workshops can get paid for waste oil by OSS Group, and also get other waste collected free, by popping onto the company's stand at the CV Show. At the show, OSS Group will be offering special deals to cover waste oil and hazardous waste collection, spill kits and other products and services.

OSS will also use the CV Show to introduce a new vehicle parts washer for commercial vehicle workshops. A revised version of the company's 'big sink' model, this parts washer has a larger than standard sink (1,000mm x 704mm) and a built-in distillation system. This 'micro refinery' allows solvent to be 100% clean all the time. Dirty residue is drained into a tank and clean solvent can be reused; over and over again.

OSS Group also now provides aqueous brake cleaners, low hazard de-rusting solutions, paint gun cleaners and an automatic hotwash.

Pallet truck range on show
Visitors to Jungheinrich's stand at this year's CV Show will have the chance to see the VFG range of hydrostatic engine-powered counterbalance trucks as well as other products from the materials handling systems specialist.

The trucks on show are powered by a Volkswagen engine and feature self-contained hydraulic pump and motor systems that provide smooth and controllable acceleration, as well as braking. Unlike other forklift trucks with hydrostatic drives, Jungheinrich's hydrostatic components have been designed for forklift use – so they offer optimum performance over the life of the truck.

Also on show will be Jungheinrich's recently introduced lithium-ion powered pallet truck, the EJE 112i. Lithium-ion technology offers several environmental and productivity benefits over traditional lead acid batteries, not least the unit itself, which weighs just 14kg.

Charging is quick and simple – it takes just 30 minutes to deliver a 50% charge and the battery is fully charged within 80 minutes. That enables more flexible truck utilisation and 'opportunity charging' – something that will be particularly welcome at sites running multiple shifts.

Lifting technology
Transdek UK will be showcasing working models at the CV show. These include its 6.5-tonne V2G (vehicle to ground) double deck lift, with integral load weight monitor (LWM), and 20-tonne double deck lift.

The company will be demonstrating the latest models of both lifts, highlighting their ease of operation, innovative design and integrated safety features.

"As well as providing cost-effective loading bay and lifting equipment solutions, we will be demonstrating how vehicle operators can more safely load double-deck trailers using our load weight monitor technology," promises Mark Adams, managing director at Transdek UK.

The LWM has been integrated with Transdek's V2G solution, which is the only surface mounted lift enabling loading and unloading of all vehicle types to ground level.

For moving larger volumes, Transdek's 20-tonne double- deck lift can handle up to 30 roll cages with a capacity of 650kg, or up to 18 pallets with a one-tonne payload. The surface mounted pod unit can be installed without the need for civil engineering works.

Standards in remote downloading
As its' digiDL continues to be a major player for remote downloading of tachographs, Tachosys will be demonstrating the kit in action.

The company claims that operators adopting digiDL no longer need to waste time manually downloading tachographs or collecting driver card data, because digiDL does all that in the background. The user decides a schedule for vehicles and driver cards, and the rest happens automatically.

Tachosys will also be showing prototypes of its next generation units, including hardware and software for Smartphones and Tablets.

Fuel savings from Ashwoods
Debuting at the CV Show, Ashwoods' EcoDrive+ is claimed to work with drivers to get the best fuel consumption from their LCVs. The in-cab display provides a visual 'sweet spot' for engine efficiency in all traffic conditions.

Drivers get real-time feedback in the form of a visual traffic light display and gearshift indicator. Verbal commands also give warnings and penalties provide the training element, with a powerful incentive to drivers to adopt more economical driving styles.
Operators intuitively alter their driving style to operate within the engine's most efficient zone, so reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by up to 15%. Improved driving also results in reduced accidents, and brake and engine wear.

Keep an 'I' on Isuzu Truck
On its return to the CV Show this year, commercial vehicle manufacturer Isuzu Truck UK is bringing a brand-new service for the UK market, with the introduction of 'I-Vision'. A newly created division within Isuzu Truck's UK organisation will be offering UK operators full telematics in the form of Isuzu Motors Japan's online Mimamori system.

"Designed for commercial vehicles, I-Vision will offer ... a comprehensive suite of additional information solutions," says Keith Child, marketing director at Isuzu Truck. "We have recognised that operators may require a total solution, which could include routing, or job management., With this in mind we are able to offer integrated systems, if required."

Author
Brian Tinham

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